In her enlightening speech, she emphasized upon following important health-related precautions and measures. This information may prove vital to one and all:
1. Man should have balanced and nutritious diet. Besides rice and wheat, the diet should also include cereals, milk, eggs, green vegetables (both cooked and uncooked), fruits etc.
2. The vegetables should be washed properly before cutting in order to preserve its nutritive value.
3. The vegetables should not be over-cooked.
4. The use of preservatives, colours and artificial odours should be avoided in preparation of food.
5. In order to avoid the problem of thyroid, iodised salt should be preferred.
6. The eatable-oils should not be over-used.
7. The allergic substances should be avoided. The symptoms of allergy are vomiting, dysentery, stomachache, joint pains, swelling of skin, dry coughing etc.
8. Cold drinks / soft drinks should be avoided.
9. The diet should be based on the life style of a person. A person doing labour work should have heavy diet and the one having more of brainwork by continuously sitting on a chair should go for light diet.
10. To avoid unwanted eating before and after food in order to ensure better digestion. It is proved that over-eating can lead to ill health.
11. The sweets should not be eaten before food.
12. Every person should have adequate in take of water before going to bed and after getting up from sleep in order to ensure better digestion and avoid kidney problems.
13. The morning breakfast should be adequate enough to avoid the acidity problem. At least, morning breakfast should consist of a glass full of milk.
14. The tiffin carried by school and college-going students should not include oily foods.
15. For drinking, only boiled and disinfected water should be used.
16. Girls and women participating in sports and also during summer days should drink adequate fruits juice.
17. Aluminium and indalium utensils should not be used for storing or cooking sour food.
18. Steel spoons should not be kept in pickle bottles for long intervals.
19. Women with high blood pressure before menstruation period or women who experience swelling during the time of pregnancy should consume less salt in their diet.
20. It is good to avoid hotel food for the health purpose. Due attention should be provided to cleanliness before buying hotel food or else the consumption of contaminated food can lead to amoebic infection.
21. Eatables should always be properly closed to avoid contamination from flies and other insects.
22. The fruits should be properly washed before eating to cleanse away the insecticides and other chemicals.
23. A proper diet as advised by Doctor should be taken during ailments like stomach ulcer, diabetes, blood pressure, heart diseases, kidney diseases and liver problems etc.
Precautions About Cleanliness:
1. At least, once in a day bath should be taken. Bath should not be avoided for simple sicknesses. Women with long hair should take bath on their heads at least twice in a week.
2. Nails should be cut at least once in a week with the help of nail cutter and not with the help of teeth.
3. Due care should be taken to clean private parts of the body.
4. Proper washing and cleaning of the clothes should be ensured before using them. Clothes, once used get dirt and sweat and therefore should be immediately washed.
5. Due care should be taken to hot wash the clothes used by persons suffering from skin diseases.
6. Napkins and towels should be washed after regular intervals.
7. Clothes should be properly dried before wearing to avoid skin infection due to fungus.
8. Under wares should be properly washed and dried before wearing.
9. Mouth should be washed twice in a day, once while getting up from bed and again before going to bed.
10. Proper cleanliness should be maintained during menstrual period, pregnancy and delivery.
11. Coughing and spitting should be avoided in public places. During unavoidable times of coughing and sneezing, due care should be taken to use handkerchief to avoid spread of diseases.
12. Due cleanliness should be maintained in house as well as in the surrounding areas to avoid infections like malaria.
13. Trees should be planted around house to purify air.
Precautions About Children:
1. Mother should provide adequate milk by breast-feeding to an infant during first four months. If, there is difficulty in getting mother’s milk then, out side skimmed milk or the milk of cow should be provided to an infant.
2. Priority should be given to arrange home made food to infants.
3. A child should be given iron drops after completion of two months.
4. A child should not be forced to eat.
5. Due care should be taken to vaccinate a child against BCG, Polio, hepatitis –B, Chicken pox, rabies, typhoid etc.
6. A child should be administered with a medicine against round worms after nine months and the same medicine should be repeated after every three months.
7. Medicines should be administered only after consulting and getting prescription of a medical practitioner.
8. Hazardous materials like chemicals and inflammable liquids like petrol should be kept away from the hands of a child.
9. Proper precaution should be taken to avoid the biting of mosquitoes by putting on long clothes to a child. Mosquito repellent like good night may be used by 6 p.m. and should be kept at the places from where the mosquitoes are likely to enter the house.
10. Proper flow of air should be ensured in bedroom by keeping open at least ventilators of the windows.
11. Putting warm clothes to a child should be avoided during the time of fever. Proper preliminary medicines should be readily available at home.
12. A child should be given electrolyte to drink during the time of vomiting and diarrhoea.
13. A child with problem of hysteria should be kept away from danger by not allowing them to go near river, fire and places of heights etc.
14. Special care and attention should be provided towards underdeveloped child having low I.Q.
15. Exercise being an important aspect, a child should be encouraged to go for in-door as well as out-door games.
16. Good qualities and hobbies should be inculcated in a child like reading good books, planting trees etc.
17. Good prayers also play a major role in child development.
18. Attention should be provided towards the behaviour of a child and any misdeed should be corrected in time.
19. If a child regularly fails in completing studies then, proper medical check-up of eyes and ears should be done. Before building any expectation from a child, a thorough check-up should be done to ensure the intelligence quotient of that particular child. This can avoid frustration arising due to unrealistic expectations of parents from a child.
20. Parents should not enforce their wishes and expectations about education and career on a child. But, proper care should be taken to understand the positive qualities and hidden talents of a child and accordingly parents should encourage a child by setting goals before him or her.
21. Tension can be built upon eyes by excessive viewing of television programmes and can consequently lead to headaches.
22. Proper love and care is essential for the all-round growth of a child.
23. Parents should behave properly to ensure discipline in a child since; all parents are the first role models before their children.
24. Good qualities [Samskar] and good habits should be inculcated in a child.
25. There should not be gender discrimination among children.
Precautions During Adolescence:
1. Adolescence is a very sensitive and delicate transitional stage from childhood to puberty. Therefore, proper guidance and emotional support during this period is very important for the growth a child into a full-fledged man.
2. For an all-round growth during this vital period, nutritious diet should be provided with additional supplement of iron and calcium to girls and proteins to boys.
3. Girls and boys should be properly educated about physical and emotional changes occurring during this adolescence stage and prepare their minds to accept this natural change.
4. Proper emphasis should be laid on educating girls about menstruation period ad the precautions to be taken during this time. Girls attending Schools and colleges should carry proper food and water during this period.
5. An adolescent child should be properly guided by taking into confidence during this critical phase of growth.
6. A child should not experience isolation but parents should befriend them.
7. A child committing mistakes should be rectified in proper manner without hurting feelings of that child.
8. A boy should not be allowed more to associate and rely upon father in order to avoid inferiority complex during later period.
9. A child should be properly guided about their future role in the society. A child should also be made aware about various opportunities available in the fields of education and career. Proper guidance about the future vocation of a child should be based on the realistic assessment of the qualities and hidden talents of a child.
10. Parents ought to be the first and the best friends of a child for the all-round growth of that child.
11. A child should be encouraged to practise and follow the science of Yoga for better physical and mental health along with other sports activities.
12. Reading habits should be encouraged in a child.
13. A child should be inculcated with spirit of self-confidence. Self-confidence is the pre-requisite of personality development.
14. A child during this period should be properly guided about the diseases and ailments, which can be prevented like AIDS etc.
15. Misconceptions and misunderstandings should be clarified to have sanity of mind and body in a growing child.
16. During this vital growing phase of a child, proper emphasis should be laid on imparting moral values and spirit of discipline to ensure better disciplined and responsive citizen in the later period.
17. An atmosphere conducive for healthy inter-personal relationships among all the members should be maintained in a house. This will ensure proper growth of a child. The conflicts and jealousies within the parents can misguide and mislead a child to bad habits and bad friendships.
Pregnancy Period:
1. A balance diet is required during this period. The diet should prominently consist of milk two times in a day along with food items rich in calcium and iron.
2. The physical and emotional changes taking place in a woman during pregnancy period should be well explained to her in order to avoid misunderstanding.
3. A pregnant woman should undergo all necessary tests and examinations as prescribed by the Doctor.
4. A pregnant woman must test the blood group.
5. A pregnant woman should go for required treatment in case of any ailment.
6. During pregnancy a woman can do household works.
7. A woman should prepare her mind to welcome child.
8. A woman should gather information about pregnancy and related matters from responsible and knowledgeable persons.
9. A woman should maintain all-cleanliness during and after pregnancy.
10. A pregnant woman should take adequate rest. Whenever possible, a woman should take rest by sleeping on the left side of her body. This helps in blood circulation and better growth of the child.
11. A pregnant woman should go for tetanus vaccination at appropriate time.
12. A pregnant woman should not undergo any ex-ray examination during the first three months of her pregnancy. However, if need be Doctor can advise the woman to go for any such tests.
13. Unless and until prescribed by any competent Doctor, pregnant woman should avoid all sorts of medicines.
Delivery Period And Breast-Feeding:
1. Clean and safe atmosphere should be maintained during the time of delivery. It is always safe and in the best interest of the mother and child to prefer delivery in the hospital.
2. Mother’s milk is the best diet for an infant.
3. The initial secretion of milk should not be thrown out because it is very nutritious and essential for the newborn child.
4. A mother should start breast-feeding an infant after two hours from the time of delivery.
5. A mother should comfortably sit down and take proper posture while breast-feeding a child.
6. Cleanliness should be maintained during this period.
7. After breast-feeding, a child should be made to belch.
8. Immediately after breast-feeding, a child should not be made to lie down.
9. There is no need to feed water if, a child is exclusively relying on mother’s milk.
10. If, there is difficulty in breast-feeding due to withdrawal of nipple inside the breast then, nipple shield should be used or the mother’s milk should be spoon-fed to a child.
11. A mother should attend a child with care, peace of mind and confidence.
12. A mother should consume balance diet.
13. In case, a mother is unable to breast-feed her child then, powder milk may be fed in appropriate proportion.
14. In case of powder milk, a child requires water. This water requirement may be only for two times in a day.
15. If, a child is fat then, fresh milk of cow and she-buffalo should be avoided at least for first two months period. However, this milk can be fed after two to three months to such child.
Family Planning:
1. Breast-feeding women should take special care during menstruation period.
2. Parents should maintain a gap of three years between the births of first child to second child.
3. Appropriate measures of family planning should be adopted by consulting Doctor.
4. After planning the family, either husband or wife should undergo operation to avoid future pregnancy.
5. It is best advisable to have a family of maximum two children.
Precautions To Be Taken By A Woman After An Age Of Forty Years:
1. After every two years, a woman should consult gynaecologist.
2. A woman should always do self check-up of the breasts. In case of any doubt, a woman should always go for a medical check-up.
3. A woman should not consume tobacco or any product made of tobacco.
4. In absence of menstruation period or in case of excessive bleeding, a woman should always consult a Doctor.
5. At the time of menopause, a woman should take special precaution. She should exercise, consume less salt and avoid edible oils. She should check-up blood pressure regularly. She should also increase intake of calcium rich diet.
Precautions To Be Taken By A Man:
1. The diet of a man should be balanced with nutritious items like cereals, fish and eggs etc.
2. The diet of a man should depend upon the type of work he does. A man doing physical and hard work should eat more. A man not doing more of physical work should take precaution while eating.
3. An appropriate diet should be chosen in case a man suffers from any ailment like diabetes, pressure, ulcer and kidney or liver problems etc.
4. Exercise is very important for every man and more particularly for the one who is spending more time in an office by doing sitting work.
5. After forty years of age, there should be regular medical check-up.
6. Medicines if prescribed, should be taken regularly.
7. A man should always abstain from all types of bad habits and addictions. The addictions, as we all know, destroy not only the person but also the total family life of a person.
8. A person with an inclination towards bad habit like drinking alcohol should be handled properly by his family members. All efforts should be made to divert him from this bad habit. If need be, counselling from a competent person and also medical help should be taken to save the person from ruining his as well as his family life.
Precautions During Old Age
1. Proper care should be taken of the aged people in a family.
2. An old man in a family is like a child and should be treated accordingly.
3. An old person in a family should be treated with all love and respect.
To conclude with, it can be said that a woman plays a crucial role in maintaining a family. If a woman is happy, contented and confident then, the entire family remains happy and contented.