health and wellness – That Madras Mom

June 5, 2021July 31, 2021

Reasons to switch to a menstrual cup

Embracing a pad-free, zero-waste menstrual cycle and switching to a menstrual cup takes a lot of patience and guts in my opinion. Inserting an alien object into the private part gives me jitters even as I thought about it. But, I’ve seen women making the change, feeling comfortable and most importantly helped spread the word to make other women cupvert.

Busting the Myths on why not to use the cup click here

Painful experience to get it inside and fit it properly.

Patience and being relaxed is the first step. There are a lot of YouTube videos that help understand the different types of folds. Choose the one that best suits you and you are sure to be a pro after a couple of cycles. Do not aim to get it right at the first time, this isn’t a race or a competition.

Fear of loosing the cup inside . Ouch!!

That is not going to happen for sure. You can relax, it’s not a tiny pill that is going to get lost or get dissolved. Moreover, the cup isn’t going to pass through cervix so no matter how much you fear it isn’t going anywhere but staying where you exactly put it.

Thinking it needs to be removed when you use the restroom every single time.

You might need to revisit your biology chapters to understand your private parts. You bleed menstrual blood through vagina so the cup stays there. You pee through the urethra and poop through the rectum, so they are all different holes and you needn’t remove the cup every time you visit the restroom.

Fear of the cup overflowing

That’s where the size comes into play. Did you know that you need to empty the cup only twice if you are a person with regular flow. But if you are a person with heavy bleeding, even then it is highly unlikely that the cup would overflow within an eight-hour period.

Thought of inserting plastic inside

Medical or health grade silicone is the material the cup is made of, so it is safer to use. It’s rash-free, itch-free and makes it comfortable.

Tips for usage of menstrual cup

Sterilize the cup, since safety is first

Make sure you sterilize the cup by boiling it, before and after your period. Place the cup in a pot with water, turn on stove, bring to boil and turn it off. Remove the cup, wipe it dry and store it in a cloth bag.

Trying out different folds

Once you buy the cup, try out different folds available on the internet. Choose the one that suits you, the C fold doesn’t suit everyone, you might even find a better one.

Learn positions to insert it

Relaxing and finding a comfortable position to insert the cup is just like finding the fold that suits you. Sitting , squatting or lifting either one of the legs should make it work.

Learning and understanding the how tos before the period

Trying it out during period is going to be very difficult. Make sure you watch videos on insertion, position and sterilizing before your period so that it’s easier for you to do it. Learning how to relax the pelvic area also plays an important role when you use the cup. How the cup works when inserted definitely helps preparing yourself mentally and physically.

Checking the leaks

The fear of leak is the biggest for any women. So how do you check for leaks? There is a pop sound that you hear once the cup is in.

Not keeping it longer than 8-10 hours

Most cups can be kept till 12 hours, they are safer than pads. But make sure you empty it when it exceeds 8 hours just to be on the safer side.

Cleaning before re-inserting

When you empty the cup for re-inserting, make sure you wash it with hot water if it’s available. Else a couple of washes with regular water also works.

How pelvic muscles can help?

Relaxing pelvic muscles by taking deep breaths makes it easier for insertion. Using the muscles to push the cup out makes it easy to remove. Squatting helps relax to get the cup out.

Using cloth pads of low flow days

Depending on the cycle and your flow you can switch to cloth pad beyond three days or days when you have lighter flow.

What are the advantages to use the cup?

The menstrual cup is the most environmentally friendly and cheap option that is hygienic and also is zero-waste.
Much more hygienic than pads to use for longer duration.
Makes the period most comfortable because you forget that you have it inside.
Makes it easy to do physical activities when you wear a cup.
Using the cup, helps reduce menstrual cramps.

Sirona menstrual cup helps in giving you a peaceful period experience by making it odour-free, itch-free and rash-free. It offers 10-hour protection and is one of the cheapest options for a menstrual cup. click here

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@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

May 31, 2021

A2Z of common diseases & their homeopathic treatment – Book review

Blurb

This ebook is a collection of 26 chapters (in alphabetic format) about all common diseases. As “A” to acidity to “Z”, “Zika virus infection,” each chapter has a proper detail information about all common diseases. Each chapter contain causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and homeopathic treatment of common diseases. I am hoping this e-book will give an insight about common diseases and also help in understanding the efficacy of homeopathic medicines in treating routine and day to day ailments. You can also use this as a handy guide to understand the causes, symptoms, prevention, and homeopathic treatment of routine illnesses.

My review

Homeopathy is based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Founded in the 1700s in Germany it is one of the widely sought alternative medicinal approach.
What actually brings on symptoms in a healthy person, in a very minute proportion can help in treating an illness that has similar symptoms. So it is more like triggering the body’s natural defenses.

By adding water these ingredients become weakened. The mixture is then shaken known as potentization. This is the step that transfers the essence of healing. Homeopaths firmly believe that lower the dose , the more powerful the medicine becomes. Sugar pellets, liquid drops, cream and gel are forms in which homeopathic medicine is available.

Homeopaths do ask a lot of questions about mental, emotional and physical health. A remedy that best matches all the symptoms is prescribed and the treatment is tailor made.

I was used to taking allopathic medicine until I got married. Be it cold, fever or an allergy I always resorted to taking a pill that was prescribed. No side effects but it did help me heal. But I also came to know of a couple of adverse effects that allopathic medicines gave in when treated for something different that had no relevance to the side effects being experienced. I was shaken, but continued to take them when I fell ill.

My in-laws have been taking homeopathic medicines for over ten years. And I was suggested to get an appointment. I have bad allergies which God knows what triggers them and couldn’t be cured with the medicines I’ve been taking. I met the Doctor, who I’d now say definitely knows about my body like the back of her hand now. Something that I totally resisted to switch, but I wouldn’t say I was forced to but I think it was destiny that gave me the push and trust me homeopathy worked wonders that I now recommend it and my doctor when people come up to me for suggestions.

The tailor made treatment and understanding the emotional and mental health definitely made me trust this way of medicinal approach which I’d say has to be the first step when you encounter a condition or a disease. Trust in the medicine and the doctor who treats you helps you heal faster.

Surbhi’s book lists out the diseases alphabetically,giving you an insight of what the disease is and the homeopathic treatment corresponding to it. The book also dives deep to make you understand the efficacy of homeopathy in treating the illnesses.

Understanding the disease by proper diagnosis of the symptom, triggers, prevention and treatment is the first and foremost step that will lead you to healing. Surbhi breaks it down to a very basic level that the book can serve as a first hand guide to the common illnesses.

I really liked that the author Surbhi, chose to include lifestyle factors that could cause the issue, the home-care treatments and homeopathic treatments as different sections under each chapter for a much clearer understanding.

The author also clearly lists down the preventive measures that can be taken, the danger signs to look for and the complications that each of the common disease could lead to. Homeopathic treatment and combinations are detailed with the dosage information that show the amount of research and effort spent by the author to give us a guide that makes it trustworthy and provide the value of knowledge.

Some of the diseases covered in the book include those which include the younger and older age group so makes the book a perfect handbook for medical references in each family. Though the book does not encourage self-medication, it is always good to understand your body and the way it reacts to decipher a condition.

Author BIO

Dr. Surbhi Prapanna is a homeopathic therapist by profession and a writer and blogger by passion. She has more than 5 years of professional writing experience and her work has been published on various prestigious online platforms like Momspresso.com, kidstoppress.com, cureJoy.com and shivanaspirit.com.
Health, parenting and creative activities for kids (art, crafts, DIYs etc…) are her niche. And she shares her areas of expertise and parenting experience on her blog Surbhiprapanna.com. She has won so many awards for her academic and professional excellence, but winning the “Best parent award” is the most precious and satisfying experience of her life.

February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

Backaches and chiropractic

People with a desk job , IT professionals and couch potatoes usually face frequent backaches. I missed to add people who travel for longer distances. They count in as well.

It all starts with incorrect posture combined with prolonged pressure on your spine especially the tail bone. I’ve also heard from a lot of women about the persistent backaches post caesarian section delivery. I cannot comment on that since I didn’t undergo nor did I came to know of anyone close to me undergoing it. Maybe I will take time to know more about it and make a separate post.

Getting back to the backaches, some happen periodically and some only when the spine is over stressed. A general advice would be to make sure you sit in an erect posture and take breaks at regular intervals so that the spine is not overpressured.

Calcium intake on a daily basis also helps in the longer run. I don’t just mean drinking up gallons of milk so that your calcium levels are high. Make sure to include foods that are rich in calcium, not just the regular milk for calcium.

Adamant creeper which I heard recently or which is probably unknown to many is a great source of calcium especially very good for women to strengthen your pelvic area.

Calcium depletion leading to osteoporosis is altogether a different topic that needs discussion separately.

I recently came across the term ‘chiropractic‘ and the person who practices ‘a chiropractor‘. I’d thought why not share it with you all here so that many would be made aware of such medical treatment that is going to help you with backaches or spinal issues.

Chiropractic and chiropractors

Chiropractic is categorised as Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) . Mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system with specific focus on the spine can be diagnosed and treated with chiropractic.

Another interesting fact is that a lot of general health issues crop up when there is a disorder in the musculoskeletal system through the nerves. The therapy mainly involves manual manipulation of the spine. Shocking isn’t it? Yes when I actually saw a video of an ongoing therapy I was wondering how would it actually feel to someone actually moving your spine with force.

It is also called as bone setting as it actually involves correction of the discs. Some chiropractors also claim that chiropractic could cure irritable bowel syndrome and asthma.

Vertebral subluxations or simply termed vertebral joint misalignment seemed to interfere with the body’s function and it’s capability to heal itself with an inborn ability.

Chiropractors use x-ray radiography to examine the bone structure. But the subluxation or the misalignment is mostly unseen this is because it’s not something structural that can be captured on x-ray rather something functional that shows up as a limp or a headache.

When it comes to treatment it usually involves one or a couple more manual adjustments on the joints which have the misalignment. The chiropractic manipulates and uses a controlled sudden force on the joints. The goal is to include prevention of injury and restoration of the specific function in addition to treatment of back pain relieving.

Post the treatment a good nutritional diet and an exercise regime goes hand in hand for the continued benefit. This is best suited to treat acute back pain which are the ones that happen due to furniture movement or lifting and tackling an attack. The pain arise due to the sudden injury in any of the above cases.

It’s a strict no-no for people who suffer from osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis and compression in spinal cord.

Following the treatment people generally give feedback about their ease of mobility, improved pain relief and great sense of general well-being.

Spinal checkups need to be done regularly to make sure future health issues can be avoided in prior.

Conditions that can be treated

Slipped disc
Low back pain
Frozen shoulders
Elbow pain
Knee pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Neck pain
Mid back pain
Sciatica
Numbness
Tingling sensation
Ankle pain

Chiropractic is hence not a conventional medical treatment but could be combined with conventional medical treatment at times to help relieve certain conditions.

India is slowly picking up on establishing many authorised centers for chiropractic so make sure of you are opting for the treatment you get it done after thorough understanding and enquiry on the facility and the chiropractor.

So maintaining a good posture is all that is needed to save yourself from this chronic condition and treatment to get it relieved.

How to improve posture

Don’t slouch. Not on the sofa and the work desk.
No soft mattresses. Use something that is firm and keeps your spine stiff.
No high heels often and save it for the big night.
Beware of text neck. Never heard of the term? Don’t tilt your head to look down at your phone . Just lift it up and move the eyes and not the head.
Make sure you exercise and keep your abs toned. A packed up belly is definitely going to put pressure on your spine.
Frequently check for spinal issues. If you seem to be doubtful get it checked by the physician right away.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla, and generously SPONSORED BY Bugshield Clothing – Enjoy Outdoors More!

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021

Book review of Doctor’s kitchen 3-2-1

Doctor’s kitchen 3-2-1 by Dr. Rupy Aujla

Food and lifestyle go hand in hand. This is a hard reality but that is what it is. Most of us tend to ignore or take proper care of what we eat. The food that we eat is what fuels our body, so we should be careful in knowing what goes inside.

It shouldn’t be destroying the body in the process of consumption.

On the contrary, stopping to consume as part of a diet plan is not going to be of any help at all.

A good diet and a great workout routine go hand in hand to make you achieve a strong and toned physique. If you do not pay much attention to what goes into your body, it is going to show up in your physique and metabolism. Foods rich in sodium, sugar, and fats can help you curb hunger pangs, make you eat more than what is required making your body pile up the pounds but in the long run, will also be the reason for you to succumb to chronic illness. This is the main reason that you should be aware of what your food is made of before it goes inside your body. So a balanced diet that has carbs, proteins, fibers, and vitamins is the right choice.

Plan and cook your meals I’m in advance so that you don’t run hastily at the last minute. Most importantly this would help you in avoiding reaching out to unhealthy food options such as ready to eat, sugar, and sodium loaded foods. Choose a meal plan that suits your body type and one that would help you in reaching your goal.

Rupy Aujla is a medical doctor, home cook, and a portion of food as a medical advocate. That brings us to another point that the food we consume not only plays the part of fuel but also helps in healing conditions and ailments in the notion that food is medicine.

In his recent book, the author brings about a concept 3-2-1.

What is 3-2-1?

A three-part meal with fruits and vegetables for two people cooked in one pan. In this formula or way of cooking the author promises a change in life. The formula aims at ensuring health benefits to optimize healthy living and to streamline the process of cooking. As someone who wants to be fit and healthy by not slogging in the kitchen to cook meals that claim to help in losing pounds, I think this would definitely be a game-changer in cookbooks.

As a working mother of two and also a conscious member of the family who wishes to provide healthy meals to her family, the book does seem to be a quick go-to for me to cook a no-fuss recipe that would yield multiple health benefits. And what took me in awe is the one pan mention which also saves me from the horrendous task of the sink piling up with vessels to be washed. Isn’t this something that all we ladies wish for?

A daily dose of fresh produce, good quality fat, grains, and fibers is what a balanced meal needs to be comprised of and I think the 3-2-1 could be the best way to get this done right. The food that we eat can change the way we think, help in making our mood better, build or boost immunity levels and reduce infection.

When you say you eat well it not only means that you remove unhealthy stuff it is also about taking in foods that help to safeguard yourself from ailments. There is so much to understand between the communications that happen between what you see on your plate and the inner ecosystem. By ecosystem, it means the body that accepts whatever we eat and provides us the necessary energy needed to toil. We also need to understand that in reality we as people find it difficult to continue eating healthily. There is a roadblock somewhere in the form of work, stress, or time that hinders the habit of eating healthy meals in the longer run. Keeping this in mind is what the author promises that his 3-2-1 strategy can help us, in the long run, to eat healthy meals and cultivate an inner chef.

Eat the colours

The author talks about the colors in foods that need to be taken and their health benefits.

Red foods help in relaxing blood vessels and blood pressure.

Green foods help in brain and heart functioning. Green foods that are termed cruciferous have anti-cancer compounds. Green foods like broccoli help in the detoxification of the body.

Yellow and oranges foods are sources of vitamin C and beta carotenes they help in boosting immunity, load the system with anti-oxidants, and also lowering inflammation.

So the next time when we come across the term eat the rainbow or rainbow plate, we must remember it means food that covers all nutritional needs of the body.

The author also provides a lot of recipes ranging from salads, oats, curries, soups, stir-fries that would be in the formulation of 3-2-1 helping us achieve the goal of healthy living. A 100 recipes that guarantee to eat healthily and leading a better lifestyle. So always keep in mind that food is medicine and food is fuel.

What I like about the recipes are that you also get to swap the ingredients with variants that would suit us, By this, I mean a healthy swap or swapping due to non-availability.

Health is something that we need to practice daily and the meal that we consume is what would guide us through this journey of leading a healthy lifestyle. So make sure you make the meal preparation minimal and maximize the utilization of what goes inside us.

You can buy this book here.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy and Noor Anand Chawla, and happily SPONSORED BY RRE Studios and SHOWCASE Events.

December 10, 2020December 12, 2020

Simple period care regime to take care of PCODs and irregular periods.

Do you experience any of the below?

Irregular periods
Infrequent bleeding
Issues in ovulation
Thinning hair
Excess facial and body hair growth
Dark patches
Pelvic pain
Increase in body weight
Acne
Lipid abnormalities

If you have answered yes to most of the above symptoms, you could have PCOS/PCOD and would be necessary to check with a gynecologist to confirm the possibility.

What are PCOS and PCOD?

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a common condition among women in the reproductive age group due to higher levels of androgen interfering with egg development and is transformed to cysts on the ovaries which prevents the ovaries from functioning normally.

Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder is a collection of mature eggs not being released leading to cyst development. This is due to hormonal imbalance.

Ever since we had the pandemic in place and a lockdown being announced many of our metabolic clocks startled. Be it male or female, the majority would agree that their entire lifestyle took a jolt and would take a lot of time to recuperate back on track. Females had yet another clock that wasn’t spared by the pandemic and the associated stress meter that came into the picture.

Sudden isolation from kith and kin, no outdoors, and no helping hands for domestic chores, managing kids, and working from home skyrocketed the stress levels. Untimely meals which could be junk, no proper sleep cycle added more fuel to a burning medical problem amongst women. Would you believe that there have been reports that at least 25% of women in the country have been experiencing irregularities in periods?

Stress from any trigger be it at the office, travel, or at home could have an impact on your monthly cycle. The so-called new reality hit the female population hard that Doctors reported more cases of disrupted menstrual cycles which were either irregular cycles or severe menstrual cramps of varying intensities.

A no-show at the end of the month brought out smiles to many but brought trouble to the others. The fear of getting infected and the inability to venture to hospitals to get the irregularities checked worsened the condition for many.

Doctors reported that many patients who had PCOD under control had their conditions jumping over the wall due to lockdown stress. Binge eating, no physical activity, and stress have been attributed to have caused the major malfunction.

Doctors have also mentioned that increased levels of cortisol (stress hormone) were messing up the monthly cycles in women when tests were taken. A regular mealtime with nutritious food, physical activity, and a good sleep cycle could help keep the condition in check. More importantly, finding ways to relieve stress and maintaining good menstrual health is a must for women.

Though PCOD and PCOS cannot be completely cured, you could keep them at controlled levels so that they do not bring in complications.

You could bring in tremendous changes by inculcating the below habits.

11 habits to control PCOS and PCOD

Keep a check on your weight.
Addressing triggers of stress be it a human or a situation.
No junk food.
Being sure of the food portions, eating only when you are hungry, and not skipping meals in between to end up binge eating.
No desserts which include sweets, chocolates, or bakery items.
Limiting intake of wheat, dairy, and minimizing simple carbs.
Not ignoring an irregular period.
Increasing intake of fiber and bitter foods.
A good amount of physical exercise.
Good sleep cycle.
Leading a slow and joyful life.

I also came across a period care kit that I would love to share with you here.

Deal PCOS and PCOD with Namyaa Period Care

Namyaa natural care’s newest launch is their period care range. Comprising of three products under the name of Namyaa period care the products help in treating the root cause and aid in keeping the hormone level in balance.

Namyaa Aarthava Kshaya for PCOD and PCOS – These are tablets that are 60 in number packaged in a bottle. Prepared by following the Ayurvedic principles of Stree Roga Chikitsa.
The product claims to address the root cause of PCOD and PCOS, helps in restoring hormonal balance, and aids in timely ovulation. The product has no chemicals, is prepared by using all-natural ayurvedic ingredients, and hence safe to consume.

Price: Rs.399 for a bottle of 60 tablets

Namyaa Anartava – For delayed and irregular periods – An exclusive syrup that treats irregular periods. The product claims to be a permanent solution for delayed periods and help maintain a regular menstrual cycle. Not only regularize the monthly cycle but helps restore a proper balance of hormone and thereby eliminating toxins for blood purification.

Price: Rs.449 for a 500ml syrup bottle

Namyaa Shwetkanika for white discharge– A pack of 60 tablets that help in controlling white discharge. Instructed to be taken twice post breakfast and dinner for 90 days to achieve the results. Also helps in balancing hormone and eliminating toxins.

Price: Rs.399 for a bottle of 60 tablets.

All the above three products part of Namyaa period care are available on the brand website, amazon, and Flipkart.

Next time you have irregular periods don’t ignore and take care of your health. Remember that you are important to run the show. And a no-show could ruin things for you.

Keep regular, be healthy. Happy periods!