If you think that face puffiness is just a cosmetic concern then you might be wrong!! It is true that puffiness on our face could make us upset or sad when we see our face in the mirror in the morning after waking up. It is okay if the puffiness appears on the face occasionally but it is a concern if it persists.  We could get face puffiness due to several reasons like allergies, dietary habits, fluid retention etc. These are the important reasons for puffiness on the face Excess salt intake: Our body would retain water if we consume excess salt or sodium. As a result, we could get swelling around our eyes, cheeks etc. Allergies: We could get inflammation in our face due to allergies. Our eyes and lips might become swollen. There are various triggers for allergies such as pollen, pet dander, certain foods etc. Poor sleep quality: There are chances of face puffiness and dark circles etc if we don`t get sound sleep or due to lack of restful sleep.  It must be noted that fluid tends to pool under the eyes when lying down too long. Intake of alcohol: Not many would be aware that intake of alcohol could lead to dehydration in us. There are high chances of getting inflammation. We could get water retention and face swelling etc. Hormonal fluctuations: There are chances of water retention due to changes in hormones during menstruation, pregnancy etc. By this we could get puffiness on the face. Sinus congestion: Our cheeks and under eye areas could swell if we have sinus congestion issues. This is due to the inflammation and fluid build up. Dehydration: Our body could hold onto fluids if we don`t consume sufficient quantities of water. This could cause swollen appearance especially around eyes and mouth etc. Medical conditions etc: Sometimes, the face puffiness m might not be an ordinary issue. Bitter fact is that hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome and kidney disease etc can also result in face puffiness. Facial infections etc: Sometimes, our one side of the face would become swollen and this could be due to cellulitis or dental abscesses.

How will you react if you come to know that childhood obesity has been increasing at an alarming rate across the world? Shocking right!! Over 39 million kids under the age of 5 are obese and this was according to WHO or World Health Organisation. Not only obesity in the kids would cause chronic illness such as diabetes, heart issues etc in them but it also would affect their social and emotional wellbeing. Parents would be able to manage obesity in their kids through healthy habits, emotional support and positive reinforcement. Various ways or tips by which parents can manage their kid`s obesity are By encouraging physical activity: Every day, children would require atleast 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity. Various physical activities are running, swimming, cycling, dancing etc. Playing outdoor games would also be useful. By making kids eat balanced foods: Parents must make their kids eat protein rich foods and fruits, vegetables, whole grains etc without fail. They must teach their kids about food balance and not restrict the kids. By limiting screen time: Kids below the age of 5 must be allowed screen time of about 1 hour per day and older kids must be allowed 2 hours of screen time. This was mentioned by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. By creating a healthy home environment: Instead of keeping junk foods in the homes, parents must keep healthy foods like nuts, fruits, yoghurt etc. Parents must never bring sugary sodas, fried snacks etc to the homes. By being a role model: It is true that the kids would imitate their parents. Hence, parents must be a role model to their kids. They must adopt healthy eating and exercise habits etc. It is important for the parents to eat food with their kids. By not using food as reward or punishment: There are some parents who reward their kids with sweets for appreciating them and punish their kids by food deprivation. This could lead to a bad relationship with food. Parents could appreciate their kids by giving them non-food rewards such as stickers, books etc. By ensuring proper sleep: There is a relation between insufficient sleep and obesity in the kids. Therefore, parents must ensure that their kids sleep well by restricting screen time and by creating sleep hygiene. By taking guidance from paediatrician: Parents must seek guidance from medical professionals or paediatricians etc if their kid s BMI is above the recommended range. 

There is an autoimmune condition that would affect the eyes but it is actually associated with thyroid. It is thyroid eye disease or TED. It is also called Graves Ophthalmopathy. Various symptoms associated with TED are upper eyelid retraction, swelling, lid lag, conjunctivitis, bulging eyes plus others like dull colour vision, eye movement difficulty, etc. These symptoms would be present for 1 to 2years after which these symptoms disappear. Bitter fact is that in rare cases the swelling around the eyes could press the optic nerve and this could result in loss of vision or eyesight. It is noteworthy that TED can occur in 16 out of one lakh women and 3 out of one lakh men. It must be taken into account that about 3% to 5% could get have severe TED in them Reasons for TED: Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke would increase the chances of TED. Family history, poor thyroid control and radioiodine therapy etc can also cause TED in us Foods to avoid with TED: There are certain foods that we must avoid if we have TED and the foods are sugary foods, processed foods, fried foods, high sodium foods, refined foods etc. How is TED diagnosed? It is noteworthy that blood tests are carried out for diagnosing TED. The blood tests would measure TSR receptor antibodies. In addition, CT scan and MRI are also taken to access swelling and optic nerves. How is TED treated? It is worth mentioning that mild TED cases would need artificial tears. Corticosteroids, radiation or surgery are carried out for mild to severe cases of TED. Though an eye doctor would be able to diagnose TED but only an endocrinologist could prevent TED from spreading.

Are you aware of French beans? Do you know how French beans differ from normal green beans? French beans belong to the family named Fabaceae that includes other legumes like lentils, chickpeas, peas etc.. While normal green beans are small and thicker, French beans are long and thinner in appearance. Moreover, French beans are tender and they cook faster when compared to normal green beans. Amazing health benefits we could get by consuming French beans are Full of nutrients: Several important nutrients like vitamins A, C and K plus folate, iron and calcium and fibres etc are present in French beans. Boosts heart health: When we consume French beans, our bad cholesterol levels would reduce and due to this our heart health would get boosted. The presence of antioxidants in French beans would fight the oxidative stress. By this, our cardiovascular health would be superb. Weight management: Consuming French beans having fibres would make us feel full for a longer duration. By this, we would not eat excess foods. This would help in managing weight. Improves digestive health: Intake of French beans would help in regular bowel movement in us. We would be able to avoid constipation and bloating would get reduced. Our overall digestion would get boosted. Boosts immunity:  Our immune system would get strengthened by consuming French beans rich in vitamin C and antioxidants etc. As a result, we could avoid infections, diseases etc. Improves skin health: Intake of French beans having vitamin C would help in collagen formation. This would help us to have a firm and healthy skin. Our skin would get protected from UV radiations. We would be able to avoid signs of ageing such as wrinkles, dark spots etc. Boosts eye health: The presence of lutein and Zeaxanthin in French beans would help in our eye health. We could avoid age related macular degeneration and various other agage based issues in us. Lowers cancer risk: The antioxidants and flavonoids in French beans would counteract free radicals and we could reduce cancer risk. Regular consumption of French beans containing fibres would help us to avoid cancers in the digestive system. Improves bone health: For our lives to be normal, we must have good bone health. It is known that French beans are rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and these would improve our bone strength and density. The presence of vitamin K in French beans would help in bone metabolism.