Friday, 30 November 2012
Pneumonia alert
Respiratory infections can develop into pneumonia in infants.
Dr. Pankaj Garg on how to keep them safe.
Irregular monsoons and frequent weather changes can play havoc with a child’s respiratory health. The number of children below the age five suffering from cough, cold and viral infections has increased significantly. Viral infections of the upper respiratory tract including influenza infections predispose a child to the development of pneumonia.
Take the case of eight-month –old Gourang who was brought with complaints of fast breathing and high –grade fever. A detailed case history showed that the symptoms had been present for four days but had worsened overnight. Others in the family were also suffering from fever and cold. The child was very irritable and the breathing rate was 80/minute (normal at this age would be <50/minute). Other tests also showed that the child was suffering from pneumonia. After treatment with antibiotics and nebulisation, there was partial recovery in three days but it took one week for the child to come back to normal.
What is pneumonia ?
Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that may be bacterial or viral. The infection causes inflammation of one or both lungs as the tiny air sacs within the lungs get filled with fluid, making it difficult for the lungs to function properly.
Who is at risk ?
Infants, neonates, premature babies and children between 24-59 months are most likely to suffer due to their low immunity. Getting wet in the rain will not trigger pneumonia but exposure to sudden temperature change can be a risk factor. Damp, heat, air pollution, smoking and overcrowding are conducive to the growth of bacteria, viruses or fungi. Other high-risk factors include malnutrition, deficiency of vitamin A&D and zinc, weakened immune systems, co-morbid pulmonary illness, other systemic illness and anticancer drugs.
Symptoms :
In bacterial pneumonia, signs include high fever (more than 102 F) , difficulty in breathing, fast respiratory rate, noisy breathing, severe chest pain, body ache, wheezing, severe weakness, inability to feed, excessive drowsiness, excessive sweating, coughing up blood and respiratory distress. A child with chest in-drawing and cyanosis (blue tinge to the skin) indicates severe pneumonia. Viral pneumonia, often called walking pneumonia, has less florid symptoms. Symptoms like high-grade fever (less than 102 F), preceding upper respiratory tract infection, coughing up small amounts of mucus, muscle ache and fatigue are common.
Treatment :If Symptoms persist, the child must be taken to the doctor. Hospitalisation may be required to administer intravenous antibiotics or oxygen support. Viral pneumonia doesn’t require intensive care and treatment since viruses don’t respond to vaccines and antibiotics.
Complications :
About half the number of children who survive pneumonia suffer some after-effect, which may be mild or temporary. But 22 percent of survivors end up with a moderate or severe disability, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The complications of untreated or neglected pneumonia can result in disabilities such as deafness, brain damage, seizures and in severe cases,even death.
Prevention :
Adequate breastfeeding for the first six months helps improve an infant’s natural defences. All children should receive adequate nutrition, especially vitamin A& D and Zinc. Environmental factors such as pollution, smoking, overcrowding, sanitation and hydiene should be addressed to reduce the risk.
Bacterial pneumonia is the leading cause of pneumonia deaths in children and accounts for highest number of pediatric hospitalisations. There have been many instances when antibiotic treatments fail because of delay in treatment or administration of inappropriate antibiotics. Lately, the increasing number of disease-causing strains and antibiotic –resistant bacteria have been a matter of concern.
In such cases, prevention of pneumonia through vaccination (Hemophilus influenzae B vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine) is recommended. Pneumococcal Conjuvate Vaccine (PCV), the latest pneumococcal vaccine, is highly effective against 13 serotypes of pneumococcus including serotype 19A, which is emerging as one of the important strains to cause pneumococcal disease in children less than five years of age. In addition, the vaccine is a potent tool for protection against the even more serious meningitis and blood infection (septicemia) caused by the same bacteria.
Thanks,
The Hindu - Well Being
25/11/2012
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Sai Mobident Dental Centre
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Metro Hospital & ICU
Re Vera Institute of Medical Sciences & Research
Siddhant Hospital
Monday, 26 November 2012
AASHRITHA NURSING HOME
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Thursday, 22 November 2012
மூலிகைப் பொடிகளின் பெயர்களும், அதன் பயன்களும். ..
*நெல்லிக்காய் பவுடர் :- பற்கள் எலும்புகள் பலப்படும். வைட்டமின் "சி" உள்ளது
*கடுக்காய் பவுடர் :- குடல் புண் ஆற்றும், சிறந்த மலமிளக்கியாகும்.
*வில்வம் பவுடர் :- அதிகமான கொழுப்பை குறைக்கும். இரத்த கொதிப்பிற்கு சிறந்தது
*அமுக்கலா பவுடர் :- தாது புஷ்டி, ஆண்மை குறைபாடுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*சிறுகுறிஞான் பவுடர் :- சர்க்கரை நோய்க்கு மிகச் சிறந்த மூலிகையாகும்.
*நவால் பவுடர் :- சர்க்கரை நோய், தலைசுற்றுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*வல்லாரை பவுடர் :- நினைவாற்றலுக்கும், நரம்பு தளர்ச்சிக்கும் சிறந்தது.
*தூதுவளை பவுடர் :- நாட்பட்ட சளி, ஆஸ்துமா, வரட்டு இருமலுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*துளசி பவுடர் :- மூக்கடைப்பு, சுவாச கோளாருக்கு சிறந்தது.
*ஆவரம்பூ பவுடர் :- இதயம் பலப்படும், உடல் பொன்னிறமாகும்.
*கண்டங்கத்திரி பவுடர் :- மார்பு சளி, இரைப்பு நோய்க்கு சிறந்தது.
*ரோஜாபூ பவுடர் :- இரத்த கொதிப்புக்கு சிறந்தது, உடல் குளிர்ச்சியாகும்.
*ஓரிதழ் தாமரை பவுடர் :- ஆண்மை குறைபாடு, மலட்டுத்தன்மை நீங்கும்.வெள்ளைபடுதல் நீங்கும், இது மூலிகை வயாகரா
*ஜாதிக்காய் பவுடர் :- நரம்பு தளர்ச்சி நீங்கும், ஆண்மை சக்தி பெருகும்.
*திப்பிலி பவுடர் :- உடல் வலி, அலுப்பு, சளி, இருமலுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*வெந்தய பவுடர் :- வாய் புண், வயிற்றுபுண் ஆறும். சர்க்கரை நோய்க்கு சிறந்தது.
*நிலவாகை பவுடர் :- மிகச் சிறந்த மலமிளக்கி, குடல்புண் நீக்கும்.
*நாயுருவி பவுடர் :- உள், வெளி, நவமூலத்திற்க்கும் சிறந்தது.
*கறிவேப்பிலை பவுடர் :- கூந்தல் கருமையாகும். கண்பார்வைக்கும் சிறந்தது.
*வேப்பிலை பவுடர் :- குடல்வால் புழு, அரிப்பு, சர்க்கரை நோய்க்கு சிறந்தது.
*திரிபலா பவுடர் :- வயிற்றுபுண் ஆற்றும், அல்சரை கட்டுப்படுத்தும்.
*அதிமதுரம் பவுடர் :- தொண்டை கமறல், வரட்டு இருமல் நீங்கும், குரல் இனிமையாகும்.
*துத்தி இலை பவுடர் :- உடல் உஷ்ணம், உள், வெளி மூல நோய்க்கு சிறந்த்து.
*செம்பருத்திபூ பவுடர் :- அனைத்து இருதய நோய்க்கும் சிறந்தது.
*கரிசலாங்கண்ணி பவுடர் :- காமாலை, ஈரல் நோய், கூந்தல் வளர்ச்சிக்கு சிறந்தது.
*சிறியாநங்கை பவுடர் :- அனைத்து விஷக்கடிக்கும், சர்க்கரை நோய்க்கும் சிறந்தது.
*கீழாநெல்லி பவுடர் :- மஞ்சள் காமாலை, சோகை நோய்க்கு சிறந்தது.
*முடக்கத்தான் பவுடர் :- மூட்டு வலி, முழங்கால்வலி, வாததுக்கு நல்லது.
*கோரைகிழங்கு பவுடர் :- தாதுபுஷ்டி, உடல் பொலிவு, சரும பாதுகாப்பிற்கு சிறந்தது.
*குப்பைமேனி பவுடர் :- சொறிசிரங்கு, தோல் வியாதிக்கு சிறந்தது.
*பொன்னாங்கண்ணி பவுடர் :- உடல் சூடு, கண்நோய்க்கும் சிறந்தது.
*முருஙகைவிதை பவுடர் :- ஆண்மை சக்தி கூடும்.
*லவங்கபட்டை பவுடர் :- கொழுப்புசத்தை குறைக்கும். மூட்டுவலிக்கு சிறந்தது.
*வாதநாராயணன் பவுடர் :- பக்கவாதம், கை, கால் மூட்டு வலி நீங்கும்.
*பாகற்காய் பவுட்ர் :- குடல்வால் புழுக்கள் அழிக்கும். சர்க்கரை நோய் கட்டுக்குள் இருக்கும்.
*வாழைத்தண்டு பவுடர் :- சிருநீரக கோளாறு, கல் அடைப்புக்கு மிகச் சிறந்தது.
*மணத்தக்காளி பவுடர் :- குடல் புண், வாய்புண், தொண்டைபுண் நீங்கும்.
*சித்தரத்தை பவுடர் :- சளி, இருமல், வாயு கோளாறுகளுக்கு நல்லது.
*பொடுதலை பவுடர் :- பேன் உதிரும், முடி உதிரிவதை தடுக்கும்.
*சுக்கு பவுடர் :- ஜீரண கோளாறுகளுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*ஆடாதொடை பவுடர் :- சுவாச கோளாறு, ஆஸ்துமாவிற்கு சிறந்தது.
*கருஞ்சீரகப்பவுடர் :- சக்கரை, குடல் புண் நீங்கும், நஞ்சு வெளிப்படும்.
*வெட்டி வேர் பவுடர் :- நீரில் கலந்து குடித்துவர சூடு குறையும், முகம் பொலிவு பெறும்.
*வெள்ளருக்கு பவுடர் :- இரத்த சுத்தி, வெள்ளைப்படுதல், அடிவயிறு வலி நீங்கும்.
*நன்னாரி பவுடர் :- உடல் குளிர்ச்சி தரும், சிறுநீர் பெறுக்கி, நா வறட்சிக்கு சிறந்தது.
*நெருஞ்சில் பவுடர் :- சிறுநீரக கோளாறு, காந்தல் ஆகியவற்றை நீக்கும்.
*பிரசவ சாமான் பவுடர் :- பிரசவத்தினால் ஏற்படும் அதிகப்படியான இழப்பை சரி செய்யும், உடல் வலிமை பெறும். தாய்பாலுக்கு சிறந்தது.
*கஸ்தூரி மஞ்சள் பவுடர் :- தினசரி பூசி வர முகம் பொலிவு பெறும்.
*பூலாங்கிழங்கு பவுடர் :- குளித்து வர நாள் முழுவதும் நறுமணம் கமழும்.
*வசம்பு பவுடர் :- பால் வாடை நீங்கும், வாந்தி, குமட்டல் நீங்கும்.
*சோற்று கற்றாலை பவுடர் :- உடல் குளிர்ச்சி, முகப்பொலிவிற்கு பயன்படும்.
*மருதாணி பவுடர் :- கை , கால்களில் பூசி வர பித்தம், கபம் குணமாகும்.
*கருவேலம்பட்டை பவுடர் :- பல்கறை, பல்சொத்தை, பூச்சிபல், பல்வலி குணமாகும்.
Source - "சில அதிசயங்கள் - தகவல்கள்" - 1 - FACEBOOK
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Heart of the matter
Diabetes has an adverse effect on the heart.
Here’s how people with diabetes can prevent heart disease.
Prof. V. Seshiah, Prof. V. Balaji
Diabetes Mellitus is an independent risk factor for heart disease that amplifies the effects of other risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia or abnormal bold fat levels. Compared to people who don’t have diabetes, people who have diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease and may develop it at a younger age and more severely. Nevertheless numerous studies have shown the efficacy of controlling individual risk factors in preventing or slowing heart disease in people with diabetes.
Effect on lipids
Dyslipidaemia denotes abnormal levels of lipids (fat) in the blood including high LDL, high TGL (triglycerides) or both, or a low HDL level that contributes to atherosclerosis and heart disease. The most common pattern in individuals with Type 2 diabetes is elevated TGL levels and decreased HDL levels. Patients with diabetes tend to have a higher proportion of smaller and denser LDL particles, which are more susceptible to oxidation, a process which ultimately leads to thickening of the arteries. Uncontrolled diabetes causes changes in lipid metabolism and lipoprotein composition. This is why diabetics are prescribed a low dose of cholesterol lowering drug despite normal cholesterol levels.
Initial therapy involves lifestyle intervention that incorporates weight loss, increased physical activity, restricted saturated fats and transfat and more fibre in the diet, reduction of alcohol and stopping smoking. Improved blood sugar control usually lowers TGL to an appreciable level. If targets are not met pharmacological intervention needs to be considered.
Hypertension
Hypertension is commonly found along with diabetes, with prevalence depending, on type of diabetes, age, obesity, and ethnicity. It is a major risk factor for diabetic heart disease. Blood pressure should be measured at every routine visit, (at least) once in 3 months. Lifestyle therapy consists of weight loss, increased physical activity, increased consumption of vegetables, reducing sodium and alcohol intake and avoiding smoking.
These strategies may also have a positive impact on blood sugar control and lipid control. In case this does not meet the needs, pharmacologic therapy may be required. Multiple drug therapy (two or more drugs) is generally required in diabetic patients.
Stringent blood sugar control may be appropriate for individual patients. Goals should be individualized based on duration of diabetes, age/ life expectancy, co-morbid conditions, known heart disease or other advanced complications. In individuals with overt heart disease, a lower LDL cholesterol goal of <70 mg/dl is ideal.
Risk factors you can control
· Smoking damages blood vessels, leads to unhealthy cholesterol levels and raises blood pressure. It also limits the amount of oxygen that reaches the heart and tissues.
· Central Obesity is carrying extra weight around the waist. Waist circumference reflects the amount of high risk internal fat. Regardless of weight, reducing waist circumference will reduce risk of heart disease.
· Unhealthy diet : Make healthy choices when eating out. Eat home-cooked food as much as possible. Limit portion size during each meal. Snack on salad, soup, buttermilk, sundal, sprouts, brown bread sandwiches.
· Stress and anxiety can cause arteries to tighten, raise blood sugar and blood pressure. Stress also makes you more likely to smoke and consume alcohol or foods high in fat and sugar.
Thanks,
The Hindu-Well Being
11/11/2012
Not So Sweet
What is gestational diabetes? How does it affect pregnant women?
Dr. Shalini Jaggi has the answers.
Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman’s life; a time of expectations and preparations. Taking care of the mother’s health during this period is of utmost importance. In some cases, around the 24th week pregnancy, many women are diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, even when they had no history of diabetes. This causes fear, apprehension and anxiety. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes does not mean that the mother will remain a diabetic after delivery, although a susceptibility to develop diabetes in the future is certainly present.
How it happens
During pregnancy, the placenta supports the baby as it grows. Placental hormones are necessary for the baby’s growth but these hormones also block the action of insulin in the mother’s body (insulin resistance). So, although the mother’s body continues to produce insulin, it is not allowed to work properly. As a result her blood glucose levels start rising. Gestational diabetes develops when the mother’s blood glucose levels rise above normal, causing hyperglycaemia.
Gestational diabetes occurs at a late stage in pregnancy when the baby has already formed but is still growing. While the baby may not have developmental birth defects- as seen in cases where the mothers had uncontrolled diabetes prior to pregnancy- it might be harmed if the condition is not treated. Rising blood sugar levels in the mother’s body send the pancreas into over drive to produce more insulin but this does not reduce the blood glucose due to increasing insulin resistance. The insulin cannot cross the placenta but the extra glucose can easily enter the baby’s circulation through the placenta. As a result, the baby’s blood glucose levels also start rising, sending the developing pancreas into overdrive to produce extra insulin to control them. As the baby receives more glucose – more energy than it normally needs for growth – the excess is stored as fat in the body, leading to ‘macrosomia’ or ‘fat baby’.
Babies with macrosomia face their share of problems. Their large size can cause a difficult childbirth. Normal delivery may even damage the baby’s shoulder while passing through the birth passage. High levels of insulin in the blood may lead to very low blood glucose levels and severe respiratory distress at birth. Also, such babies are at an increased risk of obesity and have a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future.
What to do
Treatment for gestational diabetes should start as soon as the mother is diagnosed. A good treatment regimen aims at keeping the blood glucose at normal levels throughout the pregnancy. It starts with special customized meal plans as well as scheduled physical activity. The blood glucose levels need to be monitored on a daily basis and insulin injections need to be taken if dietary and life style measures are not able to normalize the blood sugar level. During pregnancy, doctors may prescribe insulin injections because all oral tablets cross the placental barrier and, therefore, is safe.
Gestational diabetes usually goes away after pregnancy but in some cases it may return in future pregnancies too. In fact, in a small section of women, it may unmask Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Such women may need to continue their treatment regimen even after pregnancy. As gestational diabetes and Type 2 diabetes both are linked to insulin resistance, it is important to continue with basic dietary and lifestyle measures, especially in overweight women.
Thanks,
The Hindu- Well Being
11/11/2012
Monday, 19 November 2012
Lead a controlled lifestyle to prevent diabetes
If you think that diabetes is a disease that afflicts the older folks and you are safe from it, then we beg you to think again. Those overweight, over-stressed and poor lifestyle observers are easy targets for this lifestyle disease, even at the young age of 20.
While diabetes can be genetic, doctors say that type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) can be prevented by following a proper lifestyle.
Here are the top 5 ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes:
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise for at least 5 to 6 days in a week is a must. Opt for 30 minutes of intense exercise where the heart rate is double. Brisk walking or jogging and muscle building through weight lifting are good.
Have an active lifestyle, which means one must exercise at least 20-30 minutes in a day. Aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling and swimming are good. Improving physical activity is one major step in preventing Type 2 diabetes.
Stress reduction
Stress reduction, both – at home and at workplace, is a must. Meditation, music, giving and getting love and respect from children, contentment in life, learning to forgive and keeping pets at home are a few ways through which one can combat stress.
Make sure you are sleeping for 8 hours at night as various studies have shown that less than 6 hours of shut – eye time can put you at a greater risk of diabetes. Also, avoid sleeping too much, as sleeping too long because of sleep apnea is also linked to diabetes.
Maintain your weight
Keep BMI (weight in kgs divided by square of height in metres) at around 22-23. Waist-line for males should be less than 90, and for females less than 80 cms.
Maintain your body weight, that is, do not gain too much weight above the ideal body weight, And as far as possible, avoid abdominal fat which causes insulin insensitivity leading to Type 2 diabetes. If obese, try and reduce at least a few kilograms in order to get a head start.
Eat a healthy diet
Small frequent meals i.e. total daily calories load is divided into 3 small meals and snacks, roughly at three hourly intervals. Avoid excess of refined carbohydrates and fats.
Eat healthy diet with high fiber, low fat, optimal calories for age and complex carbohydrates. A healthy diet should have sufficient calories as required at a particular age and work type. It should be high in fiber and low in fat. Do not over – eat or over – drink. One must enjoy one’s meal or a drink or two once in a while but over-drinking and over-eating adds extra calories, which are converted into fat in the body causing insulin intolerance and thus obesity.
Annual self risk assessment
Those with a family history of diabetes, or those who are overweight/ obese, follow a sedentary life style, and have waistlines beyond 102cms (for men) and 85 cms (for women), or a history of diabetes during pregnancy are at a greater risk of developing diabetes.
If one has an underlying disease that must be cured such as hypertension or depression, then the risk of diabetes is higher. One must try to quit smoking in order to prevent diabetes. Annual investigations should be done for early diagnosis and preferably to investigate the disease in pre-diabetic stage in order to reverse the disease.
Thanks,
Sunday Times of India
11/11/2012
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Eating While watching TV adds weight
Almost half of obese children have their dinner while watching TV more than three times a week, found a study conducted by the University Of Sidney School Of Public Health.
A third of obese children had a television in their bedrooms, showed the survey of more than 1,200 children aged up to five years. A startling revelation was that 70% parents of overweight, kindergarten children and 30% parents of obese children thought their child was the ‘right weight’.
Thanks
Hindustan Times- Wellness
07/10/2012
Aspirin prevents mental decline
Low-dose aspirin delays brain decline in elderly women at high heart disease and stroke risk, reported Swedish researchers. Tests of cognitive function included naming tests and word memory.
While low-dose aspirin has proven benefits in the prevention of heart disease and stroke, its effect on cognition and dementia have had contradictory findings. No effects on cognition were seen for aspirin use in healthy women, but another analysis suggested cognitive benefits among those with cardiovascular risks.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times- Wellness
07/10/2012
Saturday, 17 November 2012
மணிபால் மருத்துவமனையின் வலிப்பு நோய்க்கான சிறப்பு மருத்துவம்
வலிப்பு நோய் அறிகுறிகள்:கைகால் இழுப்பு
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Source: Daily Thandhi 17-11-2012
டெங்கு காய்ச்சலைத் தடுக்கவல்ல நிலவேம்பு மூலிகைக் குடிநீர்..!
நிலவேம்பு (Andrographis paniculata) மூலிகை மருத்துவத்தில் பயன்படும் செடியாகும். கைப்புச் சுவையுடைய
சித்த மருத்துவத்துத்தின் அடிப்படையில் மூலிகை குடிநீரை டெங்கு வந்தவர்கள் மட்டும் இன்றி, வராமல் தடுப்பதற்கும் பயன்படுத்தலாம். தொடர்ந்து 7 நாட்களுக்கு மூலிகை குடிநீரை குடித்தால், டெங்கு மட்டுமின்றி, பன்றிகாய்ச்சல், சிக்குன்குனியா, மலேரியா போன்ற நோய்களும் வருவதை முற்றிலும் தடுக்கலாம். காலையில் வெறும் வயிற்றில் குடிப்பது நல்லது. ஒவ்வொரு சீதோஷ்ண நிலை மாறும் சீசனிலும் நிலவேம்பு குடிநீரை குடிப்பதன் மூலம் வைரஸ் காய்ச்சல் வராமல் தடுக்க முடியும்.
Source : Face Book தமிழ் தந்த சித்தர்கள்
Friday, 16 November 2012
Walk away the Sugar
Food, fat or physical inactivity? What’s to blame for diabetes?
Dr. Nanditha Arun, Dr. Samith Shetty and Dr. A. Ramachandran
Diabetes affects people in the prime of their productive life. Unfortunately all the “good” things associated with modern life are risk factors for diabetes. In other words, diabetes affects healthy people and the conventional risk factors include age, high intake of foods with sugar and fat, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, stress – all of which are characteristics of today’s lifestyle.
Among the obvious risk factors, importance of physical activity is often not recognized. One major reason has been the lack of sensitive tools to assess physical activity. Moreover, the optimal level, of physical activity needed for human beings to maintain good metabolic and cardiovascular health is not clearly known.
There is no doubt that physical inactivity is a major cause of obesity. Many scientific studies have proved that physical inactivity is detrimental, even in the absence of obesity. In fact a large proportion of people who develop diabetes in India have a Body Mass Index that would be considered non-obese by western standards. The scientific explanation is that Indians have comparatively more fat mass than muscle mass. Recent studies have shown that physical inactivity may be a more important risk factor than bad/ high fat diet for diabetes and obesity in developed countries. Increasing physical activity helps weight reduction in obese persons, which is beneficial in improving metabolism.
Studies have shown increasing obesity rates in Australia, the U.K., and the U.S., although sugar intake in Australia and the U.K. showed a slight decline. In the U.S.,a small increase in sugar intake occurred but this was much smaller than the increase in obesity rates. Furthermore, the U.S. had massive increases in sugar intake early in the 20th century, but no increase in obesity rates was seen. Therefore, declining total daily energy expenditure is a more likely cause of the obesity epidemic, causing metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
In a recent paper, published in Lancet 2012, I-Min Lee and colleagues analysed the effect of physical inactivity on non-communicable diseases and concluded that physical inactivity is a major risk factor for NCD along with obesity and smoking.
It has also been noted that in India the average physical activity among the urban population is much lower compared to western countries. This is true not only for adults but also for children. This situation needs to change and the proof is reflected in the number of Olympic medals we win compared to china.
One of the major reasons is the increased amount of time adults and children spent in front of televisions and computers. One study in Chennai showed that the number of hours of watching television per week was directly proportional to the prevalence of diabetes. This study was conducted when there were only 25 TV channels. Other studies have shown that physical activity improves glucose and fat metabolism even in non-obese persons and can even prevent the onset of diabetes in those at risk (Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme, Diabetologia, 2006)
There are many misconceptions regarding healthy exercise programmes. We need to realize that increasing the number of steps taken during working hours in an office or at home adds to physical activity. For example, take the staircase instead of the elevator, walk to the market instead of driving, walk in the railway station or airport especially if the train/ flight is delayed. These small steps will substantially improve physical activity in the Indian scenario.
Walking in one of the best physical activities. To those who complain that they do not have time to walk, the answer is : make time- half an hour daily – for walking, it will add 10 more years to your lifetime.
Thanks,
The Hindu- Well Being
11/11/2012
High Blood Pressure damage Brain
Uncontrolled high BP damages the brain’s structure and function in adults under 50 years, but people can influence their late-life brain health by keeping their BP under control. The study found accelerated brain ageing among hypertensive and prehypertensives in their 40s. Earlier studies have linked high blood pressure with a heightened risk of brain injury and atrophy leading to reduced brain function and a greater likelihood of dementia.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times – Wellness
11/11/2012
Virtual avatar could help you lose weight
Strongly identifying with your on-line image or virtual avatar can improve your physical health and appearance in real life. When an individual strongly identifies with the cyber representation of himself – known as an avatar-the electronic doppelganger can influence that person’s health and appearance.
Harnessing the power of the virtual world could lead to new forms of obesity treatment and help break down racial and sexual prejudices. People seeking to lose weight, for example, could create fitter avatars to help visualise themselves as similar and healthier.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times – Wellness
11/11/2012
Spice allergy for foodies and cosmetic users
Globally, 2 to 3% people have a spice allergy, said allergists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Common spice allergy triggers include cinnamon and garlic, but can range from black pepper to vanilla. Several spice blends contain anywhere from three to 18 spices, and the hotter the spice, the greater the chance for allergy.
Spices are one of the most widely used ingredients in foods, cosmetics and dental products, with most makeup, bodyoils, toothpaste and fragrances including one or more species. Species are not regulated and are often not noted on food labels, making species possibly the most difficult, allergen to identify or avoid.
According to estimates, spice allergy is responsible for 2% of food allergies.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times- Wellness
11/11/2012
Too Much Hygiene ? You Could Fall Sick
Using hand sanitizers and other such anti- bacterials could actually lower your immune system and make you vulnerable to germs and diseases.
Neha Khator
Have you ditched you regular hand soap for a soap dispenser? Or carry hand sanitizers in your bag? If you do, chances are that you have fallen into the trap of the booming $65 million healthcare industry that makes us perceive germs and bacteria in every nook and cranny.
Soaps, detergents, dishwashing liquids, shaving creams and floor cleaners now come with anti-bacterial properties. Hand sanitizers, once found in only in hospitals, have entered our homes. According to industry estimates, the market for these in India is over Rs. 30 crore and is growing at an average of 40% every year.
But this trend could have a fall-out on our health, warn doctors. “Our immune system is built like a soldier that continuously fights disease-causing germs and bacteria,” says Dr Rashmi Sama, associate consultant in chest medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. So while anti-bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers remove germs and bacteria on our skin, they also end up doing what our immune system is supposed to do. This makes the system complacent and gradually, it loses its killer instinct. “If we use too many hygiene products, our immune system is devoid of challenges and doesn’t develop enough in order to fight infections properly,” says Dr S P Singh, Principal consultant, Escorts.
In the west, hand sanitizers have become a major cause of concern and a subject of numerous researches. According to a theory called ‘hygiene hypothesis’ first developed by epidemiologist David P Strachan in 1989, children who grow up in an ultraclean environment lack exposure to infectious organisms like viruses and bacteria. This suppresses the natural development of the immune system and increases its susceptibility to allergies and auto-immune diseases. So some amount of bacteria entering our body is good as it spurs the growth of the immune system. This theory is gaining support and many immunologists use it to explain the sharp increase in the number of immune system disorders, allergies and asthma cases in U.S.
Hygiene hypothesis is based on research in the US comparing kids who grow up in farmlands and those in clean and sterilized cities. It has been found that the former falls less sick as compared to their city counterparts,” says Sama. She takes the example of her daughter who has born in the US and spent the first six months of her life living in a sterile environment there. “Ever since we moved back to India, she keeps falling sick and getting allergies.”
While it good to be healthy and clean, in India, it’s a double-edged sword, says sama. “With dirt and numerous infections all around and many people not even washing their hands after going to the bathroom, it’s good to be hygienic. But too much use of hand sanitizers/ anti-bacterial soaps can make us vulnerable to diseases.”
Interestingly, some studies have found that using germicidal products can even harm us. “The alcohol in hand sanitizing gels removes the top layer of oil from our hands, taking with it some of the good bacteria. This can lead to dry skin and irritation and a tendency for cracks to develop, further exposing us to germs,” explains Dr Sanjay Gupta, consultant in internal medicine at Medanta Medicity.
Whay’s more, triclosan, an ingredient in anti-bacterial products , is known to kill most bacteria, both good and bad. But the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that besides its use in toothpaste to prevent gingivitis, triclosan has no known health benefits and is currently under scientific review Morever , as per the FDA, “studies have been raised the possibility that triclosan’s overuse contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics.”
So what’s the best way out? “General hygiene must be maintained . But we must apply our common sense,” says Gupta. “Advertisements may show you how a soap once touched becomes laden with germs. But that’s not true. What the companies are not telling you is that washing with plain soap and water is more than enough.”
Sama says that there is a need for public awareness on hand washing and general hygiene. “ There is a proper way of washing hands – scrub and wash the germ – prone areas for 12-15 seconds . And even sanitizers are ineffective against certain kinds of infections. It’s best to maintain a basic level of hygiene, without overdoing it.”
Thanks
Sunday Times of India
11/11/2012
Thursday, 15 November 2012
A fat child is not a healthy child!
Dr. R. Prem Sekar
The theme of this year’s World Heart Day, ‘ Cardiovascular disease prevention among women and children , indicates a paradigm shift in the focus from adults to children. This is a result of the global realisation that the war against the leading killer, artherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, can be won only if remedial measures are initiated from childhood.
Obesity is a result of energy intake exceeding energy expenditure, leading to excessive fat deposition in the body. The excess fat and cholesterol commonly get deposited inside the arteries, resulting in a hardening of the arterial vessel wall. This is called artherosclerosis. The fat deposits inside the vessel are called plaques and the increase in size over a period of time, causing a progressive blockage to blood flow. When the blockage is significant, it will lead to a heart attack.
Recent data from the centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States of America have established that 35.7% of adults and 16.9% of children are obese. Other studies show that at least 70% of these obese adolescents grow up to be obese. Once obesity is established in adulthood, it will be extremely difficult to reverse it. This is the rationale for shifting the focus on controlling obesity in children as well as inculcating lifestyle modifications, which in turn will produce a generation of adults free of the early onset of cardiovascular disease and contribute to a healthy society.
Childhood obesity is caused by multiple factors . The predominant cause is an unhealthy dietary habit compounded by a sedentary life style. Other causes include intake of medications such as steroids, some medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and genetic factors. It has been found that if one parent is obese, the chances of obesity in the child are 50% whereas if both parents are obese, it is nearly 80%. Children whose family members are overweight or have hypercholesterolaemia or a history of cardiovascular disease under 55 years are considered high risk for the early onset of coronary artery disease and should be screened periodically beyond two years of age with a fasting lipid profile.
The lipid profile values for children are :
Total cholesterol >170mg/dl (Borderline).
>200mg/dl (Elevated).
LDL > 110mg/dl (Borderline)
>130mg/dl (Elevated)
HDL< 35mg/dl
TGL >150 mg/dl (Elevated)
If the average results of three lipid profile results are above the cut-off values, then intervention will be required in the form of dietary and lifestyle modifications. Medications to reduce cholesterol is indicated when the LDL exceeds 160mg/dl with associated high risks or when it is >190mg/dl.
In the absence of a medical cause, childhood obesity can be managed only by a strict diet and exercise regimen. This includes avoiding fatty foods and snacks, binge eating, watching television while eating; eating slowly, increasing outdoor physical activities and, if necessary, taking the help of a dietician or psychiatric counselor.
The Writer is interventional Paediatric Cardiologist, Frontier lifeline Hospital, Chennai.
Thanks,
The Hindu- 11/11/2012
Shah Hospital.
Brisk Walking adds years to your Life
Just 75 minutes of brisk walking every week adds up to 1.8 years to your life, say researchers.
Adding low amounts of physical activity to one’s daily routine is associated with increased longevity: a gain of 1.8 years of life expectancy after age 40, compared with doing no such activity.
For those who did the equivalent to 150 min of brisk walking per week, the gain in life expectancy was 3.4 years.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times – Wellness,
11/11/2012
Having Milk Can Keep Kids Fit In Old Age
Drinking Milk, Cheese and other dairy produce are known help build strong bones by providing much needed calcium during childhood. A new study now shows that the benefits last for years, with children who regularly drink milk are physically fitter in old age.People who had the highest, amounts of milk and dairy foods in childhood walked faster and had less problems with balance, which raises the risk of fractures in old age, reports the study in the journal Age and Ageing.
Thanks,
Hindustan Times- Wellness
11/11/2012
Keep Your Distance from Diabetes
We hear a numerous studies from all over the globe about the increasing number of people with diabetes . The single most important reason in addition to genetic factors seems to be obesity, particularly the abdominal fat (belly fat). Studies have shown that by adopting a healthy lifestyle, it is possible to postpone diabetes. An obese person with a family history of diabetes is expected to be physically active and to eat a balanced diet. However, this seems to be the greatest challenge .
People come up with all kinds of excuses when told to be physically active and to do regular exercise. The usual excuses I get from my patients are : I have to do all the cooking at home, I have to rush to office, I do lot of travel and don’t find time, I feel tired and so on.
Why do people find excuses for not doing exercise when they find time to sit in front of the TV for hours? Why don’t they realize that doing regular exercise and being physically active are an integral part of our life?
Similarly, people including children just love all junk food but would not care for some four servings of fruits and vegetables per day which have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes.
Schoolchildren in the cities do not find time to do regular exercise because they have either a lot of homework or they just sit in front of the TV in their leisure time. This has resulted in high rates of obesity among school-going children, which can lead to diabetes.
The solution to this problem is to try to be physically active wherever and whenever possible. Please do not use the lift to go down and to go up one or two floors except when you have a knee problem. Please get up from your seat in your office and take a walk whenever possible. Try to cut down the time spent on TV watching and take a stroll in the garden or on terrace and get some fresh air. If you are very particular about watching TV , an alternative would be to do stationary cycling.
Similarly, youngsters spend a lot of time on social networks, often munching their favourite snacks which leads to obesity and diabetes. Spend some time doing jogging or brisk walking before or after your social networking routine. Taking one pack of chips will give you 150 calories and to burn 150 calories you need to do walking for 30 minutes.
Homemakers should not give the usual excuse that they are doing all the cooking and that is enough exercise. They should also spend atleast 30 minutes doing some form of aerobic exercise. Frequent travelers could practice yoga in their hotel rooms or go for a walk around their hotel.
Therefore, we need to shrug off our inertia and put on a pair of sports shoes and go for a walk. Similarly, start enjoying the taste of fruits and vegetables, and not just the tasty oily and high calorie food which just leads to obesity and the clogging of arteries.
We need to kick-start this habit in our country to save our community from the life style disorder, diabetes.
Points to remember
Do regular exercise with out finding excuses.
Take a balanced diet consisting of sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables.
Watch your weight every month and try to achieve the ideal body weight for your height.
People with risk of developing diabetes could do blood tests after the age of 30 years to diagnose the stage of pre-diabetes.
Thanks,
Dr. Vijay Viswanathan,
MD., PhD.,FRCP (London & Glassgow) , is Head & Chief Diabetologist.
M.V.Hospital for Diabetes.
The Hindu- 11/11/2012
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Vrindaa Nature Cure And Yoga Clinic
Hegde Maternity & Nursing Home
Nova Multi Speciality Dental Hospital
Goldage Ashram & Hospital
Watermelon halves bad cholesterol
A daily serving of watermelon helps combat heart disease by lowering weight and halting the build up of harmful cholesterol.
Studies on mice, fed with a high-fat, diet and the fruit showed that it halved the formation of artery-clogging LDL (low-density lipoprotein or ‘bad’ cholesterol). Watermelon’s health boosting properties are found in citrulline, a chemical compound found in the juice. For the study, two groups of mice were fed diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol but one group was given water containing2% watermelon juice.
The mice who had watermelon juice gained about 30% less weight than the control group. Their LDL cholesterol and plaque deposited in their arteries also halved, reports the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Thanks,
The Hindu- Wellness,
07/10/2012
Meditation Improves Empathy
A compassion- based meditation programme significantly improves a person’s ability to read the facial expressions of others, reports a study in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. The boost in empathic accuracy was detected through both behavioural testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of their brain activity.
The meditation protocol, known as Cognitively-Based Compassion Training, or CBCT, is derived from ancient Tibetan Buddhist practices, but is secular in content and presentation. Previous research has shown that both children and adults who are better at reading the emotional expressions of others have better relationships.
Also, practicing CBCT has shown to reduce emotional distress and enhance physical resilience to stress in both healthy, young adults and in high-risk adolescents in foster care.
Thanks,
The Hindustan Times – Wellness.
07/10/2012
Meditation
Meditation is essentially relaxation time, so it should be done entirely at your convenience. Choose a time when you know you are not likely to be disturbed and are free to relax and enjoy. The hours of sunrise and sunset, while nature transitions between day and night, are also ideal for the practice.
Just like a convenient hour, choose a place where you not likely to be disturbed. Quiet and peaceful surroundings can make the meditation experience more enjoyable and relaxing. Your posture makes a difference too. Make sure you are relaxed, comfortable and steady.
Sit straight with your spine erect ; Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed, and eyes closed throughout the process. That you have to sit in padmasana (the lotus position) to meditate is a very common myth of meditation.
A good time to meditate is before having a meal. However, do not force yourself to meditate when you are very hungry. Better, you can meditate after two hours of having food.
A few warm-up or sukshma yoga exercises before sitting to meditate helps improve circulation, removes inertia and restlessness and makes the body feel lighter. You will be able to sit steadily for a longer time.
This is again preparation for easy meditation. Deep breathing in and out as well as doing some nadi shodhan pranayama before meditating is always a good idea. This helps to steady the rhythm of the breath and leads the mind in to a peaceful meditative state.
As a beginner to the practice, it is a good idea to do a guided meditation. This will help you get started. You only need to close your eyes, relax, follow the instructions as you hear them.
As you come close to the end of the meditation, don’t be in a hurry to open your eyes and start moving about. Open your eyes slowly ands gradually and take time to become aware of yourself and your surroundings.
Meditation is like an instant energy booster. A few minutes off your daily schedule to charge you up for the rest of the day..
“Meditation happens, you can’t do it. You can only create a congenial atmosphere for it to happen.”
Thanks,
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Health.
DNA Multispeciality Hospital
Ashtavinayak Hospital
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Kushal Hospital & Maternity Nursing Home
Monday, 12 November 2012
Nuts for the Guts
What do you call a nut with a hard shell covering a centre of genuine goodness? A Pistachio! A new study shows that pistachios promote the growth of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in the digestive tract.
This little seed is packed with dietary fibre and nutrients such as B-6, thiamin, manganese and copper. Bacteria in our guts, which we need for healthy digestive and immune systems, dine happily on that mixture. And gut bacteria are a hungry lot: Between 500 and 1,000 species of bacteria live in our intestines and they are about 60 per cent of the solid matter in your faeces. That’s why you need to constantly replenish and nurture your intestinal flora!
So, have a handful of pistachios (one ounce equals 160 calories) in place of a nutrient –empty snack like chips or soda, and you’ll crack the secret to better digestive health. And a handful of walnuts eaten 30 minutes before a meal can help you lose weight.
Thanks,
The Hindu- Well Being.
28/10/2012
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Healthy Mum and Baby
A new study shows that being overweight before and during pregnancy can cause your child to have hypertension and other heart problems as an adult. So if you’re overweight and thinking about becoming pregnant, make a promise to yourself and your child: “I will get fit and shrink my waist before I get pregnant. “ Here are some quick tips.
Reduce Portion Size : Divide your 8-inch (no larger) dinner plate inti four sections. One fourth gets whole grains, one half gets veggies and one fourth gets lean protein. No skyscrapers!
Burn Fat Faster : EGCG, hreen tea’s potent polyphenol, Zaps fat. Move more with a morning and afternoon walk. Extra activity creates real weight loss. Boost metabolism by spicing your food to burn more calories.
Thanks,
The Hindu-Well Being.
28/10/2012
Friday, 9 November 2012
Bounce Back
There’s new data on how to take a licking and keep on ticking. The key to longevity is resilience. But it’s not always easy. For about 20 percent, it comes naturally; for others, it’s a long, slow slog through the blues until you come out on the other side. Fortunately, everyone can learn how to gain the health benefits of resilience: less stress, lower risk of heart disease, less depression and anxiety. Here are three ways you can strengthen your ability to bounce back:
Cultivate an optimistic outlook; a key part of being resilient. Enhance this with daily meditation and say “bye” to the stress that causes grumpiness.
Keep your body strong and limber by eating a diet powered by learn protein and lots of veggies, fruits and 100 per cent whole grains. When you feel physically strong, your self-esteem increases, another vital part of resilience.
Nurture your social connections. They provide security and love, and help keep emotions on an even keel. Blood pressure goes down ; ability to cope goes up. So reach out and touch someone, physically and emotionally.
Thanks,
The Hindu – Well Being,
28/11/2012
Got the bug?
The Hepatitis C Virus Causes chronic liver disease. And most people have no idea that they are infected. Hepatitis C takes its time chipping away at the liver and decades can pass without any noticeable symptoms. During that time, an infected person may unknowingly pass the infection to others through contact with infected blood (sharing a needle, tooth brush or razor) or sexual activity. The newly infected person may then unknowingly pass it along. And that can repeat again & again. Hepatitis C causes liver disease and can trigger cirrhosis or liver cancer.
But the good news is that with treatment, 75 per cent of cases can be cured. So go to your doctor for a simple one-time blood test. It checks for antibodies to the Hepatitis C virus. If you’ve got the bug, you need to know what subtype of the infection you have; it changes treatment choices and effectiveness.
King Features syndicate.
Thanks,
The Hindu- Well Being.
28/10/2012
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Are We Losing the War on Cancer ?
A hundred of the world’s leading cancer specialists descended on Lugano in Switzerland last weekend to formulate a 10-point action Plan to finish off what president Richard Nixon started on 23 December 1971, when he signed the US National Cancer Act. Although the Act does not use the phrase “war on cancer” this was how it was widely received at the time.
Most Americans thought a cure for cancer would be discovered within five years – emulating the technological success of landing a man on the moon. But more than 40 years later, few experts talk of a single cure for the 200 known types of cancer. The optimism of the early 1970s has given way to dogged determinism of a cancer community under siege from the growing global epidemic.
“Curing cancer is certainly more complicated than landing on the Moon”, said Peter Krammer of the German Research Centre in Heidelberg, one of the experts who attended the world Oncology Forum.
People needs to realize that there are two types of war on cancer – one focused on a cure for patients and the other based on the elimination of the disease, said Umberto Veronesi, a veteran Oncologist and a former Italian health minister.
“In 40 years, we’ve nearly doubled the curability rates for cancer and in another 40 years it is reasonable to assume that we’ll get near total curability,” Dr Veronesi told the forum. “But the second goal of eliminating cancer from the population is a Utopian dream because the incidence of cancer is increasing not decreasing. We can cure one patient, another patient arrives.”
Some cancers today are indeed curable compared with 40 years ago-provided, of course, that they are detected early enough. For instance, some types of testicular cancer that are 100 per cent curable today were invariably fatal half a century ago.
But cancer is still a leading cause of disease worldwide, accounting for around 13 per cent of all deaths in 2008. As the developing world becomes richer, those countries are also being affected by the cancers of the westernized world, which are dominated by the health impacts of smoking. If recent trends continue, according to the WHO, the global burden of cancer will increase to 22 million new cases each year by 2030 – a 75per cent increase compared with 2008.
“We don’t talk about the war on cancer because it’s almost clichéd. But perhaps it’s time to revive it and look at it again,” said Douglas Hanahan, director of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Lausanne.
We are winning some battles in the war, but most of the time we are losing them, essentially because cancer is a disease of extraordinary complexity, he told the meeting. THE INDEPENDENTANT
Thanks,
Sunday Times of India- Time Trends,
04/11/2012
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Tejo KMR Dental Hospital
Quick Tips
· Get up 15 minutes early
· Go for a brisk Walk
· Clasp your arms behind your back and stretch your shoulders
· Change your coffee break to a physical activity break
· Ride your bicycle to work
· Find someone you are grateful for and say thank you
· Learn to say no
· Practice laughing out loud
· Take a deep breath and let it all out
· Spend an evening without TV
· Go to work a different way
· Make time for play
· Do one thing at a time
· Cut back on caffeine
· Count your blessings
· Read something funny every day
· Count to ten or 1000 before exploding
Reach For a Banana
Did you Know that your diet can help you deal with Tension ?
UshaRani RajaRaman and U.K. Lakshmi tell you which foods can help relieve stress.
All of us face challenges and obstacles and sometimes the pre3ssure can be hard to handle. When we feel the weight of these demands on us, we experience stress. Stress is the disease of the 20th century and is believed to cause more ailments than any other thing known to modern medicine. Most individuals experience maximum stress at the work place while they struggle with deadlines, meetings, presentations and all other components of a regular job.
There are different approaches to combat stress: yoga, meditation, positive therapy, physical exercise, massage, aroma therapy, acupuncture, Tai chi, Qigong, self-hypnosis, laughter therapy, music theraphy, psychological relaxation therapy, medication and much more. Yet unless s your diet is healthy, no matter what you do, stress will take a toll on you.
During a period of stress, when one is expected to be emotionally, physically and intellectually resilient, a healthy person is in a better position to handle the situation than an unhealthy and malnourished person. A balanced diet is the key to ensure that our body gets all the nutrients we may need to face any situation.
Studies have shown that the body depletes its store of nutrients during stress, mainly calling upon proteins, vitamins A, B and C. Certain foods and drinks act as powerful stimulants and hence are direct causes of stress.
This stimulation, although pleasurable in the short-term, may be harmful in the long run. Caffeine – found in coffee, tea, chocolate, aerated drinks – causes the release of the hormone adrenaline thereby increasing stress levels. Consumed in ,moderation, it can increase alertness and activity in the muscles, nervous system and heart.
There are other foods that help reduce stress and anxiety. These include almonds,. Banana, broccoli, cottage cheese, ginseng, green tea, lime juice, milk, blueberries, oranges, oats, whole-grain rice and spinach. Generally people use Vitamin-C to boost their immune system or to reduce allergies but a new study has shown that it is also effective in stress management. Drink plenty of lime juice (freshly made) to ensure that you get plenty of vitamin C.
Bananas contain a type of protein that is converted into serotonin, which helps a person relax, improves the mood and makes one feel happier. It is also a good source of magnesium, which is called as anti-stress mineral because of its calming effect. Milk is rich in antioxidants, vitamin B2 and B12, and is also a good source of protein and calcium. Foods containing calcium are valuable because of their calming effect on muscles.
So when you’re trying to deal with stress, reach for these foods rather than a cup of coffee.
Thanks,
The Hindu-Well Being
28/10/2012
Herbal tea fights cancer
A traditional herbal tea may hold the key to fighting breast
cancer, report scientist from the UK. Extracts from a plant known as virgin’s
mantle, used as a medical tea, can kill cancerous cells in the test tube.
The plant,
Fagonia cretica, is found in Pakistan, India and parts of Africa and Europe.
Women with
breast cancer in rural Pakistan drink tea brewed from it. Now research in the
UK shows that herbal tea made from Fagonia cretica destroys cancer cells, but
unlike chemotherapy, doesn’t damage normal breast cells, reducing side effects.
Tests showed
it arrested the growth of cells within five hours of application and destroys
them within 24 hours.
Thank You,
SUNDAY
HINDUSTAN TIMES 26AUGUST-2012
EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Healthy Diet Plan
Regardless of your dietary plans, add some more fitness into the mix. Park farther away at the grocery store. Stop using a remote for televisions, videos, DVDs and gaming equipment.
Take stair instead of elevators and escalators. Walk and bike instead of drive. Add in an exercise class into your evening or weekend and cancel out an hour of television at the time. Invite a friend, relative, neighbor, your child or your mate to go with you.
Learn more about food, dietary issues and cooking and meal planning and preparation. You need to eat every day, so learn more about it. Take cooking classes at a local establishment.
Search online for neat recipes with colored photos. Make your learning experience fun and enjoyable, not a core and something you have to do that's boring. Sample newer foods form the International section of your grocer.
Get rid of the couch in front of your television (or within viewing range). This will make you have to either stand or sit to watch the screen and not be a couch potato.
Grab a cell phone for long talks and walk while you talk - outside is even better for fresh air.
Keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand and start by learning how to make them and shop for them. You can make your own healthy snack bars, for example, using protein powder sold in the diet section of your grocery store. Check online for recipes at fitness forums and with the manufacturer of the protein powder you purchase.
Don't head for food when you're emotional. Talk a walk or punch a pillow first, to release pent up anger, frustration or other severe feelings you are going through. Then relax and later....eat right.
Learn to enjoy sports more and other fun physical activities. Read about them, learn how they're played, read up on the pros in the industry for tips and self-help and motivational information.
Give back by sharing what you learn that works and doesn't work with a healthy diet. Help others trying to find a good diet plan or which extra fitness activities to add into their family plans.
Source: Health Tips 101
Stem Cells in Health and Disease
Dr. Rahul NaithaniStem Cells are basic naive cells present in all humans and have the ability to become any type of cell to form skin, bones, organs or other body parts. We all get injuries in our growth years and otherwise. It seems surprising how our wounds heal and new skin comes up.This
is largely because of a pool of cells in our body called stem cells.
Different organs of body have their own stem cell pool. There are different types of stem cells. Theoretically, some of them can regenerate any kind of body tissue. Stem cells have been responsible for our recovery from different traumas that body organs face. There is great interest in the ability of stem cells to treat neurological states like multiple sclerosis. There are situations where a person's own stem cells may be used. In genetic conditions, a different healthy person is required to donate stem cells which help regenerate blood forming cells in a patient.
Clinically, stem cells are used in the treatment of severe of hematological diseases like blood cancer, thalassemia, aplastic anemia, etc. intense research is on to find if stem cells can be used to regenerate all tissues of body.As of now, the only clinical usage is in bone marrow transplants. Stem cell therapy has also been useful in autoimmune diseases. A good source of stem cells is cord blood stem cells which can be stored at birth. These cells are generally helpful for other people and not the same person whose cells are stored. Since these cells are naive, there may be a future role of stem cells as therapeutic drug delivery molecules. At the same time there are lot of myths and misconceptions about the immediate use of stem cells. These should be clarified with an expert.
Thanks,
The author is Consultant-in-charge, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Hematology, Max Cancer Center, Max super Specialty Hospital, Patparganj.
Healthy Eating
Drink plenty of good, filtered or bottled water each day. It's cheaper long-term to install a water filter in your kitchen than to keep buying bottled water. So check into it! Also, drink water with meals instead of sugary drinks so that you can taste the food better and not fill up on soda instead.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is actually better for you than fruit juices that often contain a lot of added sugars. If you do opt for the juice, go half-and-half, watering it down as you would for a baby so that it's healthier for you.
Your stomach is only as large as your fist. So don't overeat.
Eat slow so that your stomach does fill up and you can not only enjoy your foods more and longer, but feel when your stomach is full and stop eating.
Look into healthy diet plans if you are having difficulty controlling your eating and figuring out what to eat. There are a bunch of popular choices at e Diets.com with program descriptions, trial offers, free subscriptions to newsletters, recipes, helpful articles with more tips and a lot more.
Buddy up and find a friend or neighbor or your mate to get healthier with together. Take turns cooking or team up and learn to prepare healthier meals together.
Eat plenty of protein and a variety of protein. Protein isn't just beef. Try different kinds of nuts, add in eggs, chicken, fish, etc.
Experiment with plenty of different recipes on a regular basis. Eating the same old, same old gets boring and invites unhealthy snacking and meals. Search for recipes online and cookbooks at local bookstores, the library and online at Amazon.com and eBay.com.
Try baking on a cookie sheet instead of pan frying your foods. And instead of grease, line the sheets with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then spray with cooking spray.
Experiment with low-fat and no-fat dips and salad dressings to liven up your veggies - both raw and cooked.
Brush your teeth after each meal and snack. This helps cut down on what you eat in between, because you'll want to keep that clean, fresh feeling in your mouth and you won't want to go brush your teeth again so soon.
Eat Healthy, Live Longer and Live Stronger!
Source: Health Tips 101
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Sri Ramakrishna Hospital
Healthy Eating
Drink plenty of good, filtered or bottled water each day. It's cheaper long-term to install a water filter in your kitchen than to keep buying bottled water. So check into it! Also, drink water with meals instead of sugary drinks so that you can taste the food better and not fill up on soda instead.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is actually better for you than fruit juices that often contain a lot of added sugars. If you do opt for the juice, go half-and-half, watering it down as you would for a baby so that it's healthier for you.
Your stomach is only as large as your fist. So don't overeat.
Eat slow so that your stomach does fill up and you can not only enjoy your foods more and longer, but feel when your stomach is full and stop eating.
Look into healthy diet plans if you are having difficulty controlling your eating and figuring out what to eat. There are a bunch of popular choices at e Diets.com with program descriptions, trial offers, free subscriptions to newsletters, recipes, helpful articles with more tips and a lot more.
Buddy up and find a friend or neighbor or your mate to get healthier with together. Take turns cooking or team up and learn to prepare healthier meals together.
Eat plenty of protein and a variety of protein. Protein isn't just beef. Try different kinds of nuts, add in eggs, chicken, fish, etc.
Experiment with plenty of different recipes on a regular basis. Eating the same old, same old gets boring and invites unhealthy snacking and meals. Search for recipes online and cookbooks at local bookstores, the library and online at Amazon.com and eBay.com.
Try baking on a cookie sheet instead of pan frying your foods. And instead of grease, line the sheets with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then spray with cooking spray.
Experiment with low-fat and no-fat dips and salad dressings to liven up your veggies - both raw and cooked.
Brush your teeth after each meal and snack. This helps cut down on what you eat in between, because you'll want to keep that clean, fresh feeling in your mouth and you won't want to go brush your teeth again so soon.
Eat Healthy, Live Longer and Live Stronger!
Source: Health Tips 101
Stem Cells in Health and Disease
Dr. Rahul Naithani
Stem Cells are basic naive cells present in all humans
and have the ability to become any type of cell to form
skin, bones, organs or other body parts. We all get
injuries in our growth years and otherwise. It seems
surprising how our wounds heal and new skin comes up.This
is largely because of a pool of cells in our body called stem cells.
Different organs of body have their own stem cell pool.
There are different types of stem cells. Theoretically, some of them can regenerate any kind of body tissue. Stem cells have been responsible for our recovery from different traumas that body organs face. There is great interest in the ability of stem cells to treat neurological states like multiple sclerosis. There are situations where a person's own stem cells may be used. In genetic conditions, a different healthy person is required to donate stem cells which help regenerate blood forming cells in a patient.
Clinically, stem cells are used in the treatment of severe of hematological diseases like blood cancer, thalassemia, aplastic anemia, etc. intense research is on to find if stem cells can be used to regenerate all tissues of body.As of now, the only clinical usage is in bone marrow transplants. Stem cell therapy has also been useful in autoimmune diseases. A good source of stem cells is cord blood stem cells which can be stored at birth. These cells are generally helpful for other people and not the same person whose cells are stored. Since these cells are naive, there may be a future role of stem cells as therapeutic drug delivery molecules. At the same time there are lot of myths and misconceptions about the immediate use of stem cells. These should be clarified with an expert.
Thanks,
The author is Consultant-in-charge, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Hematology, Max Cancer Center, Max super Specialty Hospital, Patparganj.
Urinary Bladder Carcinoma : An Overview
Dr. (Prof) B.P.SinghCarcinoma bladder is the second most common urological malignancy affecting elderly population. It is more common in chronic smokers. In such patients the cancer arises from the mucosal lining of the urinary bladder and can subsequently infiltrate bladder musculature deeply. When there is no infiltration into muscle it is a non-invasive bladder cancer but if cancer has gone into muscle it is invasive bladder carcinoma. These patients present with painless haematuria (blood mixed urine) with or without clots. Sometime haematuria stops spontaneously and recurs later. Even a single episode of haematuria should not be ignored and investigated to establish cause of bleeding. Many times the patient presenting in an advanced stage reveals in the detailed evaluation that a few month earlier they had blood in urine but it stopped spontaneously.
Patient must consult an urologist if he has blood in urine. A simple ultra sound of abdomen can diagnose the presence of bladder cancer or other causes of bleeding. In case of bladder carcinoma it can also suggest roughly whether the cancer is invasive patient will be submitted for endoscopic removal of tumour which is called as trans-uretheral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). In this surgery whole tumour is removed endoscopically through the urinary passage. Further treatment depends upon histapathology. If there is no muscle involvement and the tumour is low grade, only regular follow-up is required. If the tumour is moderate or high grade, the patient requires weekly instillation of BCG for 6 weeks which is done as an OPD procedure and is kept if follow-up. If ultrasound shows invasive carcinoma or TURBT shows muscle invasion, patient requires CT scan/ MRI to stage bladder cancer. If disease is localized to bladder, patients require removal of bladder with prostate (radial cystectomy) after confirmation of histo-pathological diagnosis if not done. This is best option for cure. If a patient is not suitable for surgery because of medical co-morbidities then radiotherapy can be considered. After removal of bladder an alternate passage is created for passing urine.
Common method has been to make a stomain abdominal wall (IIeaL conduit) where patient uses appliance for lifelong to collect urine. Today in suitable cases a new urinary bladder can be made from the intestine and can be joined to natural passage so that patients passes urine as he/ she was passing before. This is called orthotopic neo-bladder. Poorly performed surgery can lead to incontinence in these cases and patient will be forced to use diapers.
The author is the Director – Institute of Urological Sciences, Max Healthcare, Delhi.
Thanks,
21/10/2012
Monday, 5 November 2012
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Why Women can’t do pull-ups
To perform a pull-up, you place your hands on a raised bar using an overhand grip, arms fully extended and feet off the floor. Using the muscles in your arms and back, you pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. Then the body is lowered until the arms are straight, and the exercise is repeated. The Marines say a male recruit should be able to do at least 3 pull-ups or chin-ups, but women are not required to do them. In school, 14 years old boys can earn the highest award on the government ‘s physical fitness test by doing 10 pull-ups or chin-ups : for 14 year-old girls, it’s 2.
To find out just how meaningful a fitness measure the pull-up really is, exercise researchers from the university of Dayton found 17 normal-weight women who could not do a single overhand pull-up. Three days a week for three months, the women focused on exercises that would strengthen the biceps and the latissimus dorsi – the large back muscle that is activated during the exercise. They lifted weights and used an incline to practice a modified pull-up, raising themselves up to a bar, over and over, in hopes of strengthening the muscles they would use to perform the real thing. They also focused on aerobic training to lower body fat.
By the end of the training program, the women had increased their upper-body strength by 36 percent and lowered their body fat by 2 percent. But on test day, the researchers were stunned when only 4 of the 17 women succeeded in performing a single pull-up.
“We honestly thought we could get every one to do one,” said Paul Vanderburgh, a professor of exercise Physiology at the university of Dayton. But Vanderburgh said the study and other research has shown that performing a pull-up requires more than simple upper-body strength. Men and women who can do them tend to have a combination of strength, low body fat and shorter stature. During training, because women have lower levels of testosterone, then typically develop less muscle than men, Vanderburgh explained. In addition, they can’t lose as much fat. Men can conceivably get to 4 percent body fat ; Women typically bottom out at more than 10 percent. So no matter how fit they are, women fare worse on pull-ups tests. NYT NEWS SERVICE.
Thanks
Sunday Times of India,
28/10/2012