Rules of breast-feeding

After birth, the baby should be cleansed and taken to the mother's lap and allowed to suck her breasts as soon as possible. This will hasten the supply of milk into mother's breasts, increase its emission through them and as such, the flow of milk will become continuous. From then on, the following rules are needed to be followed during breast feeding.

● The mother should drink a glass of water before breast feeding her child and be mentally ready.

● Both of the breasts are needed to be cleansed each time before breast feeding.

● The psychology of the mother is an important factor during breast feeding. Hence, she should start breast feeding the child with a favourable intentional set up as well as with a quiet mentality.

● She should breast feed her child in a calm and peaceful environment as well as in a position full of love and affection for the child.

● When the child completes its taking milk up to its satisfaction, it will stop sucking the breasts by itself. At this stage, the child should not be disturbed but should be allowed to lie quietly on the bed.

● Both the breasts should be used alternatively during each breast feeding.

● The mother should never breast feed the child in a lying position. The mothers breast may block the child's nostrils and the milk enter inside them as well.

● It is not wise to breast feed the child each time it cries. The child may cry for a number of reasons. Hence, the reason why the child cries needs to be ascertained first before breast-feeding.

Often milk from other sources (bottle feeding) is needed to be given to a child instead of mother's milk. Circumstances which might lead to such alternative feedings can be as follows : (i) when the mother is seriously ill, (ii) when the secretion of milk from the mother's breasts becomes insufficient, (iii) when working mothers need to go out of the house frequently. Such milk from various sources may be of different kinds; for example tinned powder milk, cow's milk or buffalo's milk. Such kinds of milk can be fed to the child through bottle feeders or spoons and cups. During the early stages, many mothers prefer bottle feeding. But according to modern science, it is better to habituate the child in spoon and cup feeding rather than in bottle feeding for a long period. In whichever way the child is fed, one has to keep various items for preparing milk in a neat and clean way.

Remarkable properties/ merits of breast milk

Feeding is one of the most important preconditions of child care. To get a beautiful and healthy baby, proper food is essential. A child takes only liquid food up to the age of two or three months. Afterwards, it gradually begins to take semi-solid and solid foods. After birth, mother's milk is the best food for the child. This is particularly so due to the fact that mother's milk is liquid, easily digestible,nutritious and suitable for the growth of the child. The necessary elements for the physical development of a child like protein, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and water are present proportionally in mother's milk. So, in various research and studies it has been found that breast feeding directly and indirectly benefit both the child and the mother. For its existence, a baby gets its nourishment from mother's milk. There is no substitute for mother's milk because the other kinds of milk that we get from cows or goats or tinned powdered milk cannot ensure resistance and fitness concurrently to the child. It is only mother's milk that can be termed as a full and complete food.

Properties/merits of breast milk

● Mother's milk is produced naturally for the baby. It contains the requisite amount of various growth elements that are necessary for the development of the child. Iron is present in breast milk as a mineral and it can be easily absorbed to from blood. As a result, it protects the child form the adverse effects arising out of iron deficiency. Vitamin C present in mother's milk in a proportionate way is necessary for the child. A child reared through mother's milk does not need extra vitamins and irons.

● Mother's milk is easily digestible and so there is no scope of constipation. This is because the fatty materials are present in mother's milk in liquid form and the lactoalbumin (protein of mother's milk) is also present in it in a maximum quantity and is easily digested whereas clasein (protein of cow's milk) is not.

● The child's habit of sucking milk helps to develop the lower part of its face properly.

● Mother's milk is pure as it is produced inside the mother's body. For this reason, there is no possibility of germs and bacteria entering into it. This cannot be said with confidence in case of other sources of milk.

● There is no possibility of mother's milk getting decomposed. It remains fresh as ever.

● Mother's milk helps to develop the power of resistance to various diseases and protects the child from them. The milk that is first produced in mother's breast just after child birth is known as colostrum. Colostrum appears to be sticky and is yellow in colour. This contains more protein in it than it does at later stages. Colostrum produces disease resistant power within the child's body.The protein of milk that we get from cows generally cause allergies which may lead to eczema and other types of skin diseases as well as asthma. However, the children receiving mother's milk up to the age of five to six months are less likely to get such diseases.

● Mother's milk does not cost anything. Keeping her mental and physical health intact through regular and requisite food, a mother can provide sufficient milk to her child. This does not need any extra expenditure.

● Mother's milk saves both time and energy and does not require any of these in excess. But this is not the case of other sources of milk.

● Quite a significant number of mothers believe that they will be confined to their homes if they do breast feeding. Although such an idea is partially true, examples against it can be cited. One of such an example is that during the time of traveling, this habit of breast feeding makes the journey easy and comfortable to a great extent and is safe for both the mother and the child. Besides, the mother can easily breast feed the child at night, too.

● Breast feeding helps both the mother and the child in attaining emotional fulfillment. It also helps in the development of interrelationship between the mother and the child in a better way. A heavenly comfort prevails between the giver and the receiver of breast milk. The child finds happiness, comfort and assurance within the mother's lap.

● Breast feeding helps to develop a sense of security in the child. It has been found that children reared through breast feeding have less tendency of thumb-sucking. This type of thumb-sucking is a symbol of insecurity among the children.

● There is a common belief that a mother will not conceive again so long as she continues breast-feeding to her child. In other words, it can be said that breast feeding acts as a contraceptive too.

● Some mothers believe that breast feeding may harm their physical beauty. But such an idea is wrong. Moreover, it has been found that the possibility of deadly cancer becomes less if breast feeding is done.

● The uterus and the abdomen of the mother return to their normal shape because of breast feeding.

Fat and oil; is good or bad for health?

Fat and oil are very important ingredients of food. It is the most important element which creates energy. Like protein and carbohydrates, fat is also needed. The fat stored in our body as energy. It helps to formulate human cells.

Structure

Fat is formed with the chemical admixture of glycerol and fatty acid. That is glycerol + fatty acid fats. Among the substance of fat, oil, fat, ghee, butter are important. The characteristics of fat depend on the characteristics of fatty acid. The fatty acid which has saturated carbon is called fats. For example, fish, fat of meats, Ghee, Egg Groundnut, Butter, Milk, Oil, Fish Oil dalda etc.

The fats which has unsaturated fatty acid is called oil. For example soyabean oil.

Classification of fats

Due to the structural characteristics of fat, some fats are found in liquid form and the others are found in hard form. As per the origin, the fats are of three types, such as; (1) animal fats, (2) animal oils & (3) plant oils.

Animal fats

It includes foods like ghee, butter, fat, the yolk of an egg, meat with fat, cheese etc.

Animal oil

It is found in animal’s oil and in the livers of fish.

Plant oils

It is found in oil seeds like mustard, soyabean, sesame seeds, linseed, maize, coconut, olive, sunflower oil. It is also found in different types of nuts.

Sources of fats and oil

Ghee, butter, fat, oil of fish, fatty meat, yolk of eggs, milk, margarine, vegetables, oil of oil-seeds, mustard, sesame oil, linseed, maize, soybean, nut, coconut are the best examples of fatty food and oil.

Functions of Fat and oils

(1) Fat and oil create more energy than carbohydrates

(2) They prevent the loss of energy

(3) They help to keep the skin shiny and protect the skin form skin diseases

(4) Some vitamins help in absorption.

Requirements of fats and oils

In every day meal, there should be 15 grams of animal fats and 5-10 gram oil. About

20-30 % of the total calories of a human being should come from fat and oil. To meet the requirements of the calories of a human being, it is recommended to take 30-60 gram fat every day.

Deficiency of fats and oils

(1) If there is a continuous deficiency of fat and oil in food, the deficiency of some vitamins occurs in the body. These are fat soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, K.

(2) Deficiency of fat and oil for a long time makes the wastage of the reserved protein and creates weight loss.

(3) The body becomes dry and loses its beauty.

(4) Lack of essential fatty acid creates eczema in the children and the aged people lose the resistance power of the body.

Effects of excess fat

Excessive intake of fat is harmful for the human body. Overweight is the result of excessive fat intake which destroys the natural beauty of the body. Excess fat leads to high blood pressure and heart diseases.

Establishing the Relationship of the Adolescents with Different Members of the Society

Human beings are social in nature. They cannot live alone. Family is a small unit of society. A person as he/she moves along the way of his life growing in age, has to depend on various persons of the family in particular and of the society in general. For such dependence, one has to exchange one's ideas and maintain contacts with others.

It is this action which in a single word can be termed as social relationship. The relationship is of paramount importance in the life of human being. At the very beginning of life, it is found that survival of a child is impossible unless it gets assistance from the other members of the family. It has to depend on others in order to fulfil its various needs. The child first establishes its relationship with its mother, then gradually with father, brothers and sisters and other members of the family. During the later stages it has to establish social relationship gradually in the larger society outside the family. It is observed that not a single human being can live without such social relationship. Even the fundamental needs of the child cannot be fulfilled without the help of others. Thereafter consultation and helping one another are necessary in order to express one's own sorrows and pleasures. A human being is needed to cooperate with others in order to minimize his/her sorrows and sufferings.

Without the cooperation of others, it too becomes impossible for a person to become self-dependent. So, in fine, it can be said that everyone has to cooperate with others in every stage of life facing all the disadvantages of life in order to make life meaningful. Otherwise life will become meaningless. Such an essential social relationship flows towards various directions. Sometimes due to this relationship, a person is found to depend completely on others. An infant, a child depends solely upon the elders of the family. Sometimes, this relationship exists in the form of exchanges or transactions, such as, when the children grow up, they cooperate with each other.

Sometimes, the relationship is based on respect and love. It can be said that relationship with teachers, too, involves transaction or give and take and exchange of ideas and expression of respect. Likewise, there is the relationship with friends of contemporary age and with neighbours.

However, in order to make one's life meaningful, one has to live in close contact with various persons of the society. In this way the social relationship builds. But a person has to acquire certain virtue or to follow some general principles in order to establish such social relationship and maintain healthy contacts. These are as following.

The principles of good relationship

1. The principles of transactions: A person has to follow the principle of transaction in order to establish relationship. It is in this way that transactions, exchange of ideas and maintaining mutual contact is possible.

2. Cooperation: One has to have a sense of cooperation within oneself. If one has a feeling of helping only oneself, it makes one self- centered rather than social if such a feeling crosses certain limits. Most of the time, it creates jealousy and unhealthy competition among the competitors, thus removes the very possibility of good relationship.

3. Sympathy: Sympathy is yet another principal virtue one should posses in establishing social relationship. It is difficult to become social if sympathy cannot be shown to others during their sorrows and troubles while going along in the society.

4. Unselfishness: Another important aspect in establishing social relationship is getting rid of selfishness. It becomes difficult for a person to establish relations with others if he/she keeps himself/ her busy in his/her own interests. Relation becomes normal through reaching an understanding when any complex situation arises.

5. Human Virtues: Besides, it becomes easy to establish good relations with various personalities of the family if the human virtues such as respect, affection, submissiveness, etiquette, etc. are exercised in time. It is necessary to mention here that every social relation in respect of place, time and person is equally important if one has to live in any society. The detailed discussion is made in this chapter on aspects related to establish relations of teenagers with teachers, friends of contemporary age and neighbors.

Carbohydrates; main sources of energy in the human body

Carbohydrates are the main sources of energy in the human body. Most of the natural foods contain carbohydrates. In the plants, carbohydrates are formed using carbon, hydrogen and oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Carbohydrates are colorless, order less, crystalline and sweet. When hydrogen and oxygen mixing with carbon with a proportion of 2:1 produce a compound, the compound is called carbohydrate. It is sweet in test.

Classification

The other name of carbohydrate is saccharide. Carbohydrate is divided into three groups and these are: (1) Mono- saccharide; (2) Di- saccharide & (3) Polysaccharide.

Mono- saccharide

The carbohydrate which is constituted with only one simple molecule of carbohydrate is called mono- saccharide. For example: Fructose, Glucose and Galactose.

Di- saccharide

The carbohydrate which is formed with the two same carbohydrate molecule is called Di- saccharide. For example-Sucrose, Lactose and Maltose.

Poly - Saccharide

The carbohydrates which are formed with various mono- saccharide is called Polysaccharide. For example-Cellulose, Starch and Glycogen.

The demand of carbohydrates in food

The demand of carbohydrates in food depends on the demand of calories of a human being. The foods which contain carbohydrates are known as the energy foods. To meet the basic demands of the body, human beings need calories. Besides, they also need calories for performing any type of hard work or for working or moving. So, the demand of carbohydrate depends on the labour which a person does. Those who perform much physical labour need more calories. According to the nutritionist, 58- 60% demand of calories of human beings should be met by carbohydrates. The demand of carbohydrates can be met from fat and protein. An adult person should need 300-650 grams (differs as per labour) of cereals everyday. It will provide 1200- 2600 calories because 1 gm carbohydrate produces almost 4 calories of energy.

Sources of Carbohydrates

The carbohydrates are to be found in sugar, molasses, fruits, carrots, pulses, rice, wheat, honey, sugar-cane, beet etc. Besides, it can be found in fish, meat and milk. The carbohydrates which are produced are mostly found in the trunks, roots, leaves and seeds. In the world, in every year, 3 crore tons of carbohydrates are produced. The 1/3 of it is collected from sugar cane.

Functions of Carbohydrates

(1) Carbohydrates work as the fuel for the body. They burn in the cells easily and provide us energy.

(2) They spare protein form creating energy.

(3) They help to burn fat.

(4) As glycogen they are stored in various organs and after breaking provide fuel for energy.

(5) The carbohydrates called cellulose prevent constipation.

The result of the deficiency of carbohydrates

(1) Due to the deficiency of carbohydrates in the body, energy begins to grow by breaking the reserved protein and fats of the body. As a result, the body loses the normal weight.

(2) Less intake carbohydrates produces ketone and due to this serious disease ketosis occurs.

(3) The quantity of acid in blood increases. As a result human being can lose their senses.

(4) It creates serious hazards in the metabolism of the brain.

Results of the excess intake of carbohydrates

The excess intake of carbohydrates is deposited in the body as fats. The excess glucose is transformed into glycogen and is deposited in the liver and in the body. As a result it increases the weight of the body. Excess intake of glucose causes dental caries and diabetes.