Do you ever been into a situation where you can feel the numbness and tingling sensation on your finger tip? If you happen to have this kind of feeling around your fingers or on your arms, you should know that you are currently experiencing of what we called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. If you're eager to get rid of these annoying pain, read more below and find out more about the carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms treatment
The Causes Of Carpal Tunnel
The compression on the median nerve within your wrist is the what causes this syndrome to happen. There are 8 carpal bones which is Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetral, Pisiform, Hamate, Trapezoid, Trapezium and Capitate has been compressed altogether which caused the very small and narrow nerves tunnel opening between your arm and your hand. This is the reason why you are feeling the numbness, tingling and no doubt the pain at the same time. If you let this prolong and don't take any action upon the pain, the numbness can spread up to your shoulder and even to your neck. This is very dangerous and there is nothing you can do except for surgery treatment.
The Carpal Tunnel Home Treatment
The Massage Treatment
Massaging your hands is essential for your carpal tunnel treatment. It helps to enhance the blood circulation within your hands. This treatment can be done by yourself or simply seek for professional massage therapy. Massage treatment helps to normalize the muscles and get rids of areas that are "too tight" which the one that possibly caused pain. For best result, don't forget to apply some essential aromatherapy oil while performing the massage treatment.
Get A Winter Gloves And Wear Them On
Yes, you heard me right. Put on your winter clothing gloves. It basically helps your hands to get warm and increase the blood flow circulation within your hand. It also prevent your constricted blood vessel to overworked. Make sure to wear it for about an hour or less.
Apply The Homeopathy Treatment
Homeopathy treatment basically helps you to reduce the inflammation. For best result, you can use Bryonia, Hypericum, Rhus toxicodendron, and Ruta graveolens for the homeopathic treatment. These ingredients works well to microdoses of certain homeopathic carpal tunnel medicines.
In order to make the above methods to work for you, it will need a consistency and regular effort to perform all these methods. It may take up to few months for you to see the great result. If you want to see a drastic fast result, you will need to follow a professional guide which has laid down all the necessary steps that you can follow.
There are actually a new proven natural method which can help you to permanently eliminate your carpal tunnel syndrome completely without prescribing to any drugs, muscle relaxant, cortisone shots or even any dangerous surgeries. This home treatment for carpal tunnel can be perform anytime at your own leisure time.
Thousands of carpal tunnel sufferers has cured their hands problem completely and able to live their life normally by using this approach. Simply visit Carpal-Tunnel-Master.com [http://www.carpal-tunnel-master.com] today and discover a massage therapist explaining how to relief the pain just a minutes per day.
So, just what is carpal tunnel syndrome? Well, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the name that is given for several symptoms that are localized in the wrist and hand. They include loss of strength in your wrist(s) and hand(s), pain, tingling, and sometimes even swelling.
The carpal tunnel is a small passage through the bones of your wrist. There are tendons, blood vessels and the median nerve that pass through this space. When all is well there is room to spare for all its contents. However, when the tendons and other tissues swell for any reason, the space is the tunnel is reduced and the nerve and other tissues are compressed.
The median nerve is responsible for the the feelings and sensations on the palm side of your hand. Specifically the palmar aspect of the thumb and first 3 fingers. The swelling and irritation of the tendons and tissues puts pressure on this nerve. This pressure on the median nerve is what causes the symptoms of CTS.
This condition has become fairly common in the United States work force. It and other repetitive strain injuries have become very costly, both in terms of lost work time and adequate medical treatment.
Many times those who suffer from CTS receive physical therapy that involves stretching and exercise. However, physical therapy does not always produce positive results. This may be due to the fact that people continue to do the same job that contributed to the carpal tunnel in the first place.
If the carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms persist, surgery has been somewhat successful. Typically a small incision is made on the palm of the hand through the ligament that forms the roof of the area. This releases the compression on the nerve but as with any surgery, there is always the potential for complication.
So, what are carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms? Usually the problems begin fairly slowly in the hand and wrist. Most people report a burning sensation or numbness and tingling. Typically the most affected spots are the thumb, index and middle fingers. At first, symptoms may happen more often at night.
Most of the people who suffer from CTS sufferers don't make a connection between what they are doing during the day that might be causing the problem. Because the problem area is at the wrist joint, people who sleep with their wrists bent may see a rapid increase in their symptoms during the night time. They usually radiate up the arm during the day time and progressively become extremely aggravating.
The main symptom that people complain of is that of weakness in the hands that gets worse over time. This weakness progresses to the point where the victims find it difficult to grasp an object, make a fist, or hold onto something small.
People who think that they may have carpal tunnel should research and understand their condition and what they themselves can do about it. Frequently, if the symptoms are not too severe, CTS can be reversed by performing exercises and learning which activities they should avoid. There are many good resources that are available that will teach people with carpal tunnel exactly how they can reduce their symptoms and sometimes cure their condition altogether.
Also, for those who have a better understanding of what carpal tunnel is are better prepared to participate with their doctor in developing a treatment program to relieve their carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.
More and more people all over the world have at least one thing in common: they spend many hours at the keyboard of a computer terminal. They have another thing in common: tight shoulders, back pain, tendinitis, and in many cases, carpal tunnel syndrome -- "repetitive use injuries".
So let me say a few words about work hygiene -- things beyond "keyboard hygiene" that you may not have heard before -- because if you're going to avoid stress or repetitive use injuries, you're going to do something different to take care of yourself. More on that, later.
Repetitive use injuries do not come from mechanical problems of the body; they, themselves, are mechanical problems caused by habitual action patterns, ways of working. Habitual ways of working set up habitual tension patterns in your muscles and habitual states of stress. Repetitive use injuries are one physical manifestation of stress.
Your brain is an organ of learning and the master control center for your muscles and movements. If your muscles are too tight, the problem lies not in your muscles, but in your brain, which controls them. You have conditioned yourself to maintain a state of muscular tension. The mechanical problems of the body come from how you have applied yourself to your work.
HOW PEOPLE PROGRAM THEMSELVES INTO HEALTH PROBLEMS
You may notice that people who work at a keyboard spend long periods sitting in one position. As they do, three things happen: they enter a heightened state of concentration, they hold relatively still during those periods of concentration (except for their hands), and their breathing and circulation decrease.
Let's look at what happens with each of those aspects of self-programming.
Heightened Concentration
Usually, keyboard workers enter not merely a heightened state of concentration; they enter a state of high-speed concentration -- the race to beat the deadline or to meet the quota. To work at high speed involves a heightened state of tension.
This heightened tension affects workers in two ways: their whole body gets tense, particularly in the low back, neck and shoulders; and the muscles of their forearms, which control the movements of the hands, get especially tense, possibly leading to tendinitis in the wrists or carpal tunnel syndrome. Neck tension pulls the neck vertebrae closer together and can cause pinched nerves.
Long periods of tension, like long periods of exercise, create a kind of conditioning. As someone programs themselves (i.e., learns) to meet the demands of a job -- they get used to the tensions it entails. These tensions tax the body and form the bodily basis for job stress, burnout, and medical consequences.
This kind of self-conditioning also creates carpal tunnel syndrome. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which involves burning sensations and numbness down the arms, has the same origins.
Lack of Movement
Movement interrupts tension habits. Conversely, lack of movement while under tension leads to conditioning into a state of tension. Postures become set; people "set up" like jello --but without the jiggle! They get stiff on the job.
The position most people adopt when working at the keyboard involves suspending their arms with bent elbows, hands over the keyboard. This position places strain on the muscles of the back and shoulders below the shoulder blades, which prevent the shoulders from rolling forward. Those muscles get tired and sore and produce mid-back pain.
The combination of intense concentration and lack of movement is a sure formula for stiffness and stagnation. It is an often unrecognized fact that muscles pump blood as they relax and contract. Muscles that stay in heightened tension produce metabolic waste products that accumulate. The effect is stagnation and fatigue.
Circulation Decreases
In addition, muscular tension blocks blood circulation (since blood must circulate through the muscles). This tension-induced blockage makes the job of the heart even harder, deprived as it already is of the pumping action of muscles in movement.
Decreased breathing leads to decreased mental clarity and decreased productivity -- not to mention decreased vitality.
Lack of good keyboard hygiene contributes to tight shoulders, to low back pain, and to Worker's Compensation costs.
WHAT TO DO
Something Anyone Can Do and Something for People Who Need More
Take stretch breaks. A stretch break interrupts the formation of a tension habit and flushes out stagnant body fluids. There are certain movements that you can perform to prevent tension from accumulating in your back, shoulders, and forearms.
Better than a stretch break, however, is an exercise break. Five minutes of calisthenics -- windmills, side-bends, and running in place -- can make your morning break feel like a vacation (or at least highly refreshing).
Another way in which you can reverse the effects of prolonged keyboarding is with somatic exercises. These exercises reverse the conditioning that result in habitually tight muscles; they refresh your ability to relax.
So break your concentration. Interrupt your "productivity program". Take care of yourself. You'll be more productive.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T PRACTICE GOOD KEYBOARD HYGIENE?
(CHRONIC PAIN, CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME, AND HEIGHTENED JOB STRESS)
Accumulated tension takes its toll. Once accumulated past a certain point, tension cannot sufficiently be eliminated by mere stretching and calisthenics. The person has lost too much bodily awareness to release the stored tensions; you can voluntarily release only the tension you can feel. So the "tension program" continues to run on automatic.
People at that point turn increasingly to massage therapists. Massage therapy produces healthful benefits, and it can be habit forming! On-site massage has become increasingly popular in recent years.
However, massage therapy has a big limitation: its benefits are temporary. Due to the need for repetition, massage therapy can become an ongoing expense of which people may tire -- at the expense of repetitive use injury. Often, by the time chronic tension has produced a Worker's Compensation claim, the person is generally beyond the help of a massage therapist. Their brain is too conditioned to let the muscles relax for long. Something else is needed.
That "something else" is control of your own muscular tension. One name for the training process that gives you back control of yourself is, "somatic education."
Somatic education gives you back control of the brain conditioning that keeps you tight. Once done, you don't need to pay special attention to your muscles or state of tension; you're freed -- and you have sufficient bodily awareness to notice when you need a break -- basically, because you notice that you're not comfortable, any more. You take a break and take care of yourself.
Somatic Education improves or restores natural control of muscular tension by a short-term, physical learning process in which you participate actively, coached as necessary by a somatic educator. The somatic educator's job is to make it easy for you to regain control of your muscular tension. This approach differs from massage and chiropractic because it leaves you self-sufficient and able to manage conditions that might otherwise ultimately worsen until you require medical intervention, such as surgery. There are numerous forms of somatic education: the Alexander Technique, the Trager Approach, Feldenkrais Somatic Integration, Rolfing Movement, Hanna Somatic Education, and others. Some produce results faster than others, and some produce significant improvements nearly immediately.
Hopefully you've been heeding my advice and you've gone to see your doctor about your hand pain. I'm going to guess that if he told you that he thinks you have carpal tunnel syndrome, he probably gave you a brace (or splint) and told you to come see him in a month. Hopefully he has referred you to a hand therapist or hand surgeon, and now you're just waiting to see what happens next. Don't panic. Once you understand what's involved, I think you'll feel a lot better.
So, let's talk about that. What IS next?
First of all, let's talk about what carpal tunnel syndrome really involves. Because if there is something that I've learned over the years, it's that people don't get a good explanation of what is really going on inside their hand. And as I always say, knowledge is power.
Your "carpal tunnel" is a space in the base of your palm that is formed by several wrist bones and a thick ligament. Imagine it like this: Make an "O" shape between your thumb and your index finger. Now, hold your arm in a way that forces your palm to be facing the ceiling. The bottom half of the circle is a group of bones. The top half of the circle is a ligament. You've just created a mock-up carpal tunnel.
Through that "tunnel", you have several tendons (that make your fingers bend) and one very important nerve that operates your thumb muscles and also gives you sensation to your thumb, index, middle, and part of your ring finger. Over time, if those tendons swell, they will crush the nerve against the wall (which is the ligament we talked about earlier) and that pinches the nerve, forcing it to stop working well. Usually, your first symptom is numbness or tingling, then hand pain at night, and eventually you start dropping things because your thumb is getting weaker (and you can't feel properly).
This information is good to have so that you understand WHY the doctor wants you to wear a splint. See, when you bend your wrist in either direction, you pinch the (already irritated) tunnel more, which cuts off the nerve supply and makes your symptoms worse. The purpose of the splint is to keep your wrist "straight" so that the tunnel is as open as possible. Sometimes a splint is all you need to completely recover. Problem solved!
Go ahead and make that "O" again with your thumb and index finger. Now leave a slight gap where your fingers should be touching. When a surgeon performs a carpal tunnel release, he is simply cutting that ligament in half so that it relieves the pressure that has been squishing the nerve. He doesn't remove anything. He just opens up the space so that your nerve can "breathe" again. Easy peasy! You will usually have to take it easy for a few weeks, and maybe spend another few in therapy, but after that, you are as good as new!
Internet anonymity is hard to come by, but not impossible. Much of what you read, buy, bookmark, or share online is tracked. Hackers are always looking for ways of accessing your personal information, while big data firms want to sell your online data. In addition, many people believe that the government may be eavesdropping on their online activities. Therefore, it is important to take steps to ensure that your online activities remain completely anonymous.
1. VPN Connection
Your standard Internet connection may expose your identity, location, and browsing behavior. Hackers and data mining companies may use tracking cookies to collect your personal information. A VPN connection does not store data in tracking cookies and helps to keep users' online activities private or anonymous. The connection is like a tunnel that links your Internet connection directly with a VPN provider. The provider then encrypts all the information stored or transmitted through the network. VPN connections also enable Internet users to access content may otherwise not be accessible in their locations.
VPN connections help users to hide their IP addresses. There are many VPN service providers available on the market. However, it is important to consider various factors before choosing a VPN service. First, find out the actual location of the VPN service provider. Secondly, check if the software used by the VPN service provider is compatible with your computer or network software. Avoid using VPN services that retain activity logs, which are vulnerable to privacy infringements. Consider signing up for VPN services that you can also use on your portable devices including laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
2. Operating System
Your computer operating system may be the first loophole that may compromise your privacy. The settings of your operating systems can allow it to automatically send your usage data and statistics to developers making it prone to viruses and malwares. Consider using operating systems that do not have such features and are not easy to compromise. However, it is important to know that such operating systems may not be user-friendly and may require knowledge of using programs commands.
3. Tor Connection
Tor connections are considered some of the best ways to remain completely anonymous online. The data that travels through a Tor connection goes through various servers making it difficult to track. Although Tor comes with its own configured browser, you can use it with VPN to make your connection completely anonymous. The more people volunteer to act as servers for the Tor connection, the more efficient and faster the Tor will be because of the bigger bandwidth. Despite being one of the most effective ways to protect your anonymity, it is advisable to use a Tor connection with caution because of the risk of incriminating yourself in case sensitive data passes through your computer acting as a server.
Tor connections are often slow because many people are not comfortable letting their computers be used as servers for the network. Tor connections can also acts as gateways to the deep web, which is a hub of criminal activities. In addition, people from countries that lack laws on Internet privacy and data sharing may use Tor connections to infringe on users' privacy.
4. Switching Your Browser
Your browser may be exposing your data to theft or misuse. Therefore, consider switching to a browser that offers advanced privacy features. Avoid using browsers that are owned by major companies and search engines because they often collect users' information and data. Consider using browsers that allow you to control the number of cookies accessing your site and the information that can be collected by software developers. Many websites load content from a wide range of servers, which is almost like going to the store, buying food in unlabeled containers, and hoping for the best. The browser you use and the data it collects creates a digital thumbprint that identifies you.
5. Use Anonymous Connections
It is important to use anonymous connections even when you are on VPN connections. This will help to further enhance your online privacy. Consider using Internet enabled devices designed to enhance online anonymity. Such devices enable you to access the internet from any part of the world without exposing your IP address or location. They work by fracturing your online traffic through a reverse GSM bridge that ends up dropping back onto the internet and leaving through a different wireless network.
Many people do not understand that they leave their digital footprints whenever they surf the web. This information can be used by hackers to commit various kinds of criminal acts. If you are interested in protecting yourself online then you need to check out the book Tor and The Darknet by James Smith.
This so-called scholarly scientific study actually recommends that if you want your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, you gotta show them the money! What a bunch of crap. Nothing but junk science.
So these researchers conducted an experiment in six Utah elementary schools, offering one group of several hundred students cash prizes and another group of several hundred other students praise by teachers for eating fruits and veggies. A third group of children got no incentives at all (the poor things [sarcasm]). So, of course, fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly higher in the group of students who got cash rewards. Noooo... what a shock! They called this "cash prizes" program FOOD DUDES, which used role modeling, repeat tasting and rewards for eating fruits and veggies.
I couldn't disagree more with this concept IN ITS ENTIRETY. In the first place, know how I would have done this? How 'bout instead of calling a program Food Dudes, calling it Food: Fat or Fit, and just show kids two pictures: a slim kid and a fat kid, and the insides of both. The slim kid, instead of internal organs, can shows pictures of fruits, vegetables (lean meat, whole grains, etc.); and the fat kid's insides can show nothing but crap. Now THAT is a visual that kids of all ages will understand... and they will understand very clearly that what they put in their mouths has an effect on whether they will be fat or fit.
I especially disagreed with the point made by one of the researchers that in addition to cash prizes for eating fruits and veggies, "The children still need strategies for managing healthy eating choices outside the cafeteria and when the rewards stop."
Wrong. Sorry folks, but young children don't know from 'strategies' other than how they can get out of going to school or doing their homework, and kids don't 'manage' anything: Parents do. Barring extraordinary circumstances of course (allergies, illness, psychological issues), poor eating habits and childhood obesity are products of adult behavior. Let me repeat that: Poor eating habits and fat kids are a result of adult behavior. Parents need to create the right environment at home and in the kitchen, follow the examples they want to set for their children as relates to a healthy eating (and fitness) lifestyle, and that's the environment in which their kids will grow. Period.
There are thousands of different vegetables in the world. Do we all like all of them? Of course not, and neither will our kids. But, try new vegetables all the time until you identify the ones they will enjoy, or the ones they will tolerate. You're the parent. You set the ground rules.
In our house, as our now-teenage daughter was growing up, and using dinner as the example, there was a nightly menu with two choices: Column A = you eat. Column B = you starve. Very simple. Was there compromise? Yes. But we set the ground rules. We always had two vegetables on the table (and sometimes one of those vegetables was one that my husband and I didn't like, but we forced ourselves to eat some at that meal and pretended we enjoyed it!). She had to choose at least one, and eventually, as she grew, she still disliked some vegetables, but she tolerated others more and more, and now has a well-rounded array of veggies that she likes, some more than others. We did the same thing with the various fruits we kept in the house.
I'm not a psychologist, but I don't need to be one to know the difference between teaching a kid right from wrong, and the importance of their being guided, with structure and discipline, towards any actions and behaviors they need to take NOT because they're getting a reward or a prize, but ONLY because those actions will give them results of growing into healthy and happy, physically, mentally, and socially, teens and young adults.
All of us understand how to keep our bodies fit and healthy, but what about the kids? Is feeding them green vegetables and healthy fruits enough to establish and maintain their good health?
Well the answer is No. Health and Fitness is just as important for kids as for adults and should in no way be overlooked or neglected, by simply considering that 'they are just kids they have stronger resistance and immunity'.
This is a misconception; the health of children should be dealt with just as much care as that of adults. And with the widespread use of gadgets that have left the mobility of our youth at a minimum it is now more important than ever before, to promote physical activities in them.
• Say Yes to Sports
Put the Gameboys and PCP's in the shelf for a change, and take your kids out in the fresh air and treat them with a good old-fashioned game of cricket, baseball, basketball or whichever sport you guys like playing together.
Besides spending some quality time together it'll give you a great opportunity to stay healthy together. Inhaling fresh air is known to relieve depression, anxiety and stress for both you and your child. And sports are also a great way to flex those muscles and burn those extra calories!
• Think outside the Box!
Being active does not necessarily require your kids to play sports. All kids are different; having different hobbies and interests. Motivate these interests and incorporate them with healthy living.
If they like dancing, dance a long with them to your favorite tunes, if they're fond of painting take their supplies out in the park and paint in the open fresh air and allow their imagination to flow, compete in running together or play hopscotch together. Set an example on how to live an active life.
By encouraging their interests and showing them how to incorporate it with healthy living your kids will have a broader and more productive mind-set compared to those kids who spend long hours playing video games and watching T.V.
• Take them on Walks or Jogs Together
Teach your kids to appreciate the simple things in life: walk them to school for a change, or go on a morning jog together. Include them in the small fitness efforts you make for your own health and teach them their benefits.
• Enroll them in a Nursery
Nurseries besides being an academically enlightening institution for young kids are also known to promote physical fitness and health in them. Send your kids to nurseries to avail this complete package of grooming. Your kids will be able to learn new skills and activities, make new friends, learn valuable academic lessons and play plenty of sorts and games; leading to a much more active and healthy lifestyle.
Surely it's understandable that it's not always easy to make time for the ones that make the most difference. Teaching your child to live a healthy lifestyle today will inevitably determine his well-being in the future.
Today, in the United States, sugary sodas are taking the place of healthier drinks like milk. There are lots of television and radio ads about sodas trying to get your attention to buy their sodas, but what they don't tell you is how bad they are for you. These sodas, filled with sugar, cause not only weight gain, but type 2 diabetes as well. People who consume 1-2 cans per day of sugar, sodas have a 26% higher risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease along with obesity according to Harvard University.
How Much Sugar in Sodas
In a 20 ounce bottle of one sugar, soda it has 16-20 teaspoons of sugar. However, millions of Americans drink more than one 20 ounce bottle of soda per day. The more cans or bottles you drink, the more sugar you consume, which leads to weight gain. Some people believe that sodas fill you up, but they don't. In fact, sugar increases hunger that leads to obesity. Suppose you had a high-calorie meal at McDonald's with a sugar drink, you increased your calorie intake even more, up to over a 1000 calories.
Obesity is on The Increase
In the United States, 2 out of 3 adults are obese and 1 out of 3 children are also obese from drinking sugary drinks and that number will continue to increase over time. If you want to decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, then stop drinking these high-fructose sodas. Instead, choose healthy drinks like milk or sparkling water. That way you will lower your risk of adult-onset diabetes.
Sugar Turns Into Fat in The Liver
Sugar is composed of two molecules: glucose and fructose. Glucose metabolizes every cell in your body while fructose metabolizes only in your liver. When we consume these sugary sodas, our liver becomes overloaded and, as a result, the liver will store more fat, which makes us overweight. Some of the fat turns into high triglycerides (fats in the blood) that can lead to heart disease over time.
Increases Belly Fat
Sugar, especially fructose, stores body fat around your belly and other organs as well called visceral fat. During a 10 week study, 32 people drank two kinds of beverages, either glucose or fructose. People who drank glucose beverages had only subcutaneous fat (not related to metabolic diseases) while on the other hand, people who drank high-fructose sodas, had an increase of visceral fat that leads to metabolic diseases.
High Fructose Drinks Linked to Heart Disease
During the 60s and 70s studies have found that regular sodas were related to certain diseases like adult-onset diabetes, high triglycerides, (fats in the blood) and high cholesterol which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Risk of Cancer in Sugary Sodas
In a study of 60,000 men and women, those who drank regular soda had an 87% increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In women after menopause, they were found to have an increased risk of endometrial cancer and an increase in colon cancer in both men and women.
Risk of Tooth Decay
Eventually, drinking too many regular sodas will cause tooth decay. Sodas have both phosphoric acid and carbonic acid which causes your mouth to be acidic. Sugar provides digestible energy for bad bacteria in the mouth; however, combine this with acids, it's a disaster for your teeth and gums.
Obesity is excess accumulation of body fat. For children a body mass index greater than 95th percentile for age and gender is considered obese. Self-esteem is a term used in psychology to describe a person's overall sense of personal value or self-worth. It is derived from a Greek word meaning "reverence for self." The "self" part of self-esteem refers to the beliefs, attitudes we hold about ourselves, while "esteem" describes the personal worth and value we give ourselves. It is how we feel about the self, how much we value ourselves, the pride we feel in ourselves or our acceptance of ourselves for who and what we are at any given time in our lives. This is important, because how we feel about ourselves can affect how we act.
Self-esteem is an essential human need that is crucial not only for survival but also healthy development. Since it develops from an individual's beliefs and consciousness of oneself, self-esteem is closely linked with one's feelings, thoughts, actions and behaviours. The development of self-esteem is a life-long process, starting from very early in life. It can be positively or negatively influenced by different events and circumstances. Consequently, a person can have either a healthy (high) or a low self-esteem. A person with a healthy self-esteem has a happier outlook to life and is more self-confident than the one with low self-esteem.
What factors influence self-esteem?
A number of key factors are believed to have a significant influence on self-esteem. To begin with we all inherit different personality traits from our parents which determine how we interpret or react to events or circumstances. This in turn impacts on our self-esteem. One of the major factors affecting self-esteem is experiences in one's childhood. Children are significantly influenced from an early age by the care givers.. A child who receives praise and encouragement for their efforts develops a healthy self-esteem and is inspired to keep trying and take on more challenging tasks. If, on the other hand, these people are critical and judgmental this can lead to a child feeling inferior, worthless or rejected.
Other factors that can influence self-esteem are painful events or experiences like divorce, bereavement, serious illness or bullying. Body image, which is how someone feel about his or her own physical appearance, can also enhance or lower one's self-esteem.
b) What is the association between childhood obesity and low self-esteem?
Childhood obesity is known to be associated with a number of conditions, among them, low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can occur in children who are obese due to the following factors:
i) Bullying
Children who are obese can be bullied or become bullies themselves. Consequently they are isolated as it becomes difficult for them to make friends, they get excluded from social activities and feel unwanted.
ii) Poor body image
Body image can be closely linked to self-esteem, especially in early teen-age life. According to a study on childhood obesity and self-esteem by Richard Strauss published in Paediatrics, there was no significant difference in self-esteem scores between 9- and 10-year-olds who were obese or not obese. However by age 13 and 14 significantly lowered self-esteem was noted in some of the study children who were obese compared to their non-obese counterparts (Paediatrics 2000;105;e15). As children enter their teens they are more conscious of how they look and what others think and say about them. The manner in which being overweight or obese affects a child depends a lot on the child's parents, their perceptions and on the culture in which the child grows up. This is because some parents and cultures accept a wider range of weights than others. A child who is constantly teased about how fat they are soon develops the feeling that he or she is not good enough, is not appreciated or accepted. This teasing can take place at home as well as at school. Children may be subjected to negative comments and hurtful teasing about the way they look from siblings (especially boys), parents, classmates and peers. Such comments can affect one's body image and self-esteem. External factors, for example media images of skinny girls and bulked-up boys, can also adversely influence a child's body image and hence self-esteem. Girls have been found to be more dramatically affected by weight and perceived weight problems than boys.
Over the weekend, I spent a few hours with the older gentleman I know. His wisdom is exceptional. And I'm always prepared to hear what is on his mind. As usual, he engaged me in a thought provoking conversation that may cross the boundaries of political correctness. At the same time, it is a valuable conversation I would like to share.
He started with the following: It is a parent's job to prepare their children for life. When they are negligent in that job, the child could grow up to be a disadvantaged adult. And the child may not have the means and wherewithal to make up the difference. In the future, will children be able to sue their parents for this negligence? Sound farfetched. Consider the following.
The average weight for a newborn is 7.5 pounds. The average weight for a 5'9" adult male is around 170 pounds. The average weight for a 5'4" adult female is about 115 pounds. If a boy and girl of average height reach the weight of 170 and 115 pounds respectively by age 10 year, who is responsible for their overweight bodies? What are the repercussions?
If you were to say the children are responsible for eating too much, that would let the parents off the hook. When you have a child, you assume fiduciary responsibility for that child's physical and emotional well-being. Furthermore, as a parent, you are responsible for preparing your children for life as an adult. While ensuring they receive a formal education is one aspect, physical health can be detrimental to an individual's future.
While the US enforces political correctness, in that we are not supposed to condemn others for disabilities, race, gender or physical appearance, discrimination is widely practiced by the majority of people. For example, the above-mentioned overweight girl could easily become a 5'4" adult at 200 pounds. At that weight and height, she could easily become the victim of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, depression, etc. Some people may discriminate against her in job interviews. Her dreams of being a professional athlete would have died on the vine. And her choice of a spouse would most likely be limited. That is a short list of her disadvantages.
If a parent has the fiduciary responsibility of preparing a child for a successful future, it would seem the parents failed. The girl above would incur many health care expenses and opportunity costs for job and spouse prospects. Are parents liable for those extraneous expenses and losses? If so, does that mean children will one day be able to sue their parents for parental malpractice - negligence?
Hopefully the world does not come to that. At the same time, there should be a wake up call for people considering having children. No parent has the right to bring a child into the world if they are not prepared to give the child normal advantages, like great health, emotional stability, knowledge through education and experience, etc. While it can be advantageous to have a child explore the world at a young age, it is not necessary. It is important for a child to have working knowledge of self, communication and physical health. What advantages will you give your children?
