3, June 2014

Is Shakespeare to be blamed for our fear of skin disease?

A recent study carried out British dermatologists in UK found a connection between the general attitude of people towards skin conditions and the writings of Shakespeare. It found that Shakespeare’s plays about skin conditions had negative impact on culture views about skin blemishes. 

According to dermatologists the fear of those suffering from skin conditions arose due to the dangerous diseases like the plague. ‘While Shakespeare may not have accepted Elizabethan society’s negativity towards skin disease, it can be argued that his success has led to its perpetuation,’ the study reads. 

Plays written by the Bard of Avon contain insults that refer to skin blemishes and scarring, reflecting an Elizabethan obsession with flawless complexions, experts said. They argue that Shakespeare’s language has helped to perpetuate negative attitudes towards imperfect skin, ‘The Times’ reported. Experts pinpoint use of the phrases ‘a pox upon him’ in All’s Well That Ends Well and ‘scurvy knave’ in Romeo and Juliet.

In another play, King Lear launches into his scheming daughter Goneril, declaring: ‘Thou art a boil, a plague sore, an embossed carbuncle’. ‘Rat-infested and with open sewers, overcrowding and sexual promiscuity, Elizabethan London was a melting pot for diseases such as plague, syphilis and smallpox,’ said Catriona Wootton, a dermatologist from Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham. ‘Many of the diseases of the time involved lesions or sores on the skin, so skin imperfections were seen as a warning sign for contagious disease,’ said Wootton. ‘It is interesting to note that much of the Elizabethan stigma over disfiguring skin disease still persists today. Nobody is suggesting that we edit Shakespeare, but maybe we should ensure that new films and books don’t reinforce this stereotype,’ said Nina Goad, of the British Association of Dermatologists.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

03.07.2014

Can non-physicians help control heart disease?

A new healthcare model that empowers the non-physician work force to diagnose individuals at a high risk of cardio-vascular diseases has considerable potential, a study has found. ‘Models of care that empower the non-physician healthcare workers to work alongside physicians and support them to diagnose and manage high-risk individuals appears to have considerable potential to deal with the growing burden of cardio-vascular disease in resource poor settings,’ a series of studies done at the George Institute for Global Health, Hyderabad, said.

Based on the results of the Rural Andhra Pradesh Cardiovascular Prevention Study (RAPCAPS), the George Institute for Global Health has launched a project called SMART Health, a release said here Tuesday. The project will explore the use of technology along with a proper mechanism of task sharing between the physicians and the non-physician health force that can provide the way forward for managing cardio-vascular diseases.  

‘We need to innovate models of care that train and empower Non-Physician Health Workers (NPHW) to diagnose and treat high-risk individuals with cardio-vascular disease,’ D. Praveen, senior research fellow George Institute for Global Health-India, said.  

Here are few secrets to great health

Sonal Raval, nutritionist at Snap Fitness India, shares dietary and health tips to help people have a healthy heart: 

- Eat a variety of food items, but not in excess: Different coloured vegetables and fruits, pulses and legumes, low fat dairy products are some of the ways to prevent your food from becoming boring.

- Check your weight: Overweight can be the reason behind high blood pressure or disease like diabetes. To avoid such problems, it is best to keep a check on your weight. Eat slowly and take smaller portion, opt for low calories, but rich in nutrients food. 

- Keep away from food rich in fat: Use skimmed or low fat milk and milk products. Bake, roast or boil rather than frying.

- Eat food with adequate fiber: Fruits and vegetables like carrot, cucumber and apple have skin. They should be consumed along with it.

- Avoid sugar in excess: White sugar, soft drinks, candies, chocolates, cakes and cookies should be avoided. Don’t eat sweets between meals. 

- Sodium should be taken in less quantity: Use small amount of salt to prepare dish, try more natural ways to add flavour to food items. Go with spices, lemon juice, tomatoes and curds, don’t munch chips and fried foods constantly.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

03.07.2014

We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges