CHOLESTEROL --THE MYTH.

*Cholesterol* is finally officially removed from Naughty List
The US government has finally accepted that *cholesterol* is not a _nutrient of concern_. doing a U-turn on their warnings to us to stay away from high-cholesterol foods since the 1970s to avoid heart disease and clogged arteries.
This means eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products, nuts, coconut oil and meat have now been classified as *safe* and have been officially removed from the _nutrients of concern_ list.
The US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for updating the guidelines every five years, stated in its findings for 2015: "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day.
"The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology)
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will, in response, no longer warn people against eating high-cholesterol foods and will instead focus on sugar as the main substance of dietary concern.

US cardiologist Dr Steven Nissen said: _It's the right decision_. _We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They've been wrong for decades_."
"When we eat more foods rich in this compound, our bodies make less. If we deprive ourselves of foods high in cholesterol - such as eggs, butter, and liver - our body revs up .
The Real Truth about Cholesterol
The majority of the cholesterol in you is produced by your liver. Your brain is primarily made up from cholesterol. It is essential for nerve cells to function. Cholesterol is the basis for the creation of all the steroid hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and corticosteroids. High cholesterol in the body is a clear indication
which shows the liver of the individual is in good health.
Dr. George V. Mann M.D. associate director of the Framingham study for the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors states: _Saturated fats and cholesterol in the diet are not the cause of coronary heart disease_. _That myth is the greatest deception of the century, perhaps of any century_
*Cholesterol is the biggest medical scam of all time*
There is no such thing as *bad Cholesterol*
So you can stop trying to change your Cholesterol level. Studies prove beyond a doubt, cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease and it won't stop a heart attack. The majority of people that have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels.
OUR BODY NEEDS 950 mg OF CHOLESTEROL FOR DAILY METABOLISM AND THE LIVER IS THE MAIN PRODUCER.
ONLY 15% OF CHOLESTEROL IS BEING DONATED BY THE FOOD WE EAT. If the fat content is less in our food we eat, our liver
Got to work more to maintain the level at 950 mg. If the cholesterol level is high in our body, it shows the liver is working perfect.
Experts say that there is nothing like LDL or HDL.
…………..
….. *Cholesterol is not found to create block any where in human body*.
Please share the recent facts about CHOLESTEROL

NAMASTE,
DR PADAMJEET GULIA,
CONSULTANT PEDIATRICIAN.

THE LINK BETWEEN SCREEN TIME AND EYE SYMPTOMS IN KIDS.(GUIDELINES)

The guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are based on consensus statements. We recommend that children under 18 months of age avoid all digital screen time, with the exception of video chatting with apps such as FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, and similar types of programs. This is to make sure that we are stimulating them with natural visual stimuli in order to support visual development.

For children aged 18-24 months of age, it is recommended that parents and families slowly introduce digital screen time to their children. Parents should be actively involved with what is being watched, monitoring what is being seen, and educating their children about the program and the content.
For children who are 2-5 years of age, we recommend limiting screen time to about an hour a day. It is important to remember that this includes TV, computer, iPad, tablets, iPhones, and other types of electronic programming, with the exception of video chatting. It is really important to try to make sure that parents are showing their children high-quality programming and are still actively involved in terms of what is being watched and teaching their children about what is being seen.

For kids age 6 years and over, the limits are a little less clear. We understand that it can be very difficult to limit screen time based on the amount of homework that is being prescribed and the time that children need to spend on the computer to successfully accomplish their schoolwork. With that being said, it is important to really encourage children to do other things with their time. We still recommend limiting screen time in general to 1-2 hours a day, if possible.
This is important because we know that adults develop symptoms associated with a computer vision syndrome when they spend excess time on the computer or screens of any kind. These symptoms include headaches, fatigue, and asthenopia. We would assume that children are at risk of developing these same symptoms. That is why these limits are in place.
Interestingly enough, these [recommended] limits and [expectation of types of symptoms that may occur] are not based on any hard and fast science. However, more and more research is being done that tells us there is probably a correlation between these symptoms and screen time. A paper published in 2017, found that children with more than 3 hours a day of total screen time are at a higher risk of developing asthenopia, headaches, motor tics, and potentially even refractive error.
This study was retrospective and observational, with a small cohort, and thus highlights the fact that we need more research in this area. We would really like to understand this a little better.
The flip side is that more work is being done examining the role of video games and dichoptic computer games to treat amblyopia which, for decades, has been treated with patching, eye drops, and glasses. I think this is an interesting area of research because children would much prefer to play a video game to having to wear a patch on their eye.
The research is showing us that all of these modalities used together potentially could treat amblyopia equally as effectively and improve compliance..

Namaste,

Dr Padamjeet Gulia,

Consultant Pediatrician,

www.thepaediatricin.blogspot.com

BLOOD PRESSURE; SIX SUMMER FOODS FOR MANAGING BLOOD PRESSURE.

HIGHLIGHTS,

 • Blood pressure is one of the most common conditions in India

 • All berries are loaded with heart-healthy compounds called flavonoids

 • Skimmed milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D helps reduce BP

Blood pressure is one of the most common conditions in India. It is said that one in every three Indians are suffering from hypertension and heart ailments. High blood pressure is a silent killer; in fact, according to the National Centre For Biotechnology Information (NCBI), blood pressure shows seasonal variation. It is the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries. It tends to damage the body's blood vessels, thus causing kidney diseases, heart afflictions and other health problems. Blood pressure should be taken care of, especially during summers as it tends to fluctuate more often. We give you some expert tips on managing blood pressure with healthy summer foods.

"The hypertension diet should have foods with high magnesium, potassium and fibre content in it. They should be necessarily low in sodium."

Here are the summer foods for managing blood pressure;

1. Berries

All berries are loaded with heart-healthy compounds called flavonoids. The antioxidant rich fruit may help lower blood pressure, as per a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Add blueberries, strawberries, et al to your daily diet.

2. Skimmed milk

Skimmed milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D, two of which work as a team to help reduce blood pressure naturally. According to National Health Service, UK, drinking a glass of skimmed milk a day can cut blood pressure by upto a one third. So gulp down a glass of skimmed milk daily in order to reap maximum benefits.

3. Yogurt

According to a study presented at the American Heart Association (AHA), women who consumed five or more servings of yogurt a week had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure than similar women who hardly ever ate yogurt. So load up on chilled yogurt every day and enjoy a healthful life.

4. Watermelon

According to a study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, watermelon could significantly reduce blood pressure in overweight individuals both at rest and while under stress. The pressure on the aorta and on the heart reduced after the consumption of watermelon.

5. Bananas

This tropical fruit is super rich in potassium and even more easy to include in your daily diet. One banana provides one percent of calcium, eight percent of magnesium and 12 percent of potassium that you need every day.

6. Kiwi

According to a report presented in the American Heart Association (AHA), kiwis may naturally lower blood pressure. Three kiwis a day could keep high blood pressure at bay. So toss kiwis in your salads and stave off any risk of high blood pressure.

This summer, ensure that your blood pressure is regulated and well-maintained.

Namaste,

Dr Padamjeet Gulia,

Consultant Pediatrician,

www.thepaediatricin.blogspot.com

TOUCH SCREEN OF DEVICES AND CHILDREN

_*Use Of Touch Screen Of Devices By Children Hamper Their Growth Many Children Hamper Their Growth Many W_ays_ays**

.         Nowadays, Parents provide their toddlers and children to use mobile phones, tablets, computers and other gadgets where they use these touching their screen with their fingers, a new study has established that it leads to their holding capacity to hold a pen or pencil while writing by fingers as depicted in the attached picture. In fact, many parents use the tactic of giving their gadgets to their kids to them busy, while they go about their day without disturbance. Little do they know, that this habit is actually hampering their growth in a lot of ways. Confirming the same, UK doctors have explained how the excessive use of phones and tablets is preventing children's finger muscles from developing sufficiently, thereby making it increasingly hard for them to hold pens and pencils.
Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago," said Sally Payne, the head pediatric therapist at the Heart of England Foundation NHS Trust in the UK. "Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they do not have the fundamental movement skills," the researcher said. "To be able to grip a pencil and move it, you need strong control of the fine muscles in your fingers. Children need lots of opportunities to develop those skills," she said. "It's easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes," She quoted as saying by the 'Guardian'. The person, who runs a research clinic at Brunel University London investigating key skills in childhood, including handwriting, said that increasing numbers of children may be developing handwriting late because of an overuse of technology. "One problem is that handwriting is very individual in how it develops in each child," she said. "Without research, the risk is that we make too many assumptions about why a child isn't able to write at the expected age and don't intervene when there is a technology-related cause," she said. Although the early years' curriculum has handwriting targets for every year, different primary schools focus on handwriting in different ways – with some using tablets alongside pencils, she said.                             This becomes a problem when same the children also spend large periods of time on tablets outside the school.