A growth in membership, an increased emphasis on Managed Care, a range of enhancements for members and added value, are just some of the highlights from the Bonitas 2020 Product Launch.
Private and public healthcare has been in the news lately and will continue to be a topic of discussion around the Department of Health’s proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill as well as the current socioeconomic landscape. Traditionally in September, private medical aids present their products, plans and pricing for 2020 to existing members, or potential members, so that they can make informed choices. ‘It is imperative that the decision you make regarding you and your family’s health and wellness is balanced against affordability,’ explains Lee Callakoppen, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund. ‘For existing medical aid members, it’s the time to analyse the plan they are on, whether it meets their health needs and compare it to the various options available. If you’re joining a scheme for the first time, you need to consider your specific healthcare needs and spend time investigating which plan will be best suited to deliver on this.’ However, medical aid plans can be confusing which is why it’s important to compare the various options and schemes to ensure you find a medical aid that works for you and your family’s health and that is within your budget. For people who have a broker, that should be the first point of call to help you can make an informed decision. Here are some steps to help simplify the decision. Analyse your healthcare needs Completing a quick personal healthcare needs’ analysis will help you determine what level of cover you need. If you have dependants, you need to factor in their healthcare needs too. Consider how much you and your family spent on medical expenses over the past year as a guide and then ask the following: How often did your family visit a doctor Do you require medicine often Did you or the family need to visit a specialist Are any of you in need extra cover for cancer, HIV, renal failure or any other specific conditions How much did you spend on dentistry, optometry and over-the-counter medicine Then consider which of the expenses were once-off and won’t come up again soon (like childbirth) and which are likely to come up again and again (such as flu) as well as chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. Check how much cover you require If you find you hardly claimed (if you are on a medical aid) or have very a few medical expenses, then you will need a lower level of cover. However, if you have a large number of medical expenses, you will require one of the more comprehensive plans. Once you’ve established this you can decide whether you require a full medical aid or a hospital plan. Are you happy to use a network Some plans require you to use a specific GP, hospital network and have a list of preferred providers. This helps to keep costs as low as possible because the Scheme will have negotiated special rates with these services providers. Check whether there is a wide enough network in your area to cover your specific needs. Check your budget Once you have an idea of what you might need for the year ahead in terms of healthcare, then it’s time to look at your budget. Decide what you can afford and remember that the rule of thumb is that contributions should not exceed 10% of your monthly income. Read the small print Make sure you read all the details including the benefits. These vary from plan to plan so establish what is covered and look at whether it offers additional risk benefits which can potentially save on the day-to-date expenses. These could include anything from free wellness screenings (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI measurements) through to maternity benefits, flu vaccinations, mammograms, pap smears and HIV tests. All of these are costly if you have to pay for them yourself. What about savings Medical savings are a fixed amount medical scheme gives you at the beginning of the year. You can use your savings for daily out-of-hospital medical expenses, such as GP and specialist consultations and over the counter medicine. There are ways to maximise your savings but first you need to know what you annual allocation is. Age can influence the decision If you have young children, ensure that the medical aid option you select provides sufficient child illness benefits. For young couples looking to start a family, ensure the option provides sufficient cover for maternity benefits. However, if you aging then you need an option that covers chronic conditions and provides sufficient in-hospital cover in the event of hospitalisation. Some additional advice Remember to be honest on your application form, disclose all information about you and your dependents’ health. Membership can be suspended or cancelled if you fail to do so Any waiting period or exclusions? Schemes may impose certain waiting periods for new members joining or for a pre-existing medical condition. This is based on the guidelines of the Medical Schemes Act and the specific scheme’s rules. Finally, get expert advice ‘Your health and that of your family is important so it is vital that you are comfortable with the choice you make and are confident your healthcare needs will be taken care of,’ says Callakoppen. ‘My advice is to make sure you are informed. Read the information and fine print and compare what the different plans are offering before you commit. If you are still unsure, phone the scheme and ask questions or check with your broker or financial advisor.’
It is estimated that around 10 million – or 20% – of South Africans are abusing substances. This is according to the South African Society of Psychiatrists. Whether it is alcohol, codeine, dagga, heroin or other drugs it’s a very worrying statistic that costs the private and public healthcare industry millions annually in rehabilitation and recovery.
Be honest and disclose all information. Don’t forget to read the questionnaire carefully and regardless of whether you think it’s important or not, or whether the medical condition was years previously, include it in your application
Access to quality healthcare remains a priority for South Africans. However, with healthcare costs consistently outpacing inflation, the challenge for private medical schemes remains finding the right balance between providing a high level of value and care for members, while managing costs effectively.
‘South Africa is heading for a disaster if the number of people living with chronic lifestyle diseases does not change.’ That’s what both the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Medical Research Council warned two years ago. The Council described the problem of these non-communicable diseases as an ‘emerging epidemic’. If you look at the exponential growth of chronic lifestyle diseases then it is not difficult to understand why former Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, said chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are putting a huge strain on the country’s health care system. Obesity and being overweight are major risk factors for the development of chronic diseases. Testing for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and heart disease is essential in the face of a steadily deteriorating health status in our country. Lee Callakoppen, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund says, ‘Get tested, know your numbers and take action now!’ The Bonitas Clinical Team explain why you need to keep your finger on the pulse of your ‘big four’ wellness numbers and what they are. Cholesterol What is cholesterol? It is a soft, waxy substance – one of the blood fats made naturally in the body. It helps to form cells, hormones and bile (that helps us digest food). Cholesterol is found mostly in animal products such as meat, cream and butter. What is high cholesterol? This is when you have too much ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood. This, in turn, can cause narrowing and blockages of the arteries – the blood vessels that carry blood to your heart muscle and to other parts of your body. In time, the narrowing of the arteries to your heart can lead to a heart attack, while blockages in the arteries of your brain can cause a stroke. The test Called a fasting lipogram it measures the exact amount of different types of cholesterol you have. Good to know If your total cholesterol is greater than 5mmol/L on your fasting lipogram this indicates raised cholesterol Your low density lipoprotein (LDL) – the ‘bad cholesterol’ – should not be greater than 3mmol/L. LDL causes the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries which means a greater chance of heart disease High density lipoprotein (HDL), if less than 1.2mmol/L, means you don’t have enough good cholesterol which prevents build up in the arteries and transports cholesterol to the liver If your triglycerides (fat stored in the body) are higher than 1.5mmol/l, this is also indicative of a possible cholesterol problem. Weight and BMI Your Body Mass Indicator (BMI) calculator checks if you’re at a healthy weight. The test You can calculate yours by: Dividing your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in metres (m) Then dividing the answer by your height again to get your BMI. Underweight less than 18.5 Normal weight 18.5 – 24.9 Overweight 25 – 29.9 Obese 30 or greater Diabetes What is diabetes? Our bodies produce insulin all day – a hormone that creates energy by converting sugar, starches and other foods. Without insulin, cells cannot absorb sugar (glucose), which they need to produce energy. When there isn’t enough of this hormone in your body, or it’s not used as it should be, sugar (or ‘glucose’) can’t be moved to your other body cells to supply them with energy. This means that you have higher than normal blood-glucose levels, resulting in diabetes.There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. They are different conditions but are both serious and need to be treated and managed properly. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin. It usually starts very quickly and in younger people. If you have Type 1 diabetes you need insulin injections to survive as well as having a carefully balanced food intake and exercise programme Type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) occurs when the pancreas makes too little insulin or your body can’t use the insulin effectively. It usually develops in adulthood and is often caused by being overweight and not exercising. Approximately 85–90% of all people with diabetes have Type 2 and many people who have this condition are undiagnosed. This can result in serious damage to the delicate parts of the body and lead to blindness, heart attackstroke, kidney failure, impotence and amputation so it’s vital to be checked. The tests Test 1: The Fasting blood glucose test – blood glucose is taken before you eat in the morning. Normal 3.9 to 5.5 mmols/l Prediabetic or Impaired Glucose Tolerance 5.6 to 7.0 mmol/l Diabetic More than 7.0 mmol/l Test 2: HbA1c test. The HbA1c levels determine your blood sugar control over time. Normal Less than 6% Prediabetic 6 – 6.4% Diabetic 6.5% or more Blood pressure What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries – the blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart. The blood pressures numbers mean the following: The first (or top) number is your systolic blood pressure. It is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats. The bottom figure is your diastolic blood pressure and is the lowest pressure exerted as your heart relaxes between beats. What is high blood pressure? High blood pressure or hypertension is when blood pressure stays elevated over time. Hypertension is often known as the “silent killer”, since nearly 33% of people who have it, don’t know it. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have yours measured. Range Normal 120/80 to 129/84 Upper end of Normal 130/85 to 139/89 Mild hypertension 140/90 to 159/99 Moderate hypertension 160/100 to 179/109 Severe hypertension More than 180/110 If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and if it’s not treated, hypertension can cause kidney failure, eye problems, heart disease and stroke. Callakoppen says, ‘When you consider that 1 in every 3 people in South African has high blood pressure and every 8 minutes 1 South African has
There’s nothing quite like coming to the end of a busy day with small children, desperate for a bit of quiet adult time and seeing the flicker of light at the end of the tunnel approaching… only to have it stamped out by a child who refuses to go to sleep. It is understandable that in those moments calm and collected parenting gets stamped out right alongside. We need them to go to sleep. We need that time to ourselves to feel sane. We need a break. We need them to bloody well do as they’re told! And in that little word “need” lies the entire problem. The minute we need our children to behave in a certain way for our own wellbeing we are handing over control. Not control over them, but control over our own internal state. The truth is, nobody can make you feel anything (not even your own sometimes impossible child) without your permission. And once we need something from our kids, we’re handing over that permission slip. Our children are not out to get us, not out to disturb our peace, not planning to mess with our schedule. They just are. They’re being kids, being true to their own sense of how tired they are (or not) and what they feel like in the moment. It is us, as the adults, who are trying to impose an agenda on the moment – trying to make it bend to our will. And life always has other plans! We also teach our children in those moments to veer away from trusting their own bodies and listening to their own internal state so that they can learn to self-regulate instead of always needing us to lay down rules and guidelines. This is similar to getting them to finish their dinner when they’re not really hungry. We tell them to override their very nature. So how do we meet our own needs (because let’s be clear, we really do have a need for some quiet adult time and a break from constantly attending to little people) AND meet our children’s need to listen to their bodies and figure out their own schedules? The trick is to have freedom within boundaries. You can, for example, allow the kids to stay up doing something quietly in their room until they feel tired, provided they do not interrupt the adults. The French have been doing this for centuries. They simply state that from 8pm it is adult time and children need to occupy themselves. Most parents I know panic about this idea as they’re worried the kids will then be too tired for school the next day. Will they? Yes, there probably will be a day here and there where they overdo it and don’t get enough sleep. This is called experiencing the consequences of your actions. And it is exactly how children learn to self-regulate. You will also find that when you remove your need and desperation for them to sleep that that anxious energy is no longer a factor at bedtime and everyone is feeling more relaxed and peaceful, and this naturally sets the stage for a trip into slumberland! In short, stay calm, make sure you are meeting your own needs (and not relying on your kids to meet them for you) and let your children naturally fall asleep when their bodies are ready.
No parent wants to see their child suffer at the hands of a bully. As much as we would like to shield them from horrible people, as parents, we have to be realistic. Our job is to prepare our kids for life in the real world and that means helping them learn how to cope with mean people. The problem is that most parents don’t know how to actually help their kids aside from general platitudes like – stand up for yourself or ignore them. The question is, how does a modern educated parent approach the subject of bullying? We want more than theories and platitudes. We want a pragmatic approach that will actually work for our children. It turns out that there is a very pragmatic approach that really does work. It is a compassionate approach based on the science of behavioral management. I studied cognitive psychology in college and spent time in a dolphin cognition research lab. While there I learned about operant and classical conditioning. The way you extinguish a behavior in an animal using operant conditioning is the same way you get a bully to stop. Not by punishing bad behavior, but by not rewarding it. It turns out that animals and bullies treat negative reinforcement as reinforcement. In order to get bullying to stop, you need to not reinforce the bully at all. This is hard to do because, bullies are really good at getting you to respond, that’s why they do what they do. What we need to teach our children is practical things they can do and say that will help them respond without rewarding the bully. It isn’t enough to say – stand up for yourself or ignore them. Kids need to be told specifically, here is what you need to say, and here is how you say it, now let’s practice it so you can say it under the pressure of active bullying. Most kids can pick up these skills pretty quickly when presented in such a pragmatic way. The key to this approach is to help your child develop a neutral emotional response to the actions of a bully. The best way to do that is to practice and cultivate compassion. It’s hard to do because we are often so involved in our own hurt that we don’t want to let go enough to think compassionately about others. But it is precisely when we let go of our hurt that we are able to respond in a more neutral way because, we are no longer thinking about our pain, we are now thinking about the pain of another. Compassion really is a powerful emotion. Finally, what we know from behavior research is that it isn’t enough to not reward a bully; you have to actually be prepared for what is known as an extinction burst or a blowout. Basically, when you take away an animal’s reward, they don’t give it up without a fight. They work harder and become more aggressive to get their reward. In other words, when you stop reinforcing a bully, they get more aggressive for a period of time before they give up their bad behavior. This well-known extinction dynamic is the main reason why most kids give up trying to get bullying to stop. They make a good faith effort to do what the adults counsel them to do, it makes their problem worse, not better, so they give up. However, when a child is told to expect this escalation as natural part of the process of eliminating the behavior, they are better equipped to handle the escalation and ride it out until it goes away. Again, they key to doing this successfully is having the right frame of mind and that requires compassion.
Ever wondered why some people lose weight on one type of diet and others don’t and why is there is so many conflicting results? It might be because of us. Well, because of our different genes. This specific question led to the emerging science of genetic testing, called nutritional genomics (a.k.a. nutrigenomics) – the study of interactions between genes and diet. Keep reading if you want to know more. GENES, DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS Dieting is often an endless cycle of losing weight and gaining it all back. Thousands of diets exist, but how do you know which one is best for you? The answer may lie in your DNA. The idea of the DNA DIET is rooted in the scientifically proven reality that dieting simply doesn’t work for many people. Popular diets are based on a presumption that ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL. That is NOT true. For some people it is harder to lose weight than for others because of their genes. A now famous study conducted at Stanford University looked at the long-term effects of weight loss using a few different diets assigned at random. Results showed that some participants lost weight on one type of diet, such as low-fat, while others did not. The study then tested participants’ DNA for 3 specific gene variations and found that those using the best diet for their DNA lost 2-3 times more weight than those on the ‘wrong’ diet, not using their best DNA diet. DNA testing and following a weight loss diet based on your genetic make-up makes sense because our genes control hormone levels, enzyme levels – all the basic levels of metabolism. And how we metabolize food determines what happens to the nutrients and calories we take in. ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL Nutritional guidelines are for ALL individuals, but just like clothes, a “one-size-fits-all” approach is not applicable. These dietary recommendations are based on averages across large populations or responses of people, which could be irrelevant to others. For many years, doctors and dieticians have viewed diet the same way, assuming there is only one optimal diet for all. Research has shown otherwise and that this is likely not the case. Humans are 99.5% the same. Yet that 0.5% difference matters. Why is DNA testing so successful for weight loss? Research has shown that it is extremely important for successful weight loss to know the right amounts and ratios of macronutrients in your daily nutritional intake. Therefore knowing how many carbohydrates, proteins, saturated fats and unsaturated fats you should eat daily plays the most important role in your weight loss management plan. Research found that individuals who dieted using recommendations based on their actual genetic makeup lost 33% more weight than those who didn’t. HOW GENETIC TESTING WORKS It is as simple as 1-2-3! Do a cheek swap DNA testing is easy and painless, by taking a cheek swap sample (like they do in Crime Scene Investigations on TV) and then sending the sample back to the DNAlysis laboratory for analysis. Here they use modern technology to analyse a person’s sample in order to identify genetic variants and study the relationship between individual genes and diet – thereby gaining intimate knowledge about physiological processes that may not function optimally. Unlock your results The DNA DIET report is generated that allows an individual to understand how their genes affect the way he or she respond to foods they consume e.g. carbohydrates or saturated fat. The DNA DIET further determines the right amounts and ratios of macronutrients required on a daily basis by defining your weight loss nutritional type (e.g. Mediterranean, Low-Fat or Low-Carb). By knowing that, you can give your body exactly what it needs! No more cravings and constant hunger you have experienced with previous diets that resulted in unsuccessful weight loss. Optimise your diet and training plan The DNA DIET report is used to refine your nutrition and exercise plan to manage your weight. Providing you with a diet plan tailored to your genes (be it low carb or low fat) and insight into optimal exercise intensity for weight loss. However, some people have the gene where physical activity does not help them lose weight! INSIGHT INTO DNA DIET RESULTS Genetic variations make each of us unique in all sorts of ways, including how our bodies respond to different types of foods, it may also have a powerful influence on what we like to eat (bitter vegetables or sweets) as well as why some people get fat and others stay thin. Some gene variants affect appetite and satiety. Others appear to influence how efficiently people burn fat for energy. Obesity Risk The DNA DIET test will reveal if you have what is called the “increased obesity risk” gene called FTO. This gene plays a role in appetite control, meaning a person with this gene are likely to eat more, feel hungry soon after a meal and crave fattier foods more than someone without this gene. Then there is the gene that tells a person whether they are more likely to gain and regain weight as well as their ability to lose weight more slowly or faster than others. The DNA DIET will also indicate if you are genetically inclined to have a higher body fat percentage and higher waist circumference. Carbohydrate responsiveness Certain gene variants impact your ability to lose weight when carbohydrates are eaten. If a person’s carbohydrate sensitivity is very high, they are more likely to put on weight if they eat lots of carbs. This means to lose weight they’ll be better suited to a low carb diet and would need to restrict refined carbs significantly. If someone falls in the low risk category, they can eat carbohydrates and still lose weight. Eating behaviour Certain people are genetically more prone to forms of food and sugar addiction than others. Part of the reason for this is that some people are more predisposed to seek out pleasure than others. For instance, in our brain, there is a
This is partly an excerpt from the “Unlearn” chapter in my book Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics. Disclaimer: As with everything concerning food there are two sides to any debate raging around every one of the topics in this chapter – both sides will be defended with scientific proof, and ‘absolute’ recommendations. I am merely presenting my beliefs formed by my research and first hand experience of both Mila’s, and my own digestive issues. I encourage you to do your own research should anything mentioned here not ‘sit well’ with you. I am not trying to convince you of anything – I simply hope to provide information, and at the very least prompt you to question what has previously or otherwise been presented as absolute fact and truth. Whole grains ARE good for you and your little one, very good in fact – but here’s the catch – it depends on: When you introduce them, Which grains you eat, and How you prepare them, Eating unprepared grains, introducing them too soon, or eating gluten-containing grains can have negative health effects. When to introduce grains. Many traditional cultures have fed their babies grains before their first birthday – as their first food even – but they were all fermented first. For the reasons mentioned in my “Rice cereal is (not) the best first food for baby” blog post, it is best to wait until your little one is a year old before introducing grains. At this age, he/she will have more of the amalyse digestive enzyme that is needed to digest grains. According to The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Childcare by Sally Fallon Morell and Thomas S. Cowan, if there is a history of celiac disease or gluten intolerance in the family, it is best to wait until your little one’s third year before introducing grains. Which grains to choose Properly prepared grains are nutritious – they are important sources of many nutrients, including protein, fibre, B vitamins and minerals (iron, magnesium and selenium). In order to avoid gluten, you need to avoid: Wheat Barley Rye Spelt Oats (unless the oats are certified gluten-free). See the chapter “Why Not Gluten, Dairy and Sugar?” in my book Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics for more on why avoiding gluten may be a great decision for you and your little ones. There are many naturally gluten-free grains to choose from including: Rice Quinoa Millet Buckwheat Sorghum Amaranth These grains are nutrient-dense, act as antioxidants and, help the body make serotonin, which improves mood while providing a calming, soothing effect on the nervous system. Preparation Whole grains are the hardest food for the human body to digest, and all grains contain anti-nutrients that must be neutralized before cooking. They all have phytic acid that can block the absorption of calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc as well as enzyme inhibitors that block the digestive enzymes needed to digest it. In order to unlock a grain’s nutritional potential, it is necessary to prepare them in a way that makes them more digestible – such as soaking them for 24 hours, fermenting or sprouting them before cooking. Preparing grains with a dollop of healthy fat (such as ghee or coconut oil) will help the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins and the many other vitamins that whole grains provide. I go into this in more detail in the “Feeding with Awareness” chapter of Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics… Enzymes, Nutrients and Anti-nutrients Digestive enzymes are primarily produced in the pancreas and small intestine. They break down our food into nutrients so that our bodies can absorb them. A nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. So what then are anti-nutrients? Anti-Nutrients As scientific research methods develop, new information on nutrition comes to light that challenges what we have previously held to be true about our food. One of these new pieces of information is that of ‘anti-nutrients’. Anti-nutrients interfere with the absorption of nutrients and digestion and, irritate the intestinal tract. Whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are all high in anti-nutrients. But these foods are meant to be good for you – right? Well yes – if they are correctly prepared, in a way that reduces the anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients are part of a seed’s natural system of preservation. Nature has ensured that seeds won’t sprout until the perfect growing conditions exist. Two of these anti-nutrients worth mentioning are Phytic Acid and Enzyme Inhibitors. Phytic Acid Phytic Acid is the storage form of phosphorous – that is, seeds store phosphorus as phytic acid. Grains, nuts and legumes are all seeds and have high levels of phytic acid. So do other edible seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds. When phytic acid is bound to a mineral in the seed, it’s known as phytate. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient because it binds to essential minerals (such as calcium, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium) in the digestive tract, making them less available to our bodies. Phytates also reduce the digestibility of starches, proteins, and fats. Enzyme Inhibitors Enzyme inhibitors are present in seeds to prevent them from developing (sprouting) until there are suitable growing conditions. Unfortunately eating seeds with enzyme inhibitors negatively affects our digestive and metabolic enzymes. It is not necessary to avoid foods containing phytic acid or enzyme inhibitors, but it is important to prepare them correctly – as our ancestors did. Correct preparation reduces the phytic acid, neutralises the enzyme inhibitors and increases the bio-availability of the nutrients. Grain preparation Soaking nuts, grains, seeds and legumes Soaking and fermenting nuts, grains, seeds and legumes is something our grannies (or granny’s granny) did and for good reason. It mimics nature’s ‘perfect sprouting’ conditions by providing moisture, warmth, time and slight acidity. As the seed begins to germinate while soaking, phytic acid is reduced, enzyme inhibitors are neutralised and the production of numerous beneficial enzymes begins. The action of these enzymes
Do you ask yourself, “Why am I so tired?” Do you feel like no matter how much sleep you get, you’re still tired all the time? Feeling exhausted is so common these days that it has its own acronym, TATT, which stands for “tired all the time”. Tiredness is one of the most common complaints at any given time, one in five people feels unusually tired, and one in 10 have prolonged fatigue, according to experts. Tiredness can often be attributed to sleeping too little, but if you are reaching that eight hour threshold and still feeling exhausted, your low energy level may be an indicator of an underlying problem. Let’s find out why you’re always tired. BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE Chances are if you’re always tired, your blood sugar has something to do with it. One of the biggest risk factors for feeling tired all the time is being a “carboholic,” meaning someone who overeats refined carbs and sugary foods. This same person also doesn’t acquire enough healthy fats, proteins, vegetables and essential nutrients that support ongoing energy. Blood sugar levels become unbalanced when your diet is too high in various forms of sugar, which enters the bloodstream rapidly and can cause extreme elevations in blood glucose as well as insulin levels. This puts you on a “sugar high” followed by a “sugar crash”…..which lead to fluctuations in blood sugar and feelings of fatigue, headaches, moodiness, hormonal changes and food cravings. Over time, imbalances in blood sugar can cause serious diseases like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In the case of insulin resistance, the hormone insulin isn’t able to get nutrients, particularly glucose, into the body’s cells. Since your cells aren’t properly absorbing blood sugar, they can’t transfer energy throughout the body sufficiently. High insulin also creates inflammation which can prevent healing, confuse your body, and affect energy levels. The Fix: To get blood sugar levels back under control, you’ll need to really reduce, or even to completely eliminate, all sources of refined sugar from your diet. These include fizzy cool drinks, energy drinks, sweetened coffee or tea, fruit juice, packaged snacks like all cookies, cakes, some cereals and jelly sweets. Even natural sweeteners like raw honey, can still affect blood sugar levels. Also consider reducing your total carbohydrate intake – choose low glycaemic index carbohydrates and combine where possible with protein to ensure stable blood glucose levels. If you are concerned about your blood sugar levels and the possibility of being insulin resistant or even perhaps being diabetic then there are blood tests that can be done to confirm a diagnosis. ANEMIA One of the most common medical reasons for feeling constantly run down is iron deficiency anemia. Anemia occurs when there’s a problem with red blood cells making hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body, especially to the brain where it is much needed. Anemia is connected to insufficient iron levels within the blood, in addition to low vitamin B12 and folate levels. Anemia can also be caused by a loss of blood or a diet that’s too low in those essential nutrients and, thus, hinder the body’s ability to make enough hemoglobin. Women with heavy periods and pregnant women as well as vegetarians are especially prone to anemia. To diagnose anemia, blood tests would be required. Do check iron stores as well as folate and vitamin B12 – not just hemoglobin! This is very important before taking an iron supplement since unnecessarily high levels of iron could interfere with the body’s ability to absorption other important nutrients such as zinc and calcium. The Fix Eat a vitamin-rich diet! Anemia symptoms can be greatly reduced by improving your diet and including plenty of foods that are rich in iron, vitamin B12 and folate. Iron sources include beef and other meats, beans, lentils and fortified breakfast cereals. Eat iron rich foods together with foods high in vitamin C that helps with iron absorption, such as citrus fruits, berries and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower. Also choose green leafy vegetables that contain a significant amount of iron and folate. Foods rich in vitamin B-12 include meat, dairy products, and fortified cereal. DEHYDRATION The most common cause of dehydration is excessive loss of body fluids, especially of water and electrolytes, simply not drinking enough water, or substituting water intake with only soda or juice. This is a critical mistake as not only does that spike your blood sugar, but also your cells cannot get enough water to function properly! Fact is, when you start to feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. The major electrolytes in the body — sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — are ion compounds that literally help your body to have energy via the force of electricity that keeps your organs (the brain, heart, nervous system , muscles) and cells functioning. Dehydration affects the actual viscosity (thickness) of your blood and the amount that your heart must beat every minute, as it tries to get oxygen to all your cells. When you’re dehydrated, your heart sends oxygen and nutrients to your brain, muscles and organs at a slower pace; as a consequence, you begin to feel fatigued, lethargic, moody, like you have “brain fog”, weakness in muscles, unable to concentrate and perform tasks. The Fix Drink more water throughout the day, increase your intake of vegetables and fruits, and make sure you’re getting plenty of electrolytes in the form of whole foods. To calculate the amount of water you need to drink daily to avoid dehydration, take your weight in kilograms, and multiply with 20ml. In other words, if you’re a woman who weighs 60kg, you need to drink 1200ml water per day, or roughly five 250ml glasses of water to stay fully hydrated. But this is only the amount of water if you do not exercise or do anything strenuous! If you work out or if you are active, then you ideally need to drink at least an extra 250ml for every
A hungry child is a less fussy child. After School is a great window of opportunity to get your child to eat something healthy as they generally come home starving having rushed lunch to spend time with their friends in the playground. A few simple ideas and a few minutes spent in preparation can make a big difference to your child’s diet. Instead of whole fruit in a fruit bowl cut up a selection of colourful fruits and arrange them on a plate. Have healthy snacks like mini cheeses, dried fruit, a bowl of salad with a tasty dressing on the table so that your child eats these rather than crisps or chocolate biscuits. Ways to include anti oxidants in your child’s diet? Use a wide variety of vegetables and prepare them in diverse ways. Aim daily to include 3 different colour fruits and/or vegetables. Crudites and dips are fun for children and make for easy and nutritious snacks. Vegetable versus fruit eaters. Some kids love their cooked veggies, but struggle with salads and fruit. Others will eat salads and fruit but turn their noses up at cooked veggies. Aim not to make an issue of their respective dislikes, rather applaud them for the foods they do eat and do a food challenge with the ones they find more difficult to consume. For example if you have a child that struggles with vegetables, you could make Monday green vegetable day where you and your child choose one green vegetable he is prepared to try. Then come up with a fun way to eat and prepare the veggie/ fruit of choice. Herbs are a great way to get anti-oxidants in the cooking. Hide and mix them in stews and gravies. Peeled baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices SAD sugar free bars Pure woolies fruit rolls Fruit salad Raisins Dried fruit men Fruit juices Smoothies Plain yogurt with fruit pulp “Don’t eat between meals.” “Don’t touch that cookie — you’ll spoil your dinner!” “Snacking will make you gain weight.” Chances are, you’ve said something similar to your children – or maybe heard it from your own mom. But snacking on the right foods is not harmful. In fact, it can have health benefits for kids of all ages. Snacking is not a bad thing – in fact, it’s a good thing – and it can actually help keep kids from overeating at mealtime. Studies show that snacking during the school day improves both mood and motivation, and may impact concentration. Snacks may help children maintain performance during times of high mental demand, like when taking an exam or making a class presentation. But even while we’re bombarded with choices by the snack food industry, it’s not always easy to find healthy snacks – much less get your kids to eat them. Here are six simple guidelines. 1. Relax the Food Ties That Bind While you may have strict nutritional guidelines for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, snacks are the place to give children some wiggle room. Give them a little of what they like (be it potato chips or a small chocolate) a couple of days a week, and you’ll have better luck getting them to eat healthy snacks the rest of the time. 2. Choose the Lesser of the Evils When it comes to ingredients like sugar and saturated fat, you might think most commercial snack foods are pretty similar, give or take a gram. But look a little harder at the label and you may find important differences. If, for example, you have two items that are equal in sugar, fat, and calories, sometimes you’ll find that one contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber while the other doesn’t.Opting for the more nutrient-dense snack will help ensure it has some redeeming value, even if some of the other ingredients are not top nutritional choices. In addition, keep an eye on the sugar content. Some snacks, even seemingly healthy ones like flavoured yogurt, are way over the top when it comes to added sweeteners. The American Medical Association says that when our sugar intake exceeds 25% of our total caloric intake, it impacts us nutritionally. But the World Health Organization sets the threshold at 10% – so sugar is an issue to consider. A quick way to tell if a snack has gone over the line: It’s over 250 calories a serving, it’s probably got too many empty calories. 3. Portion, Portion, Portion While it’s OK to give kids some leeway on choosing what snacks to have, it’s still vital to pay attention to portion size. It’s also important to look for snacks with low levels of fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Even if the package says a snack has no trans fats, read the ingredient list to be sure. If you see the word ‘hydrogenated,’ it means it has some trans fat, so avoid that snack. If your child is battling a weight problem, paying attention to portion size and total calories is vital, but don’t deny the child the opportunity to snack. 4. Make It Easy to Eat Well Having trouble getting your kids to eat healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain items? Make these foods easy to munch, and they will eat more of them. No matter what food it is you’re trying to get your child to eat, if you make it accessible, if it’s easy to eat, if it’s there waiting for them in the fridge or on the counter, you will increase the likelihood that they will eat it. But cutting up fruits and veggies into bite-sized pieces isn’t quite enough. Snacks should also be packaged in a way that makes it easy for kids to ‘grab and go’. The key is not only making snacks easy to eat, but also easy to share. Kids love to share their snacks at school and if you help them do that, they are more likely to eat what you prepare, rather then trade up for something from
All children are born with sexuality as an inherent part of their being. The famous human sexual response researcher William Masters (1925–2001), an American gynecologist, was known to play a game with newborn boys during delivery, saying “Can I get the cord cut before the kid has an erection?” But he often failed since most boys are born with a fully erect penis. He also observed that all baby girls lubricated vaginally in the first four to six hours of life, and that during sleep, spontaneous erections or vaginal lubrication occur every eighty to ninety minutes throughout our entire life span. As our babies grow up, they start forming their sexual identity. We find that much of boys’ sexual identification is linked to the fact that they have a penis. Parents often express appreciation and praise when their two-year-old son flaunts his penis, which gives the proud boy the notion that he is the owner of a priceless body-part. The penis is truly a wonderful object: a natural little plaything, it is able to launch an entertaining stream of urine that can be proudly sprayed and splashed around whilst standing. This tool can also be used as a weapon and a little boy might provoke siblings by literally ‘pissing them off’. For little girls, however, a vagina is her secret organ, not only invisible to her, but also often viewed in a negative light if touched by her: ‘whatchamacallit’ code words and euphemisms further aid in neatly concealing this hidden treasure. When nature calls for desperate measures, she has to hide and crouch to urinate – an inconvenient, and often, embarrassing affair. Boys understand from an early stage that privacy and shame are two separate concepts: they learn to be both proud and private with regard to their genitalia. For young girls the mysteriousness and privacy of their genitalia are often veiled in secrecy and shame. This disparity in underlying values is carried with us well into adulthood and can have a significant influence on our sexual health. From this point of view, it appears that women start off with a disadvantage, which gives us reason to invite some change. Firstly, when little ones ask a question, they are ready for an answer. Listen carefully to the question and try to respond by offering nothing more, nothing less. Furthermore, and most importantly, we need to teach our children the correct vocabulary. According to Steven Pinker, a psychology professor at Harvard and the author of The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature, at least 1,200 terms are used for the vagina, and approximately 1,000 terms for the penis in the English language alone. We tend to continue to create new pet names for our intimate parts to use in a familiar and playful manner among friends and family, which is not bad per se, but Eve Ensler, a prominent anti-violence activist, playwright and creator of The Vagina Monologues, warns ‘what we don’t say becomes a secret, and secrets often create shame and fear and myths.’ If this is the case, it is perhaps time for us to get off the euphemism treadmill …
If you read between the lines on a study done in 2007(1), it seems that babies born by caesarean section are a lot more likely to suffer from allergy-related diseases if you don’t supplement probiotic bacteria. Caesar babies are born with sterile digestive tracts. If you don’t correct this, your baby may not be equipped to: Digest lactose, Manufacture Biotin (a B vitamin) or vitamin K2, Properly absorb their minerals, and Keep harmful bacteria in check. As a result, their immune systems may also be weaker. Babies in the womb have sterile intestines. When born naturally through the birth canal, they swallow vast amounts of bacteria and start the process of developing a healthy bacteria-filled intestine & mouth (and in girls, the vagina). Every person has a large number of bacteria in their bodies. If you are healthy, you will have a balanced mix of friendly, good bacteria and bacteria that would harm you if allowed to. Adults have around 2.5kg of bacteria spread between their small and large intestines. Kids have a proportionately smaller amount depending mostly on their body size. Every time you touch things around you, you pick up good and bad bacteria. When you avoid it, you do your immune system a disservice because your body is built to handle this contact. In fact, it thrives on it, and without it, your immune system can become weak and ineffectual (this is known as the Hygiene theory (opens new window))… Good bacteria do many things for us, including manufacture some B and K vitamins, improve digestion & absorption (especially of milk and minerals), and keep harmful bacteria under control so they can’t multiply beyond safe levels and make us sick. The study in question focused on 1223 mothers whose infants were thought to be at higher risk of developing allergies because at least one parent had been physician-diagnosed with an allergic disease. Each mother received a mix of 4 strains of probiotic bacteria or a placebo during the last month of their pregnancy. Once born, their babies were given the same mixture plus a prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharide from birth until six months of age. At five years old, the children were examined for symptoms of eczema, food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and asthma. The study concluded that the probiotics did not significantly protect children from allergies – except those who had been born by Caesarean section. This group had a 53 percent lower chance of developing an allergic disease. Let’s unpack that If your baby is born by caesarean section, it’s a good idea to give them a probiotic supplement to start the colonization of their intestinal bacteria. If either parent has allergies, it becomes much more than a good idea. Just by supplementing with a probiotic, you can cut their risk of developing your allergies in half. Of course, there are other things you can do that will add to that figure, but this on its own is a fantastic start… Healthy-kids.co.za recommends… When your baby is born by caesarean section, make it a point to supplement with a probiotic that contains at least 1 Billion bacteria, including at least these strains of bacteria: – Lactobacillus Acidophilus – Bifidobacterium Bifidus Choose your supplement carefully to ensure that the bacteria are live and effective – and you may like the trustworthiness of the GNLD Acidophilus Plus supplement. To give it to a baby, simply ease open the capsule and pour a little of the powder directly onto your baby’s tongue once a day. Divide each capsule over 5 days. Continue for 8 weeks. If either parent has allergies, then mom should supplement 1 capsule of GNLD Acidophilus plus each day for the last month of her pregnancy, give this same supplement to your baby for their first 6 months. About the writer: Tracy Hesslewood owns www.healthy-kids.co.za
Puberty follows a reasonably consistent sequence in girls. At a quick glance, this is what you can expect: first the development of the breast buds, which occur any time between the ages of 7 and 13, followed by the appearance of coarse, dark woollies under the arms and around the genitalia. About 15% of girls develop the other way around: first the pubic hair and then the bee-stings. The first menstrual cycle can be expected, on average, around 2 to 2½ years after the onset of breast development. Although 12.6 years is the average for a first menstrual period to commence, anything from age 9 to 15 is considered standard. Generally, women get their period every 28 days, but an interval of 21 days up to 40 days is also viewed as normal. One telltale sign that your girl is about to have her first period is a whitish, odourless vaginal discharge. This secretion is called leucorrhea and is a normal indicator that hormonal taking place. Leucorrhea is part of the vagina’s natural defense mechanism to maintain a healthy chemical balance, and it also preserves vaginal tissue flexibility. The first day of red or brownish spotting is to be remembered for a very long time. This is an exciting time, but sadly it is often clouded by fear, secrecy and embarrassment. Open and positive communication between mothers and daughters is of paramount importance during this time as the messages received from Mom will play the biggest role in our daughters’ first-time experience and overall view of becoming a woman. Expressions such as ‘the curse’, ‘on the rag’, or ‘the red plague’ are bound to instil fear, disgust and negativity. In too many cases mothers fail to talk to their daughters and neglect to offer the emotional support with regard to changing relationships with parents, siblings and friends. Secrecy around carrying, storing, using and discarding menstrual products is also often implied. Only 15% of young ladies report a positive first-time experience; 68% have no awareness of their mother’s experience with menstruation, and 64% receive negative messages from their mothers. As our girls move toward this rite of passage, it provides us with an ideal platform to strengthen the special mother-daughter bond. Menarche (first menstrual period) celebrations around the world confirm the importance of this huge step into womanhood. In Australia, an Aborigine girl is instructed in ‘love magic’, and taught the female powers of being a woman. In Japan the entire family celebrates a girl’s first period by eating red-coloured rice and beans. In rural India the girl is given a ceremonial bath, adorned with ornate jewels and garments, and the girl’s kith and kin are invited for a ceremony during which it is announced that the girl has come of age. In Kumari, Nepal, the young girls are worshipped as goddesses, and Nootka Indians believe menarche to be a time to test a girl’s physical strength and endurance: she is taken out to sea and left alone in the water. The girl has to swim back and is cheered upon returning to the shore of the village. Don’t you think that it is a brilliant idea to do something really special too for our girls as they join us and share the solidarity amongst women? Be it a private diary to record her experiences as a woman; a special calendar to mark the frequency of her menstrual cycle; pierced ears or a first leg-shave; a new nightie, or a shared outing – let the prospect of her first period be something wondrous and exciting for her to anticipate. Talk to her and explain what is about to happen, and let her be equipped by preparing a special toiletry bag for school: pack an extra panty, a pad or two, and surprise her with a small ’welcome-to-womanhood’ gift. Good luck!
Slip, slide, bump, bash, climb, wibble and wobble! Who knew so much fun could be so valuable?! Having access to a safe, clean and developmentally appropriate playground can have far reaching benefits for the leaders of tomorrow! In an age where there is a tendency for little ones to be involved in more sedentary play, it is becoming increasingly important for caregivers to make opportunities available for climbing, swinging, sliding and balancing. This kind of invaluable play can help to strengthen your child’s core muscles needed for sitting endurance and task completion. Our children are becoming accustomed to getting what they want easily and quickly, and thus “practice makes perfect” is not always inherently part of growing up. In the past, when children spent many hours entertaining themselves, often outdoors, skills such as endurance, frustration tolerance, creative problem solving, perseverance and the ability to apply initiative were part of growing up. While our faster-paced world has provided amazing new opportunities to connect our children and expand their life space globally, technology has led to more time spent indoors, often sitting or lying down in front of a screen! Playgrounds provide opportunities to move in many different planes and ways. Our movement sense sends information to our brain which provides our muscles with the information needed to stretch and contract appropriately in order to negotiate obstacles and balance on unstable surfaces. The way in which this movement is completed (successfully or unsuccessfully), in turn, feeds back into our brain to help plan and refine our next set of movements. The brain tells the muscles what to do, but the senses enable the brain to do the telling. The ability to come up with an idea for movement, plan and then execute that movement smoothly and efficiently is called motor planning. Motor planning is essential for a child to learn any new tasks. It affects how efficiently a child tackles this new task, and thus will impact how quickly he can master and complete it. A child who struggles with motor planning may often stand on the side lines and watch other children play before feeling confident enough to join in. He may also be hesitant to try new movements and prefer to stick to what he knows. This is why it is important for children to have the opportunity to play at different play grounds, or be encouraged to use one piece of playground equipment in different ways. Climbing, pulling, pushing, and carrying weight over, under and through obstacles all provide the body with vital feedback about its position in space and how it is moving. This feeds into the child’s internal map of what his body looks and feels like. Your child needs a good body map when learning about depth perception and spatial concepts. Without this foundational skill, he may struggle later on to position his letters on a line, size his letters in relation to one another and grasp mathematical concepts. When a child is offered the opportunity to challenge his body and test the limits of what he can and cannot do, he will develop the ability to use the two sides of his body in a smooth and coordinated way. Many everyday tasks rely heavily on the ability to use both sides of our brain to effectively complete complex movements, from brushing our hair, buttering our bread and tying our shoelaces to cutting, ruling a line with a ruler and riding a bicycle. Clambering over carefully thought-out playground equipment can challenge and develop these skills. Initially children may find playgrounds daunting and need some help to explore the adventures that lie inherently therein. Do not be too tempted to pick your child up and simply place him where he wants to be! Try offering him a foothold, and simply give him some verbal cues or allow him some time to watch you or other children climb and play. There is so much learning potential in moving from one spot on a playground to another, e.g. getting from the ground up the ladder to the fireman’s pole! Often in our bid to help our children, we sometimes rob them of that opportunity to figure it out for themselves. Rather help him just as much as he needs and remember to praise his effort and not simply his success! Often younger children will need a few trips to the same playground before they are confident to attempt some of the climbing by themselves. Sometimes just having you close by is enough motivation. If he is hesitant about a particular part of the playground, check that it is not too hot, rough or unstable for him! Some newer playgrounds offer interesting and varied textures and surfaces for little hands and feet! Where possible, encourage him to take his shoes and socks off to allow for easier climbing and a fuller sensory experience.
Parenting is a joy but it can also be overwhelming and just a little daunting. There is no degree or diploma, you are simply launched into it and there’s a steep learning curve. You instantly have a new life depending on you and, combined with sleep deprivation, the challenges of adjusting to being a parent and wanting to do the best for your child, you need all the help you can get. Bonitas Medical Fund is doing just that with the launch of the first dedicated toddler’s health advice line, called Babyline, to its members. Here help is at hand, from professionals, as you take the necessary baby steps along the path of looking after the health of your toddler, up to the age of three. Essentially Babyline is a 24-hour children’s health advice line manned by paediatric trained registered nurses. They are on the other side of the phone to assist with any parental concerns, or health related issues, 24/7, 365 days of the year. ‘Parents are often confronted with a host of children’s health issues, particularly in the first three years. In an effort to help educate and support Bonitas moms and dads and to ensure their medical aid benefits last longer, we have partnered with Paed IQ’s babyline service,’ explains Bonitas Medical Fund. ‘The service was developed in conjunction with the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Pretoria and is based on a concept used by the top providers of child health advice in the USA.’ ‘The system of telephone advice, guarantees members instant and real time access to pre-eminent, professional advice and standardised paediatric protocols,’ explains Dr Iqbal Karbanee of Babyline. ‘Our aim is to give parents the best possible resources to help them maintain and improve the health of their child. It’s about giving anxious parents peace of mind when it comes to an urgent health concern and, hopefully, will also alleviate unnecessary trips to doctors or hospitals.’ How does it work? Bonitas parents, or their caregivers, simply call the Babyline number on 0860 999 121 to reach a paediatric trained nurse. Through a series of questions asked regarding the health issue, parents will be provided with professional advice on what to do next. Depending on the symptoms, the advice might be to head straight to the ER or to see a doctor or specialist. The nurse will advise which healthcare provider is the most appropriate, given the health issue. The services offered by the Babyline include: Home care advice Clinic/primary care/GP referral for the same day Clinic/primary care/GP referral for the following day After-hours care within the next six hours Immediate referral to the ER The Babyline service is available to members across all the Bonitas plans, for children under 3 years. ‘We do have to stress that although the Babyline is designed to assist parents with health concerns, nurses do not provide diagnosis or prescriptions. They are on call to offer advice on how best to deal with the current health problem or refer you to the nearest healthcare facility,’ concluded Bonitas Medical Fund.
It’s no longer a secret that the vast majority of us are blissfully unaware sugar addicts. Modern conveniences in consumables are great at making life easier in the short term, but what about the long term implications? A report published in 2009 showcases that food addiction is plausible as “brain pathways that evolved to respond to natural rewards are also activated by addictive drugs. Sugar releases opioids and dopamine and thus might be expected to have addictive potential.” A further report published in 2013 indicates that sugar is as, if not more, desirable than addictive drugs such as cocaine. This research aims to prove that “sugar and sweetness can induce reward and craving that are comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs”. With these two findings it’s hard to believe that as parents we are still largely oblivious to the long term, damaging effects of over consuming sugar-dense foods and beverages. So a sugar tax maybe introduced, this will certainly help moderate and potentially reduce the average consumption of free sugars (sugar added to food and drink, as well as sugar found naturally in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates). But it will take a deeper understanding of what we consume to avoid the top health issues South Africans currently face – obesity, diabetes and heart conditions? All directly resulting from amongst other factors, but largely to sugar-dense diets and little to no exercise. According to a statement released by the World Health Organisation “adults and children need to reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits”. So what is a safe recommended daily allowance for sugar? Although we all lead different lifestyles and have varying metabolic requirements, the UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have suggested the following: • Children aged 4 to 6 should have no more than 19g or five teaspoons of free sugars per day • Children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24g or six teaspoons of free sugars per day •Children aged 11 years and upwards, as well as adults, should have no more than 30g or seven teaspoons of free sugar per day To illustrate what this means, take a look at some of the popular beverages our children love, and their approximate sugar contents: • 250ml iced tea = 19g or four teaspoons of free sugar • 250ml flavoured drinking yoghurt = 26.8 g or five and a half teaspoons of free sugar • 330ml cola = 35g or seven teaspoons of free sugar • 330ml ginger beer = 37g or six and a half teaspoons of free sugar Overcoming an addiction is by no means an easy feat and the same holds true for sugar dependency. Almost all modern convenience consumables contain added free sugar especially children’s favourites such as cereals, beverages, fast foods and treats. So how do we reduce the excess sugars from our diets? Become aware, understand that food is medicine and always try to ensure that that all consumables remain as close as possible to their natural state. If sweetening is required, look at healthier options such as fresh fruit or vegetables. Read labels carefully, not all free or added sugars are labelled as sugars. For example: agave nectar, corn sweetener, dextrose, honey, corn syrup, sucrose, fructose, glucose and molasses. Limit sugar added beverages, cited as being responsible for the majority of added sugar in US diets. Try naturally flavouring water or using a SodaStream to make fun, healthier drink options. Their syrups also comprise one third of the sugar compared to regular sodas. Reduce your family’s super sweet sugar tolerance with a moderated sugar and bolstered wholefood diet. Over time consumables high in sugar will start tasting too sweet as your tolerance returns to its normal natural state. Bake instead of buying treats. Homemade treats will no doubt contain less added and highly synthetic sweeteners, and you have the ability to further reduce the sugar content with natural sweeteners like fruits or vegetables. One favourite cupcake recipe calls for swapping out a large portion of the sugar for a glass of white wine, the alcohol cooks out and makes a delicious, moist cupcake. The key to all healthy living is moderation and a balanced diet. This is not to say indulgent foods high in fat and/or sugar can’t be enjoyed, they can, but just not daily. Herewith a quick and easy recipe from SodaStream, for more fun recipes, please visit www.sodastream.co.za/recipe/. Raspberry Coolers for Kids Ingredients 1 bottle SodaStream Zero Cranberry Raspberry Fresh organic raspberries Mint Instructions Prepare the SodaStream Zero Cranberry Raspberry (flavoured to your liking) Throw in fresh organic raspberries Garnish with mint
This is an excerpt from the “Unlearn” chapter in my book Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics. Disclaimer: As with everything concerning food there are two sides to any debate raging around every one of the topics in this chapter – both sides will be defended with scientific proof, and ‘absolute’ recommendations. I am merely presenting my beliefs formed by my research and first hand experience of both Mila’s, and my own digestive issues. I encourage you to do your own research should anything mentioned here not ‘sit well’ with you. I am not trying to convince you of anything – I simply hope to provide information, and at the very least prompt you to question what has previously or otherwise been presented as absolute fact and truth. “I’ve got to say I was fooled by this – by the clever marketing of the food companies and by the advice of the clinic sister. I fed her rice cereal (organic – but that really did not help the situation much). Poor thing! I stopped as quickly as I started (her tummy cramps were too awful after that first meal) and, this is why… Food has to be broken down into its nutrient components: amino acids, fatty acids, cholesterol, simple sugars, vitamins, minerals, etc. – our bodies absorb nutrients, not food. The body produces digestive enzymes that break down our food into nutrients. These nutrients are then absorbed and nourish the body. Digestive enzymes are produced in the pancreas, small intestine, saliva glands and stomach. Different digestive enzymes are needed to break down different types of food. In order to digest grains, your body uses an enzyme called amylase. Guess what? Pancreatic amylase is not produced by your little one (in sufficient quantities) until they are a year old – sometimes even later. The rule of thumb here is that it is not until your little one’s molar teeth are fully developed that they have sufficient quantities of pancreatic amylase to properly digest grains – this can be anywhere from 13 – 24 months of age. Amylase is provided in a mother’s breast milk and is produced by your little one’s saliva – but these are not sufficient to properly digest grains. Especially processed grains, or grains that have not been prepared properly. So what happens to this undigested rice cereal (or other grains)? Some undigested food (from other vegetable carbohydrate sources) benefits your little one – fermentation in the colon produces short chain fatty acids, which can improve nutrient absorption, enhance gut health, and even be used as a source of energy for both the microbes and baby. But since grains (especially) cannot be adequately digested, they start rotting. This rotting food matter feeds pathogenic bacteria and fungi (such as Candida) – and this imbalance can lead to food allergies, asthma, eczema, and other autoimmune disorders. Over time, the pathogenic bacteria and fungi (and their toxic by-products) create holes in the gut wall (known as Leaky Gut). A leaky gut allows toxins and partially digested food to spill directly into the blood creating an unpredictable mix of physical, behavioural, emotional and neurological symptoms. This is explained in great detail in Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s book Gut and Psychology Syndrome. What else is wrong with commercially available rice cereal? Rice cereal is processed – meaning it is no longer a whole food. In order for the cereal to have a longer shelf life, the bran and the germ (the most nutritious parts) have been removed, simultaneously stripping the grain of its protein, fibre, nutrients and minerals. Artificial vitamins have to then be added back in – these are far less bio-available to your little one’s body and a poor replacement for nature’s version. Rice cereal is an extremely high glycaemic food – that is, it spikes the blood sugar. Rice cereal contains phytates (the salt form of phytic acid). Phytic acid is a naturally occurring chemical in grains, nuts and seeds. Phytic acid binds to essential minerals (such as calcium, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium) in the digestive tract, making them less available to our bodies – and actually flushing them out of our bodies. While the majority of the phytic acid (or phytates) are found in the bran of the rice (which is removed during processing), there will still be some present. So, eating processed rice cereal may actually remove iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium from your little one’s body! Phytates also reduce the digestibility of starches, proteins, and fats. Please note that simply grinding grains at home and cooking them will result in an even higher amount of phytates in your little one’s food. All grains, nuts and seeds must be soaked, sprouted or fermented before cooking in order to break down the phytic acid. Please see the chapter Convenience vs. Conscience: Enzymes, Nutrients and Anti-nutrients in my book for more information on this. Commercial rice cereal fortified with iron. But surely this is a good thing? A baby is born with sufficient iron reserves to last them until they are 6 months old. While a mother’s breast milk is low in iron, the iron that is present is readily absorbed by her little one – as opposed to the artificial sources of iron found in fortified cereals and formula. While your little one may need additional sources of iron at the age of 6 months, it is far better to provide this from whole foods as opposed to supplemental drops or an additive in a nutrient deficient food. Good sources of additional iron are liver (raw), other cooked meat, blackstrap molasses, avocado and… soil! No, I am not suggesting you feed your little one soil, but the iron from soil is absorbed by the body. So a mouthful here and there while playing outside, as well as digging in the soil and walking barefoot is beneficial. Healthy soil is also a great source of probiotics! By healthy soil – I mean organic, not chemically fertilised and with
With summer season upon us, head lice will again be making their way into many homes. Thankfully, Controlice® helps moms to combat the infestations with a range of products designed to eliminate* and repel* head lice. All mom has to do is to decide whether she needs to eliminate or to repel head lice and then select the right Controlice® products for the job: When to eliminate head lice: When head lice are already in the hair, the clinically proven Controlice® Oil Spray or Controlice® Head Rinse are the best fit to eliminating the little monsters.* Once applied to the hair, Controlice® Oil Spray only requires a 15 minute application to kill live head lice. Controlice® Head Rinse requires an 8 hour application and is the best option for an overnight lice treatment. Both treatments must be reapplied again seven days after the initial treatment because that is when the little lice eggs, called nits, hatch. A Controlice® Lice Buster Comb or Controlice® Triple Comb should be used as a part of the treatment. These precision engineered combs can assist to remove nits attached onto the hair. Tip: Rest the child’s head on a paper towel on mom’s lap and let him/her watch TV while mom combs out the nits. When to repel head lice: If you hear that there is a head lice outbreak at your child’s school, or if you have managed to get rid of the little crawlers and don’t want them coming back, you can use the Controlice® Defence range on a daily basis. Controlice® Defence Shampoo or Controlice® Defence Spray are not suitable for eliminating a head lice infestation, but they can put up a line of defence to stop head lice from moving in.* Controlice® through a magnifying glass: Treating with either Controlice® Oil Spray or Controlice® Head Rinse Lotion and combing out nits Controlice® Oil Spray. The clinically tested formula of Controlice® Oil Spray has been shown to combat head lice infestations. It is formulated with plant oils including coconut, aniseed and ylang-ylang. Controlice® Oil Spray can be used as a treatment whenever required as head lice cannot build resistance to the product.* To kill adult lice, spray Controlice® Oil Spray onto dry hair. Work it through the hair with your hands until the entire head of hair is moist enough to glisten and feel slick. Wait for 15 minutes. Comb out the lice and nits from the hair with the Controlice® Lice Buster or Controlice® lice comb. Wash and rinse the hair with Controlice® Defence Shampoo or another shampoo. Repeat seven days later to avoid re-infestation.* Price and availability: Controlice® Oil Spray is available from selected pharmacies and retail stores at approximately R158 for a 60 ml bottle, which gives two to four treatments depending on the length of the hair. Controlice® Head Rinse Lotion has no chemical pesticides. Its active ingredient is dimethicone which forms a wax layer around lice that suffocates the lice to death.* The colourless and odourless liquid is worked through dry hair with the fingers or one of the Controlice® combs, and left on overnight or for eight hours. Then comb out the nits (lice eggs) and dead lice, before washing and rinsing out the hair. Repeat the treatment after seven days. Price and availability: Controlice® Head Rinse Lotion is available from selected pharmacies and retail stores at around R118 for per 100 ml bottle. Comb out with Controlice® Lice Buster Comb or Triple Comb While treatment is on the hair, de-tangle the hair with any comb. Then remove the nits (eggs) and dead lice from the hair with one of the Controlice® combs. It is recommended that mothers invest in one of the two Controlice® precision engineered combs either the Controlice® Triple Comb or the Controlice® Lice Buster. The Controlice® Lice Buster Comb is designed for long, curly or very thick hair. The Controlice® Triple Comb is ideal for short hair. Price and availability: Controlice® Triple Comb retails at around R83, the Lice Buster Comb at around R86, from selected pharmacies and retail stores. Prevent head lice in the first place with Controlice® Defence Shampoo and Controlice® Defence Spray Controlice® Defence Shampoo is an oil-based formulation with active ingredients that can assist to repel head lice and avoid re-infestation.* It can also be used to cleanse and condition children’s hair and is suitable for daily use. Price: approximately R79 per 125 ml bottle at selected pharmacies and retail stores. Controlice® Defence Spray is an oil-based formulation with active ingredients that can help to repel head lice and protect against a re-infestation.* Controlice® Defence Spray moisturises and detangles the hair, leaving it manageable and shiny. Price: around R79 for a 100 ml bottle at selected pharmacies and retail stores. *For a diagnosis or if symptoms persist, consult a medical practitioner. Efficacy of support may vary between users.
Teeth are designed to last a lifetime. Why do so many people suffer during their lifetime with dental issues? Why do people lose some of their teeth or all their teeth during their lifetime? We as health professionals have an obligation to help people become aware of how precious teeth are and how important it is to look after them properly. Teething is an awful time for both mother and child. It is often accompanied by a temperature, nappy rash, restlessness, drooling mouth and sore gums. Teething gel or powder will help. Teeth begin to erupt in a particular sequence and teething is usually complete by the age of two. The first teeth to erupt are the two lower front teeth followed by the upper front teeth and then the rest follow in succession going backwards. It is right at this early stage that one should take care of the teeth in the appropriate way. Rubbing the teeth with gauze is most effective until the child is old enough to accept a toothbrush in their mouth. Baby bottle syndrome may occur when the child is put to bed at night with milk in the bottle. The milk promotes the development of tooth decay very rapidly. The same applies with juice. Try water. It is the best. Start off with water and the child will not even be aware of the existence of any other alternative. If you have started with milk already, then wean the child off by diluting the contents of the bottle with water, bit by bit each day so the child will not notice the change that is taking place. Dental decay is a bacterial disease caused by the accumulation of plaque on the teeth. This provides a substrate for the normal bacteria that live in the mouth to aggregate. These bacteria metabolise the carbohydrates in the diet promoting tooth decay. Many mothers have a tendency to lick the dummy first before placing it in the child’s mouth. This is not recommended because of the transfer of bacteria from the mother’s mouth to the child. Brushing teeth with a young child is really a case of monkey see monkey do. If you as a parent show the child how enjoyable tooth brushing is, they will want to do the same. A children’s toothpaste with a pleasant flavour is well accepted. The size of the toothbrush is important. Small children small brush. The child may want to brush their own teeth to show independence. That’s fine to let them do that, but as the parent you should finish the job. Having been the parent of young children myself, I know how difficult it is to keep candy away from children. Better not to start if you can but peer pressure can be daunting. Stay away from lollipops or anything that allows the sugar to settle on the teeth for a lengthy period of time. How about trying a carrot instead! When should a child visit the dentist for the first time? The first visit can be at the age of about 3 to 4 and should be fun. All that the dentist would need to do is give the child a ride in the dental chair and perhaps blow some air on the hand to tickle. Coming away from the dentist with a sticker and colouring pad is fun. What about fluoride for a young child? Our water is fluoridated and the toothpaste is fluoridated. With effective brushing, adjunctive fluoride is probably not necessary. Some children have large gaps between their baby teeth and in some the teeth are tightly spaced. Don’t be alarmed about the gaps. The bigger the gaps the better because the baby teeth maintain the space for the permanent teeth to erupt from the age of 6 to 7. At the same time as you see the permanent teeth erupting in the front of the mouth, the first permanent molars also begin to appear. These teeth are extremely vulnerable to tooth decay and need very special care and attention to maintain their health. These are the teeth that many adults lose at an early age because of inadequate attention to plaque control. Parents have a responsibility towards their children’s dental health. The permanent teeth continue to erupt through to the age of 11 to 12. Whilst this happens, the deciduous (baby) teeth fallout. You may wonder what has happened to the roots of these teeth. They are resorbed as the permanent teeth make their entry into the mouth. The anticipation of losing baby teeth and welcoming the tooth fairy is every child’s delight. How much does the fairy deposit? Well that, we leave to you. An adjunct to monitoring the effectiveness of tooth brushing, is the use of disclosing solution which can be bought over the counter in the form of a tablet which is dissolved in the mouth and stains the plaque pink. It is then easy for the young person to see the plaque and exercise effective tooth brushing. Many children require orthodontic treatment to assist in the development of their permanent teeth. Your dentist may refer you to an orthodontist in the early teenage years or even slightly younger. Regular topical application of fluoride in the dental office is recommended from an early stage through adolescence. Fissure sealants are also recommended to protect the developmental grooves on the six-year-old molars. Again, teeth are designed to last a lifetime. How wonderful it is for a child to jump out of the dentist chair and exclaim, “Look Ma, no cavities”
4 Ways to Improve Your Living Authentically, So you can be a living Example for Your Children So They can grow into adults who are content within themselves. I was sitting in the third row close to the middle when the man on the stage said, “if you are not true to yourself, then it is impossible to lead others.” The year was 2000 and the man was John C. Maxwell. Over the years, John’s words have again and again come back to me. The question he asked. Are you being true to yourself? Over the years I have asked over 7,500 parents the same question. Parenting requires authenticity. I define authenticity as the alignment of belief, thought, words, and actions in your everyday living. This requires a time of self-focus on those four areas. Examination of Beliefs Most people think they know what they believe. However, when I ask parents to write down their top ten values most get stuck at five, several get to seven no one has gotten to ten. So, write down those values. How far did you get? We will get back to that. Paying attention your thoughts and your beliefs flow together with them.The old saying as a man thinks in his heart, so he becomes. Is true. Our thoughts are affected by our beliefs. So, another way to check our beliefs is to examine our thoughts. How does what you think reflect your beliefs or what you thought you believed? Get the two to line up. Once your beliefs and thinking are fully aligned it helps the two outer or public areas to fall into place. Your values are the most closely tied to your beliefs. However, your conscious thoughts are framed by your unconscious values. If your values and your thoughts are at odds you can live a very conflict cited love fe. Get these three aligned an your authenticity living will flow much smoother. Once the inner self is examined, do your words and actions align with your beliefs and your thoughts to reflect authenticity? Monitor what Comes Out of Your Mouth What we think we often end up saying. In addition, what we say little ears hear and they repeat. More importantly little hearts hear and believe. This determines not only what they believe about themselves and the world. It creates the beliefs they use to create their own authenticity. One thing to always remember is you are the authority in your child’s life. Whatever you say they will both believe and internalize. We often say words are not important, but the truth is words are the most powerful force for good or ill in the world. Behave in Ways which Reinforce your Authenticity If I said it to one parent I have said it to thousands. “”Do as I say, not as I do”. Does not work, and it never did. The absolute truth is if you want a better life for your children, and every parent does. You have to live the life you want them to exceed. Parents are the model children emulate for their lives. How to Use Authenticity in Parenting. I have a question for you. Are you talking about and encouraging your children to live the same way through conversation and moral support? Living authentic lives requires coaching and mentoring. Parents can talk about children living their lives based on what they themselves believe. As long as it does not cause hurt, harm, or danger parents can support a child’s belief, even if they know their children need more information to make a better choice. Teaching kids to live authentically requires all five steps of mentoring. The five steps of mentoring are teaching, coaching, counseling, negotiating, and listening. Teaching authentic living requires living it, talking about your successes and challenges, listening to your children talking about their successes and challenges, clearing up misconceptions and discussing mistakes. Coaching requires being there to listen and give feedback. Counseling means being a siding board and asking thought providing questions, then leaving them to make their own decisions. Negotiating comes into play as you discover real differences between you. You need to work through your differences, and come up with something you can both live with. Listening with both an open mind and an open heart is the only way to help your child to develop true authenticity. In this world being true to yourself is not easy. Getting there is difficult, but getting there and helping your children get there, makes life worth living. Living in ways which are gratifying in immeasurable ways. Good Luck! Resources Using an Authenticity Audit can help you to begin aligning your beliefs, thoughts, words, and actions. Here is a link to one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j-VyDAbY_k
Most people who can still remember their teenage years will remember a sometimes wild and inappropriate game of Dare, Truth and Promise. I enjoy games of all sorts, and I find that most kids do too, so I propose a reinvention of this crazy game with an alternative motive – to get to know your kids, to build family spirit and to help them through things they might be struggling with. It works like this: You have a bottle or something you can spin (yes, I know you all remember spin the bottle too!) and everyone sits in a circle. You spin the bottle and the person that it lands up facing has to decide whether they are going to choose Dare, Truth or Promise. Once they’ve made their choice, one of the other family members can entice them to do something (Dare), or ask them a question (Truth) or give them a task for the next week (Promise). Each family member will have a chance to be the one giving the instructions or asking the questions, so the adults don’t get to just boss everyone around like they usually do. Keep this in mind when you think up your tasks – it may come back to bite you! It can be fun to have a points and rewards system or a penalty for dares attempted or not attempted, truths told or lies caught out, and promises fulfilled or not. The idea though is to keep it light and fun. So that’s the basics of the game as we’ve always played it. Here’s how it can be adapted, keeping in mind that it is only as limited as your imagination. DARE The idea here is to get your kids out of their comfort zones and help them to grow and extend themselves. Offer enough challenge to be slightly uncomfortable, but not so much as to be distressing. Some ideas… Help them to face their fears: Challenge your child to do something that normally makes them nervous (note – nervous, not terrified) eg. Run into a dark room, go to the toilet by themselves, look under the bed, hold a spider (a harmless one, of course). Help them to step out socially: Dare them to tell someone something that they’ve been putting off, to ask someone to be their friend, to write a love letter to someone they like. Get them to try new things: Dare them to taste a new food, to smell something weird, to touch something with an icky texture. Help them to learn something: Challenge them to learn to spell a difficult word, to memorise something, to tackle a problem, to finish a puzzle, to figure something out. Help them to become independent: Challenge them to try tying a shoelace, dressing themselves, washing their own hair, making their own breakfast. TRUTH Get to know your kids by asking questions that they may not always answer or that you wouldn’t normally ask in everyday conversation. Some examples: What is your greatest fear? What is the best dream you’ve ever had? Who makes you smile? What was the last lie you told? What do you love about yourself? Have you ever kissed a boy/girl? What is the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done? What is the kindest thing you’ve ever done? What is something that someone in this family does that makes you mad? What do you love most about living here? PROMISE Get your kids to help out around the house as part of the game (here is where a points system really pays off) or to do something that they normally avoid. Make sure you have a mix of fun and not-so-fun tasks to keep them interested. Remember to choose this option yourself when playing so that they can also get you to do things that they would like. Some examples: Clean up the dog poo for 2 days Help to prepare one dinner Make your bed for a week Bring me tea in bed Find a sneaky way to do something fun for someone in the family De-weed the garden Wash the car Give someone a foot massage Do something nice for a sibling Not bite your nails for a day Remember that it’s a game and therefore supposed to be fun. Children are wired to play, so if you can link what you want them to do or what you want to learn from them to something playful they are far more likely to cooperate. This is one way to do that. Happy gaming!
“A new fact on migraines and participating in sport” Claims that participating in sporting activities is detrimental for migraine patients are untrue – a new study found that participating in sporting activities actually has health benefits for migraine patients. The study, recently published in the Sports Neurology Journal ascertains that under Neurological supervision sporting activities can be safely integrated into the lives of migraine patients. This is the first time empirical research has been done to review known risks involved with participating in sporting activities by migraine patients. “It was a study that sampled patients with; epilepsy, migraines, and multiple sclerosis”, says Dr. Elliot Shevel, South Africa’S migraine research pioneer and the medical director of The Headache Clinic. Shevel confirmed that as long as there is proper supervision in place for migraine patients, playing sport is not harmful. Dr. Elliot Shevel says that migraine patients are often discouraged from participating in sports based on theoretical detrimental effects, when in actual fact they can and should be encouraged to participate in sports provided that the exercise does not trigger the pain. Where exposure to prolonged sun triggers the pain indoor sports should be pursued. With schools re-opening and sporting activities being part of the academic experience, children that suffer with migraine should take the time with parents and teachers to work out which sporting activities suit them best. To find out more about how migraines affect your child, call 0861 678 911 or visit www.theheadacheclinic.net
Last year was the hottest year on earth since record-taking began, but 2016 is expected to blow this record out of the water, which according to experts could trigger so-called ‘super allergies’. Mariska van Aswegen, spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics – a leading provider of antihistamine medication – says the weather and atmospheric temperature make a huge difference to the levels of pollen and other irritants such as dust and diesel particulates in the air. “The downside of a long, hot summer is that these irritants stay suspended in the air for longer, entering the mouth or nose and landing on the delicate mucosal layer of the upper airways. Once these particles land on the membranes that line the airways, the allergen diffuses into it, setting off an allergic reaction. Not only could symptoms worsen, but hot and dry conditions could result in an extended pollen season. The hayfever season typically starts with trees pollinating from August until October. However, grass pollen then takes over with its greatest peak from November to March. “According to SA’s foremost authorities on aerobiology, climate change will significantly increase the amount of pollen in the air with average world temperatures forecast to rise 3°C to 4ºC by as early as 2060. Warmer temperatures allow trees to pollinate earlier and longer than usual. Spring in many countries already begins much earlier than a few decades ago, which means that pollen-producing plants, such as flowers, trees, grasses and weeds have a much longer pollen-producing season than in the past. Should the predicted combination of prolonged periods of warm, dry weather with intervals of some wet weather occur, we’ll experience high grass pollen counts for some time,” she remarks. Not only is this depressing news for the estimated 30% of South Africans that suffer from hayfever, but the extended hot and dry conditions could also trigger nasal allergies in those who haven’t previously suffered from hayfever. To make matters worse, people who live in towns and cities where there are higher levels of traffic pollution are at greater risk. Van Aswegen points out that the tiny particulates released by diesel fuel irritate the lining of the nasal passages and lungs making them more sensitive. “When an allergen such as pollen is also present, the airways are already primed to react, which could lead to a more severe allergic response. “Pollution may even make other airborne allergens more potent as some pollen-producing plants exposed to high levels of nitrogen oxide may spawn modified pollen that is more potent and can elicit a more severe allergic episode, also referred to as super allergies.” To ensure that super allergies don’t get in the way of your summer holiday plans, van Aswegen gives the following advice: Get pollen-wise:check the pollen forecast in your area or holiday spot (online or in the local newspaper) to plan your outdoor activities and avoid being outside when the pollen count is highest, which is usually early in the morning and evening. Also find out which pollen you’re allergic to via a skin-prick test or blood test to detect specific IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies.. Remember to keep doors and windows closed during peak pollen times. When the outdoors beckon: apply balm or petroleum jelly around the rim of your nose which can act as a pollen-trap. Alternatively, block pollen and other irritants by wearing a mask or bandanna over your nose and mouth. If the pollen count is very high, opt for less intense exercises. The faster you breathe, the more allergens and irritants you inhale. Traveling by plane: make sure your epinephrine injection (used to treat a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis) is within date and always carry a spare. Pack these in your hand luggage along with a supply of antihistamines. If you are prone to anaphylaxis, obtain a written letter from your doctor explaining why the medicine you carry is essential, to ensure you don’t get delayed at customs. If you’re traveling alone, let the pilot or air hostess know of your condition. Do the same if you’re traveling with friends and make sure they know how to administer the emergency medication. Also have the names of those who should be contacted in an emergency handy. Using a saline nasal spray every hour could also help keep your nasal membranes moist. Planning a road trip: turn your car’s air conditioner on 10 minutes before you get in the car, preferably with the windows open, which will help remove dust and mould from the air-conditioning (AC) system. Keep car windows closed when driving to prevent pollen and other irritants from entering the car. If you’re hiring a car, ask for a model that comes with a high efficiency particulate filter as part of the AC system. Staying at a hotel: bring your own hypoallergenic pillow and mattress cover or ask for an allergy-proof room where no smoking or pets are allowed. Avoid red and swollen eyes:protect your eyes during the day by wearing sunglasses and rinsing contact lenses to get rid of dust and pollen particles. If your allergies have left you with itchy, red eyes, then take eye-drops to reduce the symptoms. “When it comes to essential hayfever treatments, such as antihistamines, these should be taken early on in the season to be most effective. If you haven’t started, start taking them now to reduce symptoms,” concludes Van Aswegen.
Most medical aids have launched their benefits and premium contributions for 2017 and, as in the past, the increases passed on to members are double figures, which outstrip inflation. Bear in mind that your actual increase may be somewhat different because often these are weighted, vary from option to option or even from dependant to dependant. The medical aid landscape can be tricky to navigate. So now, more than ever, is the time to learn how to ‘box smart’ to ensure that you maximise the value you derive from your medical scheme benefits. Dr Bobby Ramasia, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund, provides some insight into maximising the benefits on your chosen medical aid. Understand your benefits Take the time to read the information sent to you by the scheme and/or your broker. If you have access to information sessions at your place of work, or have a consultant who visits your workplace, attend the sessions to get a better understanding. Getting the best out of your hospital cover: If your scheme has appointed a Designated Service Provider (DSP) network for hospitals, you will usually pay a lower monthly contribution in exchange for using a hospital from this network for planned procedures. In the same manner, if your scheme has an arrangement in place for doctors and specialists, there will usually be an incentive (full cover by the scheme) for using ‘these’ providers. The penalty for using providers not contracted with the scheme is usually the payment of shortfalls or co-payments. For planned procedures, it’s also worth checking with your scheme if you will obtain better cover by using contracted providers or having the procedure performed in the doctor’s rooms or day clinic, where possible If you are going to be admitted to hospital for a planned procedure, always check with your scheme, at authorisation stage, if there are any co-payments or sub-limits that will apply. An example here is for joint replacements, where most schemes have specified sub-limits if you do not use their DSP. Chronic Illness Benefits: In terms of the Medical Schemes Act, there are 26 common chronic illnesses which all options on all schemes are required to cover for medication and treatment. However, here too, schemes have the ability to apply measures designed to contain costs. Almost all options on all medical schemes apply a medicine formulary. This is a list of drugs which the scheme will cover in full. If you use medication that is not on the scheme’s formulary, you will be liable for the difference in cost. So it is best to discuss the formulary medication with your doctor to see if this is appropriate for you The schemes can also specify that you obtain your medication from DSP pharmacies. Check to see if you are able to use the scheme’s DSP – if there are none close to you, most schemes also designate a courier pharmacy which will deliver the medication to you at a preferred address. So, the golden rule for chronic illness benefits is to try to utilise the medication on your scheme’s formulary and to obtain this from a specified pharmacy. Many medical schemes also cover additional chronic illnesses – although this is usually from the more expensive options. If your particular condition is not covered on your current option it is worth further investigation. It’s important to understand that this cover is at the scheme’s discretion and the additional conditions covered vary from scheme to scheme. Know your rights! In terms of a High Court ruling, Medical Schemes are obliged to meet the cost of in-hospital Prescribed Minimum Benefit procedures at cost, in full. Make sure you know what ‘in full’ means – so you don’t get any surprises. So if you have been admitted to hospital check with your doctor if it’s for one of these procedures. If so, as a general rule, you shouldn’t be saddled with any shortfalls – so ask for your broker/consultant’s assistance if you are! Why you might have co-payments A medical aid co-payment is a fee that the member is liable for when making use of certain medical services. The medical aid would not cover 100% of the costs and the member would have to pay for a certain percentage of the medical service before the medical aid pays their portion. These co-payments usually apply to specialist or elective medical procedures. This will differ from one medical aid scheme to another. It is one of the reasons why you should always do thorough research before deciding which medical aid scheme is the best option for you. The ideal option would, of course, be the one that does not require many or any co-payments from the member. If your benefits and/or savings were exhausted before the end of the year and you had to pay out-of-pocket for some medical expenses; it might save you money to upgrade to a richer plan with more benefits, albeit at a higher contribution amount. Conversely, if you are young, healthy and generally did not utilise your benefits and/or savings, it may be prudent to downgrade to a cheaper medical aid option Talk to your providers! Talk to your doctor/specialist before being admitted to hospital for a planned procedure. Check what they are going to be charging and what your scheme will cover. If there is a large difference don’t be afraid to approach your doctor to see if they are prepared to adjust their fee, especially if you could afford to pay upfront.
Many people are struggling with parenting given all of today’s modern technology, especially when it comes to the many omnipresent screens that children are currently using. Our grandparents were likely more concerned with a single screen, the one found on a lone television set in the living room. But nowadays, kids have a plethora of screens on their smartphones, tablets, televisions, computers, both at home and school. To ensure their children’s visual acuity remained intact, past parents from generations gone by were likely reminding kids to sit further away from the T.V. and limiting their screen time. So what are the recommended screen times to ensure today’s children aren’t suffering visually, mentally or emotionally? According to recent news reports, pediatricians have changed their antiquated and outdated recommendations for screens when it comes to the time kids spend using these devices currently. While experts still believe children younger than two shouldn’t be exposed to this type of digital technology, 30% of tots in diapers are comfortable using mobile devices. Paediatricians have also tweaked their recommendations about toddlers and screen exposure to include times it’s used to video chat with another parent or close relative. Screen time should also be age appropriate and younger usage should always be monitored. For example, for those children over the age of two and younger than five: Limit screen time to one hour per day and watch along with them to see how they’re absorbing and reacting to the content Avoid screen time that’s associated with either placating them or keeping them distracted Test apps or pre-watch visual materials before allow children to use or view them During meals, playtime or when in their rooms should all be screen-free zones No matter their age, parents should always be on the lookout for violent and inappropriate websites and other forms of technology. Parental controls were invented for a reason. School Aged Children Parents, teachers, faculty and physicians are all encouraged to work together in creating a “media plan” since there’s really no “one-size-fits-all” approach for children as they continue to mature. For example, research has shown that adolescent use of social media can be beneficial for their development, give them exposure to new ideas and promote circles of emotional support from their peers. On the other hand, too much time spent on these platforms can lead to depression, weight gain and a lack of sleep. Keep in mind that parents should: Be consistent, but at the same time, allow for some flexibility when it comes to circumstances like a special school project that may require online research Avoid the use of media at least an hour before bedtime and as mentioned previously, it’s not allowed during meals or other family times Communicate these guidelines to caregivers and babysitters to ensure they’re being enforced when you’re not in the picture Be sure to have ongoing discussions with your child about cyberbullying and what is (and is not) appropriate behaviour, posting and content on the world wide web. There’s a new-age idiom being used today that recommends parents advise their children to avoid posting or viewing anything that their grandparent would find offensive. It’s not only about how much time a child spends online, but how they are occupying themselves while on the internet. There should be a balance between engaging in valuable content and experiences with some recreational usage while they’re using their devices. As with almost anything else that goes with family and parenting, it’s all about balance.
Having a baby is a momentous event. The kind of event that kicks you so far out of your comfort zone that you don’t even know what planet you’re on. We all know about the nice side of it – the miracle of a new life, the immense and overwhelming love, the snuggling baby at your bosom. In fact, we’re inundated with images and articles and information about how wonderful it is to have a baby. But what about the dark side? What people seldom talk about is how tough it is – how those first days and weeks are so overwhelming and scary and strange and intimidating. Nobody tells you how difficult it is to care for another little being when you are trying to recover both physically and emotionally from a birth. Nobody speaks about the terror of leaving the hospital with a stranger in your arms – one that doesn’t even speak your language. Your antenatal classes were unlikely to show you video footage of what prisoners of war look like after a few weeks of sleep deprivation. The magazines are not filled with pictures of mothers crumpled on the floor in their pyjamas weeping. We see movies of mothers doting on their newborns, not mothers calling the cops to take their screaming baby away from them before they kill it. We hear stories of overwhelming love, not overwhelming disinterest. We get advice on how to breastfeed not advice on how to not commit suicide. And I feel that it is the lack of this other side of life that causes half of the problems with post-natal depression. All depression has an element of fantasy in it. We become depressed because we compare reality with how we hoped or wished it would be (the fantasy) and then find our life to be somewhat lacking. Now if you are bombarded with information telling you that motherhood is instantly wonderful, that you will fall in love with your baby at first sight, that your life will be changed forever in wonderful ways, and then this is not your experience, you’re already on the slippery slope to depression. I believe that new mothers ought to have a more balanced perspective and a more realistic picture of what they’re in for. Of course there are good sides to having kids, but they don’t always surface immediately. It is normal, for instance, to not love your baby instantly. You are tired, emotionally and physically recovering, in shock, overwhelmed, confused and often feeling a bit panicky. There may not be space in your internal world for a rush of love and affection. That’s ok. It doesn’t mean you will never love your child or that you won’t care for them, or that there is anything wrong with you. It is also normal to really struggle in the first weeks and months. Everyone tells you that caring for your child is a natural instinct, but how many of us are in touch with our natural instincts? Some things you may figure out on your own, some things you’ll mess up and others you may need to ask for help. That’s ok. You are not a bad mother if you don’t know what to do or if you can’t interpret your baby’s every cry. It is normal to lose it sometimes. Go and watch those videos of sleep-deprived soldiers! Even the toughest, trained men will fold under the pressure of not getting some much-needed rest. You may collapse in a weeping heap, you may shout at your baby, you may think you’re losing your mind, you may do crazy or irrational things. You are not insane, you are not a bad person, you are not unable to cope. Having a baby will turn your world upside down. It takes time to adjust. It takes time to find a rhythm. It takes time to feel like yourself again. You may even go through a period of resenting your baby, your partner, yourself. You may question your choices. You may want to run away. You may throw things. It does ultimately settle down. You will eventually find the good side. And if you don’t, there are plenty of people out there who can help you. Find a coach or a therapist or a good friend (particularly one who has gone through what you are going through). Most importantly, know that where there is a positive there is a negative and where there is a negative there is a positive. Babies are like life, they come with both sides. The more prepared you are for reality (and not fantasy) the more likely you are to take it in your stride.
Glossy magazines keep us well-informed on keeping adult skin moisturised, cared for and looking beautiful. When it comes to our children, especially babies, looking after their skin is just as vital, if not more important. “When our children enter this world, we are armed with equipment that took much care and consideration to select. The same care and consideration needs to be taken for your child’s skincare products,” says Su-Marie Annandale, Krayons’ brand manager. Krayons’ baby skin care products have been providing South African babies and children with the necessary products to keep their skin protected for over 20 years. “Healthy baby skin is just as important to Krayons as it is for parents,” says Annandale. When bringing your little one home from the hospital, and even as they grow, Annandale provides 5 tips on how to keep your baby’s skin healthy: Although babies love playing in the bath, and splashing about – limiting the time they spend in the bath can help keep their skin from drying out. Make every second or third day “fun” bath time, and the others can be short washes. After bath time, keep your little one moisturised. Using Krayons’ Aqueous Cream after every wash accompanied by a soft and gentle baby massage will give your little one’s skin all it needs to be kept moisturised throughout the day. It is recommended that you wash your baby’s new clothes and linen before use, but be sure to use a gentle fabric conditioner that will ensure that baby’s clothes are soft and won’t cause any skin irritations. Personal Touch boasts a Baby love variant which boasts the Krayons scent. It is soft and delicate, just like your baby’s skin. The weather outside dictates how your baby should be dressed to keep them comfortable and also to protect their skin, but no matter if it is hot or cold your baby needs to be protected from the sun. Your baby’s skin is too sensitive to be exposed to the harsh sun and needs to be kept covered. For more, like Krayons on Facebook: www.facebook.com/krayonsbabies
I watched a film once where the main character was completely ambidextrous – he could write a poem with one hand while drawing a picture with the other. How I would have loved to have a skill like that. So why is it that teachers push kids to choose a dominant hand? The reason teachers and OTs will encourage a child into one-handed dominance is predominantly for practical reasons in the classroom – the sooner they choose a hand, the sooner they perfect their control with that hand, and the sooner they will learn to write quickly and efficiently. I strongly disagree with this. The majority of children will naturally slip into right or left dominance at around 7 or 8 years of age and shouldn’t be forced into writing exercises before the body is naturally ready. Unfortunately this doesn’t fit in with the school curriculum, which requires kids to be practicing pre-writing skills from as early as 3 or 4. Very very few children are truly ambidextrous (and usually this only happens when one hand is injured for a period of time or some other environmental factor), but there are a fair amount who are mixed-handed (i.e. They will tend to use one hand for certain tasks and another hand for different tasks e.g. Writing with the right hand and cutting with the left hand). The schools will try to discourage this as sometimes it slows kids down as they’re still trying to decide which hand to use for what and not getting on with the task at hand. There are some things that will be helped by choosing a dominant hand – for example crossing the midline or bilateral integration, but these can easily be included in a child’s life with some simple exercises to ensure that they don’t miss out on any brain integration that may come from choosing one hand as dominant and using the other as a helper. For example, pushing a car round a track, holding the car with one hand and the track with the other; reaching over the body to grab something on the opposite side of the body; holding paper with one hand and cutting it with the other; or my personal favourite, playing “Twister”. In OT they will essentially do these kinds of exercises with a child, but it will cost you. If you hop onto Google you can find plenty of exercises like these and do them yourself. You can have a lot of fun and your child never needs to wonder about why he/she is in “therapy”. Most researchers on the subject agree that it is useful for everyone to sometimes try using their less-preferred hand for tasks normally done with the dominant hand as it improves brain function and dexterity! Being mixed-handed can also have great advantages in sports like baseball and snooker where you can switch hands to get a better shot. The only real concern with a child who isn’t naturally finding a dominant hand is a learning disorder known as dysgraphia, which involves problems with motor skills. This disorder would not only affect their ability to choose a hand to write with, but would also manifest with other noticeable problems such as struggling with the concepts of right and left, difficulty catching a ball or skipping or even basic motor movements like walking and jumping. It is unlikely that your child would have problems of this nature without you noticing them and they definitely would be picked up in an assessment with an OT if you choose to have one. The other thing to consider is that your child may be gifted. Around 48% of gifted children are ambidextrous at some stage of their development. Take a look at some of the other criteria for gifted kids and if you think your child is, then it is definitely worth getting an IQ test done as gifted children do need additional stimulation in order for them to develop optimally. · Unusual alertness, even in infancy · Excellent memory · Learn to speak early and have an unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for their age · Understand word nuances, metaphors and abstract ideas · Enjoy solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles · Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler · Highly sensitive · Thinking is abstract, complex, logical, and insightful · Idealism and sense of justice at early age · Longer attention span and intense concentration if something interest them · Preoccupied with own thoughts—daydreamer · Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice (1-3 repetitions) · Asks probing questions · Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area) · Highly developed curiosity · Interest in experimenting and doing things differently · Puts idea or things together that are not typical · Keen and/or unusual sense of humor · Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas · Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool) If your child is still in preschool, he/she may just not be ready to choose a dominant hand and making a child ‘wrong’ for this seems unfair and unnecessary. Ultimately you will have to make a decision based on your own child whether your child would benefit from having an assessment or if it is worth waiting to see what naturally develops. Please remember to trust yourself. You know your child better than any teacher or therapist and if you feel that their opinion is incorrect, trust that. You can always get a second opinion or even just hold off on getting an opinion at all. Whether your child’s ambidexterity is a gift or a disorder is often determined by how it is handled, and that is up to you as the parent.
As the December holidays loom, many of us are planning some well-earned family time. Reconnecting with loved ones often involves travelling by air and for those of us with kids, that prospect can fill us with dread. It needn’t be that way, says Shaun Pozyn, Head of Marketing at British Airways (operated by Comair), who offers these timely tips for managing youngsters in the air and en route to your destination. Give yourself enough time: rushing while trying to marshal kids and their kit can be harrowing and conjures images of Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) being left abandoned by his family in the 1990 comedy, Home Alone. One way to score yourself a little time is by using apps like ba.com to check your family in online. Know the rules: documentation requirements when flying domestically are fairly simple: you need to carry identification. But if you’re travelling internationally with children you need an unabridged copy of their birth-certificates. Get the squad to help: the cabin-crew are your allies, so don’t be afraid to ask them for assistance. You can, for example, use a push-chair to the door of the aircraft, and on international flights, infants can be accommodated in bassinettes. Take your tablets: mobile devices can largely alleviate the need for toys, and picture-editing apps like Prisma, or games like MineCraft can temporarily replace Lego, for example, which can be lost in the cabin. Just make sure your devices are charged and consider investing in a power-bank to ensure that have plenty of power. Handle the pressure: one of the major irritants for small children and infants when flying is pressurisation. This is because their ears haven’t fully developed yet, so they can’t equalise changes in air-pressure when the aircraft ascends and descends. Swallowing and chewing can help with this, so depending on the child’s age, drinking fluids or snacking on chewy foods can help. Foods with less sugar can help prevent the child from becoming too energetic: opt for biltong, fruit-rolls, nuts and fruit-juice diluted with rooibos tea rather than sweets and cool-drink. Don’t plan too much: travelling can be very exciting for kids, but too many activities in one stint can leave them tetchy and overstimulated. If a child is enjoying a particular pastime – working on a travel-log to document their journey, say – leave them to it. That can also give you, the parent, the chance for a welcomed breather. See: http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/family-travel for more information.
Metabolic syndrome is a health condition that everyone’s talking about. Although it was only identified less than 20 years ago, metabolic syndrome is as widespread as pimples and the common cold. It is estimated that around 20-25 per cent of the world’s adult population have metabolic syndrome. Indeed, metabolic syndrome seems to be a condition that many people have, but no one knows very much about. So what is this mysterious syndrome — which also goes by the scary-sounding name Syndrome X — and should you be worried about it? Keep reading for some insight. UNDERSTANDING METABOLIC SYNDROME Metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself. Instead, it’s a collection of the most dangerous risk factors: high blood sugar, pre-diabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and abdominal (tummy) fat. Obviously, having any one of these risk factors isn’t good. But when they’re combined, they set the stage for serious problems. People with metabolic syndrome are twice as likely to die from and three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared with people without the syndrome. They have a fivefold greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes!! The underlying cause of metabolic syndrome continues to challenge the experts but insulin resistance and central obesity (excess tummy fat) are considered the most significant factors responsible for this syndrome. What comes first, the chicken or the egg? Insulin resistance is very often the starting point of metabolic syndrome. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body convert food into glucose and enter your cells to be used as fuel. Insulin resistance occurs when cells in the body (e.g. muscle cells) become less sensitive and eventually resistant to insulin. Glucose can no longer be effectively absorbed by the body cells and therefore remains in the blood, so your body keeps making more and more insulin to cope with the rising level of glucose in an attempt to process the glucose. Eventually, this can lead to diabetes. Even long before diabetes happens, excessive amounts of insulin is causing damage to the body. The dangerous part of this syndrome is the long term effects of raised insulin levels to your blood vessels often leading to premature heart attacks, strokes and type II diabetes. METABOLIC SYNDROME – ARE YOU A VICTIM? To identify if you have metabolic syndrome it is necessary to take a few basic measurements. There are five risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you would have at least three of these risk factors. Body Mass Index (BMI) BMI of 30kgm/m2and higher Waist circumference For men: 102cm or larger For women: 88cm or larger Cholesterol: High Triglycerides Either 1.7mmol/L or higher or Using a cholesterol medicine Cholesterol: Low Good Cholesterol (HDL) Either For men: Less than 1.03mmol/L For women: Less than 1.3mmol/L or Using a cholesterol medicine High Blood Pressure Either Having blood pressure of 135/85mm Hg or greater or Using a high blood pressure medicine Blood Sugar: High Fasting Glucose Level 5.6mmol/L or higher Even if you don`t have these measurements available it`s possible for you to know if you are at risk by asking yourself a few basic questions. The American College of Endocrinologist has identified that if you have 2 of the following risk factors you are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome, or may have insulin resistance already: You have ever been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. You have a family history of type II diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary heart disease. For women: you have a history of pregnancy-related diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy. You have a sedentary lifestyle and do not engage in regular exercise. You are overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 25kg/m2 OR if you have a waist circumference measurement greater than 102cm (male) or greater than 88 cm (female). You are older than 40 years of age. CAN METABOLIC SYNDROME BE REVERSED? YES!! Controlling and normalising insulin levels is key to improving metabolic syndrome. Physical activity, weight loss and healthy food choices help the body respond better to insulin. Studies showed by losing weight (through cutting carbohydrates, fat, calorie intake) and being more physically active, people with metabolic syndrome may avoid or delay developing type 2 diabetes or suffering a stroke or heart attack. WHAT TO DO? Weight loss Research confirmed that people with metabolic syndrome can significantly improve their health by losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight. Weight loss is often a difficult task when you are insulin resistant and have metabolic syndrome. Not only will you have cravings for carbohydrates most of the time, your body is resistant to fat breakdown due to the high amounts of circulating insulin. Normal weight loss diets and quick fixes are ineffective to aid weight loss seeing that the raised insulin levels are not treated. Not only do we need to decrease the calorie content of the diet, one need to look at what your diet consist of. Certain foods are known to worsen insulin resistance and others to improve insulin resistance. Rethink refined carbs and sugar Carbohydrates and sugar in your diet is known for increasing the amount of insulin in your blood. It is therefore necessary to exclude sugar as much as possible. The other concern lies with the amount of carbohydrates that is consumed per meal as well as during the whole day. Insulin levels can be dramatically increased by the amount of carbohydrate as well as the type of carbohydrate consumed. It is crucial to eat only carbohydrates which are low in Glycaemic index (GI). The Glycaemic Index is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood glucose levels. It is a physiological measure of how fast, and to what extent, a carbohydrate food (starch containing food) affects blood glucose levels. If the glucose reaches the blood stream quickly, your insulin levels will rise dramatically. Low GI foods will result in a smaller insulin response and help with losing
(All information was obtained from Stark – Griffin’s book Dyslexia) Definition of dyslexia – A neurological-functional problem manifesting as a deficit in word decoding (reading), encoding (spelling) and nemkinesia (writing) due to a minimal brain dysfunction and/or differential brain function. More use full information regrading dyslexia Eidetic: give meaning to text in general and recognising words from previous experience. Phonetic: allocating a sound to each letter and using these sounds in groups to produce words. People suffering from dyslexia usually have an average to above average intelligence. 10% – 20% of all children suffer from dyslexia. Children suffering from dyslexia feel confusion, frustration, anxiety, withdrawl and compensating behavioural patterns. These children are often teased and humiliated by their classmates.Dyslexia may lead to poor self image and even depression. These feelings may manifest in behavioural problems which inlcude aggression, vandalism, disruption of class and a hostile attitude. Types of dyslexia Dysnemkinesia Deficit in the ability to develop motor engrams (memory trace) for written symbols Child wil revers letters A child should have no letter reversals by Gr. 4 When writing the alphabet 1 reversal is acceptable in Gr. 3 When writing the alphabet 3 reversals are acceptable in Gr. 2 When writing the alphabet 5 reversals are acceptable in Gr. 1 Dysphonesia Deficit in visual-symbol and sound integrations Child will struggle to read unknows words as he cannot decode them / will have difficulty spelling e.g. slow/solw, does/dose Dyseidesia This type of dyslexia is genetic Deficit in the ability to perceive whole words and to recognise words from previous experience. Child will struggle to read words that he cannot relate to a picture e.g. did / will struggle to read sight words / will struggle to read word that cannot be divided /will spell word the way they sound e.g. does/duz Dysphoneidesia Mix between dysphonesia and dyseidesia Dysnemkinphonesia Mix between dynemkinesia and dysphonesia Dysnemkineidesia Mix between dysnemkinesia and dyseidesia Dynmemkinphoneidesia Mix between dysnemkinesia, dysphonesia an dyseidetia One has to rule out the following deficits before a diagnosis of dyslexia can be made: Problematic vision and/or eye muscle functioning Impaired visual perceptual skills Impaired auditive perceptual skills Cognitive impairment Emotional problems/psychological factors Attention deficit disorder Health factors: e.g. nutrition, infections, allergies, trauma Environmental factors Treatment The child needs to be evaluated by a professional (usually an occupational therapist/speech therapist/educational psychologist/optometrist) that is registered with RADA (Red Apple Dyslexia Association). The test used is called the Dyslexia Test developed by Stark-Griffin. If dyslexia is identified it needs to be specified which type of dyslexia as each one has a different treatment approach. All types of dyslexia can be improved although the percentage differs from person to person. Dyseidesia cannot be 100% cured as it is genetic. Dysphoneidesia is the most difficult type of dyslexia to treat. Dysnemkinesia is easily treated. Build on the child’s strengths and later give attention to the weaknesses. Work around the problem to improve reading/writing and spelling. Famous dyslexics No matter what your dissability – you can still be successful !!! Just look at these famous dyslexic people: Pable picasso Tom cruise Richard Branson Leonard daVinci Thomas Edison Whoopi Goldberg Development of the child checklist The Developmental checklist will assist you in determining whether you child is functioning according to his/her age level. Download your order form Here It is divided into 29 categories namely: Movement (Activities of daily living) Communication skills (Cognitive skills) Personality traits / temperament (Playing) Ball skills (Coordination) Perception (Grasps & hand function) Basic concepts (Body concept) Number concept (Form concept) Colour concept (Size concept) Building with blocks (Working with beads) Cutting with scissors (Drawing / painting) Drawing a person (Picture-reading) Story-time (Writing) Eating / feeding (Sleeping) Prepositions (Senses) Teeth When determining if your child is developing according to his/her age level it is important to remember that each child is unique. Each child develops at his/her own pace; therefore no 2 children’s milestones will be achieved at exactly the same time. Please give a 2 – 3 month leeway to either side of the time frame given (e.g. if it says that a child has to walk when he is 1 year old it can mean that the child may start walking when he is 9 months old or 15 months old). When you see that your child has a delay in more than 2 important areas, please consult your developmental paediatrician and take him/her for an occupational therapy assessment. A child that has a developmental delay usually reaches a plato when 12 years old. Thus it is so important that a child receives therapy from as early an age as possible.
Klinefelters syndrome (KS) is not as rare as one may think, it is not life threatening but has life altering consequences. About one in 500 boys are born with an extra X chromosome, this affects learning, behaviour and growth. This was identified in 1942 by Dr Harry Klinefelter who was working with male patients at a hospital in Boston Massachusetts. This is a genetic condition where a male baby is born with 1 extra X chromosome. This due to an error in meiosis at conception known as meiotic nondisjunction. The condition is also known as XXY. Normal boys are XY while girls are XX. The KS baby develops an abnormal pituitary gland and hypothalamus part of the brain. Klinefelter syndrome is a random disorder and it is not hereditary. It appears that its occurrence may be linked to the age of either parent. It is not more prevalent in any specific race .This is the most common sex chromosome disorder. According to research done in Australia only about 20-30% of males with KS are ever diagnosed, partly due to the hesitancy of men to seek medical attention and the somewhat non-specific nature of the symptoms. Often men only find out they are KS when they present with fertility issues. They are almost always sterile. Unfortunately there is little awareness about the syndrome, even amongst health professionals, which often sends parents on a diagnostic odyssey trying to find out why their boys are different and the underlying cause remains unidentified. Another difficulty with it is that the symptoms are highly variable, sometimes subtle and sometimes not present at all. Only about 35% present with stereotypical symptoms but up to 80% have learning difficulties and behavioural issues. Many will have developmental delays and trouble with their muscles (low muscle tone) and motor skills. Dyslexia, reading difficulties and data retrieval problems are common. A large percentage are attention deficit (ADD) While their intellect is not compromised, their verbal IQ is below average, they often have difficulty expressing themselves. This often leads to frustration and angry outbursts. It is unclear whether some behavioural difficulties are directly caused by the syndrome or are exacerbated by early speech and learning difficulties. KS in very young boys is especially difficult to recognise and only at puberty do some of the more obvious signs begin to show. The physical characteristic common to all KS males is that they have very small underdeveloped testicles. It is because of this that they cannot produce enough testosterone to produce sperm. This androgen masculinising hormone is also responsible for producing secondary sexual characteristics. Other more common signs are: They are often somewhat taller than genetically expected, their limbs are slightly proportionately longer. They often have knock knees (genu valgum) and high arches (pes cavus). Taurodontism (Large molar teeth with thin enamel) is common. They will have more feminine fat distribution and rudimentary breast development, (gynecomastia) high pitched voice and sparse hair. They usually have “softer more girlish faces and are generally more sensitive than most boys, they tend to be emotional and cry easily. 33% of KS males experience psychosocial issues particularly shyness and low self-esteem. KS men also have added complications whereby they have a predisposition to developing diabetes, osteopenia and osteoporosis It must be noted however that Klinefelter syndrome does not affect sexual orientation. When correctly treated with supplemental testosterone KS men can have normal sexual relations in adulthood. If you suspect your son may be KS you will need to consult a geneticist. They will probably request blood tests which will include a karyotype. An endochrinologist will monitor further treatment. Klinefelters syndrome symptoms can be mitigated by correct intervention. Testosterone supplementation must continue throughout life. This can be administered by injection or with creams or a patch. If KS is identified early there is a better chance of normal development. A thorough psychoeducational examination will need to be conducted to determine what educational interventions are required as KS boys need assistance with the learning issues most of them have. A speech therapist can assist them and occupational therapy is recommended. Many KS boys also have motor dyspraxia. While this all may seem alarming particularly that the syndrome is so relatively common yet somewhat unrecognised there are some positives. These are wonderful sensitive human beings. They can be encouraged that they are usually taller than average, tend to keep their youthful looks, have better intuition and emotional skills than most men and usually get on really well with women. Further reading : www.xxy47.co.za www.andrologyaustralia.org www.checkyourballs.com.au www.csvxy.org Plus information taken from: Lawley pharmaceuticals KS info brochure 2016 Amy Herlihy BSc, Grad Dip Genetic counselling : Thesis 2010 Exploration of prevalence and psychosocial aspects of KS in the context of population based genetic screening.
If obesity in South African children continues to increase at the current rate, 3.91 million school children will be overweight or obese by 2025. On world Obesity Day, the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, together with the World Obesity Federation, calls for decisive action from government, private sector and parents. Today is the second annual World Obesity Day and the theme is Ending Childhood Obesity: Act today for a healthier future. The Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSFSA) supports the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in this initiative to stimulate and support practical actions to address obesity. South Africa’s obesity epidemic could be described as complex. Our country’s past of poverty, inequality and a lack of education, coupled with rapid urbanisation has created a vulnerable population amidst a nutrition transition. The population group that is most vulnerable to this ‘obesogenic’ environment is children. Both children of overweight parents and children subjected to malnutrition during pregnancy or infancy are likely to become obese later in life. Children are brought up in an era of energy dense foods, increasing screen time and sedentary behaviour. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports the fastest growth of obesity in the African region, where childhood overweight and obesity has more than doubled from 1990 to 2013 1. Childhood obesity in SA – our girls at greatest risk According to the most recent national survey, 14.2% of primary school children are already overweight 2. This prevalence is highest at 30% in girls living in urban areas. Being overweight as an infant increases the risk of being overweight as a child, which in turn increases the risk of being overweight as an adolescent and adult. Results from the Birth to Twenty study in Soweto recently showed that girls who were obese between the ages of 4 – 6 years, were 42 times more likely to be obese as teenagers compared to their normal-weight peers! 3 Clearly interventions should already be addressed at infants and toddlers. Cultural beliefs and poor knowledge of the consequences of obesity lulls many parents into inaction. Childhood obesity is not prevented, recognized or treated adequately. New figures from the World Obesity Federation estimate that by 2025, 3.91 million South African school children will be overweight or obese. This will result in 123 000 children with impaired glucose tolerance, 68 000 with overt diabetes, 460 000 with high blood pressure, and 637 000 with first stage fatty liver disease 4. The global action plan The complexity of the obesity epidemic is often cited to explain the little success in turning the tide and perhaps as an excuse not to make the changes we know are necessary. The 2016 WHO Report on Ending Childhood Obesityclearly outlines a comprehensive action plan. Recommendations include addressing norms, treating children who are already obese, promoting intake of healthy foods and physical activity, improved preconception and pregnancy care, healthier school environments, and curbing the marketing of unhealthy foods. The South African Department of Health have incorporated these guidelines in their own Strategy for the prevention and control in South Africa of obesity framework. Childhood obesity is singled out within this strategy as a specific area of focus, “given the large perceived benefit the interventions may yield”. We can end obesity if we act now Obesity is not a complex problem, for we have the tools to address it. We can end the childhood obesity epidemic if we act together. The President of the World Obesity Federation, Professor Ian Caterson, calls for decisive action “If governments hope to achieve the WHO target of keeping child obesity at 2010 levels, then the time to act is now.” Government action In the National Obesity Strategic Framework, Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaalhla writes “…It is our responsibility to empower people to make informed decisions and to ensure that they have access to healthy food by raising awareness and increasing the availability of effective initiatives and interventions.” The Government has shown intent by announcing tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, strategies to increase school sport, and draft legislation to restrict the advertising of unhealthy foods to children. Swift and effective implementation of these policies are vital. Professor Caterson from the WOF urges governments to act “Introducing tough regulations to protect children from the marketing of unhealthy food, ensuring schools promote healthy eating and physical activity, strengthening planning and building rules to provide safe neighbourhoods, and monitoring the impact of these policies.” Private sector and in particular the food industry There is no singular solution for obesity, and involvement of all sectors is needed. Food industry and especially fast food restaurants – still largely unregulated – needs to become part of the solution by producing healthier products and meals that are lower in added sugar, salt and fat, and by partnering with government and civil society to make healthy food choices more affordable. Collective advertising spend on unhealthy foods and meals are staggering, overpowering education efforts by government and NGOs. The HSFSA calls on the food industry to realise the vital role they play in South Africa’s obesity epidemic. It is time to make a choice to either help or hinder- practicing responsible marketing of foods aimed at children is a good place to start. Parents and caregivers Professor Pamela Naidoo, CEO of the HSFSA implores primary caregivers “Parents have the single biggest influence over their children’s risk of obesity. Mothers should aim for a normal weight before pregnancy, appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Parents should introduce healthy eating habits from six months onwards and lead by example to create an active lifestyle for the whole family.” Prof. Naidoo concludes “The HSFSA will continue its efforts to advocate for a healthier environment and create public awareness to prevent obesity as a major risk factor for heart diseases and strokes”. The Heart Mark is one such tool used to make it easier for consumers to make the healthier choice when faced with a variety of options at the supermarket. It helps
Our kids are growing up in a technological age. They are confronted with tablets, smartphones, laptops, DSTV and so much more. Your phone is seen as part of your image and our kids want the latest and greatest. So why should we limit them? The biggest concern I have is that kids are not spending enough time outside playing. The reasons for this are: It’s not safe Preschools are focusing more on academic performance More and more screen time is available in different formats Safety In the society we live in in South Africa it is a valid concern that our kids are not safe to play outside by themselves any more. Kids are told to stay indoors and this force them to play stationary games or be involved in screen time. Screen time The inventors of children’s television shows and games/apps target the primitive brain. They use fast moving images and bright colours to target our visual system. They use loud and quickly changing sounds to target our auditory system. When I ask parents how long their child is able to concentrate they usually tell my ‘O he can watch television for hours’. This is not concentration ability!!!! This is your child’s primitive brain being targeted and activated. Our poor teachers have no way to compete with TV and games and apps and we wonder why our children cannot concentrate anymore and why ADD and ADHD is being diagnosed more frequently in our kids!!! According to research a child younger than 2 who watches television has a 15% higher risk of developing ADD/ADHD. Thus a child under 2 should not be exposed to ANY screen time. Another big concern is that parents don’t play with their children any more. Most families are dual income households and thus mom and dad work full day and are too tired to play with their kids. This is not ideal but this is what is happening. Out toddlers don’t know how to play any more as they are not used to thinking up games or spend time inventing games. Creativity suffers. We now have to teach our kids how to play house-house, how to play with cars and how to entertain themselves by playing in the garden. Screen time takes away creativity. Academic performance We as a society are placing more and more pressure on our children to grow up faster. Some pre-schools tend to focus more on academic performance like counting and getting to know the letters of the alphabet than playing outside. Children should be playing outside nearly all day long to facilitate the necessary skills they need for development. Benefits of playing outside: Bilateral integration Postural control Activating the proprioceptive system Activating the vestibular system Sensory integration Socialising Gross motor skills Eye-hand coordination Eye-foot coordination The impact of limited outside play: Poor postural control So what is postural control? It is the ability to have stability at your big joints and to maintain different postures. Our kids are not able to sit still any more. The reason for this is that they don’t get enough vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (deep-pressure) input. These 2 systems underwrite postural control. Children tend to slouch in their chairs, support their heads while doing table top tasks, exhibits fidgeting, rides on their chairs, changes their posture frequently while sitting. All of this is their bodies craving movement and deep pressure input. So what happens in class? Most teachers tell the learners to sit still. This will cause postural control to diminish thus postural control will decrease. Now the learner with spend so much energy and effort staying upright and still in the chair that no energy is left to pay attention to what the teacher is saying or to complete given work. These kids tend to rush through tasks or tire easily and fine motor skills then decrease thus they write untidily and make unnecessary mistakes. Poor vision Kids start using ipads /phones at a very young age, when the visual system is not yet fully developed and not able to withstand this prolonged visual demand at near. This leads to a generation that is becoming increasingly myopic (nearsighted), as we have seen in China in the last 20 years. Digital screens also emit a lot of blue light, which has been shown to cause premature aging to our eyes – our children will need reading glasses 10 years earlier than what we do, and research shows that degenerative eye diseases due to this excessive blue light exposure is happening at a much younger age (up to 15 years earlier than in the previous generation). Weight gain Obesity in our kids is getting out of hand! This leads to many other health and self-esteem issues Poor communication skills This affects their ability in making friends, initiating conversations and to resolve conflict So what can we as parents do? I am a mom myself and I know we sometimes use the television as a nanny. When we want to prepare a meal or have some time to ourselves it is easy to switch on the television and entertain the kids. When you have to do this please then make sure it is a program of some value and appropriate for your child’s age No screen time for kids under 2 years of age Children’s screen time should be limited to 1 hour daily while in primary school and to 2 hours when in high school Have certain times during the day when no screen time is allowed e.g. while eating dinner/having a braai No televisions/X-boxes allowed in children’s rooms Set the parental control on your television and internet (especially google) Spend time playing outside with your kids doing gross motor tasks e.g. kicking a ball, rolling down a hill, playing in the sand pit or sliding down a slide. Have their vision and eye-muscle functioning evaluated by an optometrist If you suspect that your child has poor postural control – take your child to an occupational therapist to assist you in improving this
