Monsoon Health Guide

Monsoon is the season of excitement, fun and cooler temperatures. However, the season also invites a number of health problems. It is important to take proper precautions to avoid falling ill and catching some of the common monsoon diseases. Have a look at our quick Monsoon Health Guide.

Stock up on rainwear

A raincoat with a hooded jacket and waterproof shoes are imperative while outdoors in the rain. This is a simple precaution to avoid getting wet and catching a cold.

Vitamin C

Increasing the intake of Vitamin C either in natural form or as food supplement will help you drive away the cold virus faster. A healthy supply of this vitamin will activate your antibodies and reduce the severity of cold and build your immunity.

Maintain good health and hygiene

Washing off all dirt and bacteria from your body after being outdoors in the rain is essential. This will prevent a buildup of germs on your body and reduce your chance of infections. Using sanitizer and washing your hands regularly is a must.

Consume warm drinks

Beverages like vegetable soup, warm milk, tea etc are perfect for the monsoon. This will keep your warm and reduce the chances of catching any kind of infection that can occur due to a sudden change in the temperature of the body.

Drink plenty of water

Water intake may reduce naturally because of the sudden drop in the temperature of the environment. It is good to drink plenty of water and drain out the toxins from your body.

Watch your nutritional intake

Try to eat nutritious food and avoid eating out during the rainy season. Prepare meals with fresh and clean vegetables and maintain health and hygiene throughout the house.

Keeping your immune system healthy is very important, especially during the monsoon season. What you eat can majorly influence your immune health. Certain foods may actually decrease your chances of getting sick, while others can help you recover more quickly if you do get ill. Here’s a quick list.

Citrus Fruits

Fruits like oranges and lemons are high in vitamin C, a well-known immunity booster. Vitamin C is recognised for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps maintain the integrity of your skin, which acts as a protective barrier against infection. In addition, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping protect your immune cells against harmful compounds formed in response to viral or bacterial infections.

Probiotic-Rich Food

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in your gut and help stimulate your immune system. This may reduce the likelihood and severity of your symptoms and help you recover faster when you do fall ill. Great sources of probiotics include naturally fermented pickles, yoghurt and buttermilk.

Almonds

Vitamin E is key to a healthy immune system. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts, such as almonds, are packed with the vitamin and also have healthy fats.

Ginger

Ginger is rich in gingerol, a bioactive substance thought to help lower the risk of infections. It has antimicrobial properties that may inhibit the growth of several types of bacteria.

Garlic

Garlic also contains active compounds that may help reduce your risk of infection. For instance, allicin, the main active compound in garlic, improves your immune cells’ ability to fight off colds and the flu. Garlic also has antimicrobial and antiviral properties that may help it fight bacterial and viral infections.

Spinach

Spinach is packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems.

Papaya

Papaya is another fruit loaded with vitamin C. You can find 224 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C in a single papaya. Papayas also have a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects. Papayas have decent amounts of potassium, B vitamins, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are full of nutrients, including phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They’re also high in vitamin E, with 82 percent of the daily recommended amount in just a quarter-cup serving. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It’s important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Other foods with high amounts of vitamin E include avocados and dark leafy greens.

Honey

Honey can help soothe your throat and tone down a nasty cough if you’re already sick. Honey may also help treat indigestion and acid reflux. Instead of spooning table sugar into your coffee, replace it with honey.

Feeding your body certain foods may help keep your immune system strong. For a well-planned diet, perfectly catered to your body’s needs, consult our Nutrition department.

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutrition.html

A tumour is a mass of tissue that’s formed by an accumulation of abnormal cells. Normally, the cells in your body age, die and are replaced by new cells. With cancer and other tumours, something disrupts this cycle. Tumour cells grow, even though the body does not need them, and unlike normal old cells, they don’t die. As this process goes on, the tumour continues to grow as more and more cells are added to the mass.

Primary brain tumours emerge from the various cells that make up the brain and central nervous system and are named for the kind of cell in which they first form. The second most common type of adult brain tumours is meningeal tumours. These form in the meninges, the thin layer of tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord.

What’s the Difference Between Benign and Malignant Brain Tumours?

Benign brain tumours are noncancerous. Malignant primary brain tumours are cancers that originate in the brain, typically grow faster than benign tumours, and aggressively invade surrounding tissue. Although brain cancer rarely spreads to other organs, it can spread to other parts of the brain and central nervous system.

Symptoms of a brain tumour

Symptoms of brain tumours depend on the location and size of the tumour. Some tumours cause direct damage by invading brain tissue and some tumours cause pressure on the surrounding brain. You’ll have noticeable symptoms when a growing tumour is putting pressure on your brain tissue.
Headaches are a common symptom of a brain tumour. You may experience headaches that:

• are worse in the morning when waking up
• occur while you’re sleeping
• are made worse by coughing, sneezing, or exercise

You may also experience:

• vomiting
• blurred vision or double vision
• confusion
• seizures (especially in adults)
• weakness of a limb or part of the face
• a change in mental functioning

Other common symptoms include:

• clumsiness
• memory loss
• confusion
• difficulty writing or reading
• changes in the ability to hear, taste, or smell
• decreased alertness, which may include drowsiness and loss of consciousness
• difficulty swallowing
• dizziness or vertigo
• eye problems, such as drooping eyelids and unequal pupils
• uncontrollable movements
• hand tremors
• loss of balance
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying
• changes in mood, personality, emotions, and behaviour
• difficulty walking
• muscle weakness in the face, arm, or leg

Sometimes, you may not have any symptoms to begin with or they may only develop very slowly over time.

Risk Factors

The cause of most brain tumours is unknown, but there are a number of risk factors that may increase your chances of developing a brain tumour.

• age – the risk of getting a brain tumour increases with age, although some types of brain tumour are more common in children
• radiation – children who’ve had cancer have a higher risk of getting a brain tumour in later life; adults who’ve had leukaemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma also have an increased risk
• radiation – exposure to radiation accounts for a very small number of brain tumours; some types of brain tumour are more common in people who’ve had radiotherapy, CT scans or X-rays to the head
• family history and genetic conditions – some genetic conditions are known to increase the risk of getting a brain tumour, including tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2 and Turner syndrome
• HIV or AIDS

Outlook

If you have a brain tumour, your outlook will depend on a number of factors including:

• your age
• the type of tumour you have
• where it is in your brain
• how effective the treatment is
• your general level of health

Generally, around 15 out of every 100 people with a cancerous brain tumour will survive for five years or more after being diagnosed. For more, visit: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_neurosciences/braintumor.html

The monsoons are much awaited due to the vast relief they offer from the scorching summers, but there’s also a downside to the rains. Every monsoon season, the risk of catching various diseases is extremely high. Many of these monsoon diseases remain undiagnosed until they progress to the later stages, greatly increasing the risk of mortality. This is why early diagnosis of diseases in rainy season is so critical, making the difference between life and death. If you notice any symptoms of illness that are common in the monsoon season, visit a doctor right away!

In order to keep yourself safe, you should know these common monsoon-time diseases.

Typhoid

This water-borne infection is brought about by the consumption of contaminated water and dirty sanitation.

Symptoms: High fever, tormenting pain in the abdomen area and cerebral pain, sore throat, headache, rash and constipation

Prevention: Drink boiled water, avoid street food, wash your hands often, avoid cold food

Malaria

Malaria is caused due to parasites transmitted through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. It is very common during the monsoon because there is a sharp rise in the increase of mosquitoes. This is because, during monsoon, water collects in puddles and other empty areas and creates the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Symptoms: Fever at regular intervals, bouts of shivering, muscle pain and weakness

Prevention: Use mosquito repellent, wear long sleeves, use a mosquito net during the night, don’t let water stagnate in your area

Cholera

Cholera is another deadly disease. The bacterium that causes cholera is usually found in food or water contaminated. Also, poor hygienic conditions help this disease to spread.

Symptoms: severe diarrhoea, dehydration, fever, hunger and water-electrolyte imbalance

Prevention: Wash hands with soap and water frequently, drink only safe water including bottled water or boiled water, eat food that’s completely cooked and hot and avoid street food vendor food.

Jaundice

Jaundice can be a really painful experience. It is a kind of sickness that is caused by excessive bilirubin in the blood and causes your skin to become yellow. This sickness harms your liver considerably.

Symptoms: Yellow tinge to the skin and the whites of the eyes, itchiness, fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting and fever.

Prevention: Drink clean water, avoid excessive alcohol, eat healthy food

Leptospirosis

The disease is usually spread through the consumption of contaminated water and contaminated food or by wading in dirty water with open wounds.

Symptoms: High fever, cold chills, severe headaches, muscle ache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain with diarrhoea and rash

Prevention: Avoid contact with stagnant rainwater, keep all wounds clean and covered; use antiseptics to clean the wound and prevent infection, avoid swimming in possibly contaminated water (sea, lakes, etc).

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes breed in the stagnated water and bite during bright daylight.

Symptoms: Fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash.

Prevention: Mosquito-proof your house, wear long – sleeved shirts and long pants, use insect repellents

Dengue

This disease is normally caused by Aedes mosquitoes and they have a track record of frequently wreaking havoc upon your well-being. It is not a contagious disease and therefore does not spread through contact with the infected person.

Symptoms: High fever, headache, rash, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain

Prevention: Mosquito-proof your house, wear long-sleeved clothes and long trousers when going outdoors, apply insect repellent

Hepatitis A

The Hepatitis A virus causes this disease, which is spread by the faeco-oral route. Though there have been isolated cases of people contracting the disease by coming in direct contact with a patient, epidemics are caused by flies.

Symptoms: High body temperature, headache, joint pains, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, rash and a general yellow tinge to the body

Prevention: Hepatitis virus vaccination

Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is commonly known as the stomach flu. The reason that it is so common in the monsoon is because it is caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. It is contagious and spreads through contact with the infection person.

Symptoms: Diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea and fever

Prevention: Wash your hands often, do not eat raw or undercooked foods, avoid contaminated water and food when travelling, use hand sanitizer regularly

In case of severe symptoms due to any such disease, call our 24-hour helpline at +91-22-3099-9999.