THE SIX TYPES OF NUTRIENTS

Food is more than something to satisfy your appetite. Food is fuel for your body. Each type of nutrient has a specific purpose and meets a specific need that your body has. The six nutrients are:

Water

Yes, water is a nutrient. It is the most important nutrient. In fact, your body is approximately 50 to 55 percent water. Your body uses water 24 hours a day. A by-product of the energy production in your body is heat. Water regulates your body temperature by dissipating that heat. Water also carries nutrients to the cells in your body. Water does not produce energy.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for your body. Carbohydrates power every system in your body, including your brain, heart, muscles and internal organs. Carbohydrate can be simple (table sugar, corn syrup) or complex (whole grain). Simple carbohydrates enter your bloodstream very quickly. That is why you get a sugar high when you eat candy. Complex carbohydrates are processed and used more slowly.

Protein

Protein is like the brick and mortar of your body. It is the building blocks that provide the structure for the tissues of your body. Proteins are also used to transport essential elements in your blood stream.

Fats

Fat are our storehouses of energy. When we have excess nutrients in our body, some of it is stored as fat. The primary purpose of fat is energy production. There are two main types of fats - saturated and unsaturated. Animal fats (meat, butter, lard) are usually saturated fats and contribute to heart disease and cancer. Vegetable fats (olive oil, corn oil) are generally unsaturated fats and are less harmful. Some fats have been found to be helpful in preventing some cancers and heart disease. These fats called omega-3 fatty acids are found in some fish, especially cold-water fish.

VITAMINS

Vitamins are essential for the regulation of many of the functions of the body. Most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained from your diet. Vitamins do not produce energy.

MINERALS

Minerals are compounds, obtained from your diet, that combine in several ways to form the structures of your body. For instance, calcium is a mineral that is crucial in the formation and maintenance of your bones. Minerals also help regulate body functions. Minerals do not produce energy.

It is recommended that about 55% of our daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 15 % from protein and 30 % from fat.
The major sources of carbohydrates are cereals, pulses, potatoes. But also fruit and vegetables contain carbohydrates and even milk.

As You Retire Today...

Hi DAD,

This is a mail I had been planning to write for a really long time to come..
Today, June 14th 2009 is one of those Big Day's in your life.. the one that you would remember for years to come..
I could'nt have wished more to be there by your side and witness the tremendous nostalgia that you may be feeling at this point in time..

As you look back at 33 years of your professional life in the private sector, you sure do have a lot to be proud of !!!

There have been tremendous amounts of up's and down's, a few which We as a family are all well aware of...
a lot many that you may have kept to yourself or even between You and Mom for all the right reasons..

Whatever was the case, that Trademark Laugh of yours always echoed a sense of happiness and well-being in you and is truly one of the things I personally admire the most..
You have been a gr8 DAD to US inspite of all the wrongs we did, and the small amounts of pain that we have caused you..

Your 60 years are truly the ones worth living by each one of us.. your birth to a farmer DAD, a childhood spent in a typically fulfilling rural setup, your teenage spent away from home and loved ones, then your adulthood spent in Pune - the very place which transformed you to a true HERO - with those polished manners, fluent english, great clothes & a personality that others could only envy having...

Your time spent dating mom, writing to her, playing badminton together, staying put in Akkalkot for a while.. getting married, beginning a life in a 1 room apartment on prabhat road, becoming a DAD, being responsible and accountable enough for the progress of the entire JOINT MAHAJAN family, proving to be the strongest root of the Extended Family Tree and treating everyone's illness with empathy, fulfilling all of our wishes and desires.. you went out of your way to help, protect and nurture all of us very positively...

Today as you retire and tomorrow as you turn 60 you couldn't have wished for more fulfillment and a sense of satisfaction that you feel right now I am sure.

Congratulations DAD and CHEERS to LIFE !! CHEERS to The MILESTONE 60 Years DADDY !! :)

Just as you had dreams for us and we fulfilled most of them, Your Children too have a Dream for you ..
We wish you all the Health, Wealth, Happiness and the longest carefree Years Ahead !!

Moving to your "Biggest Dream Come True Luxurious Bungalow", Being a Grandpa to AVANI, Coming Home to your Daughter on your 1st Trip Abroad, taking time out to Sight See the Beautiful Europe - yours is the kind of Retirement everyone can only Dream of !! But you are actually going to live it to the tee !! :)

We all wished a lot to be there on this important day, and nothing can make up for our presence by your side today. Neverthless, I just wrote in to remind you how PROUD we all feel for everything you have achieved so far and wish you luck for every little thing that you set out to achieve in the years to come..

May GOD shower his Choicest Blessings on You - Today and Forever !!

Lots of Luv,
- Sayla Beta :)

Have You Taken The Smear Test / PAP Test ?

Being in the UK, we still have a privileged access to NDTV 24by7. Amongst all the news that has been doing the rounds namely - Elections / IPL / Pakistans Quest to retain Democracy and news of the 26/11 probe, what caught my attention was the news about Jade Goody Dying! Mere 27 years of age survived by 2 kids, its a reality that hits you hard and has you educating yourself about Cervical Cancer. So here it goes:

What Causes Cervical Cancer ?

We don't know exactly what causes cervical cancer, but certain risk factors are believed to have an effect. Medical history and lifestyle - especially sexual habits - play a role in a woman's chances of developing cervical cancer.

The most significant Risk Factors are:
1: Human papillomavirus (HPV)
2: Sexual history
Various other risk factors have also been identified.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can infect:
1: The genital tract
2: The external genitals
3: The area around the anus
HPV has nothing to do with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. There are 46 genetic types of HPV, but not all are dangerous. Only certain types of HPV, which can be transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact, increase the risk of cell dysplasia (abnormal cell growth) and/or progression to cervical cancer.
The HPV types that produce genital warts (lesions that are raised and bumpy, or flat and almost impossible to see) are different from those that cause cervical cancer. However, women who have a history of genital warts have almost twice the risk of an abnormal PAP Smear as other women.

Sexual History:
A woman has a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical if she:
1: Has had multiple sexual partners
2: Began having sexual relations before the age of 18
3: Has a partner who has had sexual contact with a woman with cervical cancer

Other Risk Factors:
It is probable that other factors contribute to cervical cancer, such as:
Poverty: Women who are poor may not have access to medical services that detect and treat precancerous cervical conditions. When such women develop cervical cancer, the disease usually remains undiagnosed and untreated until it has spread to other parts of the body. Women who are poor are often undernourished, and poor nutrition can also increase cervical cancer risk.
Pap Test History: Not having regular Pap tests increases the chance of unrecognized cervical cancer. Between 60% and 80% of women with newly diagnosed cervical cancer have not had a Pap test in at least five years.
Tobacco Use: Women who smoke are about twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as women who do not. The more a woman smokes - and the longer she has been smoking - the greater the risk.
Eating Habits: A diet that doesn't include ample amounts of fruits and vegetables can increase a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer.
Weakened Immune System: A woman whose immune system is weakened has a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical lesions that can become cancerous. This includes women who are HIV-positive (infected with the virus that causes AIDS). It also includes women who have received organ transplants and must take drugs to suppress the immune system so that the body won't reject the new organ.

Hormonal Medications: Some experts suggest that hormones in oral contraceptives (birth control pills) can make women more susceptible to Human papillomavirus (HPV). At least one study has indicated that taking birth control pills significantly increases a woman's risk of developing HPV-related genital warts. Other research suggests that using oral contraceptives for five years or longer slightly elevates a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer, especially if she began taking the Pill before the age of 25.
Diethylstilberstrol (DES): A rare type of cervical cancer has been diagnosed in a small number of women whose mothers took diethylstilbestrol (DES), a medicine that was once used to prevent miscarriage.
Douching: Because douching may destroy natural antiviral agents normally present in the vagina, women who douche every week are more apt to develop cervical cancer than women who do not. Douching is the rinsing of the vagina by squirting water or other solutions containing vinegar, baking soda or commercial douching solutions into it.Because routine douching changes the delicate chemical balance in the vagina, it can make a woman more susceptible to bacterial infections or introduce new bacteria into the vagina and cervix. It also can spread existing vaginal infections to the fallopian tubes. Women who douche have a 73 percent higher risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Chemical Exposure: Women who work on farms or in the manufacturing industry may be exposed to chemicals that can increase their risk of cervical cancer.

Women with a weakened immune system due to the virus that causes AIDS are more likely to develop cervical cancer:
Cervical cancer is very common in women who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cervical cancer is sometimes the disease that first suggests a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV can compound the effects of Human papillomavirus (HPV), causing cervical changes to progress more rapidly into cervical cancer than they otherwise might.

What are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?
Symptoms of cervical cancer don't usually appear until the abnormal cells invade nearby tissue.
Symptoms can include:
1: Abnormal bleeding
2: Heavier, long-lasting periods
3: Unusual vaginal discharge
4: Pelvic pain
Abnormal bleeding may occur:
1: Between menstrual periods
2: After menopause
3: After intercourse
4: After a pelvic examination
These symptoms are not always a sign of cervical cancer. They can be caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or other conditions. Your doctor can determine the cause of these symptoms.

Can Cervical Cancer be Prevented?
Early-stage cervical cancer and precancerous cervical conditions are almost 100% curable. The most common forms of cervical cancer begin with changes in cervical cells. If these changes are detected early enough, treatment can be started immediately to prevent cervical cancer from developing. The best way to detect early cervical cancer and precancerous conditions of the cervix is to have a Gynecologic Examination and Pap Test.
The American Cancer Society recommends that a woman have her first annual Pap test when she becomes sexually active or reaches the age of 18.
Because cervical cancer usually progresses slowly, some physicians feel that a woman doesn't need to have a Pap test every year if she:
1: Is 65 years of age or older
2: Has had normal Pap tests for three years in a row
Many experts recommend a Pap test every three years for women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) for reasons unrelated to cervical disease.
Women who have cervical cancer risk factors and who don't have regular gynecologic examinations are increasingly likely to:
1: Develop cervical carcinoma in situ between the ages of 30 and 40
2: Develop invasive cervical cancer between the ages of 40 and 50

Hopefully now we will get serious about having a regular Smear Test or PAP Test for Cervical Cancer. Afterall no one wishes to die like Jade Goody...