There are many reasons why a person can  faint. We have listed the most common ones.

Fainting or the medical term syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness for a short period of time, after which the person recovers fully. When a person faints, they usually fall down and this may cause an injury. It is also a safety hazard if the person is driving at the time the fainting episode happened. Lack of oxygen or sugar (both provided by the blood vessels) to a part of the brain called the reticular activating system (RAS) located in the brainstem at the back of the skull is the main cause of syncope or fainting.

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Here’s why you should be including cheese in your diet:

Great for your teeth: Cheese is extremely rich in calcium, and that’s one important ingredient in making your teeth strong and healthy. Additionally, studies suggest that cheese can reduce plaque and stimulate saliva, thus keeping your mouth clean. Eating certain kinds of cheese such as cheddar, gouda and blue, immediately after a meal is proven to prevent tooth decay. So eat cheese for healthy teeth.  This doesn’t mean you can skip brushing and flossing your teeth!

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Pregnancy is one of the most important phases of a woman’s life and not to mention the most stressful. But did you know that maintaining  good oral hygiene is as important as taking good care of your overall health?

Read on to learn more about the top dental care tips every mom-to-be should know, in order to maintain good oral health before, during and after pregnancy!

There are several hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy which may increase the risk of gum disease (pregnancy gingivitis) which in turn might affect the health of your baby.

Studies suggest that pregnant women with pregnancy gingivitis are more likely to deliver premature and low-weight babies when compared to others.

• Visit the dentist: “Prevention is better than cure,” like in most of the cases. It is advisable to have your teeth checked and cleaned by a dentist if you are planning to get pregnant. Many dentists would also recommend you to get your dental work done (if required), before you get pregnant.
• Good oral hygiene: As most of the symptoms during pregnancy are accountable to hormonal changes, gingivitis is much more aggravated at this stage and thus maintenance of good oral hygiene is an added responsibility.
• Avoid dental treatment: The best time to plan or undergo any dental treatment (if necessary) during pregnancy, is the second trimester. Generally, any form of dental treatment should be avoided during the first trimester and last half of third trimester, if your dentist does not specify an immediate need for it. As most dental treatments are planned (or elective procedures), you can also push it for a post-delivery month.
• Avoid x-rays: Avoid dental X-rays while you are pregnant. Though dental x-rays are doable with appropriate protective measures, (reduction in exposure time) with advances in technology, it is still better to avoid exposure to radiation as much as possible. But if you happen to get a dental x-ray taken during pregnancy, the dentist would typically ensure that you have a proper lead apron cover.
• Don’t skin dental appointments: Maintenance of good oral hygiene should be like a religious ritual when you are pregnant. With the hormonal changes during pregnancy, you are more prone to conditions like pregnancy gingivitis, which increases your chances of having periodontal disease. So, ensure that you do not skip your dental cleaning appointments in this phase (pregnancy). Also, pay particular attention to your gums and look out for swelling, bleeding or tenderness of gums. If present, consult a dentist or periodontist immediately.
• Night brushing: Night brushing is one of the best gifts you can give to your teeth and it should be a mandatory ritual (as important as consuming your healthy food and supplements) in your daily routine while pregnant. Also, flossing should be done twice or thrice a week, to enhance good oral hygiene.
• Rinsing mouth: At times, you might be nauseous, especially during the first trimester. Ensure that you rinse your mouth thoroughly with water or mouth rinse every time you throw up (vomiting), so that all the acidic substance is washed out properly, even from the surfaces of the teeth.

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Niti Desai has a rich and varied experience in the field of nutrition, having built anenviable client list of individuals and organizations.

Niti has a masters degree in nutrition and dietetics and postgraduate diploma indietetics from the Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She is an executive council member of Indian Dietetic Association – Mumbai chapter.

She was the official nutritionist for the Femina Miss India 2008 and Grazia FordSupermodel India 2008.She also advised olympic champions – Mary Kom, Gagan Narang and others in preparation of London olympics while on board with olympic gold quest.

Niti answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exclusive chat. Read the transcript below.

I am working in an Healthcare IT which demands irregular shifts. Please suggest how to loose weight. Currently following the product ‘Metaslim for a while. Have gained 10 kgs, optimum is 52 kg, Please help

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Dr Raju Sahetya is the director of Pushpaa hospital, a practicing Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. He is a specialist in infertility, endoscopy and prenatal diagnosis.He is also the Vice President of Indian Society for Prenatal Diagnosis & Fetal Therapy.

He did his PG from Seth G. S. Medical College and was trained at The King Edward Hospital and The Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital, Mumbai.

Dr Raju Sahetya answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exclusive chat. Read the transcript below.

Sir, Does IVF Produces baby girls only? often noticed baby girls from IVF pregnancies.

It not true!!

Hello doctor, I m 35 married female. my periods are regular but last 2 -3 they last upto 7 days. I feel low bp after periods. Bleeding is ok. Feels bodyache alot fater periods. I want to conceive for my second child. pls advice me……….

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Dr Komal Chavan is a consulting gynaecologist, obstetrician and infertility specialist. She has specialised in high risk and emergency obstetrics, adolescent health care and family planning.

She is currently the medical director at Chavan Maternity and Nursing Home in Mumbai.

Dr Komal answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exlusive chat. Read the transcript below

it has been over 1 and half yr ,i have been married.my wife have gone through 4 miscarriages during this period.she has abnormal harmonal balance and also doctor says her uterus is thin so she needs an operation.
According to me 4 miscarriages in a one and a half year means pregnancies are occuring too frequently. You need give a gap between pregnancies for her physical condition to revert back to normal. I would suggest plan a pregnancy with a gap of 6-8 months. And also do a ultra sound after 6-8 months.

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Exposure to high pollen levels in late pregnancy significantly increases the risk of early asthma in the child, Swedish researchers have warned.

A number of studies have previously shown that there is an association with being born during a pollen season and an increased risk of allergies.

Although the pollen season is a regular annual event, there are large variations between years in pollen levels.

Few studies have closely examined the significance of actual pollen content in different time periods before and after birth, but now, researchers at the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Umeå University have conducted such a study involving 110,000 pregnancies in the Stockholm area.

The researchers note that high levels of pollen exposure during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy resulted in a significantly increased risk of hospitalization for asthma symptoms in the first year of life for a child. The analysis was adjusted for factors such as maternal smoking and pollen season.

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Fifteen embryos are made for every woman conceiving through in vitro fertilisation, and almost half of them are discarded during or after the process, new figures have revealed.

According to the shocking revelation, over 1.7 million embryos prepared with the aim of helping women become pregnant have been thrown away since records began 21 years ago.

The figures on the use of human embryos were gathered by the fertility industry regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which has recorded IVF processes since 1991, the Daily Mail reported.

Embryos are created from female eggs and male sperm during the IVF process. Some are then introduced into the womb of the prospective mother. Others, however, are put into storage, discarded as unwanted, or, in some cases, used in scientific experiments.

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Younger women who wait at least 15 years after their first menstrual period to give birth to their first child may reduce their risk of an aggressive form of breast cancer by up to 60 percent, researchers say.

“We found that the interval between menarche and age at first live birth is inversely associated with the risk of triple-negative breast cancer,” Christopher I. Li from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center said.

While relatively uncommon, triple-negative breast cancer is a particularly aggressive subtype of the disease that does not depend on hormones such as estrogen to grow and spread.

This type of cancer, which accounts for only 10 percent to 20 percent of all breast cancers, does not express the genes for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) or HER2/neu and therefore does not respond to hormone-blocking drugs such as Tamoxifen.

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For most of you who have spent sleepless nights worrying whether your child is breathing properly while tucked up in their cots, a new device has been developed that may help parents rest easier while their baby sleeps, and keep the little one’s feet warm at the same time.

A team from Brigham University, Utah, have created a sock-like baby monitor which straps around an infant’s foot and uses pulse oximetry to monitor the heart rate and blood-oxygen levels, the Daily Mail reported.

If the child stops breathing or has a significant change in heart rate the monitor will notify parents by alerting them on their smart phone.

Jacob Colvin and his five colleagues hope the device, which is completely wireless and uses safe, non-invasive technology, will reduce the annual cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which sees at least 300 baby deaths unexpectedly in the UK every year.

“Our hope is that we can give parents time to react and see that something’s wrong before it’s too late,” Colvin said.

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