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Weather Change

Weather Change and Health

Feb 28th, 2018

Archive for 2018

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Weather Change and Health

Wednesday, February 28th, 2018

Any change in season affects people with illnesses. The young and old are easily affected and so are the ones with low immunity. People usually suffer from cold or flu when the seasons change. The most common reason one may think for this is the change in temperatures. But that is not true. Rather, the temperature shifts permit a different group of viruses to flourish, and it’s these viruses that make people sick.

Many studies suggest that rhinovirus and coronavirus are the two main agents of the common cold.  They are more likely to flourish in cooler climates. Likewise, the influenza virus replicates and spreads most effectively when the air is cold and dry.

Summer illnesses arise from a combination of several factors. People with seasonal allergies often feel congested and develop runny noses and itchy eyes when they’re near pollen, or grass. Their immune systems may go into overdrive as they react to these allergies, leaving them more vulnerable to viral contagions.

Here’s how our body reacts to a seasonal change:

Blood Pressure

Do you notice your blood pressure numbers decreasing when the weather gets warmer?  Your systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers change when confronted with warmer weather, so when the sun starts shining in the spring and summer, your blood pressure generally gets lower. But during the cold winter months, you can expect the diameter of blood vessels to tighten, causing the heart to work overtime to force blood through the narrowed veins and arteries. So you’ll see a spike in blood pressure when it’s cold and a decrease in numbers when it’s warm.

Joint Pain

Your joints are sensitive to temperature. Doctors often recommend warmer climates for individuals with joint pain because cold weather causes muscles, ligaments, and tendons to become stiff. Cold weather causes added pressure on the joints.  So when the weather shifts from cold to warmer temperatures, your joints experience a bit of pain relief. But when you are exposed to heat for long periods of time, your body may experience dehydration, which decreases the amount of fluid in the joint. This exacerbates existing pain levels.

Headaches & Migraines

If you have frequent migraines, you may experience lower workplace productivity and missed social events that can dampen your quality of life.. Researchers believe these changes in weather patterns may affect the pressure on the brain or the way the brain manages pain. When the warm weather begins to kick in or the days get longer, exposure to bright sunlight might trigger a migraine or headache.

Asthma

Extreme cold or hot weather conditions can aggravate those with asthma symptoms. The airways become irritated by these sudden swings in temperature. If you’re inhaling cold air, on the one hand, it can constrict the airways.  During the warmer months, on the other hand, asthma sufferers have to deal with pollutants and exhaust fumes that are hard to escape.

Eczema

If you’re dealing with eczema, your skin will enjoy the relief that comes when the weather becomes warmer. On the other hand, you don’t want your body to become too overheated during the summer months.

In the spring, seasonal sniffing can also come from another culprit: allergies. They need to be diagnosed and treated correctly. Those who know they have allergies need to take particular care in the spring. Allergies can leave you feeling miserable and more likely to catch a cold virus because the immune system is already under attack.

What can help in such scenarios? Frequent washing of hands is essential as the  cold virus can live on the human skin for at least two hours.

The weather outside can certainly significantly influence how we feel. Not by as much as most people think and not the same way in everyone. But enough to make a difference. Warm and moist conditions also promote the release of fungal spores which can set off allergies in some people.

Take care of your health. Our team of doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital can help you in case of any illnesses. Please find below link for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/patients/makeanappointment.html

Dealing With Exam Stress

Tuesday, February 20th, 2018

It is that time of the year when students are preparing for their exams. Board exams, school exams , college exams they are all lined up in March and April. As the academic sessions come to a close these exams can become a huge source of fear and worry for students and can impact their mental status.

For many students in secondary school and university, anxiety and stress can become a growing obstacle to their health and happiness and may affect their exam performance too.

Every student who aims to become a high-achiever generally experience exam stress. It’s an unavoidable part of student life that can be difficult to handle. Remember, stress exists for a reason and you can choose to let it be your downfall or use it to drive you to improve your work.

As a parent or guardian you may notice signs in your child of increased stress leading up to tests and formal exams. This may be evidenced by subtle mood swings, reduced appetite, sleeping problems, crying, panic, aggression or decreased motivation.

Tips to deal with exam stress:

1. Establish an Appropriate Study Spot Location is key when it comes to studying, and what works for one child might not work for another. The study spot needs to enable focus, concentration and an atmosphere for the student to absorb learning material.

2. Know What to Study Minimise panic and non-value downtime by adapting an organised workspace and logically aligning exam preparation in advance. A methodical approach to exam preparation proves beneficial.

3.Break Free from Distractions You never realise the number of times you check Facebook, Instagram or any other distraction unless you add the time together and realise the quantum of time wasted. Focus is the key word.

4. Rest, Activity and Sleep Keep some time aside for rest, non-study related activity and sleep. Going for a walk, continuing sport activities, reading a book can provide a positive release of built up stress.

5. Eat Healthy Lower the intake of carbs, sugar, caffeine and aim for more proteins, and fresh vegetables and fruit, to optimise concentration and general wellbeing. Healthy eating practices are essential during your study time.

6. Give Your Mind Space Meditation is one of the most effective ways to take a break and see your stress from a different perspective. Practicing meditation is another way to maintain focus while improving both mental and physical health to reduce pre-exam stress.

7. Seek professional help In case the stress levels are showing some harmful side effects on the health of the child, seek medicial help or meet a counsellor.

8. Understand the reasons behind the stress To combat exam stress, firstly you need to understand the reasons behind this heightened anxiety. Then you can establish methods to reduce the pressures you feel. Some common reasons are:

  • Low motivation levels
  • Lack of preparation and planning
  • High expectations from others
  • Competition from peers

9. Eating Dark Chocolate Eating dark chocolate which is over 70% cocoa fights the exam stress hormone cortisol and has an overall relaxing effect on the body. Plus chocolate releases endorphins which act as a natural stress fighter.

10. Let it All Out Sometimes you just need to talk to someone, and it is essential. Speaking to a family member or friend can highlight the bigger picture for you and empower you to rise above the exam stress.

How can parents help children to deal with this stress:
  • Parents should guide their children in planning, organizing and setting a timetable.
  • Encourage students with the right kind of positive conversations.
  • Help the child to develop self-discipline, self-direction, self-confidence and a sense of achievement.
  • Encourage a child’s performance with positive statements like , “well done” you can do better rather than saying “that was not enough”.
  • Do not harp on previous failures of results.
  • Try to gain your child’s confidence and discuss his problems with him, help him to find a solution.
  • Remember always, exams are not the end of the world.

Is your child or a friend suffering from extreme exam stress? The team of psychologists at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital is well trained to deal with such cases. Please reach us at our below clinic for consultations.

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

Protect Yourself From Kidney Stones

Saturday, February 10th, 2018

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. “Nephrolithiasis” is the medical term for kidney stones. One in every 20 people develop kidney stones at some point in their life. With the right foods, plenty of water, and proper medication, you can lower your chances of kidney stones.

What causes them?
  • Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine.
  • Dehydration is a major risk factor for kidney stone formation.
Some major symptoms include:
  • Pain in the back, belly or side which is extremely sever. Some people who’ve experienced kidney stones compare the pain to childbirth or getting stabbed with a knife.
  • Symptoms of a kidney stone include flank pain (the pain can be quite severe) and blood in the urine.
  • It’s common for people with a kidney stone to have nausea and vomiting.
  • Pain or burning sensation during urination.
  • Fever and chills are signs that you have an infection in your kidney or another part of your urinary tract.
Make these small diet changes, avoid kidney stones:
  • Drinking enough liquid, mainly water, is the most important thing you can do to prevent kidney stones.
  • Keep your weight in control. Studies have shown that being overweight increases your risk of kidney stones.
  • Limit your intake of sodium. It is a part of many canned, packaged, and fast foods.
  • Stay away from Colas. These beverages are high in fructose and phosphates, which may lead to kidney stones.
  • Limit your intake of oxalates, the organic compounds found in a number of foods, including spinach and sweet potatoes. As oxalates bind easily to certain minerals, including calcium, which then help form kidney stones.
  • Eating animal protein may increase your chances of developing kidney stones.
  • Get enough calcium from foods. The right amount of calcium can block other substances in the digestive tract that may cause stones. However too much of it may increase your chances of getting calcium oxalate stones.
Know the risk factors, avoid them:
  • Genetic factor increases your risk of getting kidney stones, forty percent of the people who get kidney stones have relatives who have them, too.
  • Excess amount of certain minerals in your system may increase your risk.
  • When you’re overweight, you tend to get kidney stones more often. The same is true if you have diabetes.
  • Gout, the painful condition when uric acid builds up in your blood increases your risk of kidney stones.
  • If you’ve had certain types of gastric bypass surgery or other intestinal surgery, your risk may go up.
  • Certain kidney diseases may make you more prone to getting kidney stones. One example is polycystic kidney disease, in which clusters of cysts grow in your kidneys. Another is medullary sponge kidney, a birth defect that causes cysts to form in the organ’s tubes.
How to deal with kidney stones:
  • Take charge of your diet and take any medications as prescribed to you.
  • Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated, especially when you exercise.
  • Check food labels. Read the ingredients. Avoid or eat less of foods with high amounts of ingredients like sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium nitrate.
  • Choose foods wisely. Usually it’s good to get more spinach and nuts in your diet. But if you have calcium oxalate stones, which are the most common type, your doctor may tell you to avoid limit foods high in oxalates.
  • Avoid excess dairy foods and animal protein as they can up your chances of less common types of kidney stones.
  • Eat citrus fruits like lemons and limes that are high in citrate, which helps prevent kidney stones.
Treatments options:
  • Diagnosis of kidney stones is best accomplished using an ultrasound, intravenous pyleography (IVP), or a CT scan. Most kidney stones will pass through the ureter to the bladder on their own with time.
  • Treatment includes pain-control medications and, in some cases, medications to facilitate the passage of urine.
  • If needed, lithotripsy or surgical techniques may be used for stones which do not pass through the ureter to the bladder on their own.
  • Do follow the above tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid kidney stones. However if you are suffering from kidney stones do consult our Urology team for further guidance. Please find below link for further details:

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

Cancer

Wednesday, January 31st, 2018

What does Cancer…the dreaded disease actually mean?

Cancer, also called malignancy refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer often has the ability to spread throughout the body.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. The symptoms vary depending on the type. Cancer treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.

Cancer Symptoms

Signs and symptoms caused by cancer will vary depending on what part of the body is affected. Some of them are listed below:

  1. Fatigue
  2. Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin
  3. Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain
  4. Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won’t heal, or changes to existing moles
  5. Changes in bowel or bladder habits or indigestion
  6. Persistent cough or trouble breathing
  7. Difficulty swallowing, hoarseness in voice
  8. Persistent, unexplained muscle or joint pain
  9. Persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats
  10. Unexplained bleeding or bruising
Causes

Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) to the DNA within cells. The DNA inside a cell is packaged into a large number of individual genes, each of which contains a set of instructions telling the cell what functions to perform, as well as how to grow and divide. Errors in the instructions can cause the cell to stop its normal function and may allow a cell to become cancerous.

Risk factors

Factors known to increase your risk of cancer include:

  1. Your age – Cancer can take decades to develop. That’s why most people diagnosed with cancer are 65 or older. While it’s more common in older adults, cancer isn’t exclusively an adult disease — cancer can be diagnosed at any age.
  2. Your habits – Certain lifestyle choices are known to increase your risk of cancer. Smoking, drinking more than one alcoholic drink a day, excessive exposure to the sun, being obese, and having unsafe sex can contribute to cancer.
  3. Your family history – Only a small portion of cancers are due to an inherited condition. If cancer is common in your family, it’s possible that mutations are being passed from one generation to the next.
  4. Your environment – The environment around you may contain harmful chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer. Second hand smoke, chemicals in your home or workplace, such as asbestos and benzene, also are associated with an increased risk of cancer.
Prevention

There’s no certain way to prevent cancer. But you can reduce your risk of getting cancer by taking the below steps:

  1. Stop smoking. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Smoking is linked to several types of cancer — not just lung cancer. Stopping now will reduce your risk of cancer in the future.
  2. Avoid excessive sun exposure. Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. Limit your sun exposure by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing or applying sunscreen.
  3. Eat a healthy diet. Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Select whole grains and lean proteins.
  4. Exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise is linked to a lower risk of cancer. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
  5. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of cancer. Work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
  6. Drink alcohol in moderation, if you choose to drink. Do not start drinking if you don’t. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink a day if you’re a woman of any age or a man older than age 65, or two drinks a day if you’re a man 65 years old or younger.
  7. Schedule cancer screening exams. Talk to your doctor about what types of cancer screening exams are best for you based on your risk factors.
Some crucial facts about Cancer:
  1. Cancer is the #2 killer in developed countries and #1 in underdeveloped countries.
  2. Scientific experts worldwide agree that at least half of all cancers and cancer-related deaths are preventable.
  3. A single cigarette contains 69 known cancer-causing carcinogens and over 4,000 chemicals.
  4. Cancer is the #1 disease killer of children.
  5. Globally, one in every eight deaths is caused by cancer. Approximately 70% of cancer deaths occur to those of low and middle incomes.
  6. One may experience no symptoms of ovarian cancer, lung cancer, or colon cancer until the cancer cells spread to other areas of your body. Early screening is imperative to catching these cancers in time.
  7. What you eat matters. Green tea, berries, turmeric, avocados, garlic, kale, and even dark chocolate can naturally trigger cancer cells to self destruct via apoptosis.
  8. If anyone among your family or friends is showing any cancer related symptoms, waste no time. Meet our team of specialists at the Centre for Cancer at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Please see below link for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_cancer.html

Running

Friday, January 19th, 2018

What is it about running that it attracts more and more people? Professional trainers, fitness classes, running shoes all dedicated to running. Running attracts people from all age groups and all walks of life. There are more and more groups being formed and there is an increasing participation seen in marathons too.

It is the only fitness regime which requires no equipments, no specialised play areas and just any one can practise it, with a lot of dedication.

Health Benefits of running:

Studies have shown that running can help prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers, and a host of other unpleasant conditions. Here’s why running is good for your health:

1. Running makes you happier If you’ve been working out regularly, you’ve already discovered it: No matter how good or bad you feel at any given moment, exercise will make you feel better. And it goes beyond just the “runner’s high”—that rush of feel-good hormones known as endocannabinoids. It helps instantly lift the mood of someone suffering from a major depression.

2. Running strengthens your knees (and your other joints and bones, too).
Running increases your bone mass, and even helps stem age-related bone loss. Contrary to popular belief it does no harm to your knees.

3. Running will keep you sharper Regular exercise helps defeat age-related mental decline, particularly functions like task switching, selective attention, and working memory. In fact, even stroke patients see an improvement by almost 50 percent in their memory, language, thinking, and judgment problems.

4. Improve Your Health Believe it or not, running is actually a great way to increase your overall level of health. Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping you increase lung function and use. In addition, running can also boost your immune system and lower your risk of developing blood clots.

5. Prevent Disease For women, running can actually help to lower your risk of breast cancer. It can also help reduce the risk of having a stroke. Many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack. By helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart, your chances of suffering a heart attack can be significantly reduced.

6. Lose Weight Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight. You will find that it is a leading way to burn off extra calories and that it is the second most effective exercise in terms of calories burned per minute.

7. Boost Your Confidence Not all of the benefits of running are physical. Running can provide an noticeable boost to your confidence and self-esteem. By setting and achieving goals, you can help give yourself a greater sense of empowerment that will leave you feeling much happier.

8. Relieve Stress Stress can actually cause a number of health and mood problems. It can also diminish appetite and sleep quality. When you run, you force your body to exert excess energy and hormones. Running also helps to reduce your chances of developing tension headaches.

9. Eliminate Depression When you are depressed, the last thing you likely want to do is to get up and go for a run. Yet you will find that after only a few minutes of running, your brain will start to secrete hormones that naturally improve your mood.

10. Running adds years to your life Even if you meet just the minimum of amount of physical activity—(30 minutes, five times per week), you’ll live longer.

It may seem surprising to learn all of the different ways that running can improve your health, but the truth of the matter is that these are only a few of the many benefits that it can offer to your body.  Running really is incredibly beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit, and you will find that even short runs can leave you feeling more energized, more focused, and better able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Some facts about Running:

1. The marathon was not an event of the ancient Olympic games. The marathon started in 1896 in Athens, a race from Marathon – northeast of Athens – to the Olympic Stadium, a distance of 42.195 kilometers.

2. Running outside at the same pace as on the treadmill burns more calorie due to air resistance!

3. The most common runners injuries: runner’s knee, stress fractures, shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis

4. Your feet can produce up to a pint of sweat each day.

5. Just 2 1/2 hours of weekly running increases men’s testosterone by 15%.

6. It takes 200 muscles to take a step when you run.

A study suggests that even five to 10 minutes a day of low-intensity running is enough to extend life by several years, compared with not running at all. It shows that the minimal healthy “dose” of exercise is smaller than many people might assume. Get Running today!

Our specialised Sports Medicine team is here to assist you for any running related concerns:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_sportsmedicine.html

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