Many of us would feel surprised if we come to know the truth that our gut health could also be a factor in weight loss. Yes it`s true!! Mostly, weight loss is associated with exercise, diet etc only and gut health is a hidden factor. According to a famous gastroenterologist from Hyderabad based hospital it was clear that a healthy gut would support better metabolism and would help our body to burn more calories. There are trillions of bacteria present in our digestive system known as gut microbiome and these bacteria not only help in the food digestion but also play a role in metabolism, fat storage, energy use etc. It is worthy to note here that when our gut health goes out of balance then it would slow down weight loss and we might never realise it also. Gut health affecting fat loss: The bacteria present in our gut would break down the food and assist our body in absorbing nutrients. Metabolism would be kept efficient if these bacteria are balanced. Point is that our body would be able to burn more calories effectively and this could be possible even when we don`t exercise also. Not many would know that an unhealthy gut could lead to slowdown in metabolism, increased sugar cravings and this could lead to fat storage around the belly portion. So, please take care. Research study in 2021: It was brought to light by a research study in the year 2021 that in the105 persons in a lifestyle programme diet and blood markers did not create any impact but certain gut microbiome traits predicted weight loss in certain persons. The research study was published in the American Society for Microbiology. From the above study it was found out that persons whose gut bacteria had genes linked to breaking down complex foods, managing stress and growing faster were more likely to lose their weight. Various signs that would show that the digestive system is not functioning well are getting digestive issues like bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea etc often, getting skin issues like acne etc, anxiety issue/poor mood, having bad breath, sudden weight gain or loss etc. How can poor gut health slow down our weight loss? It is true that poor gut health can lead to slowing down in the weight loss process. It must be taken into note that gut bacteria would affect everything from hormonal balance to appetite control etc. There are more chances of chronic inflammation if bad gut bacteria outnumber the good bacteria in the gut. By this, f fat burning or weight reducing capacity would also be reduced. Finally, losing weight would become difficult. Final note: Please do not ignore the role of your gut if your weight loss journey feels struck up despite your huge efforts. Certain signs like digestive issues, fatigue etc would reveal that gut health would need attention. Simple dietary and lifestyle changes could restore gut balance and would provide the metabolism the boost it requires.

Have you ever experienced dizziness or head spinning and found it very difficult?  Once in a while feeling dizzy is normal for women and children. If this happens frequently, then it is a serious issue and must be treated without fail as it can be due to an underlying health condition also. Please take care. Why do children experience frequent dizzy spells? It was mentioned by a paediatrician that dizziness in the kids is always not a sign of serious issues in them. Point is that children could feel dizzy if they have issues like dehydration, low sugar levels, anaemia, ear infections etc in them. He spoke about how even fatigue could trigger dizziness in the kids. Dizzy feeling from dehydration versus inner ear issues: It must be taken into account that parents often confuse light headedness due to lack of fluids with dizziness due to inner ear issues. It is worthy to note that dizziness that could occur due to dehydration (or lack of adequate intake of fluids etc) could be corrected by drinking lots of fluids. Dizziness can also be due to inner ear vertigo and is associated with nausea and vomiting etc. Truth is that vertigo doesn`t resolve after drinking fluids and the issue would need to be evaluated by a doctor. Dizzy feeling from low blood pressure of low BP: Especially when the children suddenly change positions, they could get low BP and this can result in dizziness. It was brought to light by a medical professional that dizziness in the kids is associated with postural or orthostatic hypotension. Dizzy feeling in the kids due to low BP is usually identified by the relief a child from the feel gets after sitting or lying down. Point to be noted is that the doctors would confirm this by checking the BP of the child in several positions. First aid tips to overcome sudden dizziness in children: When a child gets dizzy then he or she must stop all movements, steady their bodies and take deep breaths. The possibility of falling down can be avoided either by sitting or lying down. It would be good to drink water also. Routine activities of the kid can be continued once the dizziness gets resolved. It was explained that skipping foods, iron deficiency and low vitamin B12 etc can also cause dizziness in the kids. Reasons why women get dizziness more than men: According to a gynaecologist it was clear that in most women dizziness could be due to the hormonal changes related to m menstrual cycle or menopause etc. A woman can get dizziness if she has ear issues, low BP and dehydration etc. Bitter fact is that stress and sleep deprivation could worsen dizziness in women. Identifying dizziness from dehydration & dizziness from inner ear issues in women? If the light headed feeling gets better after drinking fluids, then the dizziness is due to dehydration. If a woman experiences dizziness due to inner ear issues then the dizzy feel wouldn`t stop and she could get the feel even while resting or lying down. Steps to be taken by women during dizziness: Women must sit down or lie down immediately if she gets dizzy or head spinning. She must focus on a stationary object and breathe slowly. It would be good to eat some snacks or drink water if dizziness is due to low sugar levels. Sudden movements must be avoided without fail. If needed, it is necessary for women to hold on to some support also. Please take care.

In countries like Iran, India and Afghanistan etc, muskmelons are found is well known to us. They belong to the family Cucurbitaceae. Musk word in muskmelon is a Persian word referring to strong sweet aroma or perfume. Melon is French and it comes from the Greek or Latin word melonem or fruit.  Not many of us are aware of the fact that intake of muskmelon can be superb for our health. This could be due to the presence of many ingredients in musk melon like water, dietary fibre, vitamins like A and C, minerals like potassium, iron, copper, magnesium and antioxidants like beta carotene etc.  Health benefits of consuming muskmelons are                 Boosts heart health: Our heart health would get boosted if we consume muskmelon seeds that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. By this, the risk of various heart diseases would be lowered. The heart muscles in us would be in a relaxed state and due to this we would have less chances of getting strokes, heart attacks etc. Improves digestion: Our digestive health would get better by intake of muskmelon seeds. Here, the dietary fibres present in the seeds play a huge role. The fibres would help us in regular bowel movements and by this constipation would be avoided. Boosts immunity: The immunity in us would get improved by the intake of muskmelon seeds. This is due to the presence of vitamin C and other antioxidants in the fruit. We would be able to avoid many infections and diseases etc. Good for skin health: By consuming muskmelon seeds, it would be possible to protect skin damage due to various factors. This would be due to the presence of vitamins like A, C and E. Collagen would be produced by intake of muskmelon seeds and this would slow down the skin ageing process. Helps in weight loss: Losing excess weight is not easy and intake of muskmelon seeds would be useful in this. The dietary fibres in these seeds would make us feel full for a long duration. This would help us to avoid unnecessary foods. This would help me lose weight loss in a healthier manner. Lowers inflammation: We can get inflammation in us due to many reasons. Intake of muskmelon seeds having many antioxididants would lower inflammation in us. This would further help us to avoid chronic diseases etc. Good for bone health: The minerals like phosphorus, magnesium and calcium that are needed for good bone health are present in plenty in muskmelon seeds. When we consume muskmelon seeds, our bone strength would improve and we would not get issues like osteoporosis etc. Improves hair health: By providing good strength to the hair follicles, hair health would get boosted and this would occur by consuming muskmelon seeds. Our scalp health would be maintained due to the presence of vitamins. Good for eye health: The vitamin A that is present in muskmelon seeds would be superb for eye health. The presence of antioxidants like beta carotene and zeaxanthin would boost vision and promote good ocular health.

Have you ever experienced a headache after tying your hair very tightly that is in a ponytail hairstyle? Have you ever thought about what could be the real reason behind this type of headache? It has been brought to light by some dermatologists that it is a real phenomenon termed as ponytail headache or it is also called as external compression headache. Why does ponytail cause headaches actually? It is worthy to note that when we tie our hairs too tightly, the scalp and hair follicles etc would be kept under tension.  Truth is that yanking or pulling hairs too tightly all of a sudden would stimulate the nerve endings on the scalp and produce pain messages. This would be shown as headaches. Our scalp is very sensitive and repeatedly pulling hairs through the ponytail could engage blood vessels and nerve elements resulting in headaches. The shocking piece of information is that in some persons even combing activity can cause headaches. Various factors involved are: Nerve sensitivity- Scalp tightness can result in overstimulation of sensory nerves. Muscle strain- Small muscle of the hair follicles would get stretched due to repeated tension and this can cause headaches. Hair density and weight- Those with denser and longer hairs have more chances of getting ponytail headaches due to weight contributing to tension. Longer time of hairstyles – Headaches can occur due to having a tight hairstyle for a longer time period. The hairstyle is too tight and would be known by certain signs like pain, a delayed headache, redness on the scalp, aching dullness worsening over time etc. It was revealed by a research study in 2004 that out of 93 females as many as 50 women reported headaches due to ponytail hairstyle. It was found out that headache was present in the hair tie area in 10 cases whereas others felt pain in the vertex, forehead, temples, neck, parietal region etc. The surprising piece of information is that loosening of the ponytail relieved headache immediately in 4 cases, within 30 minutes in 32, within an hour in 5 and 9 were unsure of the duration of time.  How to avoid ponytail headaches? It would be possible to avoid getting headaches due to tight ponytail type hairstyles by loosening up the hairstyle, by changing hairstyles, by using relaxing accessories, by hair follicle care etc.