Spine Health and Signs of an Ageing Spine

Curves are a normal part of the spine’s structure. A side view of the spine resembles a soft ‘S’ shape. The normal curves are termed lordosis and kyphosis. However, the natural curves should not be mistaken for spinal disorders also called Lordosis and Kyphosis.

Good posture is about all parts of the spine being in correct alignment so that the body weight is evenly distributed. This means that if someone is not in correct posture it can put strain on certain parts of the spine (usually the lumbar or lower back).

The spine is not straight and it was never meant to be straight. Each part of the spine has a soft curve to it. The curve directions alternate down the spine. These form a kind of spring that enables shock absorption by the spine. It would actually be very bad if the spine were to be straight!

During our lifetime, our spines are required to withstand considerable physical weight bearing stresses resulting from activities of daily living. As a result of these stresses, ‘wear and tear’ or degeneration occurs in all parts of the vertebral column. Degeneration which occurs in the spine as a consequence of daily living is considered part of the normal ageing process.

Signs Of An Ageing Spine:

Most people are concerned with changes in their body shape as they age. Although some changes inevitably occur with ageing, your lifestyle choices can slow down or speed up these changes. With age a person may become shorter. After the age of 40, people typically lose 1cm every 10 years and the height loss increases after the age of 70.

Some people live to old age without experiencing any of the symptoms typically associated with an ageing spine. Others may experience the following:

• Loss of bone density
• Spinal fracture, even from minor trauma
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion in the joints: difficulty in bending, twisting, or walking
• Discomfort or pain after long periods of sitting or standing
• Difficulty in getting up from a sitting position
• Difficulty in lifting heavy objects
• Loss of flexibility
• Increased susceptibility to back problems in colder weather

 Check out Apollo Life website to know what are the Conditions Associated With An Ageing Spine

A Brief Note On Water Related Diseases and Its Prevention

Water-borne diseases are illnesses caused and transmitted by the use and consumption of contaminated water. Irrespective of the Old Issues & New Risks In Clean Water Dr Suneetha Narreddy cause and point of water contamination, infections are picked up in the course of basic everyday activities like drinking water, preparation and consumption of food, bathing and washing.

The long list of water related diseases and conditions include Anaemia, Ascariasis, Botulism, Diarrhoea, Dracunculiasis, Fluorosis, Hookworm infection, Japanese encephalitis, Lymphatic filariasis, Malaria, Malnutrition, Polio, Ring Worm, Tinea, Scabies, Schistomiasis. But prevalently, the most common and the most troublesome of water-related diseases, in terms of public health or health of a community are:

• Typhoid fever
• Cholera
• Leptospirosis
• Hepatitis A

There is also the increased risk of infection or water-borne diseases contracted through direct contact with polluted waters.
Among them are:

• Wound infections
• Dermatitis
• Conjunctivitis
• Ear, nose and throat infections

 Go to our online portal Apollo Life to know the prevention process of the same.

Effectiveness of Liquid Diets

In today’s context and lifestyle, liquid diets not only help a lot by detoxifying your system, but are almost imperative to maintaining good health.

 Naturopathists are of the opinion that if you follow a liquid diet once a week, not only will this help the digestive system to rest but also allow it to get rid of toxins accumulated over time. In all, it energizes you, helps in rectifying water retention problems as well as it contributes to weight loss leading to a general overall feeling of well being.

A sample of a liquid diet that I have seen working with people I know is as follows:

You can kick start your day at, lets say, 7 a.m. by taking a glass of water and then every one hour, you can consume some form of a liquid diet alternating it with a glass of water, the next hour. The options are in plenty ranging from tea, coffee, juice (fruit/vegetable), buttermilk, soup and finally a cup of milk at 10 p.m. if you are hungry.

A Reiki master once told me about several juices that enhance a person’s well being. For example carrot and celery juice, chaal kurunda/white pumpkin juice, pomegranate juice and sweet-lime juice. All these juices should be combined with 6—8 glasses of water taken at various intervals.

Source: Apollo Life

Know Health Benefits and Nutritional Facts of Dates

Whether you are looking for a sweet treat with natural goodness or a nutritionally packed snack to fight fatigue, dates easily qualify as the perfect choice for most health enthusiasts. High in carbohydrates and fibre, and rich in exotic taste and essential minerals, dates can be a healthy addition to any diet.

 Originally dates came from the Middle East and South Asia. It was prominently so around the Persian Gulf and River Nile. Today they are grown extensively in the warm climate zones across Africa, Europe and Asia. The date fruit belongs to the ‘drupe’ category having a fleshy outer layer and an inner hardened pit with a seed.

Date variants are available either as the soft ‘Medjool’ and ‘Khadrawy’, the semi dry ‘Deglet Noor’ or the dry form ‘Thoory’. The popular and revered cultivars include ‘Medjool’, ‘Khadrawy’, ‘Amer Haji’, ‘Khalasah’, ‘Kenta’ and ‘Khajoor’.

Weighty Affair!

Dates are cholesterol free and loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These energy-dense delicious fruits are rich in potassium (which helps to check hypertension), calcium (which is useful for skeletal and dental health), selenium (the immunity booster), magnesium and copper.

If the antioxidants in dates are chiefly the powerful carotenoids, the vitamins comprise the entire range of the B complex – B6, niacin, and folic acid. It is also rich in amino acids. About 100 g of fresh dates provide 400 kcal approximately. So, the flip side is you must be careful about nibbling on too many dates! It is especially so if you are trying to watch your weight.

Browse our online health magazine Apollo Life to know more benefits of Dates.

Its all About King of Fruits - Mango

Delicious, fragrant, and a powerhouse of nutrients, this succulent fruit makes it to the top of almost every Indian’s list of favourite fruits.

A potent source of fibre and iron, mango is rich in Vitamins A, C, E and K. It contains significant amounts of phosphorus, manganese and potassism. The presence of flavonoids
and polyphenol antioxidants in the fruit provides a variety of health benefits

Digestion
The fibre found in mango helps regulate bowel movement and keeps constipation at bay. Mango contains digestive enzymes that help relieve acidity and break down proteins thereby aiding digestion

Diabetes
Mango has a low glycemic index - between 41 and 60 and it is known to reduce complications associated with diabetes. A decoction made with mango leaves is an excellent remedy for diabetics.

Heat Stroke
Unripe mango is a rich source of pectin. When steamed and juiced with cumin (jeera), rock salt and sugar, it offers relief against heat stroke or heat exhaustion in summer.

Cancer
New research suggests that the polyphenol antioxidant compounds in mango act as protection against breast and colon cancers. It is also rich in carotenes that are known to protect the body from cancers of the lung and oral cavity.

Source: ApolloLife

Little Note on Wedding Hairstyles

                                            A wedding is not karaoke. You don’t just wake up and perform while people egg you on even though you sound disastrously pathetic. A wedding has to be perfect in every way. Everyone wants to look their best on the occasion and the best of all should be and must be the bride. Every pleat should fall in place, the blush and colour should match your grace and no hair should be out of place.

 So, if you’re the bride, you can’t let the others get ahead of you. Check out some choicest wedding hairstyles and be a stunner on your Wedding Day!

Classic Bun

• Neat and elegant, the classic bun is perfectly suited to a bride who needs to create beautiful lines and keep hair off her face.
• Once in place, you can accessorize with hairgrips and hair slides; choose a colour that compliments your hair tone and outfit.
• Completely chic and classy, you can wear the classic bun sleek and groomed, or looser and accessorized for a more contemporary feel. You’ll always look pulled together and timeless in all of your wedding pictures.

Fresh Flowers For Your Hair

• A single bold flower or a cluster of delicate blooms, add a romantic flourish to your wedding-day hairstyle.
• In general, use larger blossoms with simple styles, smaller ones for more intricate looks.
• Opt for flowers that are in season and are resilient.
• Some flowers shouldn’t be used near your skin; for safety reasons, have your florist guide you to sensible choices.
• Highly fashionable flower pieces tucked within the braided bun `look splendid.
• Place a flower at the base of the bun for a simple, effective detail.
• Having the flower to one side or slightly below the top of the bun is more elegant than placing it above the bun.
• Source: ApolloLife

Colour Therapy - Healing with Colours

Colours do affect our thought process in subtle ways. That’s why people feel blue when they’re sad, go green with envy, grow pink with embarrassment, and see red when they are angry. Apart for the mood altering qualities, colours are also known to have healing properties.

The History:
Though the term ‘colour therapy’ has come recently, the idea existed from ancient times. Warriors painted themselves in reds, blacks and browns as they believed these colours made them look fierce. Tribal women dressed themselves in bright colours to look attractive. The ancient Egyptians too understood the importance of colour - and they used colour to heal. They built temples for healing, where the rooms were coloured in different colours. The Chinese practised colour healing too, called the nei ching, nearly 2000 years ago.

India too has credited colours with incredible healing power from ancient times. Sages understood the healing vibrations of different colours and how they helped cure aliments, this is reported in Atharva Veda; where they connect the seven colours of the rainbow (violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red) to the seven energy centres, also known as the chakras, of our body for healing purposes. Each chakra is further related to a certain gland, so they believed that the proper use of a specific colour helps cure that body ailment concerned.

Another aspect of colour therapy is the close relation the five elements of the body: fire, air, water, ether and earth, have with colours. Fire is associated with red, air with green, water with deep blue, ether with light blue and earth with yellow. Thus colour therapy draws the vibrations and energy from the five elements and colours. Together combines them to better our body’s ailments. These ancient beliefs and practices are what we still carry forward and have proved to be beneficial in today’s practice of colour therapy.

SOURCE:  ApolloLife