World Malaria Day 2013

"Invest in the future. Defeat malaria."

Each year Malaria causes about 6,60,000 deaths, mostly in children under five years of age.

We can do a lot on our part to reduce burden of Malaria and many other mosquito-borne diseases:

• Most important is to eliminate their breeding places by simple steps like filling, levelling & drainage of stagnant water. Don't let waste water to stagnate in our surroundings.
• Mineral oils like kerosene when applied on water,it spreads to form a thin film & cuts air supply to mosquito larvae.
• Mosquito sprays: After spraying, doors and windows should be kept closed for at least half an hour.
• Mosquito nets: To protect against mosquito bites during sleep. There should not be even a single hole in it. Size of openings should not exceed 0.0475 inch diameter.
• Using mesh in doors and windows is very effective.
• Mosquito repellant creams should be applied on exposed parts especially when going to crowded and unhygienic places.

Most of you people reading this will find it useless as you are living in neat and clean high societies. But all of you must be having workers, maids, drivers or any kind of servants who daily face numerous mosquitoes. Do your part by making them aware. Some of them might take some of these precautions.

And don't forget even a single mosquito can transmit the disease from them to you too.

Stay Healthy Stay Happy

Getting Fit the Healthier Way...

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is addictive. You just have to push yourself to the point where you start to see results. Later, your mind and body will automatically remind you.

Health has 3 components i.e. a healthy body, mind, and soul.

• Staying fit is essentially an important part of it. That doesn't mean just losing your weight and getting thinner.
• Regular exercising is very important. Cardio workout is a must. Do as per your general condition and capacity- running, jogging, skipping or just brisk walking at least for 20- 30 mins.
• As you progress include weight training to tone up your muscles.
• Try to use your core muscles(abdominals) while exercising. It burns calories as well as fat.
• Most essential part which most of us ignore is a proper Warm-up and Cool-down session before & after any exercise.
• Any of your exercises will not give you the desired results unless you follow a regular schedule BUT your muscles need rest too. Five days a week schedule is a good way to follow.
• Yoga, Pranayam and Meditation are very good relaxation techniques which will boost your health much more than you could ever imagine, if done properly.
• Just exercising won't do all. A good, healthy and balanced diet is a must. 
• Don't restrict yourself with some superfoods and all that crap . All foods have some unique benefits. Experiment with variety of fruits, vegetables and cereals. Your body needs a large variety of nutrients. Natural foods have right proportions of vitamins and minerals required for various body functions.
• Drink lots of water...it is the best natural tonic.

And remember you can give thousands of reasons for not exercising. I know we all are tooo busy to spare an hour for our fitness but that one hour a day will give you many many years of Healthier life ahead.

Just start with it and in a few weeks you will notice how you save much more of your time daily as your overall efficiency improves drastically.

Stay Healthy Stay Happy

Some More Information About Hypertension

Hypertension or High B.P. as commonly said is mainly a disease of lifestyle.

As asked by one friend there are no specific symptoms and High BP is largely a symptomless condition. Patients with High BP may have headache but you can't rely on it. In extremely high BP, symptoms like severe headache, anxiety, chest pain, vision problems, nose bleeds can occur. 

As for diagnosis regular check-ups is the key.

 But there are many risk factors which need to be considered. They are:

• Family history/ Hereditary
• Advanced age
• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity- Maintain BMI between 20 to 25. (You can use a tool at the bottom to check BMI)
• High salt intake
• High saturated fat intake
• High alcohol consumption
• High stress levels (Stress may also result in overeating and alcohol consumption)
• Smoking - Both active and passive
• Disturbed sleep patterns

The good thing is that there is lot YOU can do to prevent or atleast delay the development of High BP:

• Again regular check-ups
• Prevention and treatment of obesity
• Appropriate and Regular aerobic exercises
• Diets low in salt and Saturated fats
• Including healthy components to your diet
• Limited alcohol consumption
• Stop smoking

Then there are few guidelines to be followed for those who have already been diagnosed with High BP:

• Weight loss (range of approximate systolic BP reduction [SBP], 5-20 mm Hg per 10 kg)
• Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 oz (30 mL) of ethanol per day for men or 0.5 oz (15 mL) of ethanol per day for women and people of lighter weight (range of approximate SBP reduction, 2-4 mm Hg)
• Reduce sodium intake to no more than 100 mmol/day (2.4 g sodium or 6 g sodium chloride; range of approximate SBP reduction, 2-8 mm Hg)
• Maintain adequate intake of dietary potassium (approximately 90 mmol/day)
• Maintain adequate intake of dietary calcium and magnesium for general health
• Stop smoking and reduce intake of dietary saturated fat and cholesterol for overall cardiovascular health
• Engage in aerobic exercise at least 30 minutes daily for most days (range of approximate SBP reduction, 4-9 mm Hg)
• One more very important thing is to follow your Doctor's recommendations and take regular medications as prescribed. NEVER modify your medication doses as per your wish or on advice of some friend or relative. Its your life at stake not theirs.

Stay Healthy Stay Happy

Aa Bhains Mujhe Maar...!!!!!!

Sometimes it gets boring without occasional humour....so enjoy this...!!!!!

Apni Suraksha Apne Haath...

1) What should a woman do if she finds herself alone in the company of a strange male as she prepares to enter a lift in a high-rise apartment late at night?
Experts Say: Enter the lift. If you need to reach the 13th floor, press all the buttons up to your destination. No one will dare attack you in a lift that stops on every floor.

2) What to do if a stranger tries to attack you when you are alone in your house, run into the kitchen.
Experts Say: You alone know where the chili powder and turmeric are kept. And where the knives and plates are. All these can be turned into deadly weapons. If nothing else, start throwing plates and utensils all over. Let them break. Scream. Remember that noise is the greatest enemy of a molester. He does not want to be caught.

3) Taking an Auto or Taxi at Night.
Experts Say: Before getting into an auto at night, note down its registration number. Then use the mobile to call your family or friend and pass on the details to them in the language the driver understands .Even if no one answers your call, pretend you are in a conversation. The driver now knows someone has his details and he will be in serious trouble if anything goes wrong. He is now bound to take you home safe and sound. A potential attacker is now your de facto protector!

4) What if the driver turns into a street he is not supposed to - and you feel you are entering a danger zone?
Experts Say: Use the handle of your purse or your stole (dupatta) to wrap around his neck and pull him back. Within seconds, he will feel choked and helpless. In case you don’t have a purse or stole just pull him back by his collar. The top button of his shirt would then do the same trick.

5) If you are stalked at night.
Expert Say: enter a shop or a house and explain your predicament. If it is night and shops are not open, go inside an ATM box. ATM centers always have security guards. They are also monitored by close circuit television. Fearing identification, no one will dare attack you.

6) Always carry a Pepper Spray with you. It is a very effective self defence product. It is not at all expensive and you can easily carry in your purse or pockets. And please don't misuse it.

After all, being mentally alert is the greatest weapon you can ever have.

Please spread it to all those women u care & spread awareness as dis is d least we can do for a social & moral cause and fr d safety of women.

Few words about Hypertension

* There is something called 'Iceberg Phenomenon'.

Most of u must have seen Titanic. In an Iceberg only some part is visible from above while majority of it lies submerged under water and it is the major problem. Same is true for diseases like Hypertension. The no. of cases apparent in the society is far less from the actual no. of patients who are still undiagnosed.

Though we are highly deficient in availability of medical services BUT your Ignorance is the major reason for it. Nobody visits the doctor unless there is a major symptom. Even after so much advertisements...so many free check-up camps people don't have time and money for their Health.

Routine health checks are never there in our To-Do lists.

To justify their fault people would say that 'Doctor to loot te hain' but what about paying twice or thrice the actual price for a cold drink or a snack in malls n other places?? And Doctor will give you atleast some health benefit while these things will infact do bad for your health if taken in excess.

It takes hardly anytime to get your B.P. checked and routine check-up and investigations. Less than what it takes for going to watch a movie. Atleast you can spare 3-4 days(MAX.) in a year for all your routine checks including General, Eye, ENT, Dental, Investigations- all of which are equally important. And this will be your best investment ever - better than those being advertised by your Financial Planners. It will save you money as well as discomfort in future times.

If you are diagnosed with Hypertension, routine follow-ups and regular medication is must.
Best thing is if diagnosed early in time most people can control it with proper Diet and Exercises alone.
And always remember "Prevention is Always Better Than Cure".

Thats all for now.

Stay Healthy Stay Happy

World Health Day 2013

Happy World Health Day 2013.....!!!!!

World Health Day is WHO's Birthday. It is celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.

This year theme is "CONTROL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE"

BEGINNING OF MY BLOG

Let me first introduce myself...I am just a routine 'aam aadmi' like you all and a Doctor by profession. 

I have always noticed people having no idea or false knowledge about many basic things vital for our day-to-day life situations. We have things inscribed in our minds and resist to change even after knowing what is actually right. And that includes many educated, so-called modern people.
I am not the exception. I am one of the crowd. 

But there are few such things which I would like to share with you. These would be mostly related to health for obvious reasons. To make it little more interesting, there will be facts from all walks of life in-between.

I will not be giving any prescriptions here but general doubts and queries are always welcome.
I am not doing any research of my own so the information shared here would be from various sources. Many of the things I post here will be those that you already know BUT have always ignored. 

You can always share your information and provide suggestions too.
Happy Blogging.....!!!!!