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Mustard Oil for Baby Massage - Benefits and Risks
As parents, you want nothing but the best for your little one, and the same holds true when it comes to choosing a massage oil for your baby. A massage is vital for growing babies because improves their blood circulation. Above all, babies love the feel of their mother’s soft hand strokes on their body, and it is also a bonding exercise. There are many massage oils for babies to choose from, such as olive, coconut, almond, mustard and so on.
Amazing Benefits of Mustard Oil For Massaging Babies
Mustard oil has been used to massage babies for a long time, and many mothers swear by its immense benefits for babies and young children. Following are some amazing benefits of mustard oil for massaging babies:
1. Improves Blood Circulation
Mustard oil works wonders in improving blood circulation and the overall health of your baby. Regular massages with mustard oil will make your baby healthy and strong.
2. Helps in Storing Body Heat
Mustard oil is very effective in keeping the body warm and helps its retain heat. For this very reason, mustard oil is highly popular in colder regions to keep babies warm and cosy.
4. Works as a Great Decongestant
Mustard oil works as a decongestant for babies. If mustard oil is heated with few pods of garlic and applied on the baby’s chest, it can ward off a cough and cold in babies to a certain extent. Alternatively, you can also add basil leaves to get the same effect.
5. Helps in Fighting Skin-Infections
Mustard oil has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, and massaging your baby with this wondrous oil reduces your baby’s chances of having any skin infections. Babies have sensitive skin and, thus, are more prone to skin infections, and mustard oil massage helps in warding off many kinds of skin infections in babies.
6. Improves Hair Growth
Mustard oil is very effective in improving your baby’s hair growth. Babies have very scanty hair on their scalp, and regular head massages with mustard oil ensure good hair growth.
7. Works as an Effective Mosquito and Insect Repellent
Babies are at the constant threat of being bitten by insects and mosquitoes, especially during summer and rainy seasons. A massage with mustard oil may help in keeping the insects and mosquitoes away from your baby because of its strong and pungent smell.
9. Effective Anti-Bacterial Properties
Mustard oil is loaded with anti-bacterial properties and, thus, is very beneficial in reducing skin infections in babies.
10. Effective Anti-Fungal Properties
Fungal infections of any kind can be the cause of serious complications in babies. Massaging your baby with mustard oil helps in protecting your baby against various fungal infections.
The above-mentioned points are just some of the many benefits of massaging your baby with mustard oil. Consult your paediatrician before starting mustard oil massage for your baby because mustard oil may not suit all babies.
How to Massage Your Infant With Mustard Oil
Mustard oil has been in use to massage infants and babies for centuries. Mustard oil has immense therapeutic effects for your baby. Here’s how you can massage your baby with mustard oil:
Take the required quantity of mustard oil and warm it up to extract maximum benefits from it. You can heat the mustard oil to a boiling point, too, as this makes it smoother and less stickier. However, make sure you cool the oil to room temperature before massaging your baby with it.
You can heat mustard oil with some cloves of garlic.
You can heat a spoonful of ajwain seeds with mustard oil for your baby’s massage.
During winters, you can take a few leaves of basil and heat them up with the mustard oil for a warm, cosy massage for your baby.
Are There Risks of Using Mustard Oil for Your Baby's Massage?
Everything has pros and cons associated with it, and the same goes for mustard oil. If you wish to know about various risks associated with using mustard oil for a baby massage. Here are some of them:
1. It May Cause Allergic Reaction
Mustard oil is strong, and it may cause an allergic reaction on the sensitive skin of babies. It may cause a rash, redness or in some cases, hives too. It is recommended to talk to your doctor before using mustard oil for your baby’s massage.
2. Not Good For Sensitive Skin
Though most babies have soft and sensitive skin, some babies have more sensitive skin than others, and massaging such babies with mustard oil may cause various skin allergies and reactions. Abstain from using mustard oil for massaging your baby, in case he has hypersensitive skin.
3. May Block the Skin Pores
Mustard oil is very thick and sticky as compared to other oils and massaging your baby with may lead to clogged skin pores. Therefore, do not use too much oil for massaging your baby. Also, it is recommended to give your baby a nice warm bath after massaging him with mustard oil to get rid of all the stickiness.
Mustard oil is very safe and has many health benefits for your baby. However, babies are delicate, and you, as parents, do not want to do anything wrong for your baby. Although the benefits are plenty, if you wish to use mustard oil for massaging your little one, make sure to consult a doctor first.
Also Read: Baby Massage – Benefits & Techniques Read more
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Top 12 High Fibre Foods for Kids
Fibre is what keeps stomachs running and digestive systems working. If your child is facing bouts of constipation, chances are that she's running low on fibre. Hydration and fibre, together combined, are what constitute a healthy digestive system. Keep reading to learn about fibre-rich foods for kids and everything else to know about it.
Why Encourage Fibre in Your Child's Diet?
If you're thinking why bother adding more fiber to your child's diet, you'd be glad to know that for starters, it may prevent diabetes since it's filling. Fibre makes the digestive tract work better and treats constipation which will make life much easier for you since you don't have to wake up to the cries of your toddler in the middle of the night.
What is Daily Recommended Fiber Intake?
The National Institute of Diabetes And Digestive And Kidney Diseases recommends children between one and eight years old should consume between 14 to 31 grams of fibre a day. There are plenty of fibre-rich foods in the aisle of your grocery stores and we'll discuss them below.
As a rule of thumb, if you're planning to calculate fibre intake, just take your kid's current age and add 5 grams of fibre to it. That's their total fibre intake according to their age.
Can You Give Your Kid Too Much Fiber?
Too much of anything good becomes too bad and you'll quickly realize that adding too much fibre to your kid's diet will cause pain, bloating and very many trips to the bathroom. Technically speaking, fibre is a non-digestible carbohydrate and improves bowel regularity in the human body. Constipation also happens if your child consumes too much fibre and too little water, so make sure they're staying hydrated throughout the day for enhanced digestion. Pair fibre with glasses of water to make sure that the proteins, vitamins, and minerals, in foods are absorbed properly. Fibre intake should come from different food-sources for optimal health and growth.
High Fibre Rich Foods for Children
Kids are picky eaters and carefully selecting the appropriate foods for them becomes a chore for many. If you're scratching your head wondering how to get them to consume the recommended dose of fibre, you'll be glad to know some foods to stock up on, that they'll happily eat.
1. Oatmeal
Mornings and oatmeal go hand-in-hand. One cup ofcooked oatmeal gives you up to 4 grams of fibre. Make it your child's favourite go-to recipe by throwing in some sliced walnuts, cinnamon, maple syrup and raisins.
2. Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! One apple delivers up to 3.6 grams of fibre and you can spruce things up by adding some peanut butter on top which brings another 1.6 grams of fibre - a combo your kid simply can't resist.
3. Popcorn
Low in calories and uber-healthy, three cups of popped popcorn gives you 2 grams of fibre.
4. Bananas
High in potassium and fibre, one medium banana packs 3.1 grams of fibre.
5. Whole-Grain Bread
Whole-grain bread give you an average fibre intake of 2 grams for every slice. Some may give you 3 grams depending on the brand but when you pair it with some peanut butter and jelly, you further boost your child's fibre intake.
6. Berries
Berries are good for the brain and the stomach. Pack up some blueberries for lunch and throw in a mix of raspberries and strawberries. 1/2 cup of raspberries gives 4 grams of fibre while blueberries and strawberries of the same quantity deliver 1.8 grams and 1.5 grams of fibre, respectively.
7. Whole-Grain Pasta
It's good to eat some pasta from time to time since it packs 2 grams of fibre for every 1/2 cup.
8. Pears
Pears make for filling fruit bowls and school lunches. A medium pear (with skin intact) brings approximately 5.5 grams of fibre.
9. Sweet Potatoes
High in protein, fibre and other heart-healthy nutrients, you get exactly 3.8 grams of fibre in a medium-sized one of those. Swap out those greasy french fries with some healthy baked sweet potatoes and maybe even serve them mashed for your next Thanksgiving.
10. Carrots
High in vitamin A plus fibre, half-a-cup of carrots gives one 2.9 grams of fibre when you top it with some cinnamon for scoring some extra brownie points with the kids.
11. Green Peas
Green peas are a good source of protein plus fibre. Give your kids 1/2 a cup of cooked green peas daily in their salads and sandwiches to up their fibre intake by 4.4 grams a day!
12. Corn
1/2 cup cooked corn delivers up to 1.8 grams of fibre. There. You have a fibre-rich source. Fun fact: Corn is good for your eyes too as it contains lutein and zeaxanthin. Eye health plus digestive health - isn't that a win-win?
How to Add Fiber to Your Kid's Diet?
If you're adding healthy snacks or anything that comes packaged on the aisle of store shelves, it's always a good idea to check the nutrition label and see how much fibre per serving of the number of the servings in the container it packs. Other fibre-rich food sources include graham crackers, Brussels sprouts, figs, brown rice, applesauce, oranges, pistachio nuts, rye bread and pecans.
Here are some recipes you can try to add fibre to your kid's diet-
1. Chickpea Salad Wraps
Salads and chickpeas make for a filling fibre combination. Give it a shot.
2. Lentil Salad
Stock up on black beans, plump cherry tomatoes, salt, vinegar, chopped basil and garlic. Whip them up together into a salad and you've got one of the best high fibre recipes for toddlers.
3. Kale and Farro Salmon Salad
Salad is loaded with heart-healthy Omega-3s and Kale's good for the eyes. Both of them are high sources of fibre and if your kid's in the mood for fish and salad, give this a go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for a finish.
4. Marinated Tempeh Salad
We're going gung-ho on salads, we know. Tempeh salads bundled with diced sweet potatoes gives kids their full fibre intake with just half-a-serving! Think about it. Sizzling tempeh, piping hot potatoes and an ocean of veggies surrounding them - doesn't that make your heart skip a beat?
Keep your kid's diet healthy, varied and make sure they get their daily dose of fruits and vegetables (with nuts and seeds included). Don't forget to throw in a bit of carb at the end of the day and we're sure they'll easily meet their daily fibre intake. Try to avoid high-calorific or carbonated beverages since they deliver empty calories and little to no fibre. Fruit and vegetable juices are a healthier and viable option if your kids love to drink a lot.
It's no magic, you have to eat to get your fibre. Make mealtimes fun for young ones, keep distractions to a minimum and literally socialize at the dinner table. When eating becomes fun and fun equates to eating, you'll see your kids reaching out for those carrot sticks in no time!
Also Read: Calcium Foods for Children Read more
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8 Ways to Stick to Your Diet Without Cooking Two Meals!
Unhealthy eating and weight gain go hand-in-hand. However, this doesn't have to be the norm in your life. Find out how to plan a diet to improve your family's health and yours. It's easier than you think and doesn't involve making drastic changes.
Weight issues are very real, and it doesn’t help when the people you bank on seem to be sabotaging your plans! Just when you’ve made up your mind to eat healthy, you have baked goodies and your favourite sweet meats handed to you. What's going on? Are your loved ones really trying to ruin your diet?
When Family Members Hamper Your Weight Loss Plans
The best support system for weight loss goals is your family. But sometimes it can seem like your family is making you fat and that they're deliberately trying to get you to quit. The truth is, they aren't, but they do have fears that your diet could deprive them of delicious treats. This change can be hard especially if they have no intention of dieting just yet. If you want their support, you're going to have to bring them around slowly, steadily and sneakily!
1. Make Small Changes to Meals
Don't force your family to eat healthy by preparing meals they don’t like. A clever way to get them on the diet bandwagon is to make changes to food. If you eat white rice, cook brown rice occasionally. If meat is a big item with your family, prepare a healthy salad to accompany meals. You can then introduce steamed veggies later and go on to adding more with veggie rolls, potato and pea curries, and veggie casseroles.
2. Check Portion Size
It's easy to get carried away and eat large portions of food that, frankly, your body doesn’t need. If you want to lose weight, you need to monitor portion sizes. Too much of anything is bad and can lead to weight gain and an unbalanced diet, so monitor how much you consume.
3. Choose Wholegrain and Fresh Over Refined and Processed
It may not be possible to skip processed foods altogether, but you can minimise them. Remember that even low-fat processed foods can be rich in calories because they contain a lot of additives. Instead of fruit juice, go for fresh fruit smoothies and whole fruits. Rather than puris made of maida, choose atta-based ones as they aren’t refined.
4. Don't Forget to Plan
Take some time out to just plan ahead in terms of the meals to prepare and accordingly, what groceries to buy. By doing this, you know what you and your family will be eating for the week, end up saving money, and also have back-up plans ready in case of an emergency, thereby helping you stick to your diet.
5. And Plan for Leftovers too!
Sometimes, plans may go awry, no matter how etched in stone they may seem to be; and that's when temptation lurks and you tend to look for the easy way out. Nope! Instead, make some meals in portions that can be used for leftovers the next day, so that you're not tempted to fall back and call for a pizza because your dinner plans didn't work out. The healthy alternative is waiting for you in the fridge!
6. Involve Your Family in The Cooking Process
Not only does this help reduce your workload (well, not if your kids are old enough to help anyway!), but your kids can learn about various healthy tips and tricks you're trying to incorporate into their diet. They also get to learn about cooking, and will definitely enjoy eating what they helped to prepare!
7. Try to Steer Away from The Word 'Healthy'
The word 'healthy' instantly manages to eliminate the idea of 'tasty' or 'fun' for most adults, let alone kids. What you can do is probably stop calling the foods and meals healthy outrightly; you can instead refer to the 'delicious' broccoli you're going to have for dinner or the 'yummy' brown rice pudding for dessert. Etching the concept of such meals as 'yummy treats' will have your family rooting for them too!
8. Don’t Deprive Yourself and Your Family of Treats
In your quest to create a diet to improve your family’s health, you may be tempted to do away with treats altogether. Don’t, as it can lead to needless cravings. Have one day set aside where you can indulge yourselves a little, whether it’s with ice cream, cake or dinner at a restaurant. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and always check portion size.
Before starting on your weight loss plan, speak to your husband, children and parents. Tell them you need their support. If they seem eager to help and want to get on board eating healthy, your problem is solved! And if they don’t, go the sneaky way and make the changes you need to. Read more
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Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. Is it okay if my baby does not pass stool for one day?
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. no need to worry about the frequency and colour of the stool if the consistency of the stool is semi solid to solid.
also there is no need to worry about the smell of the stool if the consistency is normal.
you have to meet the doctor if it is watery inconsistency or hard consistency otherwise semi solid to solid stool is normal.
also passing stool after taking food is normal. r
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 6 months
2 hours ago
Q. Q.Asktheexperta# I m an expecting mother of 29 yrs. LMP 10 Feb 2024 . my husband's HPLC report shows thalassemia minor trait while mine is hb d Punjab trait . can we continue with this pregnancy ??
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. Well you should check with your gynaecologist for that she has to go through all the reports and the issues that you are facing you and your husband and accordingly she can tell you what is the situation how your child is going because lot of things depend upon how the child is growing
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
1 hour ago
Q. Hi doctor, I had scan on 33 weeks 2 day, it stated that AC and HC Is <2.3% which is corresponding to 31 weeks. So overall growth of baby avg is 31 week and 2 days.
will there be any issue with the baby.I have attached my report
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
12 mins ago
A. For the query asked needdhs consultation with doctor for proper guidance so it is better that the doctor will guide you the correct way .
Online consultation can also be taken and the expert will give you the proper answer .
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
42 mins ago
Q. I am having pain on my right breast while breastfeeding. Latching position is correct. it is a mix of burning sensation and pain. Pain lasts for few minutes after breastfeeding also
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
40 mins ago
A. nipcare ointments ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
40 mins ago
Q. When baby movement starts??
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
13 mins ago
A. 5-6 months ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
16 mins ago
Q. hello dr..I am 39 weeks 3 days pregnant, AFI level 8 is this normal?and normal delivery possible for me? Is the fluid enough for up to 1 week?Do I need a drip? please suggest me.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
13 mins ago
A. the levels are on the lower side. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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