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How healthy you will be in your 40s depends on what you eat and how you live in your 20s. Our expert charts out a survival strategy for a fitter future

When you are diagnosed with a health disorder in your 40s, there's little that you can do to completely reverse the damage. A wiser option is to start walking the correct lifestyle course much early on and reduce the chances of disorders altogether. Fitness expert and trainer Dilip Heble gives pointers to healthier 20-something habits that will lead to a better 40-something life.

Exercise Make sure you get three to six hours of exercise every week. You can go for a jog, engage yourself in a sport or best, hit the gym.

Benefit

Exercise makes you agile, muscular and boosts your stamina. Most importantly, it reduces your stress levels — a factor that is deemed the root cause for most problems in the 40s. Reduction in the stress levels also helps increase productivity and enables you to deal with environmental pressures. Also, it leads to a lower resting heart rate, which brings down the risk of cardiac disorders.

Supplement yourself

Considering the quality of food available today, it is vital you take multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplements. You might stock up generously on carbohydrates and proteins, but minus the essential vitamins, you will be far from healthy.

Benefit

These vitamins and minerals important for various functions of the body. For instance, three B vitamins (namely folic acid, B6, and B12) are known to reduce the homocysteine levels in the body, thereby also reducing the risk of dementia.

Read

In this day and age of social networking, most youngsters have forgotten to exercise their brains. Indulge in an activity that challenges your grey matter. Engage in analytical tasks as much as possible.

Switch off

Yes, you must work hard and party harder. But the problem begins when you stick to this mantra every night and end up compromising on your sleep. You may be able to pull this off without much problem in your 20s, but the inadvertent damage will trouble you in your 40s. The body's repair happens during sleep.

Bone supremacy

Bone length might be established by the time you are 20. However, bone density and strength can be built all the way until you are 30. Studies have suggested that young men and women ought to build up a 'bone bank' during this stage which will help avoid osteoporosis later in life.

Follow a routine

A study established that women who were most active between the ages of 18 to 22 stuck to their regimen even during the middle-age and after that. The article published in the journal Medicine & Science said that early intervention was important to bring down the risk of coronary heart disease later.

Shred of hope

A series of 10 studies conducted in the US and Europe tracked the effect of fibre consumption on people. It was found that for each 10 grams of fibre consumed per day, the subjects experienced a 14 per cent reduction in instances of heart disease. Moreover, the risk of dying from a heart disease was brought down by almost 25 per cent.

Benefits Of Breastfeeding To You & Your Baby

The first few hours after birth are most important. The first breastfeeding should start within two hours of birth - as soon as the mother is comfortable. During early days, you may need to feed the baby every two three hours. This changes as baby grows. Exclusive breastfeeding is advised for a period of at least six months. After six months, with other foods mother can continue feeding till the age of two. As many may suggest, no massaging of breasts or nipple stretching exercises are needed during pregnancy. Apart from creating a special bonding with your little one breastfeeding has loads of health benefits.

• It is the simplest and most economical way to feed your baby and contains the right mix of proteins, fats, sugars, water, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and antibodies for your baby.
• It boosts your baby's immunity and protects it from diarrhoea, respiratory and ear infections.
• Breastfed babies show a lower incidence of diabetes, obesity and allergic conditions as well as better cognitive development ( learning skills and information processing ).
• It provides as effective birth control technique. If you are less than six months post delivery, are exclusively breastfeeding your baby ( no top feeds including water ) and haven't yet got your period, you are 98 percent protected from pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding promotes emotional bonding between you and your little one. It creates an environment closed to the womb, which comforts the baby and makes them feel secure.

Useful tips for breastfeeding

• Both mother and baby should be in a comfortable position - the baby's body and neck should be in a straight line. Hold the baby's body close to you and at the right angle.
• Bring the baby to the breast and not the breast to the baby.
• Always keep the breast as empty as possible, either by frequent feeding or by pumping out the milk. This helps maintain the milk flow and prevents problems like engorgement or lumps in the breast.

Breastfeeding Tips

Every year World Health Organisation recognizes 1st to 7th August as World Breast Feeding Week. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years.

When should I start breastfeeding?

Baby should be put to the breast as soon as possible after delivery. After a normal delivery baby should ideally be breastfed within half an hour. After a Caesarean section, baby should be put to the breast as soon as the mother is comfortable.

How many times a day should I breastfeed my baby?

Babies should be fed on demand. Whenever baby is hungry, baby should be breast fed.

Is breastfeeding contraindicated in any mothers?

There are very few instances where a mother is told not to breastfeed. E.g. If a mother is on certain drugs, she should not breastfeed. Your doctor will advise you when it is unsafe to continue breastfeeding.

I have sore nipples. What should I do?

The best way to tackle sore nipples is to apply some of the mother's milk around the sore nipple. It acts as an emollient.

Is there any particular diet that a breastfeeding mother should take?

There are no specific do's and don'ts as far as diet is concerned. The mother should have a healthy high fiber diet with plenty of proteins and vitamins. Fiber is provided naturally by green leafy vegetables and fruits. Proteins are available in nuts, dals, meat and eggs. Over intake of butter and ghee is not required.

I have delivered yesterday. The milk is not enough for my baby? I want to give a top feed. Is it okay?

The initial milk which is yellowish in colour is called colostrum. Though you feel that the quantity is insufficient for the baby, it is more than enough to satisfy the baby's needs. It is extremely good for baby's general health and helps to provide long-term immunity for the baby.

Baby throws out a little milk after every feed. Should I worry?

It is absolutely normal for baby to throw up or spit a small quantity of milk after each feed. After a feed you should keep the baby upright and gently tap baby's back so that the baby may burp and bring up swallowed air.

What do I do if my child refuses to stop breastfeeding?

Occasionally, a baby refuses to stop breastfeeding. This problem can be tackled in a number of ways. The number of breastfeeds can be reduced gradually and some of the feeds can be replaced with a cup of expressed breast milk from the mother. Eventually, the expressed breast milk can be replaced with a top feed. Very often mothers use breastfeeding to soothe a crying child at night. Instead, another caregiver from the family such as the father or grandparent can soothe the child back to sleep. This may require some perseverance on the part of the mother. Many children use breastfeeding as a source of comfort when they are emotionally stressed. It is advisable to use alternate methods of comforting the child such as cuddling the child.

Different Types Of Vitamins Along With Its Benefits

Vitamins and minerals are essential for the maintenance of good health and the prevention of a number of diseases. In this article we look at the properties of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, and common food sources.

Types of vitamins

There are two types of vitamins:

· water-soluble vitamins B and C

· fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body, so you need to get them from food every day. They can be destroyed by overcooking.

Vitamins and minerals are found in a wide variety of foods and a balanced diet should provide you with the quantities you need.

Vitamin A (retinol)
This vitamin is essential for growth and healthy skin and hair. It is a powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in the body's immune system. Vitamin A is found in the following animal products:

· milk, butter, cheese and eggs

· chicken, kidney, liver, liver pate

· fish oils, mackerel, trout, herring.

Another source of vitamin A is a substance called beta-carotene. This is converted by the body into vitamin A. It is found in orange, yellow and green vegetables and fruits.

Vitamin B Complex
The complex of B vitamins includes the following group of substances:

· B1 - thiamine

· B2 - riboflavin

· B3 - nicotinic acid

· B6 - pyridoxine

· B12 - cobalamin

· folate - folic acid.

The body requires relatively small amounts of vitamins B1, B2 and B3.

Vitamins B6 and B12 help the body to use folic acid and are vital nutrients in a range of activities such as cell repair, digestion, the production of energy and in the immune system. Vitamin B12 is also needed for the breakdown of fat and carbohydrate. Deficiency of either vitamin will result in anaemia.

Vitamin B6 is found in most foods, so deficiency is rare.

The best dietary sources of the B vitamins, especially B12, are:

· animal products (meat, poultry)

· yeast extracts (brewers' yeast, Marmite).

Other good sources include:

· asparagus, broccoli, spinach, bananas, potatoes

· dried apricots, dates and figs

· milk, eggs, cheese, yoghurt

· nuts and pulses

· fish

· brown rice, wheat germ, wholegrain cereals

Dietary sources of vitamin B6 are similar to those for vitamin B12 and also include avocado, herring, salmon, sunflower seeds and walnuts.

Folic acid (folate)

Folic acid works closely in the body with vitamin B12. It is vital for the production of healthy blood cells.

Lack of folic acid is one of the main causes of anaemia, particularly in people whose diet is generally poor. Vitamins B6 and B12 help the body use folate, so are often given alongside folic acid supplements.

In pregnancy, low folate levels increase the risk of the baby's spinal cord system not developing completely (spina bifida). All women are now advised to take folic acid supplements in the first three months of pregnancy and preferably before conception.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidant vitamins.

We need vitamin C for growth, healthy body tissue, wound repair and an efficient immune system. In addition, it's thought vitamin C can reduce cholesterol levels and regulate your blood pressure and your body's absorption of iron.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the main source of vitamin C – eating your five a day will easily meet the body's needs.

Too much vitamin C can result in a sensitive, irritable stomach and mouth ulcers.

Vitamin C content of foods – an adult needs 60mg a day

Food	Serving size	Amount of vitamin C
Strawberries	1 bowl	70-120mg
Kiwi fruit	1 fruit	50mg
Steamed broccoli	1 serving (80g)	50mg
Orange	1 large	70mg
Mango and passion fruit smoothie	250ml glass/bottle	48mg
Frozen peas, cooked	1 serving (85g)	17mg

Vitamin D (calciferol)

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and teeth. It helps the body to absorb calcium.

The action of sunlight on the skin enables the body to manufacture vitamin D – even on a cloudy day. For this reason, most people will get enough vitamin D through their everyday activities.
Foods rich in vitamin D are oily fish, liver, cod liver oil and dairy products.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is important in cell maintenance and also plays an active role in the maintenance of a healthy heart, blood and circulation. It is one of the body's main antioxidants.

The following foods are rich in vitamin E:

· avocados, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, watercress, brussels sprouts

· blackberries, mangoes

· corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil

· mackerel, salmon

· nuts, wholemeal and wholegrain products

· soft margarine.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is involved in the blood clotting process and in the maintenance of strong bones. It is found in small quantities in meat, most vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

Your body also makes vitamin K in the large intestine, through the activity of 'healthy bacteria'. For this reason, there is no recommended daily amount.

These bacteria are also referred to as the gut flora. They form part of our defence against more harmful organisms.

Diets rich in fatty and sugary foods can adversely change the balance of the gut flora, as can the additives and pesticides that are often a part of modern food production.