People who travel overseas have up to a 50 per cent chance of suffering a travel-related illness. While most travel-related illness is minor, some very serious infectious diseases are endemic in some parts of the world. All travellers should be prepared for travel and be aware of health issues and measures to protect themselves from sickness.

Prepare for travel

There are many things you can do to prepare for a healthy holiday, including:

• Have a medical check-up. Make sure you are healthy before you travel.
• Update your vaccinations and ask about other immunisations.
• Pack a medical kit for yourself and any children travelling with you. Make sure you pack enough of any medications you need, or take a prescription.
• Organise travel insurance, including cover if you need to be evacuated to a suitable hospital.
• Have a dental check-up.
• Have a vision check and pack a spare pair of glasses.

Travel vaccinations

You may want to arrange vaccinations or medications to protect against diseases such as hepatitis, typhoid or malaria. In fact, some countries legally require travellers to have certain vaccinations, such as yellow fever. As you will need to have some vaccinations weeks or months before travel, it is best to see your doctor six to eight weeks before you go. However, if you have to travel at short notice, you can still have some vaccines.

Your doctor will be able to advise which vaccines are suitable for you depending on:

• Your medical history and age
• Your destination and likely accommodation
• The season in which you are travelling
• The length of stay
• The type of travel, for example, bus tour or backpacking.

Tips for older travellers

For older people, the risk of death or serious illness while travelling is the same, or even less, than staying at home.

However, planning is important, and before travelling, older travellers should consider:

• See your doctor for a check-up and discuss your fitness for the trip you are planning.
• See your dentist and optometrist.
• Pack a spare pair of glasses, any medications you need and a small medical kit.
• Organise travel health insurance with pre-existing illness cover if needed. Make sure it covers emergency evacuation.
• Make sure routine immunisations are up to date and get vaccinated against influenza and pneumonia.
• Consider your back and joints – use luggage with built-in wheels.
• Take clothes and hats to suit the climate.
• If you are concerned about your health or the health of someone you are travelling with, consider taking an organised holiday.

Tips for travellers with a disability

Travellers with a disability will need to make sure in advance that their needs can be accommodated while travelling and should consider:

• Making arrangements for wheelchairs, guide dogs and seating needs well in advance
• Finding out about the medical facilities in the areas you will be visiting
• Getting a letter from your doctor detailing your medical requirements or conditions
• Carrying a medical alert bracelet or pendant for specific conditions.

Eating and drinking while travelling

The most common travel-related illnesses are gastrointestinal diseases usually picked up from poorly prepared foods or untreated water. To avoid diarrhoea, stomach pains, nausea and vomiting associated with these illnesses:

• Use boiled or bottled water, or water purifiers or tablets.
• Avoid ice in drinks.
• Avoid unpasteurised milk and dairy products.
• Avoid fruit and vegetables that have been washed in the local water.
• Eat thick-skinned fruit and vegetables that you can peel yourself, such as bananas, oranges and mandarins.
• Make sure food is cooked thoroughly and eat it while it’s hot.
• Avoid shellfish.
• Don’t buy food from street stalls – hotels and busy restaurants are safest.
• Take care with personal hygiene.

Avoid insect bites when travelling

Some serious infectious diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever, are transmitted by insect bites. While there are vaccines and drugs available to help protect against some of these diseases, travellers are advised to always protect against mosquito bites.

Some tips include:

• Wear mosquito repellent that contains at least 30 per cent DEET.
• Stay indoors between dusk and dawn. The mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite generally feed at this time.
• Apply repellent, such as permethrin, to your clothes and bedding.
• Wear socks, long pants, and long-sleeve shirts when outdoors.
• Use a bed net.
• Stay in air-conditioned, screened accommodation.

The latest estimates from the International Diabetes Federation show that there are about 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. In India, the situation is quite grim with a population of 67 million diabetics (which is about 8% of our total population). Why are so many Indian diabetic? Of course, genetic susceptibility is one reason. But our changing lifestyle is turning out to be an area of growing concern. A high-calorie diet coupled with a sedentary lifestyle with not much physical activity puts you at a greater risk of getting diabetes.

Diabetes refers to a group of metabolic diseases that cause high blood sugar levels. This may happen due to inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas or when the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin produced. Type-1 diabetes is where the body is unable to produce insulin, only about 10 percent of all diabetic cases are type 1. It usually develops in childhood or adolescence but it may occur at any age. 

The other is a condition in which the cells in the body fail to respond to the insulin produced. This is called type-2 diabetes and about 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type. There is also a third kind, gestational diabetes which affects females during pregnancy. 

The campaign for World Diabetes Day 2014 stresses on healthy eating and making the right choices. Keeping that mind, our health expert, Dr. Shikha Sharma suggests six natural remedies for tackling high blood sugar levels. 

How do you know if you are at risk? We asked Dr. Pramod Tripathi, Founder of Freedom from Diabetes, to share with us the most common symptoms that may indicate diabetes.

1.  Frequent urination which is known as Polyuria. Your kidneys may not be able to absorb and filter the excess sugar in your blood. Therefore, it is excreted through your urine by absorbing fluids from your tissues. This is also the reason why your urine may emit a sweet odour.

2. Feeling excessively thirsty and this is known as Polydipsia. This may be coupled with having a dry mouth even after drinking water. Absorption of fluids from the tissues and frequent urination to excrete the excess sugar dehydrates your body and increases your thirst.

3.  Increased hunger especially after eating. This is known as Polyphagia. Since sugar may not be transported from your food to your cells, you may remain unsatisfied and feel the urge to eat more.

4. Belly fat is one of the most important determinants of diabetes. If your waistline is more than 32 -34 inches then you must get your blood sugar levels checked frequently.

5. Black spots on the neck or darkening of the skin

6. A constant feeling of tiredness and fatigue

7. Blurred vision. Excretion of excess sugar may also require fluids to be pulled from tissues in the eye which can affect your vision.

8. Sudden and unexplained weight loss. Losing sugar through frequent urination may lead to loss of calories and weight loss.

These symptoms of diabetes may be subtle but if you spot them, you must consult a doctor as prevention is always better than cure.

Click here for Nutrition tips about what to eat And what not to. 

Source NDTV

Ginger is grown as a root and is a flexible ingredient that can be consumed in drinks (tea , beer, ale) or in cooking. It can be used to make foods spicy and even as a food preservative. For over 2000 years, Chinese medicine has recommended the use of ginger to help cure and prevent several health problems. It is known to promote energy circulation in the body and increase our body’s metabolic rate .

Here ‘s a list of some of the amazing benefits of ginger that you may not aware of. Although some of these are still being debated, you could do your own research if you want to use ginger for medicinal purposes.

The Benefits of Ginger

1. Maintains Normal Blood Circulation. Ginger contains chromium, magnesium and zinc which can help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat.
2. Remedies Motion Sickness. Ginger is a known effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness. The exact reason is unknown,but in a study of naval cadets, those given ginger powder suffered less.
3. Improves absorption. Ginger improves the absorption and stimulation of essential nutrients in the body. It does this by stimulating gastric and pancreatic enzyme secretion.
4. Cold and Flu Prevention. Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a natural treatment for colds and flu around Asia. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that to treat cold and flu symptoms in adults, steep 2 tbsp. of freshly shredded or chopped ginger root in hot water, two to three times a day

Click here to learn more benefits of Ginger

The World Health Organization (WHO) seeks to eradicate polio by means of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is the biggest existing health partnership between the governmental and private sectors. To date, it has managed to reduce polio incidence by 99%. Therefore, polio exists now only in the countries suffering a drop in the level of health services. As such, the sought-after goal of the initiative is to vaccinate each child, without exception, with anti-polio vaccine.

• Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under five years of age.
• In each 200 infections, only one leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralyzed, 5% to 10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
• Polio cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350.000 cases then, to 406 reported cases in 2013. The reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease.
• In 2013, only three countries in the world remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988. The remaining countries are Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.
• As long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio.

Read more about Polio awareness

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The colder temperatures do not block the UV rays and reflections off the snow and higher altitudes can make matters even worse. You may be causing yourself significant, long-term damage by not properly protecting yourself. How do you protect yourself from the Winter sun and Summer Sun. (or any other season)? Follow these simple safety action steps:

1. Limit Time in the Mid-day Sun – The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Whenever possible, limit exposure to the sun during these hours.
2. Wear a Hat – A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection to your eyes, ears, face, and the back of your neck – areas particularly prone to overexposure to the sun.
3. Cover Up – Wearing tightly woven, loose-fitting, and full-length clothing is a good way to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays.
4. Wear Sunglasses that Block 99-100% of UV Radiation. Jimmy Crystal Sun Glasses that provide 400% UVA and UVB protection will greatly reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and other eye damage. Check the label when buying sunglasses.
5. Always Use Sunscreen – Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 or higher liberally on exposed skin. Reapply every 2 hours, or after working, swimming, playing, or exercising outdoors. Even waterproof sunscreen can come off when you towel off, sweat, or spend extended periods of time in the water.
6. Avoid Sunlamps and Tanning Parlors – The light source from sunbeds and sunlamps damages the skin and unprotected eyes. It’s a good idea to avoid artificial sources of UV light.
7. Watch for the UV Index – The UV Index provides important information to help you plan your outdoor activities in ways that prevent overexposure to the sun.

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Beyond damaging and destroying physical infrastructure, natural disasters can lead to outbreaks of infectious disease. In this article, two UNU-IIGH researchers and colleagues review risk factors and potential infectious diseases resulting from the secondary effects of major natural disasters that occurred from 2000 to 2011, classify possible diseases, and give recommendations on prevention, control measures and primary healthcare delivery improvements.

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Over the past few decades, the incidence and magnitude of natural disasters has grown, resulting in substantial economic damages and affecting or killing millions of people. Recent disasters have shown that even the most developed countries are vulnerable to natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005 and the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Global population growth, poverty, land shortages and urbanization in many countries have increased the number of people living in areas prone to natural disasters and multiplied the public health impacts.

Natural disasters can be split in three categories: hydro-meteorological disasters, geophysical disasters and geomorphologic disasters.

After a natural disaster

The overwhelming majority of deaths immediately after a natural disaster are directly associated with blunt trauma, crush-related injuries and burn injuries. The risk of infectious disease outbreaks in the aftermath of natural disasters has usually been overemphasized by health officials and the media, leading to panic, confusion and sometimes to unnecessary public health activities.

The prolonged health impact of natural disasters on a community may be the consequence of the collapse of health facilities and healthcare systems, the disruption of surveillance and health programmes (immunization and vector control programmes), the limitation or destruction of farming activities (scarcity of food/food insecurity), or the interruption of ongoing treatments and use of unprescribed medications.

The risk factors for increased infectious diseases transmission and outbreaks are mainly associated with the after-effects of the disasters rather than to the primary disaster itself or to the corpses of those killed.  These after-effects include displacement of populations (internally displaced persons and refugees), environmental changes and increased vector breeding sites. Unplanned and overcrowded shelters, poor water and sanitation conditions, poor nutritional status or insufficient personal hygiene are often the case. Consequently, there are low levels of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, or insufficient vaccination coverage and limited access to health care services.

Click here to read more

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World Heart Day is observed on September 29 to bring awareness among people about cardiovascular diseases, which are one of the biggest causes of death worldwide. This day is part of an international campaign to inform and spread awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention. Many specialists have been answering the questions of the callers and have been giving tips in the previous weeks.

Dr. Premkumar tells us the difference between heart attack and heart failure. He warns that smoking, drinking, substance abuse and eating fast food are major risk factors which lead to heart problems.

Heart attack and heart failure are not the same.
Heart attack is a sudden, acute event where symptoms include sweating, loss of consciousness etc. It is related to the blockage of blood vessels connected to the heart. Whereas, Heart failure occurs when the person does not take necessary treatment after an attack. If the person delays a doctor or hospital visit after they have a heart attack, chances of their heart muscle function going down is very high, leading to possible failure of the heart and hence death.

The treatment for heart attack and heart failure are different.
For a heart attack, the clot has to lysed and blood flow has to be reinstated to the heart. This can be done using medication OR you can mechanically open the blood vessel to unblock it.
For heart failure first level is medicines. This also depends on the percentage of heart muscle loss. If it’s less than 30%, additional therapy has to be given. Pace makers are used to re-synchronize the heart.

One of the callers asked Dr. Premkumar about Mitral valve prolapse.
Dr. Premkumar said that it is a trivial heart condition. 2% of the general population has it. It will not cause a problem but very rarely it can also lead to a valve leak in which case the valve has to be replaced.

Another caller asked what an unstable Angina is and how is it different from a heart attack. Doctor answered that if one is suffering from chest pain while resting; it can be an unstable angina and must be checked by a doctor immediately. It is a stage/warning of an impending heart attack.

A caller was concerned if weight gain or overweight could cause heart problems. Doctor told the caller that it could very well lead to heart problems and one should always make sure to eat healthy and keep fit to stay away from heart conditions. He says that even few genes transfer heart problems to the next generation, but it cannot be said for sure.

Dr. Premkumar also gave us a simple and valuable tip before concluding.

Avoid the lift, Take the stairs! Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors May Prevent 80 Percent of Heart Attacks.

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Middle-aged and older men were much less likely to have heart attacks over an average of 11 years if they drank moderately, didn’t smoke and did everything right on the diet, exercise and weight fronts, the study found.

The healthiest men could still eventually die of a heart attack, of course, and the study didn’t say if they live longer than others.

Still, “there is a lot to gain and money to be saved if people had a healthier lifestyle,” said study lead author Agneta Akesson, an associate professor with the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden.

Akesson’s team wanted to gain insight into the combined effect of different aspects of healthy living. Few studies have examined the overall impact in this manner, Akesson said.

For the study, published Sept. 22 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers examined medical records and surveys of more than 20,700 Swedish men who were 45 to 79 years old in 1997. At the time, they had no history of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. The researchers tracked them until 2009 to see how they fared.

Click here to read more

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Salt (sodium) is important for our body. But when the level of sodium is high, our kidneys get affected and also our blood pressure increases.

Dr. Srinivasan discusses on the amount of salt intake needed for our body to be heart healthy. He says the raise in blood pressure caused by high salt intake may damage the arteries leading to the heart and the pumping of the heart can become weaker. So it is important to monitor and control the intake of salt.

There are salt substitutes available such as LoNa (Low Sodium) salt. These can be taken after consulting with your doctor. Herbs and garlic can also substitute salt in your food. It is better to consume rock salt instead of the table salt as it contains less sodium. Also, while processing, chemicals are added to the table salt to give it the free flow powder texture.

There are fortified salts that are available in the market that are good for certain health problems. For example, Iodized salt is good for thyroid problems. Salt fortified with Iron in recommended dosages is advised for patients suffering from Anemia.

Salt tends to be retained in the body. So, when we reduce salt intake, the excess salt in our body is utilized.

A caller tells us that Himalayan rock salt contains a lot of minerals is considered to be very healthy and Dr. Srinivasan agreed with him.

Dr. Srinivasan concluded his discussion by telling us that salt is important for our body but when it is consumed in excess, it can be harmful. Especially, people who have blood pressure and hypertension must restrict their salt intake before considering any medication to repair the damage.

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