1 October, 2018

India’s ‘Polio Free’ status might be at risk

This news can be like a shocker for many parents, especially those whose kids were born after April 2016. Going by the various media reports it is believed that around three batches of polio vaccine 1.5 lakh vials have been found contaminated with type 2 poliovirus putting India’s ‘Polio Free’ status at risk. In March 2014, India was officially declared “polio-free” by WHO where the last case of polio was reported in 1999. But recently in some pockets of the country contaminated polio vaccination has been administered in kids which have made the authorities wary. The ministry of health and WHO has upped their surveillance in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra where the contaminated vaccines were administered to the kids, they are keeping a close watch if any new strain of polio is found in stool samples or sewage.

The incident of vaccinating with contaminated vitals have made the authorities worried as the virus had been eradicated with enormous effort and contamination of the vaccines can lead to reintroducing the virus in the community which can have serious ramification on public health.

The vaccines were provided by Biomed, who is the supplier of government’s universal immunisation program. The contamination was first suspected in UP when some reports suggested the stains of poliovirus in the stool of some kids. Following this samples of OPV vaccines were lifted by drug authorities and the stains were confirmed. The government has ordered revaccinating kids again to keep them safe but to identify children who got the contaminated dose is difficult. Anyway, a three-member panel has been set up top look into the matter. The panel has been asked to submit their report within a week.

The government authorities and regulatory bodies are worried that if the type two poliovirus gets into the sewage or water system it can spread polio.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

01.10.2018

Life brings tears, smiles & memories…. The tears dry…The Smiles fade…          But the memories last forever….

28 September, 2018

Know the health aspects of various types of water

Water is the same everywhere, we all have this general notion. It has always been considered as being tasteless, transparent and colourless. But, we should know that nowadays there are varieties of water available in the market. Different types of water include carbonated water, alkaline water, normal tap water, protein water and mineral water, etc. And they are all said to be loaded with health benefits, this is like the latest fad. So, here we have mentioned different types of water, and about their benefits.

Alkaline Water

Alkaline water is popular due to the immense health benefits. Though it tastes bitter the pH level is slightly higher than the normal water. But it reduces the viscosity of the blood, thereby lowering the occurrence of blood pressure and heart disease. It also nullifies conditions like acid reflux.

Carbonated Water

Carbonated water is made by passing carbon dioxide through water under pressure. Later, this carbon dioxide is later released from the water in the form of fizz or bubbles. It is often referred to as sparkling water. However, this water doesn’t have any specific health benefit, but it is better than soda.

Normal Tap Water

The normal tap water is easily available everywhere. It is environment-friendly as it comes with no plastic packaging. And you can add natural flavours according to your taste.

Mineral Water

Mineral water is bottled water and it contains necessary minerals like potassium, calcium, or magnesium. These minerals are essential for your body.

Protein Water

Protein water contributes to your daily intake of protein, it is like a flavoured drink. To boost hydration level immediately after a work-out one can have protein water. It is easy to consume and it increases your intake of amino acids.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

28.09.2018

Don’t talk, just act .Don’t say, just show.Don’t promise, just prove

26 September, 2018

Do you know? Antibiotics do more harm than good

A new research shows that the body’s microbes are effective in maintaining immune cells and killing certain oral infections. Scientists have long known that overuse of antibiotics can do more harm than good. For example, overuse can cause antibiotic resistance. But research into this phenomenon in oral health was uncharted territory.

Researchers examined “resident” bacteria, their fatty acids and their effect on certain types of white blood cells that combat infections in the mouth. Specifically, they looked at the “short-term maintenance” of Tregs and Th-17 cells in fighting fungal infections, such as Candida, in a laboratory setting.

They found that those natural defenses were very effective in reducing infection and unwanted inflammation– and antibiotics can prevent such natural defenses.

“We set out to find out what happens when you don’t have bacteria to fight a fungal infection,” said Pushpa Pandiyan, a researcher. “What we found was that antibiotics can kill short-chain fatty acids produced by body’s own good bacteria. We have good bacteria doing good work every day, why kill them. As is the case with many infections, if you leave them alone, they will leave on their own.”

Pandiyan said that the study could have broader implications on the protective effects of “resident microbiota” in other types of infections.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

26.09.2018

You have to suffer the WORST to learn how to appreciate the BEST

24 September, 2018

Reusable contact lenses ups risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis and blindness

In the UK, researchers have observed an outbreak of a rare but preventable eye infection called Acanthamoeba Keratitis. This is a chronic debilitating corneal infection principally affecting contact lens users. Studies show that AK incidence has increased in the UK in 2012–2014. According to the researchers, AK is a preventable disease says the research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

In Acanthamoeba Keratitis, there is a parasitic infection in which amoebae invades the cornea. In very serious cases (a quarter of the total) have less than 25 per cent of vision or become blind following the disease and face prolonged treatment. Overall 25 per cent of people affected require corneal transplants to treat the disease or restore vision, says the report in PTI. John Dart, professor at the University College London in the UK has been quoted by the PTI as saying that even though the eye infection Acanthamoeba Keratitis is rare (2.5 in 100,000 contact lens users per year in South East England), it’s largely preventable and that contact lens users need to be aware of the risks.

Ways to prevent Acanthamoeba Keratitis, according to lead researcher Dart

Improve contact lens and hand hygiene

Reusable contact lenses must thoroughly wash and dry their hands before handling contact lenses

Avoid wearing contact lenses while swimming, face washing or bathing
Avoid contact lens contaminated water or contact lens disinfection solutions

Use daily disposable contact lens as much as possible

Some other infections that you can get from your contact lenses include Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) in which there is swelling inside the eyelid. There is also Contact Lens Associated Red Eye (CLARE) in which there is sudden pain and redness in the eye.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

24.09.2018

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will

 Karim Seddik

19 September, 2018

Study says regular intake of dairy products have a protective effect on heart

Our basic knowledge on diet and dairy products tell us that milk and milk products are rich in saturated fat. However, new studies reveal that saturated fat have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and stroke. This study was published in the Lancet medical journal recently.

The study pointed out that people who consumed three servings of milk, cheese or yoghurt a day had lower rates of cardiovascular disease and lower mortality than those who ate less dairy products. Saturated fats were always thought to be a culprit when it came to cardiovascular health as they are known to adversely affect the lipid profiles and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. This is a reason why dieticians and even doctors always recommended cutting down on whole fat dairy products to protect heart health.

However, the new study aimed at assessing the associations between total dairy and specific types of dairy products with mortality and major cardiovascular disease. The study recorded the dietary intake of dairy products including milk, yoghurt and cheese for more than 1.3 lakh individuals aged between 35-70 years from more than 21 countries.

The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study grouped these foods into whole-fat and low-fat dairy products and primary outcomes such as death from cardiovascular causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke or heart failure.

It was then seen that higher intake of total dairy, which was more than two servings per day compared with no intake was associated with a lower risk of the cardiovascular problems, stroke and heart failure after a follow up for more than nine years.  Higher intake of more than one serving of milk compared to no intake of milk was associated with lower risk of the cardiovascular problems, whereas cheese intake was not significantly associated with the outcomes of health problems of heart and stroke. Butter intake was low and was not significantly associated with clinical outcomes.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

19.09.2018

What the mind can conceive and believe, and the heart desire, you can achieve

Norman Vincent Peale

17 September, 2018

Are you suffering from tuberculosis? Eat this

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 9 million people, a year suffer from TB, with 3 million of these “missed” by health systems. It is one of the main causes of death of women belonging to the age group of 15 to 44.

When someone down with TB coughs, sneezes, talks or laughs, tiny droplets containing germs are released. So, If you breathe them, you can get infected. It is contagious but not easy to catch. You may show symptoms like fever, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, chest pain, tiredness, lack of energy and so on. So, along with proper medication, you can follow these dietary changes and deal with it.

·         If you are suffering from vitamin D deficiency, you can suffer from Tb. So, consuming foods rich in vitamin D can help you to strengthen your immune system thereby limiting TB. You can opt for fish, dairy products, cheese, and eggs.

·         Probiotics can inhibit the growth of mycobacterium due to which you will be able to fight TB. Add curd to your diet right away!

·         Green tea contains polyphenols called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that can stall the growth of M tuberculosis bacterium which is responsible for TB.

·          Due to the antimicrobial properties of allicin in garlic, you will be able to deal with TB. So, just have a garlic clove or simply add it to your soup, veggies and curry. You will surely feel better.

·         Orange juice which is jam-packed with minerals and vitamins can help you to deal with a cough and aid speedy recovery.

·         If you wish to protect yourself from the ill effects of tuberculosis, then consume walnuts daily.

·         Banana is considered one of the superfoods which will be beneficial for you if you suffer from TB. Since TB weakens your immunity, the might bananas which are loaded with potassium can help you to stay energized.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

17.09.2018

Believing everybody is dangerous, believing nobody is very dangerous

14 September, 2018

Suicide a leading death cause in India, says study

Conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with health experts and stakeholders released the study on Wednesday.

“Women make more suicide attempts, but it is men who die more. Globally, the age between 15-19 years is the phase where majority of the women commit suicide,” Rakhi Dandona, PHFI, said.

The study suggested that prevalence of ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and stroke has increased by over 50 percent between 1990 and 2016 in India, leading to doubling of deaths caused by them.

Punjab has been ranked at the top for the burden of IHDs, followed by Tamil Nadu, and vice-versa for diabetes. West Bengal was at the top position for the burden of stroke, followed by Odisha, according to the comprehensive analysis of several major non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The study noted that diabetes prevalence in India has more than doubled in the period from 26 million to 65 million.

The proportional contribution of cancers to the total health loss in India has doubled from 1990 to 2016, but the incidence of different types of cancers varies widely between the states. Kerala was ranked at the top for the burden of cancer, followed by Assam.

According to the study, contribution of air pollution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) was found to be higher than that of smoking in India.

The study also found that chronic obstructive lung disease cases in India has increased from 28 million to 55 million between 1990 to 2016 leading to a rise in death rate among these cases twice has high in the less developed states than in the more developed states.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

14.09.2018

Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, determination & inspiration

12 September, 2018

Waking up too early? It might not be a good idea

We have always heard that waking up early in the morning have lots of health benefits, but what we don’t know is about the disadvantages of getting up early in the morning. Some workplaces have rotational shifts and some have flexible hours. But for those who have early morning or a night shift, it becomes difficult for them to take proper care of their health. As they sleep late and get up early, they do not get sufficient amount of sleep which disturb their body clocks. Here are a few reasons why waking up too early might not be a good idea.

Tiredness
You may find yourself becoming extremely tired throughout the day if you are trying to get up early in the morning. And particularly this happen to those who are not used to getting up early. Getting up early can cause you to feel sleepy during the day meaning and you might end up taking a nap in the afternoon. This can then make it hard for you to get to sleep during the night. In fact, your diet to go downhill as you try drinking caffeinated drinks and eat sugary foods remain active throughout the day.

Sleep Deprivation

This totally depends on the type of job you have. Like if you work till late and then you try to get up early the next morning, you might be doing yourself more harm than good. As this means you are not getting sleep at night. And when you are sleep deprived your brain does not function at its full capacity. Also, you can find it hard to fall asleep later when you become overtired. This makes the sleep deprivation worse. Your body will become stressed and fatigued if you consistently do this. In the worst case scenario lead to premature death.

Health Risk

Getting up early and heading to work can increase your stress levels. According to a study conducted at the University of Westminster found that people who were getting up before 7 AM in the morning had higher levels of stress hormones throughout the day than those who slept a little longer. Those who constantly feel stressed can begin to suffer from migraines, mood swings and muscle aches.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

12.09.2018

Every living being has a strong desire to live and we must respect this in our thoughts and actions….

10 September, 2018

1.4 billion adults across the world are at a risk of chronic disease, WHO warns

Exercises help you to keep many ailments at bay. Given that our erratic lifestyle doesn’t give much scope for physical exercises, it is even more important for us to take an extra effort for the same. But seems like we don’t take that effort.

According to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) 1.4 billion adults are putting themselves at risk for chronic disease because of their lack of physical activity. Also, according to the recommendations by WHO, healthy adults must do a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate intensity activity in a week.

The report, that was published in the Lancet Global Health Journal, further stated that women were insufficiently active, as compared to men. Furthermore, it stated that in every part of the world, men were a little more active in terms of general exercising, which could also be a reason why more and more women are said to not take care of their health.

Mental health and exercises

A study that was published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal recently that found the exact frequency and duration of workouts per week in order to gain maximum benefits for your mental well-being. The study results were devised after analyzing various factors like gender, income and age among other things.

Findings of the study:

1.      People who exercised regularly had at least 43.2 per cent fewer days of poor mental health.

2.      The ideal duration to exercise is about 45 minutes for 3-5 times a week.

3.      More benefits were seen among people who played team sports, cycling, aerobic exercises and gym activities.

Physical activity and blood sugar levels

A walk or a jog can save you big time, no we are not joking. Diabetics are recommended to exercises or do stretching for 30 minutes for 5 days a week so as to reduce the risk of heart complications. Not only for diabetics but physical activities increase the insulin sensitivity and also help in lowering the risk of diabetes.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

10.09.2018

Everyone has the same amount of time in a day. The difference is what you decide to do with it. …

7 September, 2018

Osteoporosis: Women above 50 years at higher risk of hip fracture than men

Women who are above 50 years, suffer from higher risk of getting diagnosed with osteoporosis or weakening of bones than men leading to hip fracture, according to health expert at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). “80 per cent of osteoporosis cases are found in women. Every one woman out of two aged above 50 suffers from the risk of getting diagnosed from osteoporosis. Only 20 per cent men suffer from chances of osteoporosis as it arises after the age of 80,” said Dr Rajesh Malhotra, Head, Dept of Orthopaedics, AIIMS said at sidelines of an event “Strong Bones Healthy and Safe Aging” organised here on Thursday.

According to Malhotra, women undergo hormonal changes after menopause which leads to weakening or loss of bones further enhancing chances of hip fracture in elderly called “Hip Attack” which is as serious and life threatening as heart or brain attack.

“Most patients are women for osteoporosis. Their height starts reducing and which is also an indicator of hip attack. If one vertebra damages, then the risk of another vertebra damage increases by 2.5 times. And if anyone faces vertebra fracture than 20 per cent of the patients are likely to face another fracture within a year,” he added.

According to the medical expert, the elderly population are at risk for sustaining fragility fractures due to weak bones as a result of age associated with osteoporosis. These fractures are sinister and often lead to death or disability. Survivors are left crippled and are prone to more fractures in future.

“If around 15 lakh cases are being reported now, this number is going to multiply six times by 2050 only in Asia. Hip fractures are going to become an epidemic in coming few years in India,”

Apart from more awareness, Malhotra said the government needs to formulate policies on osteoporosis as it is emerging as a major health concern.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

07.09.2018

I’m only responsible for what I say not for what you understand

5 September, 2018

Good news: Countries in WHO South-East Asia Region resolve to make essential medicines accessible

Member countries of WHO (World Health Organisation) South-East Asia Region on Tuesday committed to make essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and medical devices affordable and accessible to all, both within the Region and beyond.

“Access to safe, effective and affordable medical products vital to prevent sufferings and impoverishment resulting from high out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare by families, especially the poor,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, said, as health ministers and officials of the 11 Member countries signed the ‘Delhi Declaration’ to improve access to essential medical products.

Though significant efforts have been made by countries in recent years, as improving access to essential medicines is a WHO flagship priority programme in the Region since 2014, challenges remain in providing the right medical products at the right time to those in need.

To overcome challenges, the Delhi Declaration calls for allocation of sufficient financial resources by countries, as part of overall health financing strategies, to reduce out-of-pocket payments of families on essential medicines.

The declaration calls for strengthening national policies, regulation, supply chain management, and capacity to leverage intellectual property and trade for public health, to improve access to medicines and vaccines.

Signing the declaration at the Seventy-first Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia Region, Member countries committed to developing an effective, transparent and participatory mechanism for regional price negotiation and pooled procurement to ensure accessibility and affordability of essential medical products for life threatening and rare diseases.

The Member countries committed to developing an essential medical products list, in particular essential diagnostics list, for improved patient care, affordability of quality tests, and greater capacity to diagnose diseases during outbreaks and strengthened capabilities of national laboratories. The declaration also emphasised on more appropriate use of antibiotics; and innovation and investment in R&D including for neglected diseases, and affordable medical products.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

05.09.2018

The best way to defeat an enemy is to make him a friend…

Abraham Lincoln

3 September, 2018

More than 300,000 people suffer from kidney ailments, says expert

More than 300,000 people are suffering from end-stage kidney ailments and despite that only 10,000 transplantations are taking place, nephrologist and renal transplant physician Raka Kasuhal said on Sunday.

She said a major hurdle in kidney transplantation is the availability of a suitable healthy donor in the family. She was speaking at a continued medical education (CME) on kidney transplant held here. Nearly 80 physicians took part in it, organised by Ivy Hospital in Mohali in association of the Indian Medical Association of Dharamsala.

Such kidney transplantation was once considered impossible or highly risky due to hyper-acute rejection by which the transplanted organ becomes non-functional as it will be rejected by the antibodies, Kasuhal said.

Renal transplant surgeon Avinash Srivastava said ABO (A, B, AB, O blood groups) incompatible kidney transplant is a boon to such patients as it may reduce the waiting time for transplants in them.

“We have been performing ABO incompatible transplants successfully for the last three years. To perform such transplants, medical treatment is given to lower antibody levels in the blood and reduce risk of donor kidney rejection. This treatment includes a process of removing anti-bodies from the blood (plasmapheresis), and prescribing medications that protect the new kidney from antibodies,” he said.

The results of such ABO incompatible transplants are the same as of normal kidney transplant with about 93-95 per cent kidneys working by the end of first year, he added.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

03.09.2018

For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible

Stuart Chase