Tuesday, 1 April 2014

2 April, 2014

Taking vitamin pills without prescription?

Is consumption of vitamin pills without having a medical practitioner's prescription healthy? Here's a quick guide

It is a very usual habit of people to take up vitamin pills to make up for the nutritional balance in our diet. But, how safe is it? People are used to take multi-vitamin tablets as it is considered very fancy—though they don't realise it can lead to harmful side effects like hypo-vitaminia or other hazardous symptoms. It is highly advisable to stick to natural sources of vitamins within diets rather than taking up pills as certain vitamins when on overdose are not good for body.

It is just at certain specialized cases where doctors prescribe multi-vitamin tablets with a specific dose to meet the body requirements. In case of multi-vitamin pills, one should not take them without diagnosing the vitamin deficiency. In case deficiency is diagnosed by doctor—one shouldn't take more than ten vitamin/multi-vitamin tablets in a month that are prescribed.

Advisors say it is harmful to take medicines without prescription. Most of medicines have some or the other side-effects so it is recommended to take medicines under a doctor's advice or prescription. Although, when it comes to vitamin pills, few of them are water soluble that bypass the body system without harming much but, the oil-soluble ones retain in the body fats and are harmful. It is safer to take prescribed allopathic medicines for even minor health problems. Chemists should take care of not selling any drugs without prescriptions.

Health should not to be tampered, discontinue the habit of consuming vitamin pills to lead a healthy life. Remember to keep your doctor in loop as a health troubleshooter for you over pills!


02.04.2014



Rise in breast cancer among men

If you thought this disease affected only women, you're wrong...
According to studies, one in 30 girls born in India may develop breast cancer during her lifetime. But did you know that one in 400 men also contract the disease? Oncology surgeon Dr Ramakant Deshpande says, "In the US, over 2,000 men were affected in 2012. Generally, men with breast cancer have lower survival rates — probably because the disease spreads rapidly due to scanty tissue in the breast area. While 83% women are likely to be alive five years after early-stage diagnosis and treatment, the percentage would be 73% for men."
Oncology surgeon Dr Sanjay Sharma says it's a myth that breast cancer is prevalent only among women. "While breast cancer is rare in men, it isn't an unknown phenomenon. Often, the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage, as men tend to overlook the possibility of breast cancer and avoid routine screenings," he says.
Risk factors
An abnormal breast cell growth that may be cancerous is stimulated by high estrogen (female hormone) levels. Factors that influence it include:
-Regular consumption of hormonal medicines or herbal supplements.
-Increased body weight due to unhealthy dietary habits.
-Smoking and/or chronic alcoholism.
-Genetic aberrations like Klinefelter Syndrome elevate estrogen levels in men.
Men with a family history of breast cancer stand high risk as they may inherit either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.
Individuals, especially adolescents, undergoing radiation therapy for conditions like Hodgkin's Disease need to be careful as the odds of developing breast cancer are high.
Symptoms
A significant indicative factor is a lump in the breast. "The lump is easily noticeable in men as they possess a flat, small breast tissue. There may also be a combination of one or more symptoms like scaling and dimpling of skin surrounding the nipple or breast area, nipple pain and discharge, enlarged lymph nodes under the arm or sores around the nipple and areola region. In exceptional cases, gynecomastia i.e. enlargement of breasts in men may lead to breast cancer," says Dr Sharma.
02.04.2014





Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that

Norman Vincent Peale


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