Growing up Green, for Healthy Babies and Kids [3]

Green Baby Food Care,

En route to a Greener Life,

You are what you eat.

Babies are generally programmed to eat what the parent are eating,

if the parent are eating, it must be all right, the child would know that the food is safe.

But if parent are too busy feeding their small children,

he / she is going to learn to eat what his / her neighbor is eating !

Baby Milk:

Relating to feed the babies with baby milk formulas / dairy products, a lot of confusion exists between the two adverse reactions, those are milk allergy and lactose intolerance, many people think that lactose intolerance is the same as an allergy to milk or dairy products, it is important to distinguish between the two because they are not the same, they are not even related.

I. Lactose intolerance [carbohydrate intolerance]:

Lactose or milk sugar intolerance, also called carbohydrate intolerance, is non-allergic food sensitivity and occurs due to the decrease or absence of lactase enzyme that is required to metabolize the lactose / milk sugar, it occurs when the digestive system fails to produce enough lactase enzymes to break down the lactose in milk, lactose intolerant presents with abdominal pain / cramp, bloating stomach, nausea and diarrhea, it is the most common type of carbohydrate intolerance found among adults of African, Asian, Native American or Chinese descent, it develops in children around the age of five years [kids / kindergartens] caused by the partial or the complete loss of lactase enzyme due to unknown reasons, children below the age of five [toddlers to preschoolers] who suffer from a severe attack of diarrhea or another severe illness could also develop temporary or permanent lactose intolerance. it is rare in infants and more common among older kids and adults

Symptoms of lactose intolerance:

The common symptoms of lactose intolerance range from mild to severe, they include nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal cramps, gas, diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition, symptoms begin about 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming a lactose containing product, the severity of symptoms depends on the amount of lactose containing product consumed, the degree of deficiency of lactase enzyme in the body, a person’s age, ethnicity and digestion rate, in infants and young children, a stool sample can be tested for the presence of acids and glucose in the stool, undigested lactose fermented by gastrointestinal bacteria produces lactic acid and other fatty acids that get detected in a stool sample, carbohydrates may be present in the stool indicating mal-absorption of lactose.

II. Milk allergy [protein intolerance]:
Milk allergy is an adverse reaction triggered by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to one or more of the proteins in cow's milk, people can be allergic to either whey protein or casein protein, or both, and an allergic reaction can be caused by very small amounts of these allergen proteins in sensitive people.

• Whey protein: Heat treatment, such as pasteurization, breaks whey protein [heat unstable], so people allergic to whey might not react to pasteurized milk,
• Casein: casein is heat stable, so people allergic to casein will probably react to all types of milk and milk products,

most people are allergic to both the casein and whey fractions indicating that most milk-allergic people cannot tolerate boiled milk, allergy to milk may occur in any individual, young children are most commonly affected although one can develop milk allergy at any age.

Cow's milk allergy is basically an allergic reaction to one of the proteins in cow's milk that involves the immune system, milk allergy is one of the commonest food allergies in infants and young children, with 2-3% of children under three years of age allergic to cow’s milk proteins, though most of them surpass this allergy, 50% of these children seem to come out of it in the first year of life, another 25% during the second year and by 3 years of age, 80% outgrow this allergy, only a minority of them who still have cow's milk allergy at the age of three will continue to have this allergy in their adulthood, it has been found that a large number of children who are allergic to cow's milk also react to goat's milk and sheep's milk, and some are even allergic to the protein in soy milk.

Symptoms of Milk allergy:

The symptoms of milk allergy may occur within a few minutes after exposure, or after hours to several days in delayed reactions, this allergy is capable of triggering a wide array of symptoms which include GI reactions, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas, and heartburn; nose, ear and throat infections [runny nose], sinusitis, and coughing; and symptoms involving the skin [itchy rash, eczema]. in a very few cases, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis.

The diagnosis of milk allergy in infants is quite straight forward in case the symptoms developed immediately after the child was put on milk formula made from modified cow's milk or soon after a person consumed milk containing food.

Medications:

avoidance of milk and milk-containing foods is the only treatment, it can be really tough as milk is a common food ingredient,

medicine such as antihistamines, may calm down signs and symptoms of a milk allergy, these drugs control an allergic reaction after exposure to milk and help relieve discomfort, other drugs, such as sodium cromoglycate / cromolyn sodium and corticosteroid drugs prevent the development of symptoms of eczema, in case of a serious allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis, a child may need an emergency injection of epinephrine and quick admission to the emergency room.

Most infants with milk allergy develop symptoms within the first few months of birth and it is usually rare for symptoms to start after the age of 12 months, the treatment of milk allergy requires complete avoidance of milk proteins, even yogurt / fermented cow milk, butter, cheese, and cream may also need to be avoided, other milk such as goat milk, sheep milk, mare milk etc. is not recommended for treatment of infants with cow milk allergy because these milks are nutritionally incomplete, are poor sources of certain vitamins [especially folic acid and vitamins B₆, B₁₂, C and D] and are only tolerated in a few infants with cow milk allergy.

If an infant suffers from milk allergy while he / she is also getting breastfeed, then it is important for the mother to restrict the amount of dairy products that she consumes because the milk protein that causes the allergic reaction can cross into the breast milk, lactating mothers may even be required to follow an elimination diet.

Hypoallergenic formula:

For formula fed infants, milk substitute formulas such as soy protein-based formula may be advised, but if the infant is intolerant to soy, it is suggested to switch to a hypoallergenic formula, in this kind of baby formula products, the proteins are already denatured into smaller particles so that become far less likely to stimulate an allergic response.

Major types of hypoallergenic formulas include:

1. Extensively hydrolyzed formulas: the cow's milk proteins are denatured into smaller particles so that they are far less likely to cause allergy as compared to the whole proteins in regular formulas, this is due to the poor palatability of those extensively hydrolyzed formulas, most allergic infants can tolerate these formulas, but in some cases, they still stimulate allergic reactions.
2. Partially hydrolyzed milk formula: contains peptides / protein large enough to cause allergic reactions and although they may be ideal as substitute milk for prevention of milk allergy in high-risk infants, they are not recommended for the treatment of cow's milk allergy.
3. Amino acid-based infant formulas: containing protein in its simplest form: amino acids, may be recommended if baby's condition doesn't improve even after switching to an extensively hydrolyzed formula, they are usually palatable and well tolerated, but are very expensive.

Switching the infant to a different formula should result in the disappearance of symptoms in 2-4 weeks, it is recommended to continue with a hypoallergenic formula up until the baby's first birthday, and then cow's milk can be slowly introduced into his or her diet, for children and adults, many commercially available replacements to milk are available, they include rice milk, soy milk, oat milk and almond milk, but they are not suitable nutrition for infants.

Calcium supplementation:

The American Dietetic Association recommends calcium requirements are 400 mg / day for 0–6 month’s infants and 600 mg / day for a 6–12 months old child, alternative sources of calcium and other vital nutrients should be started to replace the nutrients that come from dairy products, in infants and young children, calcium supplementation may be required, as milk may be their only source of calcium.

Start the solid foods.

Eating well is not just about where the food comes from, good health comes from eating chemical free, natural foods together as a family, certified organic foods, free from pesticides, free from chemical fertilizers as well as free from fungicides are the best choice.

The longer delay the introduction of solid foods, the more likely babies are go for a sweet taste and the more resistant the babies become to new taste [salt taste, bitter / sour taste], getting the babies interested in a range of tastes by 6 months is a good way to avoid weakly eating, so don’t delay introducing the babies to solid foods, because the babies may develop a sweet taste, eating organic foods, avoiding processed foods are true to be the best immune boosters.

Many babies will become very interested in the food in their parents’ plates as early as 4 months of age, by 5 or 6 months of age, most babies will be reaching and trying to grab food that parents have on their plates, when the baby is starting to reach for food, this seems a reasonable time to start giving him / her solid foods, but in some cases, it may be better to start food earlier, it may be reasonable to start solids as early as 3 months of age, however, it may be possible, to continue breastfeeding alone, the breastfed baby digests solid foods better and earlier than the artificially fed baby because breast-milk contains enzymes which help digest fats, proteins and starch, breastfed babies have had a wide variety of tastes in their lives, since the flavors of many foods the mother eats will pass into her milk, breastfed babies thus accept solids more readily than artificially fed babies.

Food allergy:

Food allergy occurs when a food triggers an immune system, this reaction involves the antibody immunoglobulin E [IgE], which plays an important role in allergy, causes the immune system to release histamine, food allergies can get triggered when a sensitive person eats, inhales, or comes into contact with even tiny amounts of foods or food additives, the reactions can be very mild or may be life-threatening.

In children, the most common food allergies occur from cow's milk, hen's eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans and wheat, it has been put forth that a lack of exposure to specific foods in infancy may result in allergies to those foods later on.

Symptoms of food allergy

Symptoms are usually appear immediately after eating, these include skin rashes such as urticaria, hives, itchy skin; itchy nose and eyes with runny nose, wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing; and swelling and itching around the lips, eyelids and mouth. GI symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating, vomiting and diarrhea.

How to treat food allergy?

The only way to treat food allergies is to avoid the offending foods, if your child is allergic to cow's milk, it is a must to check food labels for its ingredients like casein, whey, lactoalbumin [albumin contained in milk] etc, it needs to be extra careful in case the child is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, these allergies tend to be the most severe as nuts are ingredients in a large variety of food items, especially in cookies and desserts.

Certified Organic foods:

Organic foods which are free from pesticides, chemical fertilizers, as well as free from fungicides are the best choice.

In order to be labeled as certified organic food, a food must have been certified as having been produced without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetic engineering [GMO / genetically modified organism] ^[1] , antibiotics, hormones, sewage sludge, irradiation ^[2] , organic certification also implies that the farmer is promoting biological diversity by rotating crops, conserving and renewing the soil, protecting water sources, organic foods also called environmentally friendly foods, or ecologically sound foods.

^[1] Genetically modified food: GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms are created by inserting a gene from one organism into another organism, this alters the recipient’s genetic makeup to produce new different traits, such as a pest resistance or faster growth.

^[2] Irradiation: the process of irradiation uses electron beams or radioactive substances to kill pathogens, retard spoiling, prolong transit time and shelf life of the foods.

Also Read:

Growing up Green, for Healthier Prenatal Babies
Growing up Green, for Healthy Newborn Babies
Growing up Green, for Healthy Babies & Kids [1]
Growing up Green, for Healthy Babies & Kids [2]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the most common nerve problem affecting person’s hand

people think that carpal tunnel syndrome is

the disease of the information technology age,

if we are working most of the day with computer,

we feel tingling or numbness in our wrist for months,

then a stabbing pain,

it is very likely we have carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal Tunnel:

image for illustration purpose only.

Carpal tunnel is a narrow and rigid passage way of ligament and bones at the base of the hand that houses the median nerve and tendons, it is about as big as your thumb, carpal tunnel is located at the palm side of your wrist, the wrist [carpus] is surrounded by a band of fibrous tissue that normally functions as a support for the joint, the tight space between this fibrous band and the wrist bone is called the carpal tunnel, the median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel to receive sensations from the thumb, index finger / fore-finger, and middle fingers of the hand.

Carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]

CTS has become the most significant medical problem affecting workers,

full recovery will only by avoiding stressful situations and changing work habits.

women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome,

because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men.

The carpal tunnel is at the base of the palm of the hand and is made of bones, tendons, and a thick ligament that surround the median nerve, any condition that causes swelling or a change in position of the tissue within the carpal tunnel can squeeze and irritate the median nerve which is located just above the wrist [carpus], irritation of the median nerve can due to either inflamed, or pinched which is as a result of sustained activities like typing, hammering, pushing, constant repetitive use of the hand, causes tingling and numbness of the thumb, index finger / fore-finger, and the middle finger, a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist, the median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers [although not the little finger], as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed, the result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body's peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized,

Another terminology of Carpal Tunnel Syndromes [CTS] are:

· cumulative-trauma-disorders,

· overuse-syndromes,

· chronic-upper-limb-pain-syndromes,

· repetitive-motion-disorders.

all terminology are associated generally with repetitive and forceful use of the hands that damages the muscles and bones, many people believe that constant repetitive use of the hand and poor computer set-up are the primary causes the carpal tunnel syndrome.

The drastic increase in computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome injuries is due to computer mouse use, largely due to the problem that the generic computer mouse does not properly fit the computer users’ hand, the generic computer mouse results in excessive fatigue, pain and pressure within the carpal tunnel and thus contributes to inflames / injuries that range from cruelly & insensitive hands and wrists to carpal tunnel syndrome, people who have suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome are usually writers or who works at a computer all day, after hours at the keyboard.

Study to determine the prevalence and incidence of possible carpal tunnel syndrome has been conducted to evaluate the contribution of the use of mouse devices and keyboards to user’s risk, but the study found that the occurrence of possible carpal tunnel syndrome in the right hand, which is usually the hand that controls the mouse, was low, the study emphasizes that computer use does not pose a severe occupational hazard for developing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, a study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic, recently received a lot of media attention when it concluded that there is no association between computer use and carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]. However, the methodology used in the study was not appropriate to evaluate whether or not computer use causes carpal tunnel syndrome, in fact, carpal tunnel syndrome is three times more common among assemblers than among data-entry personnel.

In fact, recent studies by Tech Dyne International Inc, concluded that the use of a generic, poor-fitting, computer mouse for a single four-hour period caused a loss of strength of the arm of up to 60% and caused the muscles being used in these repetitive operations to get overused, causing inflammation and injury, this is considered the number one ergonomic risk factor for developing computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome.

Cause of generic computer mouse in developing computer-related carpal tunnel syndrome are:

• shape of the generic computer mouse: the shape that does not correctly fit the user's hand, requires the user to grip and hold, which over an extended period will cause tendon and muscle fatigue in the hand, wrist and even the elbow and arm.
• overall size of the generic computer mouse: the size of the computer mouse does not properly fit the size of the individual’s hand, this means there is not enough support for the hand, having optimal support and comfort is required to minimize fatigue with computer mouse operations, individuals with smaller hands should use smaller mice, on the contrary, individuals with larger hands should use larger mice
• right and left hand compatibility: the computer mouse is not compatible with the user’s dominant hand, the computer mouse should be compatible with the dominant hand of the computer user, left-handed computer mouse users should use an ergonomic ^[1] [human factor engineering] computer mouse designed for the left hand.
• wrist position: an ordinary, generic horizontal computer mouse requires your forearm to twist away from its natural position, this causes more strain on your carpal tunnel, wrist tendons and ligaments.
• 
  

^[1] Ergonomic is the science of refining the design of products to optimize them for human use, human characteristics, such as height, weight, and proportions are considered, as well as information about human hearing, sight, temperature preferences, and so on. Ergonomics is sometimes known as human factors engineering.

image for illustration purpose only.

Do we think computer and mouse use can cause carpal tunnel syndrome?

carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive work has been referred to as one of the repetitive stress injuries.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome:
carpal tunnel syndrome [a painful progressive condition by compression of a key nerve in the wrist] usually starts gradually, there is frequent burning, tingling, itching, numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, typical for thumb, the index finger / fore-finger, and the middle finger, the fingers feel useless and swollen, although they do not show any signs of swelling, when carpal tunnel syndrome’s symptoms tend to worsen, someone will feel tingling all the time, and his / her grip strength decreases, in worst cases, he / she is unable to feel between hot and cold by touch.

The symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night, since many people sleep with bend / flexed wrists, a person with carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to shake out the hand or wrist, as symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day.

symptoms usually come and go, symptoms may occur with certain activities, like reading or driving, symptoms will then go away when we move the hand or change what we are doing, the numbness and pain tend to become more frequent and last longer as the problem grows worse, in severe cases, symptoms can become constant.

Conditions and diseases that cause carpal tunnel syndrome:

Most often carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion, injury, or inflammatory types of arthritis, for most patients, the cause of their carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown, any condition that causes pressure on the median nerve at the wrist [compression of a key nerve in the wrist] can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, which is often as the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself, tendon inflammation resulting from repetitive work, such as uninterrupted typing can cause deposition of abnormal substances in and around the carpal tunnel, leading to nerve irritation which causes carpal tunnel symptoms, other contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause swelling, such as sprain or fracture, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, repeated use of vibrating hand tools

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome:

There are many differences in carpal tunnel syndrome treatments, somebody with mild symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may ease his / her numbness or discomfort by taking more frequent breaks by resting his / her hands, or by applying cold ice packs if swelling occurs, treatment options include wrist splinting, medications or even surgery, but let's not over react, many people, suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome experience effective treatment with non-surgical methods, including:

wrist splinting, try wearing a wrist splint at night and avoid sleeping on our hands to help ease the pain or numbness in the wrists and hands, treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome should begin as early as possible, under a doctor's direction:

[1]. General initial treatments:

1. resting the affected hand and wrist for at least 2 weeks,
2. avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms,
3. im-mobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage from twisting or bending.
4. if there is inflammation, apply a cool pack to help reduce swelling.

[2]. Non-surgical treatments:

1. Drugs:
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAID], such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonprescription pain relievers, may ease symptoms that have been present for a short time or have been caused by hard / strenuous activity.
• orally administered diuretics can decrease swelling.
• corticosteroids [such as prednisone] : to relieve pressure on the median nerve and provide immediate / temporary relief to persons with mild or intermittent symptoms. [caution: persons with diabetes and those who may be predisposed to diabetes should note that prolonged use of corticosteroids can make it difficult to regulate insulin levels. corticosterioids should not be taken without a doctor's prescription.]
• Lidocaine [an anesthetic drug] can be injected directly into the wrist to reduce pain.
• Vitamin B₆ [pyridoxine] supplements may ease the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
2. Exercise:

stretching exercises can be helpful in people whose symptoms have abated / become less strong, these exercises may be supervised by a physical therapist, who is trained to use exercises to treat physical impairments, or an occupational therapist, who is trained in evaluating people with physical impairments and helping them build skills to improve their health and well-being, exercises can decrease symptoms for a lot of people, the aims are to get more blood flowing to the area and to move the nerve so that the part of the nerve that is in the tunnel slips out for a short rest, try fully curling the fingers tightly closed [fist] and bending the wrist toward the palm, then straighten the fingers and stretch the wrist back the other way, repeat those motions about ten times, remember that carpal tunnel syndrome almost always starts gradually, so it has usually been present for a while before you even notice any symptoms, stretches and exercises have to be performed regularly to be effective, try to make it part of the daily routine, perhaps each morning and before bedtime.

3. Alternative therapies:

acupuncture and chiropractic care have benefited some patients but their effectiveness remains unproved, an exception is yoga, which has been shown to reduce pain and improve grip strength among patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

[3]. Surgery

surgery is reserved as a last choice, carpal tunnel release is one of the most common surgical procedures, generally recommended if symptoms last for 6 months, surgery involves providing the band of tissue around the wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve, surgery is done under local anesthesia and does not require an overnight hospital stay, many patients require surgery on both hands, carpal tunnel syndrome usually doesn't come back after surgery, surgery opens the tight carpal tunnel space and takes pressure off the nerve, after surgery, it may take a while for the nerve to wake up and the symptoms to go away, in more severe cases, the recovery after surgery is slower and symptoms may not go away completely

Important Notice:

Information provided on this article is intended for information, scientific, and education purposes only, it is not intended to substitute the medical advice provided by the medical professionals, only the medical professionals can provide the relevant diagnosis and prescribe the medications!!!

How to prevent from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Carpal tunnel syndrome becomes worse by inactivity than by activity, that is why symptoms are common while sleeping, but with a simple stretching and moving it can be of helpful, symptoms often occur when the hand is in one position for too long.

If we have a job or hobby that keeps the hands in one position for a long time, take a routine short breaks to stretch and move the hands and arms, just a few minutes each hour can be enough to prevent from suffering carpal tunnel syndrome, furthermore, if we are regularly in one position, try to make sure our wrist is relatively straight, because bending the wrist either way increases the pressure around the median nerve.

It is important to notice that there are no proven strategies to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, it is essential to protect the hands with the following steps:

• relax our grip and reduce the force we are using, such as if using keyboard, hit the keys softly; if writing, use pen with free-flowing pen.
• take breaks whenever we need, such as take a break every 20 minutes, stretch the hands and wrists, if we work with equipment that vibrates, especially when using a great force, it is even more important to take a break.

• at the workplace, workers can do on-the-job conditioning, perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, wear splints to keep wrists straight, and use correct posture and wrist position, wearing fingerless gloves can help keep hands warm and flexible, develops an ergonomics programs, the program of adapting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of workers, jobs that include greater wrist or hand utilization, can rotate among workers.

• improve the posture, if we have incorrect posture, it is more likely we will roll our shoulders forward, when shoulders are in this position, it is more likely our neck and shoulder muscles will be shortened and they will be compressing nerves in our neck, which will also influence our wrists, fingers and hands.
• keep our hands warm to prevent from developing hand pain and stiffness if our work is in a cold environment.

Also Read:

All about Body's Pains
Trigeminal Neuralgia, Select the most suitable healing method.
Sciatica, a nerve pain potentially reduces the quality of life.
Stiff neck, and How to cure it
How to avoid Muscle Cramps, the most common muscle ache symptoms!