Renowned English poet George Herbert said, “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” Each good father is life-long guardian, mentor and friend of his children. Today 21 June, World Father’s day is being celebrated worldwide remembering the struggles and pains of each father in the race of upbringing his children. Do you have any unique plan to make this day truely exciting for your father? Read this article to get some of the best Father’s Day gift ideas which can make your father feel special this day.

Best Father’s day Gift Ideas

1. Favorite Books

Every person has unique taste in literature. If your father loves to read books, list out the names of his favorite writers. Surprise your old man with some latest or unread books of those writers.

You can also ask your dad whether he is looking for any special book. If you can collect that book from any online book stores or libraries, your father would certainly be surprised.

Read: Rich Dad Poor Dad– Worth Reading in Your Quarantine.

2. Latest Smartphone

Fathers often ignore to their own needs while fulfilling the wishes of his children.  They often seem to struggle with their age-old phone, but still don’t bother to buy a new one.

In fact, fathers can hardly manage time and wish for buying any latest gadget. In the father’s day, you can buy your dad an easy-to-operate latest Smartphone. It will make him happy and proud of you.

3. Favorite Dish

What if, you are a student and don’t have enough saving to buy an expensive gift for your loving father. You can still make him feel special on this day! Try to make some of his favorite dishes following special recipes in the way he likes most. A simple treat can give your old man heavenly bliss.

4. Handy Accessories

During the quarantine period, most of the people are facing anxieties. Find some handy accessories which your father can use while staying at home. For instance, a headphone may help him to enjoy videos, movies, etc from YouTube. You can also present him accessories he needed most, like an advanced shaving kit or new set of spectacles.

5. Creative Souvenir

During the COVID19 pandemic, it may not be possible for everyone visiting shops. Don’t worry! You can surprise your dad with homemade gifts. You can design and make souvenirs like a DIY father’s day Card adorned with some lovely quotes and drawings.

6. Collage of Family Photos

When children become adult, a father loves recalling the long gone childhood days of his kids. You can create a collage of family photos which will make your father remember the golden memories of the childhood days of his offspring. It will make him feel like a winner over his past struggles and well carried responsibilities.

7. Favorite Attire

Due to the pandemic situation, your father may be confined at home for several months. He may not get the chance for buying any new outfit even for the festivals. You can surprise him with a new shirt or shawl or the kind of attire he prefers most. It will certainly make your father feel special!

8. Meeting Old Friends

When your dad was at your age in those days there was neither Smartphone nor social media. Communication was not so easy. In the way of life, your dad might have got disconnected with some of his bosom friends whom he silently remembers. You can secretly connect with some of your dad’s lost friends and arrange a video meeting session. Reunion with old friends will certainly make him happy.

9. Health Check Up

When was the last time your father see a doctor? Talk with him and try to know whether he is experiencing any health issue. Consult with an experienced doctor and take your father for a health check up. It will not only make your old man happy, but also help him living a longer and healthier life!

10. Favorite Music Collection

Does your father have passion for music? May be he is a great fan of some traditional songs, old albums, or forgotten singers you have rarely heard about. Make a list of some of your dad’s favorite singers, albums, and song titles. Then try to collect those songs from online sources. Present him the collection of favorite songs. He would really love it!

Bottom Line

A father’s love for his children is boundless and eternal. A good father is a warrior who sacrifices his dreams and wishes to make his offspring happy. We should love and care our fathers every single day. But giving a nice gift on the ‘Father’s day’ can make each father feel special. Long Live Fathers!

Read: Coronavirus Home Quarantine: How to keep the Elderly People Engaged.

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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and death toll are increasing day by day. Too many cases have put a huge pressure on the health care system, leading to many patients dying without treatment. The hunt for medicine is still on. In the meantime, some people are choosing weird ways to deal with COVID-19 disease. Yes! we are talking about people buying Oxygen Cylinders and storing them at home or nearby places. Read this article to know: who requires Oxygen therapy; why storing Oxygen cylinder at home could be dangerous, and many other related facts.

 

What is Oxygen Therapy?

Oxygen is a kind of gas, which is necessary for the survival of human beings. Even a healthy human can die within three minutes without oxygen. People with breathing disorders may require extra oxygen, if they cannot receive enough oxygen from the air in a natural way. 

Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides patients with extra oxygen to breathe in. It is also termed as supplemental oxygen. This kind of therapy is only available through the prescription of authorised doctors or health care providers. 

 

Who Needs Oxygen Therapy?

Oxygen therapy or supplemental oxygen treatment is usually prescribed for patients whose lungs are failing to absorb enough oxygen from the air in a natural way. This complicacy usually happens due to some critical diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung disease, pneumonia, broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, asthma, heart failure, sleep apnea, trauma in respiratory system, etc.

Read: Best Air Purifying Plants to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution of Home/Office.

Why Is Oxygen Therapy Given in COVID-19 Treatment?

Not every COVID-19 patient experiences breathing problem. In some cases, COVID-19 disease caused by novel Coronavirus (Sars-COV-2) tends to infect and damage lungs, making the organ less effective in passing oxygen from the air to bloodstream. 

COVID-19 patients who are experiencing severe breathing problems are admitted to hospital for receiving supplemental oxygen. The oxygen therapy is provided through nose via plastic tubing, or using a loose-fitting face mask.

If the patient needs more oxygen to improve oxygen level in blood, then ‘Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)’ treatment is prescribed to facilitate the circulation of gases in and out of the lungs. In this treatment, Oxygen is given via a tightly-fitting mask connected to a machine via plastic tubing. Doctors control how much oxygen at what pressure to deliver. Usually, this treatment requires large amount of oxygen, which is usually available at the hospitals.

A small proportion of the most severely ill COVID-19 patients are provided invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) treatment. In this case, a breathing tube is inserted into the windpipe (intubation) of the patient. Doctors control the amount and pressure of delivered oxygen by the ventilator which does the breathing function for the patient. IMV treatment is provided for 10 days on average. And only 33 percent patients treated with IMV has survived so far.

Read Post Lockdown Safety Precautions to Prevent COVID19 Contraction.

 

Does Every COVID-19 Patients Need Oxygen Supply?

There is no evidence of getting benefited by Oxygen Therapy if a COVID-19 patient is not suffering from abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood (Hypoxemia). In some cases, weak patients suffering from COVID-19 can get benefit from medically prescribed ventilator support.

According to health experts, only 82 percent of patients suffering from COVID-19 disease do not require any Oxygen Therapy treatment at all. These patients may recover through proper care while staying in isolation. Only 15 percent of the remaining 18 percent COVID-19 patients may suffer from severe breathing problem and require high quantities of oxygen flow to stay alive.

Read Are Smokers More Vulnerable to COVID19?

 

Why Shouldn’t You Store Oxygen Cylinder at Home?

Only Doctors can Provide Oxygen Therapy Safely

Both the high and low amount of oxygen saturation in blood can be dangerous. Only doctors can decide whether a patient with COVID-19 requires Oxygen Therapy. Even if you manage an Oxygen Cylinder at home for treating a COVID-19 patient, you cannot use it unless you are a doctor. The pressure and amount of Oxygen Supply must be controlled by a doctor or an authorised health care provider. So, there is no point in storing Oxygen cylinders at home in advance without medical prescription.

Oxygen Cylinder Can Explode Like a Bomb

Though oxygen gas does not burn, it works like an oxidizer, which supports the process of combustion. For instance, you have stored an oxygen cylinder at or a nearby place of your home. Now, if somehow a fire starts within three metres of that oxygen cylinder, it can create a blast and feed the flames. It can even blow up your home like a bomb. 

Activities like smoking, applying electrical equipment or keeping flammable objects like petrol, aerosol, cleaning fuel, alcoholic solutions, oil, grease, etc at the vicinity of Oxygen cylinder can be dangerous.  Even an open flame or a heating source like candle, or gas stove brought within three metre of the oxygen cylinder can initiate the spark.

The oxygen-sustained fire can burn until the last drop of remaining oxygen in the cylinder. Therefore, it is never a good idea to store oxygen cylinder at home.

Read How to Handle Your Coronavirus Anxiety during Home Quarantine?

Oxygen Cylinder Shortage at Hospitals

In recent days, some people are storing oxygen cylinders at home in advance even before getting infected by COVID-19 while some unscrupulous businessmen are storing Oxygen cylinders to sell them higher prices later. 

As a result, crisis of oxygen cylinders has been created at hospitals. It can be dangerous for the severely ill COVID-19 patients who are in dire need of prescribed Oxygen Therapy.

Price Hike Of Oxygen Cylinders

Unwanted storage of Oxygen Cylinders has led to an almost three-fold price hike. For instance, nowadays, a 1400-liter oxygen cylinder costs about Tk 35,000, which was available at Tk 11,000 only a few months back. This situation may continue if unauthorised purchase and storage of oxygen cylinder are not monitored and controlled.

Read: How to Use ACs (Air Conditioners) Safely Amid COVID19 Pandemic?

 

How to Monitor Oxygen Saturation at Home?

To determine whether a COVID-19 patient requires oxygen therapy, doctors test the amount of oxygen in his/her arterial blood. You can also measure oxygen saturation at home by clipping a finger using a pulse oximeter. 

This portable device can indirectly measure the level of oxygen in a human body without taking a blood sample. According to the measurements of a ‘Pulse Oximeter’, normal levels of blood oxygen stay between 95 to 100 percent.  If the oxygen saturation drops below 90 percent, the patient may suffer from Hypoxemia. 

The common symptoms of Hypoxemia include rapid breathing, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, sweating, changes skin-colour, confusion, etc. If you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical assistance immediately.

Therefore, you can easily check the oxygen level of your body and stay healthy without being crazy for storing oxygen cylinders at home. 

Read COVID-19 vs. Cold vs. Flu: What is the difference?

 

What Can You Do With Your Stored Oxygen Cylinders?

You can donate the oxygen cylinder to nearby hospital and contribute in the fight of humanity against the life-threatening COVID-19 pandemic.

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In order to the control the worsening coronavirus situation, the city corporation authorities are dividing different cities into several zones. In the Red zone areas lockdown will be enforced restricting people’s movement  to prevent the further spread of Corona Virus Sars-Cov-2. If you are currently living in a locked down zone, it won’t be safe to visit the groceries frequently. It would be wise to shop groceries for at least two weeks at a time. Is your home ready for corona virus home quarantine? Have you prepared your quarantine grocery list?

What to Include in Quarantine Grocery List?

Health experts are advising people to consume protein, Vitamin-D, Vitamin-C, minerals, and nutrients every day to strengthen the immunity system to fight against COVID19. Besides these, you need supply for regular staples, dairy products, spices, baby food, snacks, etc. Here goes some ideas!

Staples

Make an inventory of staples like rice, pulse, flours, salt, sugar, oil, baking products, and other essential goods which you would regularly require to prepare family meals. Considering the size of your family you can stock food for at least two weeks. These food products would last for months, if stored properly.

Read: Where to Buy Grocery Online in Dhaka during Quarantine?

Meat

Meat is a rich source of animal protein. Add different kinds of meat such as, chicken, beef, and mutton into your grocery list. You may know that uncooked meat can be frozen for 4 months at maximum, while cooked meat remains edible keeping for 3 months in the freezer.

Fish

Fish is another great source of protein. Raw fresh fish stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. While cooked fish can preserves in a refrizerator for several days. You can buy several kinds of fish like Hilsha, Rupchada, Prawn, Rui, Katla, etc according to the preference of you and your family members.

Fruits & Veggies

To boost up your immune system, you must consume fruits and vegetables regularly. Make a list of your favorite ones. However, try to buy fruits and veggies that have longer shelf lives, such as carrots, green peas, lemon, green pepper, oranges, apples, etc. 

You can consume these foods in the next week. Additionally, try to pick items that can stay fresh outside a fridge such as apples, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, etc. 

Read Where to Buy Grocery Online in Dhaka during Quarantine?

Beans

Beans are rich in protein. You may pick from different kinds of beans like country bean (deshi Shim), snap bean, salad bean, green bean, kidney bean, haricot bean, etc. Beans are used as vegetable and applied to different curries and recipes. 

Dried Fruits, Nuts & Nut Butter 

Don’t forget to keep some plant based protein options in your grocery list. Dried fruits like Dates and raisins are rich in minerals, vitamins, and fibers. Nuts carry plant-based protein, heart-healthy fats, and diverse essential minerals.

You can pick different kinds of nuts such as wood nuts, cashews, almonds, raisins, walnuts, pistachios, etc. Furthermore, Nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, etc can provide you nutrients and plant-based protein for variety.

Seeds

Seeds can deliver a variety of nutrients and minerals. In the grocery store you may find different kinds of seeds like chia seed, flax seed, sunflower seed, sesame, hemp seed, etc. The edible seeds are enriched with alpha-linolenic fatty acids, which offer anti-inflammatory benefits. So, try to include some seeds in your list.

Read How to Shop and Disinfect Groceries Safely during COVID19 Pandemic

Eggs

Eggs can stay fresh inside your refrigerator for about two weeks. The applications of eggs in recipes are versatile. Starting from a two minute omelet, you can bake cake, pizza, curry and many other delicious food using eggs.

Baby Food & Breakfast Cereals

Depending on the age your baby, you can buy baby formula which would last for at least two weeks.  If your kid can consume grown-up food, then you can stock up ready-to-eat foods, and kid-friendly snacks to supplement meals.

Cereals are rich in fiber. Adults and kids can eat cereals in breakfast. These find of food products can be consumed instantly with milk. You can store it for a long time.

Milk and Other Dairy Products

Dairy products are enriched with calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein. You can buy pasteurized liquid milks or powder milk. Don’t forget to include other dairy product like Cheese, butter, yogurt, etc into your list.

Read Post Lockdown Safety Precautions to Prevent COVID19 Contraction.

Seasoning & Spices

Whether you want to cook regular family meals or special recipes, you would need seasonings are spices. These products can stay long in your kitchen shelves. You can stock different kinds of spices like chili powder, curry powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric powder, cayenne, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

Soups, Snacks & Beverages

Your favorite snack can make the quarantine days a bit less boring. Make a list of favorite chips, snacks, tea, coffe, soups, etc of you, kids and other family members. The frozen snacks can stay good in your refrigerator for one month since the date of packaging. You can fry those items instantly before serving.

Read Coronavirus Tips: Immunity Booster Herbal Teas to Prevent Infection

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Though rainy season has arrived the high temperatures of the preceding summer is still on the go. Sometimes the weather remains cool and sometimes the scorching heat makes our lives unbearable. Due to these frequent changes in temperatures, our digestive system becomes slower and weaker leading to numerous gastrointestinal disorders such as gastroenteritis, heartburn, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, etc. To improve your gastronomical health, you can add some healthy drinks to your diet. Read this article to know about some easy homemade drinks to boost up your digestion power in a natural way.

Digestion Improving Drinks

Yogurt Drink

Yogurt is a rich source of healthy nutrients including magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin B-2 and vitamin B-12. Drinking a glass of yogurt after having meal can give you instant relief. Yogurt would feel quite light on your stomach as it serves as a probiotic food. 

Around 400 different species of bacteria live in the human intestines. Some bacteria are bad, while some bacteria are beneficial to run your digestive system properly. Probiotic foods contain beneficial live bacteria and yeast.

If you are suffering from acidity, bloating, indigestion, or irritable bowel syndrome quite frequently, it triggers to leaky gut. In order to improve the functionality of your gut health as well as gastronomical system, you can add yogurt drink in regular diet. You can also consume Yogurt in smoothies, curry, salad and many more forms.

Read: Easy Homemade Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat and Increase Immunity.

Ginger Tea

If you are looking for a home treatment for common digestive problems, like stomach upset, nausea, heartburn, or bloating, try ginger tea. Even many pregnant women love to drink ginger tea regularly as a home remedy to get rid of nausea and morning sickness.  

Chronic indigestion (dyspepsia) is mainly caused by the delayed emptying of the stomach. Interestingly, the properties of ginger can speed up the emptying process of your stomach. But how does it work?

The properties of Ginger can stimulate the muscles of your intestines, which is termed as gastrointestinal motility. This process can help your body in breaking down the food particles in your stomach and quick removal of food-residue substances out of your digestive tract.  Thus, consuming Ginger you can get faster, functional and comfortable digestion with less chance of experiencing bloating and gas.

Read: Coronavirus Tips: Immunity Booster Herbal Teas to Prevent Infection.

Lime Water

Though Lime is a very acidic food, it can promote an alkaline pH in your body. The citric acid in lime juice aids in breaking down the food in your stomach quite efficiently. Moreover, lime juice makes it easier for your body to take out maximum nutrients from the ingested food substances. Slowing down the absorption rate, Lime can prevent surge in blood sugar after having a meal.

What is more? Lime juice can help your body to release the floating toxins in your gastrointestinal tract. The stomach-calming benefits of lime can provide instant relief to stomach-ache caused by indigestion. It also minimizes the risk of excess gas formation in your stomach which often causes burping and bloating. Drinking Lime water on empty stomach can keep your digestive system functional all day long in a natural way.

Read: Why Shouldn’t You Throw Away Lemon Peel? Know the Benefits and Uses.

Peppermint/Mint (Pudina) Tea

You can enjoy a cup of peppermint tea after ending your meal. It will fulfill your cravings for sugary desserts without adding any extra sugar to your diet. Mint is naturally free from sugar, calorie, and caffeine. Besides, offering delicious taste Mint can aid your digestive system.

Mint is enriched with natural oil called menthol which can improve your digestive system by virtue of its antiseptic, antibacterial and adaptogenic properties. The adaptogenic properties can help your body in balancing in whatever way is needed.

According to a study, Mint can treat the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by reducing spasms in your gut. In addition to these, Mint can calm your central and peripheral nervous system. When your body becomes relaxed, your gastrointestinal system can digest the food more effectively. Furthermore, having post-dinner mint tea can freshen up your breath.

Read: Vitamin C: Where to Found and How Much to Consume.

Fennel (Mouri) Tea

Fennel seeds are a great source of fiber. 1 Tbsp (6 grams) of dried fennel seeds contains about 2 grams of fiber, whereas an apple carries about 3 to 4 grams of fiber. Fennel tea can be an effective home remedy to treat stomach flu. Its fiber property can aid in treating watery diarrhea. 

Anethole is the major property of fennel seeds, which can contribute to improve your digestion system. According to a study, the fennel seeds contain antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties can help your digestive tract get rid of harmful bacteria causing upset stomach.

Moreover, the Fennel seeds can contribute in soothing the inflammation in your intestines by relaxing muscles of your stomach. Fennel also relieves the gassiness of your stomach and prevents constipation or acid reflux.

Read: Where to Buy Grocery Online in Dhaka during Quarantine?

Also Read: How to Shop and Disinfect Groceries Safely during COVID19 Pandemic.

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A cheap and widely available drug, Dexamethasone, has been able to play a significant role in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, claimed a recent research from the United Kingdom.

According to researchers, the drug can reduce deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalised patients. They came up with the disclosure on Tuesday, saying elaborate findings will be released soon, reports AP.

They applied the drug on 2,104 Covid-19 patients after a random selection process and later compared them with other 4,321 patients who were receiving usual care. It was given either orally or using IV method.

After 28 days, it was found that the medicine had reduced deaths by 35 percent in patients who needed treatment with breathing machines and by 20 percent in those only needing supplemental oxygen.

The drug apparently had no impact on those who are comparatively in better physical condition.

Peter Horby, a scholar of University of Oxford and leader of the researchers’ team, called it “an extremely welcome result".

In a statement, he said the survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients. “Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide," he said.

Nick Cammack of Wellcome, a British charity that supports science research, said even though the drug only helps in severe cases, countless lives will be saved globally. He called for Dexamethasone to be rolled out and accessed by thousands of critically ill patients around the world.

Cammack, who had played no apparent role in the study, further said that "it is highly affordable, easy to make, can be scaled up quickly and only needs a small dosage".

Research continues

Steroid drugs reduce inflammation, which sometimes develops in Covid-19 patients as the immune system overreacts to fight the infection. This overreaction can prove fatal, so doctors have been testing steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs in such patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises against using steroids earlier in the course of illness because they can slow the time until patients clear the virus.

Researchers estimated that the drug would prevent one death for every eight patients treated while on breathing machines and one for every 25 patients on extra oxygen alone.

This is the same study that earlier this month showed the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was not working against the coronavirus. The study enrolled more than 11,000 patients in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who were given either standard of care or that plus one of several treatments: dexamethasone; the HIV combo drug lopinavir-ritonavir, the antibiotic azithromycin; the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab; or plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 that contains antibodies to fight the virus.

Research is continuing on the other treatments. The research is funded by government health agencies in the UK and private donors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Also read: Gilead drug 'works' against coronavirus: US study