March 31, 2012 Clippings

Cervical cancer hits more Hindu women than Muslim

For a long time the city gynaecologists and cancer surgeons have been claiming that cervical cancer is becoming the leading cancer in women. This was confirmed in the study, led by the centre for global health research, in close collaboration with Tata Memorial Hospital, published in Lancet on Wednesday. It revealed that 17% of the total cancer deaths in women are because of cervical cancer.

In women, cervical cancer was the leading fatal cancer in both rural and urban areas, with somewhat higher rates in rural areas. The cervical cancer death rate of 16 per 1 lakh population suggests that a 30-year-old Indian woman has about 0.7% risk of dying from cervical cancer before 70 years of age, in the absence of other diseases. By contrast, the risk of deaths during pregnancy for Indian women aged 15- 49 years is about 0.6%.

The study pointed out strategies to reduce cervical cancer deaths. This included vaccination against human papillomavirus before marriage, and for married women a once-only-testing or screening followed by visual inspection with acetic acid and further referral for treatment.

According to experts, simple precautions like better hygiene, use of copper-T (birth control measure for women) and regular screening can help bring down this cancer considerably.Dr Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Hospital said, “The incidence of cervical cancer is coming down every year by 15- 20%. Early detection is one of the key factors to bring down the cervical cancer mortality rate.”

The study also shows mortality deaths were higher in Hindu women than in Muslim women and experts feel this is because of circumcision among Muslim men, which reduces the sexual transmission of human papillomavirus. “Studies have proved that circumcision reduces the risk of transfer of HIV virus,” said Badwe.

Ashwini Bhalerao Gandhi, consulting gynecologist, PD Hinduja Hospital said, “I ensure that women coming to me are made aware of what is cervical cancer and the how it can be prevented. If they have daughters, we persuade them to go for vaccination. I have kept a pamplet with all the information on cervical cancer and I make the patient read it

Source: www.dnaindia.com

31.03.2012

Failure is just a rehearsal; success is the main event

March 30, 2012 Clippings

A cheaper way to treat hip necrosis

Following 10 years of research, observation and testing, a doctor from PD Hinduja hospital has confirmed that avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hips, which can currently only be treated with replacement surgery, can be cured by simple medication that costs only about Rs150 a month. The findings of the study were published in a journal recently.

Dr Sanjay Agarwala, head of surgery at Hinduja Hospital, said, “It is common knowledge that a drug can sometimes be used to treat two different things. For example, Crocin is administered for fever and also for pain. Similarly, I found that the group of drugs called bisphosphonates, used in osteoporosis, was useful in curing AVN.”

AVN of the bone is an extremely painful and progressively debilitating disorder. When left untreated, it leads to hip arthritis, needing costly surgical intervention like surface replacement or total hip replacement.

Abhishek Bhave (39), a senior bank executive, developed AVN a few years ago. “After seeing many orthopaedic surgeons, I consulted Dr Agarwala and found out about this medicinal treatment. Now I’m almost as active and agile as I was before I got the disease.”

Source: www.dnaindia.org

30.03.2012

Time for a check-up?

To help live longer your life there are some symptoms you should never ignore, whatever your age.

They could be early warning signs of something serious. Pay heed to these so that they can be treated in good time.

1. The appearance of blood, even streaks, in your spit, urine, bowel motions or vaginal discharge must be checked out at the earliest by your doctor to exclude the possibility of a tumour.

2. From the age of 45, consult your doctor if you suffer from a sudden attack of heartburn, indigestion, tightness or chest pain. It could be an indication of a heart ailment that needs urgent attention.

3. A painful red eye with blurred vision or halos around lights, especially at night or in the dark, is an early sign of acute glaucoma and raised pressure in your eyeball. Permanent eye damage can be prevented with early treatment.

4. Hoarseness of the voice that persists for more than a couple of weeks could be the first sign that indicates the presence of a tumour in the larynx. If the hoarseness or an irritable cough is persistent, it could be lung cancer.

5. A passing paralysis of the face, leg and hands or temporary loss of vision or memory could be an early warning sign of a stroke. These transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) require blood-thinning drugs from your doctor.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

30.03.2012

Decide while others are delaying

March 29, 2012 Clippings

A mouthful of curd for good health

Curd or yogurt is used since ages to gain its nutritional and health benefits or as a beauty product. According to Ayurveda, curd should not be consumed at night. Though it provides lot of health benefits, over consumption should be avoided. Make sure that you consume curd when it is fresh. Apart from providing nutritional and health benefits, curd is also used as a beauty product. If curd is massaged on facial skin, it acts as skin bleach. It also brings softness in skin. It also acts as an excellent hair conditioner and can be used for treating sunburns.

Nutritional and health benefits provided by curd or yogurt

- Helps improve the digestion

- Helps strengthen the immune system

- Consuming curd increases the capacity to absorb the nutrients and minerals form other food stuffs

- Especially helpful for those who are lactose intolerant

- Helps get strong bones and teeth as its calcium content is high. It helps fight against osteoporosis.

- Helps minimize the risk of high blood pressure

- If you have high cholesterol, then consuming curd can help you

How to consume curd?

There are many ways to consume curd apart from having a cup of it regularly with your lunch. Curd rice which is quite popular in South India is quite wholesome and tasty too. You can also have curd (instead of milk) and museli for breakfast. You can use curd when you do not like spicy food. For example; if you do not like to eat spicy gravy you can add a spoonful of curd. Having buttermilk prepared out of curd after the meals proves beneficial for digestion of food. If you find it difficult to consume curd regularly you can have it occasionally in form of Indian preparations like lassi, shrikhand etc. Or just make a tadka of adding mustard seeds, red chilly, curry leaves and then add it to a bowl of curd.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

29.03.2012

Investment in the form of hard work always pays interest in the form of success

March 28, 2012 Clippings

Sleeping too much puts heart at risk

Rohit R. Arora, MD, FACC, chairman of cardiology and professor of medicine, the Chicago Medical School, and his team found that adults who get less than six hours of sleep a night are at significantly greater risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure.

Even those who reportedly sleep more than eight hours a night have a higher prevalence of heart problems, namely chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.

While these findings echo those from previous, smaller studies, investigators say this is the first nationally representative sample to find an association between sleep duration and heart health, and the first to look at five different conditions at one time.

Researchers retrospectively studied approximately 3,019 patients over the age of 45 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a survey of U.S. households that assessed a broad range of health issues.

Analyses showed that people getting too little sleep were two times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack and 1.6 times more likely to have congestive heart failure. Those reporting more than eight hours of sleep a night were two times more likely to have angina and 1.1 times more likely to have coronary artery disease.

"We now have an indication that sleep can impact heart health, and it should be a priority," said Arora, the study's principal investigator.  "Based on these findings, it seems getting six to eight hours of sleep everyday probably confers the least risk for cardiovascular disease over the long term," he stated.

Insufficient sleep has previously been linked to the hyper-activation of the sympathetic nervous system, glucose intolerance, diabetes and an increase in cortisone levels, blood pressure, resting heart rate and inflammatory markers - all of which are associated with cardiovascular disease.

However, researchers are still unclear as to why longer sleep duration might be linked to heart problems.

Dr. Arora speculates that the people sleeping more than eight hours, who report chest pains to their doctor, may have been given a greater clinical workup than people getting less than six hours of sleep, who are not presenting chest pains, which may explain why there are more significant cardiovascular events in this group; however, this needs to be evaluated in future long-term studies.

The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

28.03.2012

Great achievements need great men, not great crowds

March 27, 2012 Clippings

Myths and facts about male infertility

Indian society mostly saddles women with the responsibility of bearing children, which means it's the women who are blamed for being infertile should there be a delay or absence in pregnancy. Today, we're destroying such myths by presenting a must-know list of myths and facts about male infertility. Here's a teaser - did you know that being overweight could harm the quality of sperms and overall sperm production? Here's Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Consultant at Moolchand Fertility & IVF, on the real causes behind male infertility. She says, "Male infertility can be treated, but first it is necessary to break taboos and certain myths and seek medical help." Over to Dr. Sharma...

Myth: The biggest myth surrounding infertility is that infertility is a female problem. Fact: "This is not true. Infact, in about 40% cases of infertility; the problem lies with the male. We do see so many cases where thousands of tests for females are done but not a single semen analysis is done for the male partner."

Myth: Stress is one of the major causes of infertility. Fact: "False. Actually, stress affects one's sex drive but not the semen quality or quantity and thus will not lead to infertility.

Myth: Keeping the testicles cold will enhance semen quality. Fact: "False. Cooling testicles by ice is not only dangerous but ineffective too. However, wearing tight undergarments, and prolonged driving should be avoided as it raises scrotal temperature and affects sperm quality.

Myth: Only older men have infertility problems. Fact: "No, even young men can have severe infertility problems. Absence of sperms or very low sperm counts can be encountered at ages as young as 20."

Myth: Does smoking and drinking cause infertility in men? Fact: "Agreed. Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation is beneficial as both are known to make sperm toxic."

Myth: Nutritional supplements don't help in enhancing the sperm quality. Fact: "Anti-oxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc, selenium do help up to some extent."

Myth: Mobile phones kept in the pocket radiate electromagnetic waves, which damage sperm quality. Fact: "Well, this is not always true as these concerns are yet to be proven by larger studies."

Myth: Weight does not affect male fertility. Fact: "False. Men with an optimal body mass index (BMI) of 20 to 25 tend to have better sperm production and more normal sperm.

Myth: Can excessive cycling affect male fertility or sperm count? Fact: "Not true. Cycling does not affect sperm count. However, the problem that should concern cyclists is actually related to erections."

Source: www.timesofindia.com

27.03.2012

When nothing is certain, everything is possible

Margaret Drabble

March 26, 2012 Clippings

Stem-cell therapy helps diabetics heal

For 14 years, Shraddha Churi suffered from fluctuating blood sugar levels. Before she knew it, she developed type 1 diabetes and has had to take regular doses of insulin since then. A year ago, hope came in the form of stem cell therapy. She underwent a treatment last year at Ree Labs and has been able to keep her blood sugar levels in control to date.

Churi is one of the 40 diabetics who have been treated with stem cell therapy at Ree Labs.

Dr Abhijit Bopardikar, director of Reel labs, said, “Stem cell therapy has been quite successful in treating diabetes. We have treated 40 patients and most of those who were taking insulin are off it. This is an achievement.”

Elaborating on how the treatment had changed her life, 28-year-old Churi said, “My HbA1C level (a measure of a person’s three-month average blood sugar,) was 9.8 before the therapy. For a non-diabetic person, the HbA1C level is between 4 and 6. After the therapy, it dropped to 5.9. I have had five sessions of stem cell therapy and will undergo another to ensure that I am off insulin.”

Dr Hasnain Patel, a type 2 diabetes patient since 2000 who has been taking insulin for over four years now, was sceptical of the treatment when he was advised to try it. But, the therapy won him over after his HbA1C levels also dropped. “I didn’t believe in such a treatment before, but now, after seeing the results, I have been spreading the word that stems cell therapy can cure diabetes.”

Source: www.dnaindia.com

26.03.2012

Food poisoning could have lifelong consequences: Experts

Victims of food poisoning may develop a host of lengthy illnesses, including diabetes, arthritis, kidney failure and high blood pressure, experts say.

Salmonella, E coli and other types of food poisoning may have lifelong consequences, the Daily Mail reported.

Some, such as kidney damage thought to be caused by powerful poisons released by the bugs and arthritis triggered by a faulty immune response, occur within weeks. Others, such as high blood pressure, take years to appear.

Experts say the chance that the link is coincidental is remote - and are calling for more to be done to identify victims of food poisoning and monitor their long-term health.

Common bugs are E coli, usually caught from eating undercooked beef, campylobacter, found in undercooked chicken and salmonella, found in eggs, meat and milk. While they can be fatal, most people recover after a few days, the Mail added.

Source: www.dnaindia.com

26.03.2012

BELIEVE IT! (in your mind) RECEIVE IT! (in your heart) ACHIEVE IT! (in your life)

March 24 2012 Clippings

Mumbai doctor headed for endoscopy world cup

A city doctor has been selected to take part in a world cup - a competition for the best innovations in endoscopy.

Dr Amit Maydeo of Breach Candy Hospital has once again been selected along with nine other doctors from different parts of the world to show his new technique in endoscopy at the Second World Cup of Endoscopy, organised by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). The world cup will be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, on May 22.

In last year’s event, Dr Maydeo had bagged the Bronze medal for his technique to treat patients of pancreatic stones.

“I will give an oral presentation before more than 15,000 gastroenterologists from across the world,” said Dr Maydeo.

Two months ago, Dr Maydeo had submitted his video to the ASGE in which he had described a new technique called “Endoscopic extraction of a deeply-embedded denture in upper esophagus”.

According to Dr Maydeo, an accidentally-swallowed denture creates one of the most dangerous situations as the denture, which has wires, gets stuck in the food pipe, thereby requiring the patient to undergo a major chest surgery. “We have invented a technique of dissection of the inner layers of the food pipe with a special needle knife. This technique releases the impacted denture from its impacted status with the help of endoscopy procedure,” Dr Maydeo said, adding: “I am hopeful that this year also India will be placed on the world map in innovation in medical science and will be inspirational for young doctors.”

The ASGE Educational Products and CME Programs Committee conveyed in its mail to Dr Maydeo that out of over 100 entries for competition, only 10 were selected for the second world cup. He was also informed that he will have to give an oral presentation while showing his video at the world cup. After the presentation, he will have to participate in a three-minute question-answer session.

Once the question-answers session gets over, the panel of international judges will give scores for the presentation and the first, second and third place winners will be announced. Besides India, Australia, Brazil, Germany, China, Spain, Belgium, Japan, South Korea and USA will participate in this world cup

Source: www.timesofindia.com

24.03.2012

Success comes through Dedication, Determination, Discipline & Desire

March 20 2012 Clippings

2 lakh patients vie for 2,500 kidney donors

To commemorate World Kidney Day on Thursday, Manipal Hospitals launched a campaign called ‘Donate-Kidneys for Life-Receive’. The campaign, focusing on the positive outcome of kidney transplantation, was inaugurated by Kannada film director Girish Kasarvalli and Nimhans director Dr P Satish Chandra.

Speaking on the occasion, Girish Kasarvalli said: “Donating organs is a life-giving initiative. We need to proactively educate the masses on the benefits of organ donation. One donor can possibly give the gift of life to a terminally ill patient who would not survive otherwise.”
Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, medical director, Manipal Health Enterprises, said: “Every year, about 2 lakh people are diagnosed with kidney failure. It is unfortunate that only about 2,500 kidney transplants are done annually due to non-availability of organs. With a population of over 1 billion, India lags in implementing a cadaver donation programme (organ transplant from a brain dead donor). Despite the passing of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, there has been little empathy towards donating organs.”

St. John’s Medical College Hospital organised a patients and caregivers’ meet at its premises to discuss growing incidences of kidney ailments.

More than 100 patients and caregivers attended the
programme which was conceptualised by Dr Gokulnath, professor and head of the department of nephrology at the hospital.

Dr Gokulnath said: “We should screen those at risk of getting chronic kidney diseases regularly. Early detection can affect what treatment options patients can receive and how long patients can preserve kidney function.” The department also made arrangements to screen 500 people free for diabetes at the hospital’s OPD.

In August, the hospital had organised a residential training workshop for certified nurses on peritoneal dialysis and patient management.

At the event, St John’s Hospital also honoured the families of deceased donors from the hospital; 80 voluntary donors were invited for free medical checkup and counselling.

To commemorate the World Kidney Day, donor cards were also given to those who were willing to donate their organs after death.

Source: www.dnaindia.com

20.03.2012

Life without a mission has no purpose. Life without a purpose is worthless

March 19 2012 Clippings

Vitamins may shorten lifespan

In the new study, researchers gathered data on nearly 1,800 people between the ages of 62 and 74 who were participating in a prospective, population health study of the residents of one town in Finland.  Over a 10-year period, 59 of the 221 people (26.6 per cent) taking a vitamin or supplement died, whereas 281 of the 1,553 people (18.1 per cent) of the nonusers died.

After the researchers took into account other factors that can affect a person's risk of dying - such as age, gender and smoking - they found that people taking vitamins or supplements were 50 to 70 per cent more likely to die over the course of the study than those not taking them, said study researcher Dr. Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen, of the University of Eastern Finland.

The findings are in line with a recent study from University of Minnesota researchers, who looked at 38,000 women who were around age 62 at the study's start, and found a slight increase in mortality among those taking vitamins or supplements.

They found, for example, that 40.8 per cent of 13,000 women taking a daily multivitamin died over the 19-year study, whereas 39.8 per cent of the 10,000 women who hadn't taken a daily multivitamin had died.  Both studies showed an association, not a cause-and-effect link.

The Minnesota study had prompted ideas that supplement users were a "self -selected" group, Tuomainen told MyHealthNewsDaily.

It could be that people who take supplements tend to have more health problems than nonusers to start with, or are more likely than nonusers to have close relatives with health problems (which could mean they are at greater risk for developing later problems themselves).

But the new study suggests that those hypotheses may not explain the increased death risk, Tuomainen said.  He and his co-authors adjusted their analysis to account for people who reported pre-existing diseases and a family history of the "major killer" diseases, he said.

The adjustment brought down the increased risk of dying seen among the supplement users, but did not make it disappear, he said.  Part of the reason behind the link may be that taking vitamins or supplements that include more iron or copper than the body needs are harmful for health, Tuomainen added.

These metals are pro-oxidants, and may trigger the type of stress in the body (oxidative stress) that is associated with chronic diseases, though more work is needed to show this.

The findings have been published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

19.03.2012

The really great man is the man who makes every man feel great

G.K. Chesterton

March 17, 2012 Clippings

Low literacy ups mortality risk in elderly

A new study has suggested that one in three older people who have difficulty reading and understanding basic health related information may be at increased risk of death.

Poor literacy skills are already associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes.

Low health literacy is associated with less knowledge of chronic diseases, poorer mental and physical health, limited use of preventive services, and higher rates of admissions to hospital.

A team of researchers at University College London set out to investigate the relationship between health literacy and mortality in older adults in England, irrespective of known risk factors like age, socio-economic position and pre-existing illness.

The study involved 7,857 adults aged 52 years and over who took part in the second wave (2004-5) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Participants completed a test of functional health literacy, which assessed understanding of written instructions for taking an aspirin tablet. Deaths were monitored until October 2009.

A total of 621 deaths occurred during follow up: 321 in the high-test score group, 143 in the medium group and 157 in the low group.

One in three adults was unable to completely understand the medicine label instructions, indicating limited health literacy.  Adults with the lowest health literacy scores were more than twice as likely to die within five years as those with the highest scores.

Differences in age, socio-economic position, and general health at the start of the study accounted for less than half of the increased risk.  Even after adjusting for measures of cognitive (mental) function, low health literacy was still a significant predictor of mortality.

This study suggested that a third of older adults in England have difficulties reading and understanding basic health related written information. Those with the poorest understanding are at greatest risk of mortality, the researchers said.

The findings should remind all healthcare professionals to adopt effective communication techniques for patients with low health literacy, they concluded.

At a broader level, the design and delivery of health related services for older adults in England "should be sensitive to the limited health literacy capabilities within this population."

The study was published on bmj.com.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

17.03.2012

Don't waste time looking back - your eyes are in the front of your head

March 16, 2012 Clippings

Painkillers more effective against labour pain

Painkillers are better in relieving women of labour pain than softer approaches like massages, electronic pain relief machines and hypnosis, according to experts.

However, the research, based on a review of 310 studies, said that measures such as an epidural do have more side effects.

Experts found that an epidural, or combined spinal epidural and inhaled gas and air, effectively managed pain in labour but resulted in higher rates of assisted delivery, the Daily Express reported.

Being immersed in water, relaxation techniques, acupuncture, massage and sedatives were described as interventions that "may work" with fewer adverse effects.

The research by the Cochrane Collaboration involved experts from universities including Liverpool, Warwick and Manchester.

"Overall, women should feel free to choose whatever pain management they feel would help," it concluded.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

16.03.2012

To exist is to change; to change is to mature; to mature is to create oneself endlessly

Henri Bergson

March 15, 2012 Clippings

Arthritis pill to treat heart disease?

Researchers have found that inflammation plays a major role in the development of coronary heart disease.

Two international genetic studies of 300,000 people by Cambridge University and University College London pinpointed a specific protein.

The finding suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could also be used to reduce atherosclerosis - the build up of fatty deposits in arteries.

If the treatment proves a success, thousands of lives could be saved each year, with high-risk patients taking the drug as a preventative measure, the Daily Express reported.

One such drug, tocilizumab, is already prescribed to sufferers from rheumatoid arthritis.

Experts have long suspected that inflammation plays a role in heart disease, but until now no clear link has been found.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which co-funded the studies, said: "These studies provide very strong evidence that new medicines which reduce inflammation could be a powerful tool in helping to combat heart disease."

The new research was published online in The Lancet medical journal.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

15.03.2012

Glaucoma can affect even newborns, kids

Popularly called the ‘silent blinding disease,’ one in 3,300 people in India suffer from glaucoma, reveals a study by Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS). The disease usually causes high pressure within the eye. Even infants and children are not spared. There are several forms of childhood glaucoma—if a child is born with glaucoma, it’s called newborn glaucoma; if it occurs at the age of two or three, it is called infantile glaucoma and if it occurs in a child aged between three and thirteen, it’s called juvenile onset developmental glaucoma.

“Glaucoma can also develop in children due to injury, intra-ocular tumour and post- cataract surgery. Side-effects of abuse, overuse or misuse of steroids can also lead to glaucoma in children. This is called steroid-induced glaucoma,” said Dr Anil K Mandal, head, Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre and consultant, VST Centre for Glaucoma Care, LV Prasad Eye Institute.

For the treatment and management of glaucoma among children, surgery is the only remedy. “In case of newborn glaucoma, surgery has to be done as early as possible. Glaucoma once detected after it has caused some damage cannot be rectified to revise the lost vision. Treatment can be given to preserve the existing vision,” said Dr Mandal.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

15.03.2012

Doing your best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment

Oprah Winfrey

March 14, 2012 Clippings

Eye care: 7 steps to 20/20 vision

We all feel the strain of sitting in front of the computer for eight to 12 hours at a stretch; the symptoms: Dry eyes, an itchy feeling that won't go away, constant headaches.

The good news is that you can avoid these signs by just following some simple tips from Dr. Satish Mehta, Ophthalmologist from Moolchand Eye Clinic in New Delhi.

Diet: For healthy eyes, one needs a sufficient quantity of Vitamin A, green leafy vegetables, fruits, milk, eggs, meat (especially liver). A balanced diet with a correct proportion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats in combination of these food items will help in keeping eyes healthy.

Eye hygiene: Keeping eyes clean is important to ward off infections. The first thing you do every morning must be to clean the eyes in running tap water. You can make a cup of your hand and collect water in it, bend your neck and submerge your eyes one by one in the cup with lids open. Repeat it several times so that the discharge collected over night is washed off completely.

Eye care: Do not splash water on to eyes since it can result in an abrasion and the lids close as a reflex action without any cleansing being achieved. One should clean the eyes after coming back from outdoors as well as before going to bed. It is equally important to have good hand hygiene. Do not touch your eyes with dirty, greasy hands. Make sure you sanitize your hands at regular intervals.

Check up: Regular vision and eye pressure check ups must be done; this becomes even more important, if one suffers from any kind of allergy or sight related problem. At the very least an annual check up would go a long way in keeping your eyes healthy and optimally functional.

Eye protection: Take a doctor's advice on how to protect your eyes from the sun and wind. Your sunglasses should have UV protection, colour and refraction correction.

Contact lens care: If you wear contact lenses, get the latest updates on new types of lenses, and switch to a more comfortable brand.

Reduce eye sight stress: There are some pointers to keep in mind to improve your sight: Sleep, take regular breaks at work, reduce the brightness of your computer monitor, and avoid fluorescent lightening.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

14.03.2012

Health isn’t wealth for more than 60% women

Health isn’t wealth for a lot of women, a new survey has found out. Conducted by GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical giant, it has thrown up some shocking revelations about Indian women’s attitude towards their health.

More than 60% surveyed said wealth and comfort is their top priority. Health and protection from diseases ranked a dismal sixth on their list. This sort of apathy is particularly dangerous for a disease like cervical cancer, which is the number one cancer among Indian women, affecting 1.34 lakh every year.

Prevention of cervical cancer is only possible through regular check-ups in the form of pap-smear tests. Only 7% said they’re likely to attend a pap-smear appointment, as opposed to 35% who said they are likely to attend a meeting at work and 28% who said they would definitely attend a dinner with friends.

The results reflect what city doctors have been experiencing in their practices. Dr Duru Shah, director of Gynaecworld, says she sends her patients regular reminders of pap-smear appointments.

“Most doctors don’t even go that far. There are some who are regular, but most of my patients ignore the reminders and turn up very irregularly. And 50% of my patients never return for a pap smear,” she says.

This is partly because of lack of awareness among Indian women about cervical cancer. “Most don’t understand the importance of a regular pap-smear check-up. They think gynaecologists are only there for pregnancies. They don’t understand that even though they may be feeling fine, they might have an HPV infection, which, if left untreated, can evolve into cervical cancer,” says Shah.

Women in India are also conditioned, doctors say, to put the family’s welfare before their own. “In our society, women are supposed to look after their husbands and children. Most women put their own health below their loved ones’. They’re either busy with their work or their families and have no time to look after themselves,” she adds.

Dr Rishma Dhillon-Pai, consultant gynaecologist at Lilavati and Jaslok hospitals, believes that there is no concept of regular health check-ups in the country.

Source: www.dnaindia.com

14.03.2012

Wherever your challenges lead you, there is something to learn