5 causes of a bloated belly

Here are five common causes of a bloated belly. The reasons could be trivial but it's better to get a check-up.

You're not pregnant and you haven't gained weight, but your jeans are straining at the waist. What's going on?

Irritable bowel syndrome
Could be the cause if: You've been bloated on and off for a long time and have also experienced symptoms including pain,constipation and/or bouts of diarrhoea.

A common bowel condition, IBS is a functional disorder which means there's nothing wrong with the structure of the bowel itself, but the way the gut works is abnormal. Peter Whorwell, professor of medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Manchester, says, "We think the gut is over-sensitive in IBS sufferers so it's normal processes which cause the symptoms."

Bloating is one of the most disruptive side-effects of IBS. Some women go up a couple of dress sizes and even need different clothes depending on whether or not they are bloated. For many, it tends to worsen towards the evening, so it can disrupt your social life. There's no cure for IBS, but you can manage the symptoms. "Cutting out cereal fibre eases symptoms by between 30% and 40% in the majority of sufferers," says Professor Whorwell.

This means avoiding wholemeal bread, oats, muesli, digestive biscuits, cereal bars and all breakfast cereals other than rice krispies. But white bread, cakes, cream crackers and most biscuits are fine. Try doing this for three months to see if it helps. Probiotics may also ease symptoms. Try yoghurts, as the probiotic strain they contain has been shown to help IBS.
Doctors can prescribe medication such as anti-spasmodics, laxatives and anti-diarrhoeals. "There's no problem taking laxatives and anti-diarrhoeals in the long term if you have IBS," adds Professor Whorwell.

Flatulence
Could be the cause if: You are passing a lot of wind, but don't notice any other symptoms. We all experience flatulence from time to time — it's perfectly normal to do so up to 15 times a day — and sometimes you may not even notice that you are doing it. While there's no medical definition of excessive flatulence, if it's bothering you and makes life awkward or feels uncomfortable, there are steps you can take to reduce it.

Try cutting down on foods that are high in non-absorbable carbs. Common culprits include beans and pulses, broccoli, cabbage, prunes and apples, and foods containing the sugar substitute sorbitol. These tend to be digested very slowly and can release small amounts of sulphur gas while they pass through the gut.

Nutrition consultant Ian Marber says, "Eat food slowly and remember to chew. Without chewing, food is more likely to pass into the gut partially broken down and there's a higher chance it will ferment and produce gas." Be aware that occasionally, an underlying health condition — including those that are listed here — could also be causing flatulence.

Coeliac disease 
Could be the cause if: You often feel tired; you've lost weight for no apparent reason; you are suffering from abdominal pain. Coeliac disease is an adverse reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and all foods containing them — everything from pasta and bread to pies and some gravies and sauces. It is an auto-immune condition where the body mistakes substances in the gluten for a threat and attacks them, leading to damage to the surface of the small bowel, which then affects your ability to absorb nutrients from food.

It used to be mainly diagnosed in children, but it's now known that people can go undiagnosed into middle age. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor and ask to have a blood test for coeliac disease. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines state that anyone with bloating and other IBS-type symptoms should be tested for it. If you're diagnosed, you'll feel better once you start avoiding all foods containing gluten.

Ovarian cancer
Could be the cause if: Bloating is persistent and you have other symptoms such as a perpetual feeling of fullness and abdominal pain. The symptoms of ovarian cancer tend to be quite vague, which is often why it's diagnosed late when it's harder to treat. So it's important to be aware of potential signs. Cancer expert Annwen Jones says, "Key symptoms are bloating that is persistent rather than coming and going and increased abdominal size. Look out for persistent and frequent abdominal pain, difficulty eating and urinary symptoms."

"It's unlikely your symptoms are caused by a serious problem, but it's important to get a check-up."

Hormonal fluctuations
Could be the cause if: You are premenstrual or in the early stages of pregnancy. During pregnancy, and just before your period, levels of the hormone progesterone are raised. This can slow down gut mobility or movement, which means food passes more slowly through the body, leading to bloating and possibly constipation. But you can beat the bloat. Exercise can help improve gut mobility and walking for 30 minutes a day could be enough to make the difference. Also, drink plenty of fluids and eat lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains to avoid constipation.

For questions specific to your health conditions, please write down in the comments section and we will answer it as soon as possible. Thanks

Why men are balding in their 20s

A team of foreign experts and an Indian trichologist zero in on four critical reasons why men are balding in their 20s

It's official. Men are inching towards baldness as early as in their 20s, and that's a leap from our fathers' generation that hoped to walk into their 40s with a full crop of hair.

Losing hair is far from being a modern concern, but premature balding, say trichologists is turning out to be more of a trend than rarity. And the way we live our lives has more to do with it than genes or plain bad luck.

Swedish hair specialist Dr Fred Zuli and Italian scientist Dr Falvio Ferrari, who were in Mumbai for a discussion on hair growth technology, put it down to four enemies: stress, vices, pollution and poor nutrition.

While it's normal to lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair a day, serious hair loss — medically termed alopecia — is a sign that something is wrong with our body, says trichologist Dr Apoorva Shah. "As a reaction to an incident of extreme mental or physical stress, the body typically sheds hair after a gap of three months. For instance, if you are down with food poisoning, the mal-absorption of nutrients during this period can lead to hair loss in the next few months. So, it's important to jog your memory to pinpoint the cause."

Dr Ferrari squarely puts the blame on stress. "While genetics plays a key role in balding, a stressful lifestyle can play havoc. Simple lifestyle changes such as, getting seven hours of sleep, having a glass of water every hour (strands are made up of minerals, which only water can replenish) and eating protein-rich foods at regular intervals can bring about an 80 per cent change."

"Nutrition is vital for hair growth. No other part of the human body grows at the rate of half an inch per month, except bone marrow, so you must feed it," says Dr Shah.

Eat well, see it grow 
The relationship between food and hair is simple. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin. So, it's essential that you include sufficient protein in your diet. A low-protein diet forces your body to save the available protein for other purposes, like rebuilding cells, thus depriving hair of it. Dr Shah says spinach, almonds, walnuts, paneer, tofu and milk are hair-happy foods. Green tea is effective because it blocks out Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that causes hair loss.

Rapunzels are dead 
Men are not alone. Women are also losing more hair than they did in the past, because a stressful lifestyle isn't the domain of men alone. Stress is driving their bodies to produce more androgens (male hormones), thereby upping the secretion of the hair loss-causing chemical DHT, says Ferrari. With women, excessive styling and colouring is also to blame. "Heat and chemicals weaken the hair, leading to easy breakage," adds Dr Zuli. Dr Shah says the indiscriminate use of oral contraceptives that can cause hormonal imbalance in the long run should be checked.

To moisturise the scalp, he advises oiling it with coconut or almond oil three nights a week, and washing it off the next morning. Trimming split ends every eight weeks helps, too.

Smoking away your mane
Here's one more reason to quit smoking. The carbon monoxide that you inhale, prevents the blood from transporting oxygen and key nutrients to hair follicles. Nicotine narrows the blood vessels, further stalling fresh hair growth.

While moderate drinkers can hold on to their hair, regular guzzlers are at risk. Alcohol is known to suck the body of its iron supply, impeding absorption of zinc. Booze also causes dehydration, stopping the body from absorbing vital nutrients. Since hair is almost one-fourth water, excessive alcohol will invariably leave it brittle.

How stress plays spoilsport 
A hair follicle needs energy to grow. Coenzyme Q10, found in whole grains, fish and meat, boosts the scalp's ability to produce energy, especially in a cell's mitochondria or energy factory. Stress causes oxidation, harming Coenzyme Q10 among other anti-oxidants, thereby accelerating hair fall.

Feed hair with...
Vitamins B3, B5, B9, and E (found in orange, spinach, chicken, fish, broccoli and soya beans)
Zinc (wheat, dairy, oats and egg yolk)
Magnesium (milk, tuna, banana, cashews)
Iron (fish, leafy greens, fortified cereals, and beans)

Your cell phone can give you cancer

Mobile is an inseparable part of our life. We are completely dependent on our mobile phones and everyone has it, even school children. 

We are pretty sure that most of us are Nomophobiacs at least till some extent. You may have read reports that this tiny, super functional gadget can be life threatening, but is it the truth? There are reports that radiation can even turn your brain into an omelette. We did a little research and got you some factual answers.

Radiation from your mobile?

Yes! Radiation is present from mobile phone in the form of electromagnetic waves. Through a particular radio frequency on these electromagnetic waves, you are able to make and receive calls. The radiation emission is present in small amounts from your mobile as these emissions are of short range waves.

Radiation absorption

Small amount of radio waves emitted from your mobile is absorbed by the body. According to Wikipedia - the maximum power output from a mobile phone is regulated by the mobile phone standard. In most systems the mobile and the base station check reception quality, signal strength and the power level. It is increased or decreased automatically within a certain span to accommodate different situations - when you are inside or outside the building or vehicle.

The rate at which energy is absorbed by the human body is measured by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). SAR data for specific mobile phones, along with other useful information, can be found directly on manufacturers' websites.

Effects by mobile radiation

The effects can be of two types - thermal and non-thermal.

Thermal effects
One of the most common effects by electromagnetic waves is dielectric heating. When a person uses a cell phone, most of the heating effect will occur at the surface of the head.

This heating can increase your head temperature by a fraction of a degree. However this heat is less than the heat obtained by sunlight. The blood circulation isn't affected much, as the brain's blood circulation is capable enough to deal with excess heat, but the cornea of the eyes is not accustomed to a lot of heat.

Non-thermal effects

The communications procedure used by mobile phones often result in low-frequency pulse from the carrier signal.

"Non-thermal effects" could be reinterpreted as a normal cellular response to an increase in temperature. This heat can activate several messenger system, gene expression and production of heat shock protein in order to defend the cell against stress caused by heat.

According to a study conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association - exposure to radio frequency signal waves within parts of the brain closest to the cell phoneantenna resulted in increased levels of glucose metabolism.

In non-thermal effects, following problems can be seen.
- Blood-brain barrier effects
- Cancer
- Cognitive effects
- Electromagnetic hypersensitivity like tingling sensation in the skin of the head, headache, dizziness, loss of mental attention etc.
- Sleep disorders
- Behavioural effects

Reduce the effect of phone radiation

In order to lower the effects of mobile phone radiation follow these simple steps:

Keep some distance 
Behind every phone packaging, in fine prints most of the mobile brands recommend to keep your cell at least 10millimeters away from your body. Learn to maintain some distance with your tiny buddy. It may sound difficult but it is not impossible.

Weak signal is bad
Cell phones release more radio frequency radiation when the signal is low. That means, if your signal is low avoid using your cell phone to prevent unnecessary harm.

Choose hands-free headsets
Always choose hands-free headsets, as it will help to reduce the radiation emissions to the brain.

Switch sides
Change hands (and ears) frequently while talking on your cell phone to limit the amount of exposure to one side of your head.

Use speakers to dial numbers
The radiofrequency radiation is strongest when your phone is attempting to place a call, so hold it away from your head until you hear someone pick up.

For questions specific to your health conditions, please write down in the comments section and we will answer it as soon as possible. Thanks

Are your Shoes silently causing health problems for you

If stilettos harm feet, flat shoes can also be dangerous. Find out how these pretty shoes can be hazardous to health.

Jacqueline Sutera, a doctor of podiatric medicine and surgery, and Neal Blitz, Chief of Foot Surgery and Associate Chairman of Orthopedics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, share the dangers of our favourite shoes, reports a website.

Running sneakers
Too much cushion is not the best thing. When you have a lot of cushion, you're not getting the foot-brain feedback that allows you to sense the ground. These shoes are ideal for forward motion like running, walking, jogging (not hiking, dancing, cycling, etc). Wearing these shoes can cause chronic stress injuries, particularly to the heel.

Flip-flops
Most flip-flops are too flat, too thin and too open. This exposes the foot to the environment and doesn't provide arch support or cushioning. The thong between your toes is also dangerous as it forces your toe muscles to over-grip. Wearing these shoes can cause inflammation, heel pain, strains and fractures.

Stilettos
Wearing heels for long hours shifts your weight to the balls of your feet, which puts pressure on your foot. The sky-high heels can cause ankle sprains, midfoot fractures, neuromas (benign nerve tumours).

Platform wedges
Wedges also have heels, which puts pressure on the foot. But the heels generally have more cushion. They often have platforms, which protect the ball of your foot and reduce the incline. But you can suffer similar ailments due to heels.

Painful Joints affect your Sex life

Painful joints have become a bigger and more real reason than the good old excuse of "having a headache" for people abstaining from physical intimacy, according to new research.

Arthritis Research Britain conducted the survey to reveal the everyday challenges couples face in their relationships, and to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with arthritis and joint pain to stay intimate in their relationships.

Two-thirds of the respondents between the age group of 55-69 felt that their relationship was less intimate than when they first got together and nearly a quarter of married couples say they're unsatisfied with their current love life.

Nearly a third of the couples surveyed don't cuddle or hold hands enough anymore, nearly half feel that they aren't having enough sex and have sex less often than once a fortnight.

"As we rush around leading busy lives, it's easy for relationships to suffer. The survey shows that couples want to be more physically intimate with one another, holding hands, having a cuddle and having sex are all important to keep a healthy relationship," said sex expert Tracey Cox.

Joint pain can affect many parts of the body including hands, hips, knees, fingers, back and neck. This makes movements that many of us take for granted, like having sex, holding hands or cuddling incredibly painful.

Previous studies have shown that 13 per cent of people with Arthritis found joint pain impacted their sex life.

Want to Boost Brain Power ? Watch Activity videos : Neurologists

NEW YORK: Watching activity videos before carrying simple tasks may boost the brain's plasticity and increase motor skills, shows research. 

Brain plasticity is the brain's ability to flex and adapt, allowing for better learning. 

The brain loses plasticity as it ages. 

"The study lends that even as an adult, your brain is able to better learn skills just by watching the activity take place. With a dramatic increase of videos available through mobile phones, computers, and other newer technology, this topic should be the focus of more research," explained Paolo Preziosa from San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy. 

The results might also contribute to reducing disability and improving quality of those who are impaired or who are undergoing physical rehabilitation. 

The researchers put 36 right-handed healthy adults in 40-minute training sessions five times a week for two weeks. 

Half the group watched videos of a specific task, such as writing with a pen, cutting with scissors or handling coins, then were asked to complete the task themselves. 

The other half watched videos of landscapes and then were asked to complete the same tasks. 

The groups were tested for strength and hand skills and also underwent 3-D MRI brain scans. 

The researchers found that the group who completed the training along with watching the activity videos had 11 times greater improvement of motor skill abilities - mainly in terms of strength - compared to those who watched the landscape videos. 

The detailed study is scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia April 26-May 3.

Treating hair loss : Causes and Remedies

What causes hair damage and hair loss?

The causes are many. Chemicals used during straightening treatments, perming, highlighting, bleaching and colouring are some of the major culprits when it comes to damaging hair. Chemicals in some hair gels, shampoos or hair conditioners can also cause hair damage. Not to forget, malnutrition, fever, some drugs used in cancer medication, stress, pregnancy and childbirth are some of the common causes of hair damage and hair fall.

Tips for treating hair loss

1. Avoid using chemicals unnecessarily for styling hair
2. Clips and bands to tie the hair should not be too tight.
3. Cut the tip of the hair to remove split ends.
4. Use a shampoo formulated for dry or damaged hair.
5. Shampoo only on alternate days.
6. Do not use very hot water to wash hair.
7. Avoid hair driers.
8. Avoid brushing or styling hair till it has dried completely.
9. Use a deep conditioner with protein base once a week.
10. Eat healthy food with plenty of vegetables and fruits.
11. Exercise regularly to de-stress.

If all this does not work, it's time to consult a dermatologist