B12 Deficiency: The Slow Poison

Parentune - Food and Nutrition Tips

It may sound bizarre but it’s true, that 7 out of 10 diet and fitness patients for me suffer invariably from vitamin B12 deficiency. All I need to do in order to know is to look at their pale faces and ask them whether they feel listless and low on energy through the day. If the answer is an instant and a firm nod of the head, it’s perhaps the vitamin B12 that is giving them a tough chase! The point I am making here is that B12 is extremely common and rampant in our society today.                             

What is vitamin B12 and why do we need it?

Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is commonly found in a variety of foods, such as eggs, fish, shellfish, meat and dairy products. B12 is responsible for formation and maturation of red blood cells. It also works with folate to make our body's genetic material. Like most vitamins, the body can’t make B12. Instead, it must be gotten from food or supplements.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency may include:
• fatigue, lethargy, weakness or light-headedness
• memory loss, disorientation
• muscle weakness, stiffness & tightness of muscles
• incontinence
• low blood pressure
• vision problems
• dementia, psychoses
• mood disturbances and depression
• rapid heartbeat and breathing
• pale skin
• sore tongue
• easy bruising or bleeding, including bleeding gums
• stomach upset and weight loss
• diarrhea or constipation
• Tingling or numbness in fingers and toes, etc.
Anemia is the final stage of B12 deficiency.

Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency typically occurs in people whose digestive systems do not adequately absorb the B12 from the food they eat. Causes of B12 malabsorption include:
• intestinal dysbiosis (microbial imbalances in digestive tract, etc)
• gut inflammation
• atrophic gastritis (inflammation of stomach mucosa)
• hypochlorhydria (lack of stomach acids)
• pernicious anemia (an autoimmune disease)
• medications (especially acid-suppressing drugs)
• exposure to nitrous oxide during surgery
• Conditions affecting the small intestine, like celiac disease and Crohn’s disease
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Long-term use of acid-reducing drugs.

Who is at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency?
Since it’s the only vitamin we can’t obtain from plants or sunlight, people at most risk for vitamin B12 deficiency are strict vegetarians and vegans. It occurs in vegetarians because the best food sources of the vitamin are animal products. Others at risk are elderly people aged over 60, breastfed infants and babies born to vegetarian mothers.

Preventing B12 deficiency through diet
Most people can prevent vitamin B12 deficiency by consuming certain foods rich in vitamin b12. These are:
a) Seafood like shellfish, clams, oysters, lobster, mackerel, tuna and salmon
b) Meats like chicken and mutton, especially liver
c) Eggs

Some vegetarian sources of vitamin B12 (though weak sources as compared to animal sources) are:
d) Dairy products like milk, yogurt, buttermilk and cheese
e) Yeast extract spreads (marmite)
f) Whey Powder
g) Fortified soy milk and tofu
h) Fortified cereals

Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin B12

1. Children upto 8 years of age: 0.4 to 0.9 microgram per day.
2. Children above 8 years of age: 1.2 to 2.4 micrograms per day.
3. Adults over age of 19: 2.4 micrograms per day.
4. Pregnant women: 2.6 micrograms per day.
5. Lactating women: 2.8 micrograms per day.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can creep into the body very slowly giving no warning signals for a long time to come. It is also very easy to overlook the condition or confuse it with something else. So, when in doubt, the best idea would be to go for the relevant blood test. Remember, prevention of vitamin B12 deficiency related complications is easier than the treatment of the same.

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Avoiding the Heat Stress this Summer

Parentune - Tips for avoiding Heat Stress
Summers are a welcome change after the bitter winter. The cold and sniffles of the winter season are replaced first by the awesome spring and soon after we face the wrath of the unmerciful sun.

The most common and deadly fallout of the summer season is the Heat wave and the related illnesses that are caused due to it. During a heat wave, it's important to know and be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heat Stress. There are different types of illnesses that fall under heat stress, ranging from those that cause temporary discomfort to the generally fatal condition known as heat stroke. Heat stress occurs when a body is not able to cool itself down to maintain a healthy temperature. Heat related illnesses include heat rash, cramps , dizzinesss  and in some cases fainting , heat exhaution and heat stroke. In all heat-related illnesses, the symptoms appear when a person is exposed to extreme temperatures.

What are some of the heat related illneses?

 The following checklist can help you recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses:

1.Heat Rash: Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot, humid weather. It can occur at any age but is most common in young children. Heat rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters.

 2.Heat cramps: A person who has been exercising or participating in other types of strenuous activity( mostly true for children playing outdoors in the sun) in the heat may develop painful muscle spasms in the arms, legs, or abdomen referred to heat cramps. The body temperature is usually normal, and the skin will feel moist and cool, but sweaty.

3.Heat syncope: It is a clinical term given to fainting as a result of overheating with inadequate water or salt in the Body. The Basic symptom is a body temperature above 104F, fainting with or without Mental confusion.

4.Heat exhaustion: This is one of the serious conditions that could develop into a heat stroke. It primarlily happens when a person sweats excessively in a hot envoirnment leading up to the reductuon of the blood volume in the body. The symptoms to look out for in this case are sweating , elevated heart rate, muscle cramps, headache , nausea and vomiting.

5.Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a serious, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body loses its ability to control its temperature. Victims of a serious heat stroke almost always die, so immediate medical attention is essential when problems first begin. In heat stroke, a person develops a fever that rapidly rises to dangerous levels within minutes. A person with heat stroke usually has a body temperature above 104 F (40 C), but the temperature may rise even higher. Other symptoms and signs of heat stroke may include confusion, combativeness, bizarre behavior, feeling faint, staggering, strong rapid pulse, dry flushed skin, and lack of sweating. Delirium coma can also result from heat stroke.

While heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion may all be present in mild degrees, you should always contact a doctor or seek emergency medical attention if the symptoms of these conditions are severe or worsen with time

What may be the actions one must take when the symptoms appear?

When one is suffering from a heat stroke or sees the symptoms on someone else; here are some of the quick tips to do at home before the medical help arrives

1. Remove the victim's clothes while waiting for emergency medical assistance to arrive. Spray water to cool him down. Stay with the victim. Put ice packs under his armpits and groins.

2. If you are outside, take the victim to a cool and shaded area. If there is a pool nearby, bring him to a shallow part of the pool.

3. If you have access to a thermometer, monitor the victim's body temperature. Continue to provide cooling his temperature drops to 101 to 102 degrees F.

4.Give him cool liquids such as cold water. Sport drinks are ok, too. Giving caffeine or any other caffeinated drink is NOT Advisable. Keep a container and damp cloth near in case he vomits.

5.If the person is unconscious, check his airway for breathing and listen for his heartbeat. Do CPR if he stops breathing. Have his mouth opened so air can enter his body. Roll him onto his left side. This helps prevent vomiting and allow fluids to drain from his mouth.

Once the medical professionals arrive, the patient should be left in their expert care.

How can one avoid a Heat Stroke ?

A few tips on how to dress to avoid the heat stroke:

1.Looking at the big picture and planning the wardrobe is beneficial. Evaluating what the activity is going to be in the heat and dressing appropriately for the environment may perhaps be the way to go this summer. If attending an outdoor event ditch the long-sleeved shirt and instead go with a short sleeve loose fitted kind of clothing.

2.Wearing a wide-brimmed hat or cap would keep a child/ person cool. Wearing clothes made of breathable material that is not too dark in color when outdoors may be a good choice. Be sure and put on a good sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more.

3. Layered clothing for exercising in the heat may be avoided. Layering the body with clothes may not leave enough room for your body to breathe and prespire You want to give your body room to perspire and not overheat it. Select light fabrics suited for activity. Buy mesh-accented workout gear. This can include tank tops, shorts, sports bras, light workout bottoms or quarter-length pants.

4.Dressing smart at work may be the way to handle the heat. If one works in an office where the temperature fluctuates, wearing an outfit that can accommodate this fluctuation is advisable. Selecting a light jacket or shirt, nice tank top or blouse that is appropriate for a business environment (or a short-sleeved dress shirt for a man) would be ideal.

5. Making sure that heavy clothing is not worn to sleep is recommended. One could get overheated during the night, too. Dressing the beds in light sheets and pillowcases for the summer months is also a good idea. This will help your skin and body stay cool.

6. Dressing infants and toddlers to avoid heat stroke and provide shading is most important. Selecting hats that protect your little one and block the strong sun is ideal. Providing cool, loose-fitted clothing such as thin, soft cotton keeps the bodyand skin breathing. Limit your child's sun exposure especially during the hot mid-day sun.

Hopefully the above mentioned information will be helpful and sufficient in tackling the summer illnesses effectively and one could enjoy all the fun that is in store this summer.

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Being a Mother - The Gift of Motherhood

Parentune - Website for Indian Parents

The Birthday week begins. Revaant, my bundle of joy, is about to complete a year. A whole year has passed us by - a year of countless belly laughs, squeals of delight and open-mouthed kisses. Of snuggling chest-to-chest, and resting his head on my shoulder. A year of new foods and new abilities and new discoveries. A year of contented sighs and sweet dreams and messy faces and stinky diapers. The babbling, singing, biting, and smiling, the gummy grins and eight teeth. A beautiful year of watching my baby bond with his father, moments so precious I will never forget.

As I said, it has been one incredible year. My child has brought never ending happiness into our lives and every single day with him is an adventure. I was actually laughing through tears of joy while I delivered him one year ago. It was undoubtedly the single best experience of my life and now, looking back, I feel as if it was only a glimpse of what was to come. A lifetime of beauty, elation, laughter, wonder, unconditional love and commitment, all wrapped up together in one precious and charismatic bundle.

I am thankful to my baby boy for giving me the gift of motherhood.

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Being a mother : Is priceless

Parenting A Child - I have been blessed with two beautiful children - Fatima and Ibrahim. From the very first moment when I learnt that I am carrying my love in my womb, my heart filled with immense joy. My love for my unborn children grew with each flutter and kick. As they were born and I held them in my arms and would rock them to sleep while singing whatever sweet tune filled my heart.

I try to show them with every breath how much they mean to me. I try to give them affection and attention every day of my life. Fatima is now in class 3 and Ibrahim is in LKG. Every single day, I look forward to hearing them share their learning and experiences with me so that I can get a glimpse of their moments away from me and also help and guide them.

I love to sit with them through their homework. I go through their text books when they are not around so I can figure out every little detail and be a part of their learning process. I just pray that wherever they go in life when they grow up, they must remember that their mom loves them. I would lay down my life just to make my little ones smile. They are the reason I wake up every morning, looking forward to a day full of beautiful moments. They are the reason why I can face life's hardships easily.

Without my children, I would have no one to love. My children are like sponges. They absorb everything from me but with one squeezing hug I get it all back . Isn't that PRICELESS ? !!

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Being a Mother - The incredible first moment

I gave birth to my son in my hometown Manipur. My husband works as a software developer in a firm in Gurgaon and hence could not stay with us in manipur for more than 20 days.


Being a Mother - The incredible first moment

For three months I stayed at my husband’s place. My mother-in-law and relatives took care of me. Then after three months my son and i came to Delhi. After coming to gurgoan my routine changed as i joined back to work when my son turned 7 month of age. I had always thought that i would breast feed him for 6 months, as that would have been best for him. When I get exhausted with my daily chores, household work and office tasks, and i realize that I am doing everything for him, most of my tiredness goes away. When I come back home after a long day and see my son's loving face , all my fatigue goes away.

For the first time I started making roti, paratha and puri for his tiffin. We started sending him to day-care from 9 am to 6 pm from Monday to Saturday since he was only one year and six months old. These days whatever I do I always think of the best for my son. I started thinking that I have to be a strong mother for my son.

Besides his father, I came to realize that I am the best person who can bring happiness to my son. Now at our house, everything is done according to my son's routine. Now, he can speak our native language Manipuri very well and can speak Hindi to some extent. Every day he is learning new things from day care. He can sing rhymes both in Hindi and English.

After having my son, I came to realize how much care and love I got form my parents. Now we are revolving around his life. We always give first priority to our son's needs. Our life has become very interesting after his arrival. Every day is a new day for us. We are very proud of our son. I am very happy taking care of him . I feel very happy being a mother to my son. When any negative thought comes to my mind then I always think that i need to be a strong mother for my Son.

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Academic Underachievement in Adolescents: Psychosocial factors

“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” ? Paulo Coelho

Underachievement means to perform less than expected which is what happens with almost all of us in all domains of life be it our jobs, our home, or taking care of our kids, or any area which demands our contribution. In the context of academics, when the performance is way below expectations in schools we call it academic underachievement. In adolescents underachievement becomes all the more an important area worth consideration because they have to make career choices in the years to come. Listening to parents complain that their teenager has lost interest in studies, or is working hard but still not able to get scores accordingly, is not quite uncommon. When I heard these narrations about my 13 years old niece from my sister-in -law that she lacks concentration, has become moody and her performance has gone steep down when compared with previous years, I kept pondering over the causes related to it and how this issue should be dealt with. This issue really touched me somewhere deep down as I myself have been a witness of her growing up over the years, and I know how good she had been in academics as well as in co-curricular activities as a child. To find possible causes for her decline in performance is what motivated me to take up this topic as my area of research.
Lets first establish, what is Adolescence?
Adolescence can be described be a period when an individual is between childhood and adulthood i.e. 11 to19 years. It is the age of stress and storm and a crucial phase in human development.
There are many developmental tasks which needs to be accomplished before the individual can move to the next stage of maturity such as:
1. Becoming comfortable with their own bodies and the pubertal changes taking place
2. Accepting responsibility and working towards independence from parents and other adult authority figures.
3. Building new and meaningful relationships with others of the same and the opposite sexes
4. Seeking emotional and economic stability.
5. Developing one's own value system.
Lets define Academic achievement to understand Academic Underachievement:
Academic achievement is the measure of how much one has attained intellectually. Most educational institutions such as schools, colleges use marks or grades of a student as an important index of his/her academic achievement. It is this index, which labels him/her as a high or a low performer.
Academic underachievement on the other hand has been defined as the ability of a particular child to achieve the sort of success expected of him/her when all his/her capabilities, including intellectual development and social and emotional maturity are taken into account (Cartwright et al., 1980). In other words an academic underachiever would be one whose performance in school does not match with his intellectual ability. (School underachievement has become the leading reason for referral to counselors in the recent years followed by behavior related problems).
Hammar (1967) gave the following three categories of academic Underachievement:

1) Psychogenic underachievers: the word psychogenic means 'Genesis in Psychological problems'. These academic problems appeared to be related to primary emotional disturbances and environmental factors.
2) Specific learning problems (including reading disability) without evidence of mental retardation: These children have decoding problems, such as disabilities of reading. Other problems could be related to spelling, mathematics and handwriting.
3) Subnormal intelligence: In laymen terms, subnormal intelligence is intelligence below average. These students have deficiencies in judgement; conceptualization and adaptability.

What are some of the other factors contributing to Academic Underachievement?

The self or the Personal factors:
The various factors related to self that contribute to academic underachievement are self-concept, interests, goals and study habits. Emotional factors such as temperament, anxiety, stress at a critical period, lack of motivation, avoidance of learning, generally impaired psychological function, and intelligence are also a part of self-related factors of academic underachievement in adolescents.
Family related factors:
The family related factors, which could be responsible for adolescent's underachievement, are background characteristics such as parental education, parental occupation, ordinal position and the size of the family. The other factors that could play a role are motivation from parents, parenting styles, and intra-family relationships.
School related factors:
The school related factors which could play a role in adolescent's academic underachievement are class size, pupil - teacher relationships, transition from one school to another, attendance, social competence and popularity among peer group.
The management of these psychosocial factors assumes an important role to tackle the problem of academic underachievement in adolescents.
What may be some of the management techniques used by self?

1. It is recommended that the students should work towards having positive self-concept under the guidance of teachers, parents and counselors.
2. It may be beneficial that they set academic oriented goals, be systematic, organized and adopt good study habits. Planning their day and stipulating time for studies everyday including time for doing homework.
3. Revision of work whatever is done in school would also help retain content and avoid last minute tension that could lead to anxiety thereby having an impact on scores.
4. It is advised that students should motivate themselves to achieve higher grades by constantly reminding themselves of their target, which could be supported by calming exercises like yoga or reiki.
5. Taking responsibility for their actions and accepting defeat gracefully are important traits and if need be a student could confide in an adult such as parents, teacher, counselor or relative for help to resolve their problem.
What may be some of the management techniques used by family?

1. To have a positive reinforcing effect on an under achieving child, the family may need to set good role models.
2. It is generally observed that underachievers have poor self esteem so it may be helpful if the parent’s role is that of a facilitator and not be critical of the child.
3. The parents could help the child set small achievable goals. A small success usually boosts a child's morale and would give him/her strength to carry on with fervor.
4. Helping the child learn study techniques, by working on note-taking, textbook management, goal setting, time management and organizational skills may be advantageous.
5. Praising the child for each and every small effort made by him/her and rewarding aptly while at the same time not comparing the child's performance with any other individual.
6. Making sure that the child's health nutrition, sleep patterns and activity levels are at an optimal best. It would also bring valuable change if the parent could join a support group and exchange ideas and experiences.
7. Discouraging negative traits such as procrastination, manipulation and blame game and promoting positive behavior such as taking responsibility for actions and accepting challenges. Encouraging child's interests, regardless of the level of school success may also be useful.
8. Monitoring child's peer group as it can have a detrimental effect on child's self esteem, academic performance and can pose serious problems in the process of becoming well-adjusted adolescents and adults.
9. An expert like a counselor or a psychologist could be consulted if the situation is dire without being fearful of any stigma attached to it for the emotional as well as psychological well being of the child.
Most importantly, telling your child every now and then how much you love him or her irrespective of his/her performance.

What may be some of the helpful management techniques used by the school?
1. It is suggested that all students should have access to establish positive relationship with their teachers. The students may put forth greater efforts and demonstrate a higher degree of persistence if their teachers appreciate them.
2. Early identification of the underachievers may help in establishing the line of help that may be provided for the child by the school.
3. High rates of school mobility due to parental transfers or other factors could lead to poor performance in school. The teachers could play a significant role in adjustment of a new student by helping him/her build peer group relationships.
4. Teachers could help build positive peer group relationships amongst pupils. Even peer tutoring could be used to deal with academic underachievement in which an academic underachiever could be paired with an achiever.
5. Schools may have a counselor, coach, or an academic content teacher in whom a child could confide to help reverse the problem of academic underachievement.
6. There have been many instances where involving underachievers in clubs, co-curricular activities, sports, debate, dance, drama have proven to be beneficial for them.
7. Integrating real-life examples with classroom information and using hands-on learning activities to provide better insight will help learners relate to the topic thereby making it more interesting.
Academic underachievement becomes an area of paramount importance since today's youth will play a significant role tomorrow in deciding future of the country, and only well educated individuals can bring glory to themselves as well as their country. Parents along with the school could work in coordination with each other keeping in mind the goal to help children realize their potential and bring them back on the path of success.
“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”- George Eliot

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Top 4 ways to get more out of your child's school

Today progressive schools are more open to constructive feedback and suggestions than in the past. As parents it is perhaps important to create a positive connection with your child's school so as to collaborate for your child’s all round development. A positive and open dialogue rather than a tug and pull, which may result in bitter feelings; may compromise the child's learning experience. Here are top 4 ways to collaborate with your child’s school actively.

1. Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM)

A Parent-Teacher Meeting is an opportunity to connect with individuals who are making an important contribution to your child’s life and perhaps playing an active role in shaping the person that s/he will become. It is a window to the other side - how your child behaves and deals with situations when you are not around. At several occasions, I myself have discovered some really fascinating (and sometimes unnerving) bits about my child.
With time one learns that a PTM is not just about asking questions, it is equally important for us parents to be able to listen to the teacher patiently. Also, it helps not to turn defensive when the teacher points out issues (behavioral or academic) that need to be addressed on the home front.
Taking a list of the things you want to discuss helps steer the meeting in the right direction. It helps to prioritize things that you want to discuss at length. In my own experience, I have to constantly remind myself that there are other equally anxious parents waiting in line.
And there have been times when I have carried a long list of questions that I thought would require a debate or end up in an argument, but were patiently addressed by the teachers who, for our benefit, are trained to handle our queries.

2. Give feedback, Voice your woes

Gone are those days, when walking in to meet the Nursery school admission in Delhi NCR administration was perhaps the only way to communicate. Today there are various channels through which, you may convey your dissatisfaction, such as the almanac (school diary), email, feedback drop box at the school, phone call to the teachers, online and offline feedback forms and social media.
Interestingly, we have a tendency to reach out to the school only when we are unhappy about something. I have done that myself when my child was younger. However, through the years I have learnt that once in a while, we can use the same communication tools to convey our appreciation for the teachers or the school at large.
For example, feeling overwhelmed by the radical changes that have recently taken place in my child’s school, I figured that the easiest and the most effective way to convey my appreciation to the teachers was to send a diary note. The teachers were equally overwhelmed and reverted saying that the genuine praise motivated them to do better.

3. Volunteer; Lend a Helping Hand

For parents who wish to participate in the school's activities, there are plenty of opportunities and some schools even invite parents to volunteer for certain events. Since many of these events are organized over the weekend, working parents can also join in as per their convenience. Here are some ways you can offer support to your child’s school:

1. Assist on the Sports day
2. Help in organizing Science and literature fairs
3. Accompany and assist the teachers on field trips
4. Volunteer for Picnics and Excursions
5. Help organize Fund Raisers and community events
6. Assist in Art festivals
7. Volunteer to night stay during Night Camps
8. Offer to assist children with special needs
9. Contribute content for school magazine, media coverage

Apart from the above, you may also share your own unique ideas with the school, such as:

• Organize career guidance sessions for senior classes; share your experience and expertise from your field of work.
• Offer to volunteer for an activity the school does not usually organize – technical workshops, theater, reading sessions, culinary (chocolate-making, cake making etc).
• Offer to arrange events such as:
- Dialogue between the City Councilor and students
- Dialogue between students and key social helpers to sensitize students
towards our social support system
- Sessions on tricky issues such as child sexual abuse, bullying in school, dealing with peer pressure, exam stress and similar areas by sharing your own experience

4. Parents’ Groups – Team up for positive change

You can connect with like-minded fellow parents and form a parents’ group wherein periodical meetings may be held to discuss and collate constructive feedback, improvement suggestions that may be presented to the school. Parents have found that this is a great platform to share best practices and / or problems with fellow parents. You may even do that on Parentune by forming a circle of fellow parents and by engaging on a regular basis.
However, the true spirit of any parents’ group lies in creating a healthy dialogue with the school. Many times, being a harbinger of complaints and criticism of the school’s policies robs parents' associations of their original purpose.
Since schooling is such an important part of a child's lives, making friends with the school can be a great way to involve your self in the child's growth and learning. When the intent at both ends is to nurture future citizens, partnership is better than working in isolation, as together parents and schools can do much more for the child than in isolation. I hope that you found the articles (a series of two) of utility. Please share your views in the comments section below.

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