Health Tips

Anaemia means your blood carries less oxygen than it should, and WHO reports it affects about 37% of pregnant women worldwide. It is picked up by a simple…

WHO recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth and giving only breast milk, not even water, for the first 6 months. After that, keep…

Almost all cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), and the HPV vaccine prevents it. WHO recommends vaccinating girls aged 9 to 14. Pakistan…

Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) vaccinates children from birth to 15 months against 12 serious diseases, and also vaccinates pregnant…

Start ORS and extra fluids as soon as diarrhoea begins, keep breastfeeding and feeding, and give zinc for 10 to 14 days, as WHO and UNICEF recommend. Take the…

Drowning happens quickly and quietly, and children under 5 are at the highest risk. The measures that work are physical barriers around water, close and…

In children, a temperature of 38C or higher counts as a fever. Most fevers come from infections that settle on their own, so home care is about fluids, rest…

Polio has no cure and can paralyse a child within hours, so the only protection is vaccination. WHO says both polio vaccines are safe and effective, but…

Go for antenatal check-ups from early in pregnancy. The World Health Organization advises at least eight antenatal contacts, starting in the first 12 weeks…

Screens close to bedtime make it harder for children to fall asleep, partly because bright light confuses the body clock. The two rules with the strongest…

There is no safe level of second-hand smoke. In children it causes chest infections, ear infections, worse asthma and a higher risk of sudden infant death…

Babies should start solid foods at around six months, alongside breast milk. Begin with soft, mashed single vegetables and fruits, add variety and texture…

Stunting means a child is too short for their age because of long-term undernutrition. The best time to prevent it is the first 1,000 days, from the start of…

Anaemia means the blood carries less haemoglobin than it should, and iron deficiency is the most common nutritional cause. Teenage girls are at higher risk…

Intestinal worms spread through soil, food and water contaminated with human faeces, and children pick them up most easily. Heavy infections cause anaemia…

Diabetes can reduce feeling and blood flow in the feet, so a small cut or blister can become a serious wound before you notice it. A daily look at your feet…

Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with carbohydrate foods, and choose water or unsweetened drinks…

Asthma symptoms are set off by triggers, and most people have more than one. Common ones include dust mites, smoke, air pollution, mould, pets, pollen, cold…

Most healthy adults within the age and weight limits can donate blood, and the donation itself takes about 10 minutes. Staff check your health and haemoglobin…

Earache has many causes, from ear infections and colds to earwax, teething or dental problems. Simple pain relief and a warm cloth held against the ear help…

Chewing gutka, naswar, paan or betel quid causes cancer of the mouth and throat. WHO's cancer agency, IARC, found that betel quid causes cancer with or…

Heartburn is a burning feeling in the middle of the chest, often with a sour taste in the mouth, caused by stomach contents rising into the food pipe. Smaller…

Adults need about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle-strengthening work on at least 2 days. Both can be done at home with nothing but a…

WHO recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, or a mix of both, plus muscle-strengthening…

Brush your teeth twice a day for about two minutes, and make one of those times the last thing you do before bed. Use a fluoride toothpaste, spit out the…

Boiling is the most reliable way to make water safe at home: bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute, let it cool, then store it in a clean container…

To prevent back pain at a desk, use a chair with good lower-back support, keep your feet flat on the floor, place your screen at arm's length with the top at…

Most food poisoning at home can be prevented by following WHO's five keys: keep hands and kitchen clean, keep raw meat away from cooked food, cook food…

Eye strain from phones and computers happens mainly because we blink less and focus closely for long periods. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look…

Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool, avoid caffeine…

Kidney stones form when chemicals in urine become concentrated enough to crystallise, so drinking enough fluid to keep urine dilute is the single most useful…

Losing about 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 pounds) a week is the pace most likely to last, and losing just 5% of your body weight already improves blood pressure…

Menopause is when you have not had a period for 12 months, and the NHS says it usually affects women between 45 and 55, though it can happen earlier. Symptoms…

Period pain happens when the womb tightens during a period, and the NHS says it is often a normal part of the menstrual cycle. Heat, gentle exercise, massage…

A correctly worn, good quality helmet reduces the risk of death in a crash by more than six times and brain injury by up to 74%. A seat belt reduces an…

Dehydration means your body has lost more water and salts than it has taken in, often because of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever or heat. Early signs are thirst…

Most sore throats are caused by viruses and settle on their own within about a week. Fluids, rest, cool or soft foods and simple pain relief are the most…

Adults aged 65 and over are advised to aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening and balance work on at least 2 days. If that…

A brisk 10-minute walk every day brings health benefits and counts towards the 150 minutes of weekly activity adults need. Brisk means about 3 miles an hour —…

High cholesterol means too much of a fatty substance in your blood, and it almost never causes symptoms, so a blood test is the only way to know. Over time it…

Eat less than 5 g of salt a day (just under a teaspoon), eat more fruit and vegetables, do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, lose extra weight…

Your body starts to recover within minutes of your last cigarette: heart rate and blood pressure drop within 20 minutes, and carbon monoxide in your blood…

Chickenpox causes an itchy rash that moves through three stages: spots, fluid-filled blisters, then scabs. Most people get better within one to two weeks with…

Dengue is a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes that bite during the day. Most people get a high fever, severe headache and body aches and recover in…

Hepatitis A and hepatitis E are liver infections that spread when tiny amounts of faeces from an infected person get into drinking water or food. Safe water…

Hepatitis B and C spread mainly through infected blood, for example from reused needles and syringes, unscreened blood transfusions, and unsterilised razors…

Malaria spreads through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, which mostly bite from late evening through the night. Sleep under an insecticide-treated…

Typhoid is a bacterial infection spread through food or water contaminated with faeces. You can lower your risk by drinking safe water, eating food that is…

Antibiotics kill bacteria and do nothing against viruses such as colds and flu. Using them when they cannot help drives antibiotic resistance, which WHO links…

Wet your hands with clean running water, apply soap, lather every surface, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse and dry with a clean towel. Wash before and…

Measles starts with cold-like symptoms and red eyes, then white spots inside the mouth, then a blotchy rash that begins on the face. It is extremely…

Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, makes the white of the eye look red or pink, with watering, grittiness and sometimes sticky discharge. Most cases clear up within…

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a skin disease spread by the bite of infected sand flies. It causes slow-healing sores, usually ulcers, on parts of the body that…

Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin. It spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, especially between people…

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that usually attacks the lungs and spreads through the air. See a health worker if you have a cough lasting more…

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in the world, and it responds well to treatment. Small daily steps — steady sleep, regular meals, exercise…

Stress is a normal reaction to difficult situations, but it can affect your sleep, mood and body. Staying active, keeping a regular sleep routine, talking to…

Depression is more than feeling low for a few days. WHO says a depressive episode means symptoms that last most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two…

The World Health Organization describes burn-out as a work-related problem with three parts: feeling drained of energy, feeling distant or cynical about your…

Constipation means pooing less often than usual, often fewer than three times a week, with hard or lumpy stools that are difficult to pass. Most cases improve…

Sugary drinks and packaged snacks are the easiest place to cut sugar, because they add a lot and fill children up without much nourishment. The NHS sets daily…

A good school lunch is built on a starchy food, a protein food, vegetables, fruit and a dairy food, with water to drink. Small swaps, such as plain popcorn…

The WHO advises keeping free sugars below 10% of your daily energy, which is about 50 g or 12 teaspoons a day on a 2,000-calorie diet, and says going below 5%…

Childhood obesity has risen sharply, from 8% of 5 to 19 year olds in 1990 to 20% in 2022. Prevention works best as a whole-family habit: less sugary drinks…

To stay hydrated in Ramadan, drink plenty of water between iftar and suhoor, eat a filling suhoor of slow-release foods like whole grains, lentils and…

Iron deficiency anaemia happens when your body lacks enough iron to make the haemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood. Common signs are tiredness…

Vitamin D helps your body use calcium and phosphate, which keeps bones, teeth and muscles working properly. Too little causes rickets in children and bone…

A balanced diet includes a wide variety of foods: plenty of fruit and vegetables, pulses, wholegrains and lean protein, with limited salt, sugar and unhealthy…

A cold comes on gradually, rarely causes fever, and mainly affects the nose and throat. Flu comes on abruptly with fever, severe body aches and exhaustion…

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas produced when gas, wood, coal or kerosene does not burn fully. Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and…

Heat rash, also called prickly heat, appears when sweat ducts get blocked and sweat is trapped under the skin. It causes small raised spots with an itchy or…

Heatstroke happens when the body overheats and can no longer cool itself; it is a medical emergency. Prevent it by drinking water regularly, staying out of…

The best way to protect yourself from seasonal flu is a yearly flu vaccine, especially for pregnant women, young children, people over 65 and those with…

On smoggy days, check the air quality, stay indoors with windows and doors closed, cut down on hard outdoor activity, and avoid indoor smoke from burning…

Stay in the shade around midday when UV rays are strongest, cover up with loose clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, and use a…

Breast awareness means checking your breasts regularly so you know what is normal for you, and getting any change looked at. WHO says deaths fall when breast…

For most burns and scalds, hold the area under cool running water for 20 minutes, then cover it loosely with cling film. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste or…

Most lumps, coughs and aches turn out to be something other than cancer. But a few changes are worth a doctor's appointment, because cancer found early is…

If a choking person can still cough, encourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot speak, cough or breathe, give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder…

After any bite or scratch from a dog or other mammal, wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes, then go straight to a clinic or…

Do not touch a person who is still in contact with an electrical current. Switch the power off at the breaker, fuse box or plug first, then call for emergency…

If an adult suddenly collapses and is not breathing normally, call for emergency help and start pushing hard and fast in the centre of the chest, about 100 to…

The main heart attack warning signs are chest pain, pressure or squeezing, pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, shortness of breath, cold sweats and…

To stop bleeding, press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth and keep pressing without lifting it to look. Raise the injured part above the level of the…

To stop a nosebleed, sit down, lean forward and pinch the soft part of the nose just above the nostrils for 10 to 15 minutes while breathing through your…

If you think someone has swallowed, touched or breathed in something harmful, get medical help straight away and take the container or packaging with you. Do…

After a snake bite, move away from the snake, keep the person still and calm, remove rings and tight clothing, and get them to hospital as fast as possible…

For a sprain or strain, protect and rest the injury, use a wrapped ice pack for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, bandage it and keep it raised, for the…

BE FAST helps you spot a stroke: sudden loss of Balance, Eye or vision changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call for emergency…

Dengue, malaria and typhoid all start with fever and feeling unwell, and no one can tell them apart by symptoms alone. A laboratory test is the only way to…

One problem with diets is when you go off the diet, you tend to return to your old eating habits. If you weigh 180 pounds and maintain…

Exercise before eating, even a 10 minute walk, can decrease your appetite.

Moderate aerobic exercise for 4 hours a week was shown to improve cholesterol profiles even when no weight loss occurred, in a study in…

People with high blood pressure can benefit from aerobic exercise. A 45-minute run can lower blood pressure for up to 24 hours. If you…

After you eat dinner, brush your teeth. You are not as likely to eat late at night with the feeling of freshly brushed teeth.

Exercise helps maintain muscle mass when you lose weight, so don´t think you have to lose weight by dieting before you start working out.

This is the most important weight loss tip of all.Hunger is Public Enemy No 1 for anyone who wants to lose weight.Kill it, stab it, stamp…

You may do better controlling your calories by eating food that has a high volume for its caloric content, and fills you up faster. This…

Eating more often is recommended as one strategy for weight loss. Remember, when you decide to eat several meals throughout the day, that…

Foods high in water content, like fruits and vegetables, will fill you up without adding many calories. Eat your veggies first.

Regular, nutritious meals are a must for recovery. A healthy diet is prevention for the family and maintenance for the patient. Plan…

Eat your beans! Nutrient compounds called 'flavonoids' have been found to be effective antioxidants that help protect against heart…

If you must eat pizza, make it veggie and pat the top with a paper towel when it´s warm to remove excess fat.

Exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels, even if you don´t lose weight.

If you´re trying to lose weight through exercise, the total number of calories is all that matters. Training at a lower intensity burns a…

Rest frequently and take short naps to compensate for fitful or disrupted sleep at night. Respect the pace of your energy returning. Don't…

Consider green tea as your beverage of choice if you´re trying to lose weight. People given green tea extract burned more total and more…

New Test for Predicting Heart Disease: If you're over 40 and have any family history of heart disease, take heart! A new speedy scan warns…

Most people with heart failure, a weakened heart muscle, can improve their endurance and activity levels through aerobic exercise. Get…

You can strengthen your heart and help yourself live longer and healthier with aerobic exercise. However, if you clog up your arteries by…

High fiber foods fill you up with less calories. If you try high fiber eating, you will usually find yourself eating fruits, vegetables…

Add 5 minutes to your regular workout each week for a month, and you will burn more calories easily

Exercise is a proven treatment for depression. Both aerobic and resistance training help depression, but only aerobic exercise is…

Depending on your age, level of conditioning, and your fitness goals, you should train in a particular heart-rate zone. Beginners should…

Too much anger can be bad for your health as well as your social life. In a situation that could cause you to lose your temper, physical…

You should lose no more than 1 or 2 pounds per week for lasting weight loss. Dramatic loss is usually fluid and will come back quickly.

Breathe fully and deeply, listen to beautiful music, laugh aloud and find something to feel grateful about each day as you journey through…

Don´t even think of exercising in a rubber suit or similar garment. It won´t melt off fat and is dangerous. Any weight loss you see…

If you´re trying to lose weight, divide your food into several small meals throughout the day so you don´t get hungry.

Men who take more vacations live longer than those who never get away. Take an active vacation and get double benefits.

Most slimmers are in far too much of a hurry.They want to solve their entire weight problem in a couple of weeks.Preferably sooner! So if…

Feelings of fatigue do not always indicate physical exhaustion, but may be due to depression or stress. Often if you exercise in spite of…

For each hour of television you view per day, you have a 2% increased chance of becoming obese. It probably works in the other direction…

Your spirit is refreshed by the warmth of the sun and the earth underfoot. Walking with your mate is a special activity you can do…

Nothing quells the appetite like water, lots and lots of water. Start out with two quart bottles in the morning and carry one with you to…

Weight training can help your heart and is even being recommended to people with some heart disease. When your muscles are stronger, your…