For over 60 years Barbie dolls have been an integral part of almost every child’s life. This classic doll has renewed the meaning of playtime for children. With its distinctive characteristics, it has managed to mesmerize both kids and adult doll collectors. It has tapped into the diverse markets of over 150 countries and has successfully molded itself in unique cultures. These dolls are vastly inspired from various strong women personalities from the areas of pop culture, entertainment, science, music, and politics, which makes its all the more interesting.
This obviously makes one think how was the idea for this iconic doll was conceived?
It all started when Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel Toys observed her daughter Barbara playing with paper dolls. She noted how her daughter used her creativity by giving the dolls certain adult roles. This made Ruth contemplate over the significance of imagination in play time. She also recognized that there is an absence of three-dimensional dolls for children in the market.
Initially when she proposed this idea to her husband Elliot Handler, the co-founder of Mattel Toys, he too seemed skeptical about its potential, like other stakeholders in the company. But all the cynicism took a backseat when Ruth discovered a German doll known as Bild Lilli. This doll was exactly what Ruth wanted to introduce in America.
As soon as she returned back to the States, she immediately started working on her version of the doll. She redesigned the doll and named it after her inspiration, i.e. her daughter Barbara, and the world got its beloved darling Barbie. The first Barbie model, i.e. the Teenage Fashion Doll was wearing a black and white striped swimming suit, and sunglasses. Her hair was available in a blonde or a brunette shade, which was tied up in a high ponytail. It debuted in 1959 at the New York Toy Fair.
Ruth’s Barbie doll gradually found its solid ground in the market, and then the toy company started producing various Barbie accessories and play kits too. They designed an extensive collection of playsets comprising of dollhouses, miniature vehicles, workplace playsets and furniture, so that they kids could have the most enjoyable experience.
One of the most popular variants of the Barbie dolls are those where she is portrayed as an independent career oriented woman. Registered nurse, astronaut, doctor, fire fighter, pilot, president, etc. are some of the best dolls that inspire little girls to dream big.
Since its inception, the Barbie doll has transformed in so many ways for so many generations. The past 61 glorious years of the Barbie figurines truly tell us how a single perspective can reform the way we look at things.
“What is pleurisy?” This is a common question asked by many people. To find the answer, read on to know what pleurisy is and understand the various symptoms and treatments associated with it.
The thin, satiny tissue lining of the lungs and the chest walls is known as pleura. When a person breathes, the layers of pleura rub together. In a normal case, this is not a problem and no friction is generated. However, in case the pleura is inflamed or infected, they become swollen, thereby causing a sharp chest pain. This condition is termed as pleurisy.
Pleurisy is caused by a number of conditions, such as infections, cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism, collagen vascular diseases, and congestive heart failure.
Common symptoms of pleurisy
Now that you know what pleurisy is, are you wondering how to identify it? The most common symptom of pleurisy is a sharp, stabbing pain in the chest that worsens with breathing. Also, this pain increases if you sneeze, move or cough. Common symptoms include the following.
In a few cases, pleurisy is accompanied by an accumulation of fluid that puts pressure on the lungs, impairing their function. This fluid buildup is known as pleural effusion.
Diagnosing pleurisy
The first step of diagnosing pleurisy begins with identifying the location and cause of the swelling. For this, your doctor may conduct a physical examination. One or more of the following tests can be performed.
Treatment for pleurisy
Once the source of inflammation has been diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe a suitable line of treatment based on that. It is important to get sufficient rest along with proper medication to help the body recover faster. Also, lying on the side that has pain puts pressure which can help in alleviating the pain.
Some commonly prescribed treatments for pleurisy include the following.
People suffering from pleural effusions might have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days to drain out the fluid via a drain tube in the chest. Now that you know what pleurisy and its various causes and symptoms are, you should immediately avail of medical assistance in case you notice any signs.
Cholesterol is a condition that is mostly seen among people over the age of 50. But with unhealthy food and lifestyle habits, younger people today are prone to it as well. High levels of cholesterol mean there’s a higher risk of premature heart attacks and complications. Moreover, stats claim that over 1 million adults have an inherited risk for cholesterol. This article highlights some lifestyle tips and ways that help manage cholesterol levels:
Treatment
There are medications to clear the cholesterol from the system. LIVALO (pitavastatin) is used to lower bad cholesterol in patients who have abnormally high levels of it. This oral prescription can be had daily, but the dosage can vary depending on the advancement of the disease. Repatha® is another prescription to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).
Food habits
Foods play a huge role in the development of cholesterol. People should generally avoid greasy options like fries, deep-fried snacks, and frozen dinners. Moreover, foods like cheese and butter should be eaten in moderation. Packaged foods like chips, canned foods, and ready-to-make dinners should also be avoided, as they are high in sodium and preservatives, which also contribute to complications related to the heart. Instead, choose to cook fresh meals from scratch and include more vegetables and fruits in one’s meal plans. Try to include more salads, as it’s the easiest way to stay healthy and away from carbs.
Lifestyle changes
Make time for a good run, walk, or practice yoga. Alternatively, take up gardening as a hobby or join a fitness club that practices varied activities. This is an ideal way to combine workouts and fun. The easiest way to keep oneself motivated is by enjoying workouts, making them more interesting, and finding good company. Keeping active is one of the most rewarding things to do for the mind and body.
Cut unhealthy food at its source
To limit the intake of fatty, greasy, and oily foods, one must restrict their grocery list to only healthy alternatives. This way, when one reaches out to the fridge for something unhealthy, all they will find are healthy options.
A fatty liver, whose medical name is steatosis is a term used to describe the buildup of fat in the liver. The allowable percentage of fat in the liver is maximum up to 10 percent. Anything above of this is termed as a fatty liver. Being the second largest organ in the body.
It is a reversible condition and does not cause a permanent damage. Being second largest organ in the body, the function of the liver is to process everything a human body eats and processes and filters out harmful substances from the blood. The process gets interrupted if there is too much fat in the liver.
It commonly repairs itself by building new liver cells replacing the old ones, when they get damaged. When there is repeated damage to the liver, it causes permanent scarring which is usually called as cirrhosis.
Fatty liver has become because of our food habits and sedentary lifestyle that we have adopted. In most of the cases fatty liver is detected in people between ages 40 and 60.
People suffering from a fatty liver should ideally include:
Raw vegetables in the diet. Avoid eating fruits with high content of sugar. This will help you getting rid of the condition of fatty liver and also control weight. Vegetables contain limited amount of sugar.
Cooked vegetables of different varieties can be consumed, excluding potatoes. This will compensate the nutrients that you usually get from eating, bread, biscuits and other sugary desserts.
When curbing on particular food products, you might miss out on some other nutrients. Protein being one of them. You can include protein in your diet by eating canned or un-canned seafood, poultry, lean fresh red meats, eggs, and legumes.
You can also consume a liver tonic. A liver tonic contains all the nutrients your liver needs for detoxification. They also help in repairing damaged liver cells.
One way to reduce fat in the liver, making it less fatty is increase the production of glutathione. Glutathione is the liver’s most powerful detoxifier. It is strongly anti-inflammatory. Eating Sulphur-rich foods also help in treating the fatty liver. Some Sulphur rich foods include eggs, cabbage, broccoli and garlic.
While you do this, remember to stay away from smacks fried in vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is the main source of fat deposition in the liver. Include healthy substitutes of snacks, such as food fried in olive oil.