My Science School

Go ahead-run, jump, skip, climb! Not only is it fun, it’s good for you, too. Your body parts need exercise to stay healthy.

There are different kinds of exercises. Some building your muscles. Some strengthen your heart and lungs. A strong heart and lungs are better at getting oxygen to the rest of your body. Exercises that build your muscles include climbing ropes and wall bars. You can also try handstand contests, walking on your hands, walking on all fours, and doing push-ups while on your knees.

Walking, running, swimming, skipping, playing saucer, dancing, and cycling are all aerobic exercises. They help make your heart and lungs strong. What is your favourite aerobic exercise? Try it for at least 20 minutes, and you can feel your heartbeat faster.

Get fit and you will be ready for anything-a sports game, a busy day, and a healthy life.

Before you exercise, warm up your body. Warm muscles stretch more easily and are less likely to get hurt. Walk, slowly skip, or gently jog on the spot. These activities increase the blood flow to your muscles. Do these again at the end of exercising. This lets your body cool down slowly.

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You wake up one morning. Your mother asks, “What would you like for breakfast -crisps, chips, ice cream, sweets, or lemonade?”

You think to yourself, “Am I dreaming?” Yes, you are.

Your parents try to limit how much junk food you eat for a reason. Too much junk food is not good for your body.

Junk foods are called “junk” because they contain a lot of substances your body does not need. Some contain a lot of sugar. Others have a lot of fat-far more than your body needs.

But many people eat a whole lot of junk food. And if all you ate was junk food, you would soon be very unhealthy. You would not get enough of the things your body needs, such as protein, vitamins, and fibre. And you would have too much of the things you need only a little of, such as sugar, salt, and fat.

It would not hurt your body if you never ate any junk foods. They are fun to eat, though. Happily, a little junk food now and then will not hurt you.

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Sometimes excessive sweating can lead to dipped water content in the body. Extreme physical activity in hot weather signals the body to produce more sweat in order to keep it cool but it also can cause dehydration if water is not replenished along with.

The ideal way to avoid dehydration is to drink fluids before getting thirsty. Thirst is usually a late sign dehydrated and should not be waited for.

To avoid dehydration in summer, people who are planning for heavy physical activity outdoors should drink minimum 1.5 litres of water 2 hours before the activity. After the activity, they should again consume enough fluids.

If diarrhoea and vomiting are observed, immediate check is needed. Fluid replacement may be needed, oral or through IV line.

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Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.

This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults.

Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don't drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.

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There are some things you learn in school that never leave you. Your skin is the largest organ (true!). Your tongue is the strongest muscle (false). Your body is 70 percent water. True? At least, it was true at one point. Depending on a number of factors, your body could be a lot drier than that.

When you were born, you contained the most water, percentage-wise, that you ever will. Human babies are about 78 percent water by weight. But within a year, your water content had already dipped below that classic 70 percent factoid your teachers taught you, weighing in at about 65 percent. You maintain that level of moisture throughout your childhood.

That's thanks to two things: muscle contains more water than fat, and women have more body fat than men. As a result, teenage boys' bodies are about 60 percent water, while teenage girls' bodies are drier at about 55 percent. By adulthood, the differences are even more pronounced: Adult men are around 60 percent water while adult women average around 50 percent. After 50, your body is sapped even more, with men at around 55 percent water and women at 47 percent.

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For the overall growth and development of children, it is important to give them a healthy, balanced diet. The food they eat not only contributes to their physical growth, but also towards the development of their brain. It helps make the mind sharp and boost memory power. In fact, the brain is an energy-hungry organ that absorbs nutrients from the food they eat. What you feed children in their initial years may help improve their brain function, memory and concentration. Unhealthy food can impair memory and learning. So, here we list some memory-boosting foods.

Berries: Colourful berries such as strawberries and blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants, which are associated with improving cognitive performance, learning capacity and memory.

Nuts and seeds: Packed with protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, nuts and seeds may boost mood and strengthen the nervous system. You can give children peanut butter or sunflower butter. Sunflower seeds are rich in folate, vitamin E and selenium. If children can't cat seeds, use the spread on whole grain crackers or bread. Make pesto combining nuts, olive oil and dark leafy greens and serve it over whole grain pasta.

Eggs: Eggs contain helpful traces of selenium, omega-3 and several other nutrients tied to neurological health. Plus they can be relished at any time of the day as a meal. Kids can have boiled eggs, and omelettes on a regular basis. The egg yolk is packed with choline, which helps memory development. Eat scrambled egg and toast, egg muffin, or just fried egg on top of a toasted English muffin and a slice of low fat cheese.

Beans: Beans are special because they are rich in protein, complex carbs (such as fibre), vitamins and minerals. These are an excellent brain food, as they keep children's energy and thinking level at peak all afternoon if they enjoy them with lunch. Kidney and pinto beans contain more omega-3 fatty acids than other beans. Sprinkle beans over salad, mash them and spread on tortillas or fill pita pockets with beans, shredded lettuce and low fat cheese.

Oatmeal: A healthy, nutritious breakfast option, oats boost brain health and mental performance in growing years. They also contain vitamin E potassium and zinc all good for the brain.

Milk: Milk and milk products are generous sources of protein and vitamin B, which are vital for the growth of brain tissues and neurotransmitters. Cheese sticks are a great snack item, low fat yoghurt are also fun topped with berries, fresh fruits and nuts.

Fish: Fish like salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel are full of essential and omega-3 fatty acids which boost brain development. The more omega-3 the brain gets, the better it will function. Fish can be had either grilled or made into tacos and sandwiches.

Whole grains: Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat and millets are rich in vitamin B, trace minerals and glucose which the brain needs for proper functioning. Since they are filling, they can give children the energy they need during long study hours.

Veggies: Green leafy veggies like spinach and kale are rich in folate and vitamins which promote growth of new brain cells. They are also high in iron content that helps improve concentration and memory. Some children may not like greens. So, rather than serving as a salad, you may whip spinach and kale into a smoothie for snack time, add spinach to omelette or make kale chips.

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Positive impact

CO2 Emission

Reports that emerged late 2020 showed that the pandemic did have an impact on the CO2 emission last year. Widespread shutdowns, drastic reduction in industrial activities and commuter traffic led to significant drop in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In November 2020, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) estimated that the annual global CO2 emission reduced 4.2-7.5 % in 2020. April 2020 saw a drop of about 17% in global monthly CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, but the annual CO2 emissions for the globe were only 7% lower than they were in 2019. However, the WMO called it a blip on the planet’s uncontrolled emission scenario. Scientists pointed out the Earth’s atmosphere has a heavy concentration of greenhouse gases, including CO2. The temporary reduction in emission due to the pandemic would not curb global warming and resultant climate change. However, we can consider this a positive impact because the pandemic has shown us that it is not impossible to reduce CO2 emission and it has offered us many lessons on Nature conservation – lessons, albeit learnt the hard way.

Pollution

Besides CO2, the concentration of other pollutants such as carbon monoxide, NO2 and PM2.5 also saw a sharp reduction in major cities of the world last year.

Water quality

Water quality too improved in 2020. For the first time in decades, the water of river Ganga was found to be fit enough for drinking as per a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Scientists attributed it to the lockdown induced by the pandemic. There was 500% reduction in sewage and industrial effluents, and human activities in the vicinity of the river were almost nil. Studies conducted in the U.S., European countries, and China had also found an improvement in water quality in the rivers and lakes of their respective countries.

Less noise

With industries and traffic falling silent for a major part of the pandemic, there has been a reduction in noise pollution. A short-term study conducted in Pune last year showed that commercial areas witnessed the maximum drop from 74.56 decibels (dB) in March 2020 to 66.55 in April 2020, and residential areas saw it drop from 49.75 dB to 47.48 dB and silent zones from 49.53 dB to 47.11 dBIn Kanpur, the average noise levels before and during the lockdown were found to be in the range of 44.85 dB to 79.57 dB and 38.55 dB to 57.79 dB respectively. Similar reduction in noise was also found in other parts of the world. However, it is to be remembered that these improvements won’t last if the world goes back to its pre-pandemic ways.

Wildlife

After several early cases of COVID-19 were linked to a wet market in China, wildlife trade became central to discussions on public health. Countries such as China and Vietnam acted quickly to introduce large-scale prohibitions of wildlife trade. China upgraded the legal protections for pangolins to the same status as the nation’s beloved panda, prohibiting nearly all domestic trade and use. This is among the biggest positive outcomes of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the lockdown brought wildlife to the cities. Animals in urban areas were exploring empty streets and waterways. Those in the nature reserves and parks caught some quiet time without the disturbances from tourists. Even sea turtles were spotted returning to areas they once avoided to lay their eggs, all due to the lack of human interference. Scientists reported that plants were growing better because there was cleaner air and water.

Negative impact

Biomedical waste

The management of biomedical waste such as personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, face masks, head cover, among other gear and medical equipment used by both healthcare providers and patients is the biggest challenge that governments around the world are facing. According to the data shared by Central Pollution Control Board, India generated over 18,000 tonnes of COVID-19-related biomedical waste between June and September last year. India’s Covid vaccination drive is also seeing thousands of syringes being disposed of every day. The Indian government has defined standards, protocols and guidelines for different categories of biomedical waste but unsafe disposal of such waste in open dustbins is not uncommon in the country.

Plastic is back

Just a couple of years ago, the world woke up to the problem of plastic and was taking measures to find an alternative to single-use plastic. Many countries and States of India had restrictions on the usage of single-use plastic. But those commitments were thrown out the window when the pandemic hit us. Moreover, plastic products play a significant role in protecting people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials such as PPE suits, face shields, masks and gloves are plastic, and they are meant to be disposed of after single use. Besides, the fear of surface contamination has made disposal cups, cutleries, and plastic bags make a swift comeback. The amount of plastic waste generated worldwide since the COVID-19 outbreaks estimated at 1.6 million tonnes / day. This could cause a surge in plastics washing up on the ocean coastlines and littering the seabed.

Deforestation and poaching

Many people have lost their jobs and livelihood due to COVID-19 and this has contributed to illegal tree felling, illegal mining and wildlife poaching. There are reports of increased deforestation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Areas that are economically dependent on tourism face reduced resources as tourism has come to a halt. This is leaving animals in the reserves with much less protection. There has been an increase in wildlife poaching – either to provide food for hungry families or for illegal sales.

 

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Medical science has only really understood the importance of vitamins in this century, even though human beings have needed and using them since human life first appeared millions of years ago.

It is now known that we need over twenty vitamins. Some help us grow and develop. Some protect us against illness and disease. We cannot make the vitamins we need in our own bodies, so we have to get them from our food. We only need tiny amounts of them each day. But just those small regular doses help keep us healthy.

One of the first vitamin discoveries came from sea voyages. Sailors could not eat fresh fruit and vegetables while they were away from land for long periods. After a few weeks they began to fall ill with a disease called scurvy. Three hundred years ago some ships started carrying orange and lemon juice on voyages. The crews drank this every day and very few men went down with scurvy. The fruit juice obviously did them good. Now it’s known that scurvy is caused by a short age of vitamin C. That is why fruit, especially oranges and lemons, and green vegetables are so good for us.

 

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Thirdhand smoke is residual nicotine and other chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. People are exposed to these chemicals by touching contaminated surfaces or breathing in the off-gassing from these surfaces. This residue is thought to react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix including cancer causing compounds, posing a potential health hazard to nonsmokers — especially children.

Thirdhand smoke clings to clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces long after smoking has stopped. The residue from thirdhand smoke builds up on surfaces over time. To remove the residue, hard surfaces, fabrics and upholstery need to be regularly cleaned or laundered. Thirdhand smoke can't be eliminated by airing out rooms, opening windows, using fans or air conditioners, or confining smoking to only certain areas of a home.

Thirdhand smoke is a relatively new concept, and researchers are still studying its possible dangers. In the meantime, the only way to protect nonsmokers from thirdhand smoke is to create a smoke-free environment.

 

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VOCs include a variety of chemicals that can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and skin problems. Higher concentrations may cause irritation of the lungs, as well as damage to the liver, kidney, or central nervous system. Long-term exposure may also cause damage to the liver, kidneys or central nervous system.

Some VOCs are suspected of causing cancer and some have been shown to cause cancer in humans. The health effects caused by VOCs depend on the concentration and length of exposure to the chemicals.

Most people are not affected by short-term exposure to the low levels of VOCs found in homes. Some people may be more sensitive, such as people with asthma. For long-term exposure to low levels of VOCs, research is ongoing to better understand any health effects from these exposures.

 

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Volatile organic compounds are compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. VOCs typically are industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene; fuel oxygenates, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE); or by-products produced by chlorination in water treatment, such as chloroform. VOCs are often components of petroleum fuels, hydraulic fluids, paint thinners, and dry cleaning agents. VOCs are common ground-water contaminants.

Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Paints, varnishes, and wax all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas. Additional TEAM studies indicate that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed.

 

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Each year, close to 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution from inefficient cooking practices using polluting stoves paired with solid fuels and kerosene.

Around 3 billion people still cook using solid fuels (such as wood, crop wastes, charcoal, coal and dung) and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. Most of these people are poor, and live in low- and middle-income countries.

These cooking practices are inefficient, and use fuels and technologies that produce high levels of household air pollution with a range of health-damaging pollutants, including small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs. In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can be 100 times higher than acceptable levels for fine particles. Exposure is particularly high among women and young children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth.

3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels and kerosene for cooking. Among these 3.8 million deaths:

• 27% are due to pneumonia


• 18% from stroke


• 27% from ischaemic heart disease


• 20% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)


• 8% from lung cancer.

 

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This combination product is used to treat minor wounds (e.g., cuts, scrapes, burns) and to help prevent or treat mild skin infections. Minor skin infections and wounds usually heal without treatment, but some minor skin wounds may heal faster when an antibiotic is applied to the affected area. This product contains antibiotics that work by slowing or stopping the growth of bacteria.

Topical antibiotics are often applied to wounds after surgery because it is thought that they prevent surgical site infection. There are thought to be benefits in using antibiotics topically rather than orally or intravenously. As topical antibiotics act only on the area of the body where they are applied, there is less likelihood of unwanted effects that affect the whole body, such as nausea and diarrhoea. Topical antibiotics are also thought to reduce the chances of bacterial resistance (bacteria changing to become resistant to medication). However topical antibiotics can also have unwanted effects, the most common being an allergic reaction on the skin (contact dermatitis), which can cause redness, itching and pain at the site where the topical antibiotic was applied.

 

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An abrasion is a superficial rub or wearing off of the skin, usually caused by a scrape or a brush burn. Abrasions are usually minor injuries that can be treated at home. The skin may bleed or drain small amounts at the time of the injury or at times over the next few days if rubbed or scratched. 

Abrasions are very common injuries. They can range from mild to severe. Abrasions are most likely to occur on the:

• elbows


• knees


• shins


• ankles


• upper extremities

Abrasions can be painful, since they sometimes expose many of the skin’s nerve endings. However, they don’t typically cause much bleeding. Most abrasions can be treated at home.

Abrasions aren’t usually as serious as laceration or incision wounds. These are cuts that typically affect deeper skin layers. They may cause intense bleeding and require medical care.

 

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Scars form when the dermis (deep, thick layer of skin) is damaged. The body forms new collagen fibers (a naturally occurring protein in the body) to mend the damage, resulting in a scar. The new scar tissue will have a different texture and quality than the surrounding tissue. Scars form after a wound is completely healed.

There are different kinds of scars. Most scars are flat and pale. However, in cases when the body produces too much collagen, scars can be raised. Raised scars are called hypertrophic scars or keloid scars. Both of these kinds of scars are more common in younger and dark-skinned people.

Some scars can have a sunken or pitted appearance. This kind of scarring occurs when underlying structures supporting the skin (for example, fat or muscle) are lost. Some surgical scars have this appearance, as do some scars from acne.

Scars also can appear as stretched skin. Such scars result when the skin stretches rapidly (for example, as in growth spurts or during pregnancy). In addition, this type of scar can occur when the skin is under tension (near a joint, for example) during the healing process.

 

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