Healthcare

Tips to stay safe from Malaria

It’s summer and a vacation is likely to be on the cards. When picking out your destination, you may have done extensive research on accommodation, weather and all the fun activities you can indulge in. However, is there a small but significant aspect that you may have left out – The health factor?

There are a number of diseases and infections that you can catch in different countries. But if you are picking an exotic location where greenery and wildlife abound, then your biggest threat are mosquitoes. Out of all the mosquito borne infections, malaria is the most common and easy to contract.

This World Malaria Day, make a note of these quick tips to ensure that you prevent and protect yourself from this disease:

1. Knowledge is health

Make sure you are well informed about your destination and the level of risk to contract malaria. Some factors to be considered are: Influx of mosquitoes during summer, duration of your stay, clothing for the activities you are planning to do and your accommodation.

2. Armed to keep out

If you are planning a trip that involves outdoor stay, then keeping the essential repellants handy is a no-brainer. You will also most probably need a mosquito net specialized to keep the pests out.

3. Accommodation

When planning your trip, try to choose places to stay that have fewer mosquitoes. If possible, stay in screened quarters or quarters with air conditioning. Mosquitoes hate closed rooms with cool circulating air. Ensure that you don’t stay next to lakes, ponds or any object that could potentially carry stagnant water.

4. Wardrobe Essentials

You’ll reduce the number of mosquito bites you get if you wear long pants and sleeves while you’re out and about during the day. Bring high-quality lightweight clothing that will allow your body to breathe while protecting you from bites.

5. Medical Safety

Before you travel or if you are a resident of a mosquito prone country, an inspection with a registered medical practitioner is mandatory. Getting a screening done periodically and taking shots or medication that will help against the disease is absolutely essential. Do remember to carry the prescription during travel and keep a stock of medication handy.

References:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malaria/Pages/Prevention.aspx

http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/planatrip/inspire-me/lists/5-ways-to-avoid-getting-malaria

Basic first aid for common injuries

First Aid is immediate medical assistance to an injured/ill person until they can be fully dealt with. Did you cut your finger while chopping vegetables? Burnt your finger? Have a bleeding nose? Hit your head? Or are scraped from a fall? These tiny injuries happen almost every day, and most can be treated at home. But to handle them quickly, you need to know what to do and have the right supplies.

Here are few home remedies that will help feel better:

1. Burn:

Immediately hold it under cool running water, or apply wet towels until the pain subsides. Once it reduces, cover the injured person with a blanket or towel and let them relax. This will help the pain subside and prevent hypothermia.

2. Nosebleed:

First things first – Do not ask the victim to tilt their head behind in order to stop the blood. Rather make them lean forward and pinch the lower end of the nose near the nostrils for 5-10 minutes. Do not break the flow in between. This will help the bleeding stop.

3. Cut/Scrape:

Take a clean cloth and place it on the injury and apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. For minor cuts and scrapes, clean it and apply a thin layer of toothpaste or an ointment (Ex. Soframycin) and cover it with a bandage/cotton. In case of a deep cut/scrape, rush to a nearby hospital.

4. Eye irritation:

Being the most delicate part of the body, it needs to be handled with a lot of care. Do not allow the person to scratch their eyes. In case of irritation, blurry vision, or pain, make them look down and blink 20-30 times. If it still doesn’t stop, sprinkle water. Later, take a wet cold towel and place it on the eyes with eyes closed.

5. Choking:

Do not give water first. This person won’t be able to speak or breathe properly. So stand behind the victim, cup your hands on the belly, push in and up towards the ribs about 5 times. Once the victim coughs strongly, the choke is settled. Now allow them to have water and be calm for a few minutes.

Reference:

https://patient.info/in/doctor/first-aid-in-general-practice

http://www.parents.com/health/injuries/first-aid/fast-first-aid-tips-for-6-common-accidents/

Stem Cells – Are They The Future Of Healthcare?

Have you heard of the term Stem-cell technology? For those who have the good news is that, the technology you believed to be science fiction is now rapidly growing to be real! For those who haven’t heard, here’s why it is going to be THE future of healthcare.

So what are stem-cells? Stem-cells are the master cells and building blocks of our body. They have a special ability to duplicate & renew themselves into a variety of cell types that can adjust to the requirements of different organs, i.e. a stem cell should be able to identify the signals and mechanisms of an organ and adjust to perform as the organ wants. Ex: to function as a brain cell or a muscle cell, a simply blood cell, etc.

There are 2 types of stem cells:
1. Adult stem cells –present in bone marrow, blood and adipose tissues.
2. Embryonic stem cells – found in the umbilical cord at the time of birth.

Stem cells have the ability to treat or prevent a disease or a condition! Yes, it is like a cure/treatment found within the affected person. The treatment is carried out via a process called Stem Cell Therapy.

Now that we understood what a stem cell is and what it can do (in a nutshell), take a moment to think how you and your loved ones could be saved by preserving your stem cells? If saving yours turns outs to be too much in the future to think about, consider saving your future-child’s which can be extracted from the umbilical cord at birth.

Conditions & diseases that stem cell can help treating are:

Cancer treatments
Genetic diseases
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetes
Organ dis-functioning (treating burns, kidney/ liver failure, brain damage, hearing loss, impairment of vision, etc.)
Autism
HIV

And the list goes on. One major obstacle this technology is facing at this phase would be it being tedious and expensive, which we hope over time will be feasible at a more reasonable rate.

Finally, from curing a minor condition to treating a fatal disease, we do have to acknowledge the potential that this technology has and can conclude that this most definitely will define the future of healthcare.

References:

https://www.cordlifeindia.com/about-stem-cells

http://www.eurostemcell.org/types-stem-cells-and-their-uses

Beat the heat – How to take care of your summer skin!

Whether we like it or not, summer is officially here – and it’s here to stay for a while.

The body is subjected to a lot of changes along with the weather – but here is how your skin can beat the heat:

1. Hydration: The importance of drinking a lot of water just cannot be underlined enough. Drink at least 2.5 litres of fluids a day! Apart from preventing dizziness and dehydration, it’s also the secret to that summer glow!

2. Apply (and reapply!) sunscreen: Now, you get sun-screens that are perfectly compatible to every type of skin type – oily, dry, sensitive, and more. To avoid getting a painful sunburn and risk of diseases like skin cancer, make sure you apply sun-screen before you brave the outside. For the face, about a teaspoon would be ideal, and for the body – as much as would fill a shot glass.

3. Cooling gels: Forgot the sunscreen or developed a heat rash? there is nothing as soothing as a cooling gel, or aloe vera. Gently apply it over the reddened area to reduce swelling and redness.

4. Moisturize & exfoliate: while this is advised for all seasons and all reasons, moisturizing and exfoliating is important especially in summer. It removes dead cells, cleans out your pores and most of all – prevents dry skin!

5. Wear protective clothing: there is no such thing as “too careful”! apart from the sun-screen, make sure to wear some light-coloured fabrics to keep the heat level down and light-weight fabrics to be comfortable. And accessories go a long way too! A hat provides permanent shade for your facial skin, and sunglasses protect the sensitive area around your eyes.

So there you go – rather than worrying about rashes, dry skin, and sunburn, you can now go out and enjoy the good things about summer!

Reference:

http://www.dermalogica.com/top-6-summer-skin-tips/ys_skinaging_2,default,pg.html

How can you help prevent the spread of Tuberculosis?

On this World Tuberculosis day, give yourself the space to learn something about Tuberculosis and help prevent it when you can. This is a disease caused by bacteria and it can spread from person to person through the air. Lungs, kidneys, bones or the brain may get harmed in this process.

There are two forms: Latent TB infection (Inactive) and TB disease (Active). Inactive TB has no symptoms and is detected through blood/skin test only whereas Active TB cab causes cough, fatigue, coughing up blood, chest pain, sweating at night, fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

Here are few steps you could use to avoid it:

1. Avoid meeting people with TB –

Since it highly contagious, it is best suited to avoid being around people that already are in contact with the disease. But if you have no choice as in a work space, it is best if you wear a mask and stay safe.

2. Are you susceptible –

If you have a weak immune system, work in a crowded space, regularly expose yourself to drugs/alcohol or have no access to proper health care then you are at a higher risk of getting this disease. The lesser contact, the safer you are.

3. Maintain healthy lifestyle –

Incorporate exercising in your daily life or at least 4 times a week to stay fit. Make sure your diet includes a lot of healthy food such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, meat, etc. Avoid fatty, sugary and processed foods. Avoid consumption of alcohol and drugs.

4. Get vaccinated –

The main way to prevent TB is by the use of the BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine. It can be prevented in children by treating cases of active TB amongst adults in the same household. Children with the disease are usually not infectious, and so there is usually no chance to pass on TB to either other children or elders.

Reference:

http://www.tbfacts.org/tb-prevention/

http://16c.72e.myftpupload.com/tb-children/

http://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Tuberculosis

5 Ways Modern Technology has Contributed to Healthcare

Technology has changed the rules of the game of life, from how we communicate, how we travel, to how we learn new things. Healthcare is no exception to this rule of thumb with technology delivering results that no-one thought possible a decade ago!

The preceding 100 years specifically have seen an incredible spurt in health care related technological advancement. The MRI machine, pacemaker, CT scan, dialysis, cardiac defibrillation, organ transplants and joint replacements are all procedures and tools that were unthinkable a century ago.

Here is an overall look at all the things that have happened in the health care sector and some of the benefits:

1. Advancement in Software – helps doctors and medical professionals to understand symptoms better, to identify the type of illness as well as understand the causes and the right approach of treatment.

2. Doctor Appointment Apps – With hospitals and clinics being busy more often than not, these apps help you make an appointment from the comfort of your home.

3. Health based Apps – Helps keep an eye on your daily health, from monitoring your blood pressure, sugar levels to tracking your sleep levels etc.

4. Medical Portals – Makes available information for better understanding of one’s symptoms in simple layman terms before or after approaching a doctor

5. Increased Treatment Options – Makes available options that are more effective, less invasive and painful and even differently priced, always keeping in mind the comfort of the patient.

Although technology does give an advantage, do remember that there is also almost always an adverse side to everything. Instead of trusting only online information for your wellbeing make sure you speak to your doctor about any symptoms that you might have. One must also always get regularly tested for overall health.
References:

http://www.txhealthcare.com/health-news/how-technology-is-changing-healthcare/58/

https://care24.co.in/blog/5-ways-modern-technology-is-impacting-health-care/

Why are young people prone to cardiac arrests?

There was a time when if we heard that someone had a cardiac arrest – it would come as quite a bit of a shock to us! With time, we started hearing of it more often and what now takes us by surprise is that even young people are losing their lives to cardiac arrests.

The average age of individuals succumbing to cardiac arrests seems to be dropping every single day even though the awareness about the condition, the need for fitness and good nutrition in general has gone up.

Have you ever wondered why? While there are other reasons, most of it is because of one’s lifestyle choices. By fixing these, you can go a long way in avoiding a cardiac related problem.

1. Family History

Cardiac arrests are more likely to occur and cause deaths in case when there is a family history of cardiac arrests. This is one of the major reasons young people face this condition. It is important to be wary of this and take precautions early in life.

2. Lack of Exercise

With an increasingly sedentary lifestyle plaguing the next generations – complete lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle is one of the major reasons why more youngsters are prone to cardiac disorders.

3. Lack of Nutrition

High cholesterol levels are the first warning signs of a cardiac arrest – with a sharp increase in junk food and unhealthy eating habits more and more youngsters are prone to higher rates of cholesterol and in turn are prone to more diseases. It is important to inculcate healthy eating habits right from the teens to ensure good health!

4. Smoking

Smoking is one of the major lifestyle reasons that causes heart problems. Staying away from smoking is important to keep your heart healthy!

5. Drinking too much alcohol

While drinking is not as fatal as smoking, drinking too much alcohol can be a trigger for a cardiac arrest.

6. Obesity

Maintaining a healthy body mass index can prevent cardiac arrests – being obese or over-weight is another reasons for young people to suffer from a cardiac arrest!

References

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110705/healthy-lifestyle-cuts-risk-of-sudden-cardiac-death#1

6 ways virtual reality will change your health

Virtual reality is going to change our worlds in many ways. Whether you are waiting to take a vacation on the white sands or craving to meditate in a peaceful location, you just might be able to do all of this from the comfort of your bedroom.

However, have you ever wondered how virtual reality can change your health?

1. Mental Health

Virtual reality has the power to change the way mental health treatment is advocated. Virtual reality can change treatments even for depression and anxiety where patients can be transported to more calming environments in the virtual world.

2. Overcoming phobias

Virtual reality can help people overcome fears and phobias – whether it is the fear of heights, going out, fear of insects or even fear of water, these realities give the person a fair shot to overcome their reservations.

3. Changing the way you exercise

What if you could exercise without being constantly reminded that you are doing hard-work? Virtual reality can transport you to another world and working out can become as fun as simply playing a game!

4. Reducing Stress

Not just stress, even symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can be treated using virtual reality. Virtual reality therapy can become one of the most powerful ways in which you can heal people.

5. Mindfulness

Dream about escaping to a beach in the middle of the week? Ever wondered if you can just have a beautiful view from your office desk in the middle of a stressful work day? Virtual reality will make all of this possible as this technology transports you to wherever you want and you can practice mindfulness and meditation!

6. Changing the world of scans

Virtual reality will go on to change how evidence based healthcare works in today’s world – for instance, you might be able to see a 3D model of your unborn baby using virtual reality! Does a three dimensional model from the womb sounds right out of sci-fi book? It just might be the norm with virtual reality really soon!

Reference

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4137908/6-ways-virtual-reality-soon-change-health.html

Mental health and Menstruation

What’s even more emotionally demanding than the time of menstruation – The time before it actually starts (PMS)! Ladies, even if you’re the most stable and calm person on this planet – your “that time’ of the month has the knack of throwing you off your game (physically & mentally!).

Yes, during PMS, your mind goes through a roller coaster of emotions and reactions, including:

Irritation
Bad temper
Poor concentration
Forgetfulness
Poor self-esteem
Anxiety
Depression

Let’s talk about the depression in particular.

PMS-induced depression is called Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). It is an amalgamation of overwhelming sadness, anxiety and panic attacks that hit you right before your period.

PMDD occurs in the two weeks prior to a woman’s period and then it is gone. Clinical depression on the other hand lasts much longer than two weeks. PMDD usually shows a dramatic decrease in symptoms once the period flow begins.

Here are some ways to pull your chin up and beat the PMDD:

1. Meditation: Anything that helps you relax and change the neurological response of your body to the unpredictable hormones is helpful. Try deep-breathing exercises at home.

2. Diet: As tempting as a jar of cookies is, go for brain foods like fish and cod liver oil which really help in stabilizing your state of mind.

3. Exercise: Even if cramps kick in, try to get some solid exercise during the day. It releases endorphin and eases the troubled state of mind.

4. Anti-depressants: Don’t rule this out as an option, even if it is temporary. But always refer a doctor before taking the medicine leap!

5. Talk to someone: Most PMDD patients say that talking to someone who tells them this depression is temporary and will pass eventually goes a long way. Never hesitate to approach your support system during this time!

References:

https://theperiodvitamin.com/pms-depression.html

The Mosquito Menace – Types of diseases one can get!

If there is one thing we all agree on, it has to be that a swarm of mosquitoes can ruin a good night’s sleep! However, if you are in a place that always has mosquitoes you might have more to worry about than just the fact that they are not letting you sleep.

Although mosquitoes are tiny and do not seem like a big problem, they are one of the most dangerous creatures in the world. They are in fact the reason for a lot of diseases and some of these diseases are even life-threatening!

Here are a few diseases that mosquitoes can cause – once you read them you will know for sure that taking precaution is not an option but a mandate!

Dengue Fever:

Dengue is one of the deadliest diseases caused by mosquitoes – the symptoms start with high fever, severe frontal headache, body pain and rashes. While you can prevent yourself from getting dengue if you are careful to not expose yourself in areas where mosquitoes are plenty, it is quite a difficult process to get treated for it.

Malaria:

Mosquitoes are carriers of another deadly disease called Malaria – When female anopheles mosquitoes bite human beings, malaria is transmitted. With the virus in the bloodstream, the disease can affect functioning of liver and cause chills, vomiting and severe flu.

Yellow Fever:

Common in Africa and South America, this disease is caused by a type of mosquito called Aedes aegypti. Yellow fever is a very tricky disease considering no vaccination has deemed effective in completely eliminating it!

Chikungunya:

Manageable if proper medication is taken, Chikungunya is another disease caused by mosquitoes. Skin rashes, back-pain, vomiting, fever and severe headaches are symptoms of this disease.

While most of these diseases are dangerous and deadly, remember that by taking care of a few basic things, you can completely avoid them. Wear mosquito repellents, fix mosquito nets and always make sure that there is no water-logging near your place because that is where mosquitoes breed!

References:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/you-should-know-5-deadliest-mosquito-borne-diseases-in-india/story-HVE7pprbScppKyqClE5GoN.html

http://www.wonderslist.com/10-deadliest-diseases-caused-by-mosquitoes/

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