Computer chips and Ganoderma lucidum Mushrooms - New research

 कई इलेक्ट्रॉनिक डिवाइस में लगने वाली कंप्यूटर चिप्स और बैटरीज में ऐसा प्लास्टिक इस्तेमाल होता है, जिसे रिसाइकिल नहीं किया जा सकता। मगर अब वैज्ञानिकों ने इस प्लास्टिक को बायोडिग्रेडेबल मटेरियल से बदलने का तरीका ढूंढ लिया है। 

साइंस एडवांसेज जर्नल में प्रकाशित एक नई रिसर्च में ऑस्ट्रिया की जोहैनस केप्लर यूनिवर्सिटी के वैज्ञानिकों ने मशरूम की स्किन से इलेक्ट्रॉनिक सबस्ट्रेट बनाया है। सर्किट की बेस लेयर को सबस्ट्रेट कहते हैं। यह इलेक्ट्रिसिटी ट्रांसफर करने वाले मेटल्स को ठंडा और इंसुलेट करता है। 

गैनोडर्मा लूसीडम मशरूम एक प्रकार की फंगस है, जो यूरोप और पूर्वी एशिया के सड़ते हुए पेड़ों पर उगती है। स्टडी में शामिल रिसर्चर्स डोरिस डैनिंगर और रोलैंड प्रकनर ने पाया कि ये मशरूम अपने सुरक्षित विकास के लिए जड़ जैसे नेटवर्क माइसेलियम से बनी त्वचा बना लेता है।

[Image : Ganoderma lucidum Mushrooms stock]

वैज्ञानिकों ने प्लास्टिक की जगह इसी त्वचा को सुखाकर इस्तेमाल करना चाहा।रिसर्च में मशरूम की त्वचा को निकालकर सुखाया गया। रिसर्चर्स ने देखा कि यह लचीली और अच्छी इंसुलेटर है। यह इलेक्ट्रिकल सर्किट में भी अच्छे से काम करती है और आसानी से 200 डिग्री सेल्सियस तापमान सह लेती है। वैज्ञानिकों ने बताया कि कंप्यूटर चिप्स को बनाने में उन पेड़ों के मशरूम काम आएंगे, जो पूरी तरह बेकार चले जाते हैं। फिलहाल इससे बने सर्किट ऐसे इलेक्ट्रॉनिक डिवाइस में लगाए जा सकेंगे, जो ज्यादा समय नहीं चलते। इनमें वियरेबल सेंसर और रेडियो टैग शामिल हैं। मशरूम स्किन के कारण इन्हें रिसाइकिल भी किया जा सकेगा।

Warts and Ayurveda - simple to manage and treat.

In the modern system of medicine, warts are defined as small, fleshy, or hard bumps on the skin or mucous membranes caused by human papillomavirus. Warts are caused by various strains of human papillomaviruses. 

[Wart in the index finger of a hand]

Different strains may cause warts in different parts of the body. Warts can be spread from one location on the body to another or from person to person by contact with the wart. 

Symptoms: The main symptom is a fleshy, painless growth on the skin. Common areas affected include the hands, feet, and genitals. 

Treatment: It may include topical medication and removal through medical procedures. 

However, in terms of Ayurveda, a wart is formed when Vayu and Kapha combine on the skin. When Vayu predominates, pain and roughness develop. With Pitta's dominance, they look blackish-red. If Kapha is in predominance, they look greasy, knotty, or the same color as the skin. Kapha creates soft skin and Pitta causes hard skin. They combine when following incompatible therapies for instance ingesting milk and salt together, and cause warts.

Therapies - Externally lemon juice or tea tree oil is applied to warts daily for several weeks till it cures. 

Have a healthy life. 

Insanity (Unmada) - causes, symptoms, therapies and recdovery - Best Ayurvedic treatment

"उन्माद का दूसरा नाम है दीवानापन या पागलपन I इसे ही मेडिकल भाषा में इनसैनिटी (Insanity) कहा जाता है I लगभग सभी मनुष्यों में उन्माद तो होता ही है किन्तु जब यह हद से गुज़र जाये तो उसे पागलपन की संज्ञा दे दी जाती है I उदाहरण जैसे जवानी का उन्माद, उन्मादी कवि इत्यादिI " 

The definition of insanity is having a serious mental illness or being extremely foolish. An example of insanity is a personality disorder. An example of insanity is jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Severe mental illness or derangement. 

Maharishi Charak defines insanity as " the perversion of the mind. intellect, consciousness, knowledge, memory, desire, manners, behavior, and conduct."

Five types of Insanity exist: Vayu, Pitta, Kapha, Tridosa, and externally caused insanity. It is the main disease of Vayu doshas. The main cause of insanity, as we will see, results from personal misdeeds. When any of the three doshas cause insanity, symptoms quickly develop in persons with certain conditions. These characteristics include timidness, an agitated or lethargic mind, or an imbalance of physical doshas. Other conditions include following an unwholesome diet or lifestyle when other health concerns are present, or if the mind is constantly afflicted by emotions (e.g. fear, anger, greed, etc.) 

Symptoms- General symptoms include, impatience, fickleness, unsteady vision, a sensation of a vacuum in the heart, and loss of peace, memory, and intellect. 

Therapies- There are many therapies to treat insanity have been prescribed depending upon the condition of the disease and behavior of the patients however, some of the general therapies are done by Herbs,  musk and frankincense, chanting mantras (Aum Namah Shivaya), wearing talismans and jewelry, performing auspicious rites, religious sacrifices, taking vows, oblations, fulfilling religious duties, atonement, fasting, receiving blessings, obeisance, and pilgrimages. Following wholesome foods and lifestyle is also necessary. Ghee may be eaten as often as desired. One should sleep in a draft-free room. One popular recipe in Ayurveda is as follows- 

Brahmi Ghee (4 days worth): Brahmi - 50 g; Shankh pushpi - 50 g., Aswagandha - 50 g., Jatamanshi - 50 g, Ghee - 100 g. Now make a paste from the herbs and roll it into a ball, biol the ghee and add the paste and cook for 1/2 hour, and then filter. 

Doses:  1 tsp 2 times daily (May be used for any mental disorders) 

Sign of recovery: When one's clarity and sense of normalcy reappear, it is a sign that the symptoms are removed. 

I Hope, this article surely will help to cure many of the persons who suffer from insanity. Thank you.    

''Have wonderful health always''

इस नयी बीमारी का नाम बताया "स्क्रब टायफ़स"

 रहस्यमयी बुखार 'स्क्रब टायफ़स' 

विगत एक माह से उत्तरप्रदेश एक रहस्यमयी बुखार के संकट से जूझ रहा है. ये बुखार इतना वायरल है कि शायद ही उत्तरप्रदेश का कोई ऐसा घर हो जिसमें एक रोगी पीड़ित न निकले. लोग जूझ रहे हैं. ठीक भी हो रहे हैं. कुछ रोग की अज्ञानता में कोलैप्स भी कर जा रहे हैं. प्रदेश एक अघोषित पेन्डेमिक से गुज़र रहा है.

इस बुखार का रहस्य ये है कि सारे लक्षण डेंगू, चिकनगुनिया व मलेरिया से मिलते जुलते हैं पर जब टेस्ट कराइये तो सब निगेटिव आता है. क्योंकि बीमारी के लक्षण भले ही मिलते हों पर बीमारी अलग है.

विडंबना ये है कि बहुत से डॉक्टर भी वायरल मान कर उसका ट्रीटमेंट दे रहे हैं या डेंगू का ट्रीटमेंट दे रहे हैं. उनको भी रोग के विषय में नहीं मालूम.

(ये मैं इस आधार पर कह रही हूँ कि मेरे बेटे और मेरे पति, दोनों के बुखार को डेंगू समझ कर ट्रीटमेंट दिया गया. और दोनों ही सुप्रसिद्ध डॉक्टर्स के द्वारा दिया गया.)

जब 12 नवंबर को मुझे मुझमें लक्षण दिखे तो मुझे मेरे फैमिली डॉक्टर को दिखाया गया. उन्होंने मुझे इस नयी बीमारी का नाम बताया "स्क्रब टायफ़स"

फिर मैंने इस बीमारी के विषय में रिसर्च की और मुझे लगा कि इसको सबसे शेयर करना चाहिये क्योंकि मेरे कुछ बहुत ही अजीज़ लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार मिल चुका है मुझे.

स्क्रब टायफ़स के संक्रमण का कारण:-

▪️थ्रोम्बोसाइटोपेनिक माइट्स या chigger नामक कीड़े की लार में orientia tsutsugamushi नामक बैक्टीरिया होता है, जो स्क्रब टायफ़स का कारण है. इसी के काटने से ये फैलता है. इन कीड़ों को सामान्य भाषा में कुटकी या पिस्सू कहते हैं. इनकी साइज़ 0.2 mm होती है.

▪️संक्रमण का incubation period 6 से 20 दिन का होता है. अर्थात कीड़े के काटने के 6 से 20 दिन के अंदर लक्षण दिखना शुरू होते हैं.

स्क्रब टायफ़स के लक्षण:-

(इसके लक्षण डेंगू, चिकनगुनिया और मलेरिया सभी के मिले जुले लक्षण हैं)

▪️ठण्ड दे कर तेज़ बुखार आना

▪️बुखार का फिक्स हो जाना, सामान्य पैरासिटामोल से भी उसका न उतरना

▪️शरीर के सभी जोड़ों में असहनीय दर्द व अकड़न होना

▪️मांसपेशियों में असहनीय पीड़ा व अकड़न

▪️तेज़ सिर दर्द होना

▪️शरीर पर लाल रैशेज़ होना

▪️रक्त में प्लेटलेट्स का तेज़ी से गिरना

▪️मनोदशा में बदलाव, भ्रम की स्थिति (कई बार कोमा भी)

खतरा:-

Timely पहचान व उपचार न मिलने पर

▪️मल्टी ऑर्गन फेलियर

▪️कंजेस्टिव हार्ट फेलियर

▪️सरकुलेटरी कोलैप्स

मृत्युदर:-

सही इलाज न मिलने पर 30 से 35% की मृत्युदर तथा 53% केस में मल्टी ऑर्गन डिसफंक्शनल सिंड्रोम की पूरी सम्भावना

कैसे पता लगाएं:-

Scrub antibody - Igm Elisa नामक ब्लड टेस्ट से इस रोग का पता लगता है. (सब डेंगू NS1 टेस्ट करवाते हैं और वो निगेटिव आता है.)

निदान:-

जिस प्रकार डेंगू का कोई स्पेसिफिक ट्रीटमेंट नहीं है वैसे ही स्क्रब टायफ़स का भी अपना कोई इलाज नहीं है.

▪️अगर समय पर पहचान हो जाए तो doxycycline नामक एंटीबायोटिक दे कर डॉक्टर स्थिति को नियंत्रित कर लेते हैं.

▪️पेशेंट को नॉर्मल पैरासिटामोल टैबलेट उसके शरीर की आवश्यकता के अनुसार दी जाती है.

▪️ बुखार तेज़ होने पर शरीर को स्पंज करने की सलाह दी जाती है.

▪️शरीर में तरलता का स्तर मेन्टेन रखने के लिए पर्याप्त मात्रा में पानी, ORS, फलों के रस, नारियल पानी, सूप, दाल आदि के सेवन की सलाह दी जाती है.

▪️लाल रैशेज़ होने पर कैलामाइन युक्त लोशन लगाएं.

▪️रेग्युलर प्लेटलेट्स की जाँच अवश्यक है क्योंकि खतरा तब ही होता है जब रक्त में प्लेटलेट्स 50k से नीचे पहुँच जाती हैं.

▪️आवश्यकता होने पर तुरंत मरीज़ को हॉस्पिटल में एडमिट करना उचित है.

बचाव:-

▪️स्क्रब टायफ़स से बचाव की कोई भी वैक्सीन अब तक उपलब्ध नहीं है.

▪️संक्रमित कीड़ों से बचने के लिए फुल ट्रॉउज़र, शर्ट, मोज़े व जूते पहन कर ही बाहर निकलें.

▪️शरीर के खुले अंगों पर ओडोमॉस का प्रयोग करें.

▪️घर के आस पास, नाली, कूड़े के ढेर, झाड़ियों, घास फूस आदि की भली प्रकार सफाई करवाएं. कीटनाशकों का छिड़काव करवाएं.

▪️अपने एरिया की म्युनिसिपालिटी को सूचित कर फॉग मशीन का संचरण करवाएं.

नोट:-

▪️स्क्रब टायफ़स एक रोगी से दूसरे रोगी में नहीं फैलता. सिर्फ और सिर्फ चिगर नामक कीड़े के काटने पर ही व्यक्ति इससे संक्रमित हो सकता है.

✒️दिव्या मिश्रा राय

(कृपया इस जानकारी को आगे बढ़ाने में मेरा सहयोग करें. क्या मालूम किसके काम आ जाए और किसी की जान बच जाए)

This article is included because of the  desire of Author as she requested to forward in public to make helath awareness. Need not to be panic.Many advance life care technologies already in medical field but request you all not to take self medication. Consult your doctor first and follow their opinion. Every thing will be alright. 

A unique technique to identify and authenticate genuine material used in preparation of AYUSH medicines -Part 1

 

AYUSH is an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, and are the six Indian systems of medicine prevalent and practiced in India and some of the neighboring Asian countries with very few exceptions in some of the developed countries. Among the above six Indian Systems, Ayurveda and Siddha got popularity due to highly effective responses during Covid - 19 period. Ayurveda System of medicine has been practicing in all over India since ancient times, However, Siddha is very popular in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of our Country. 

AYUSH treatment refers to alternative medical systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. Trusted by thousands of people around the world, these traditional health and wellness treatments are cost-effective and have negligible side effects. ISM&H was renamed as the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, or the Department of AYUSH. The department was made into an official ministry by the   Government of India in 2014. 

This technique has been adopted for a long back but not getting fully effective because of the shortage of experts in this field. Nowadays no one is ready to study, Pure Botany or Applied Botany as the main subject. As we know that many alkaloids are being used in the preparation of allopathic medicines are yielded from plants only. Due to a lack of knowledge of identification, the quality of the medicines and ingredients used to prepare them is always in doubt.   In today's blog, I will tell to how to identify the chicory root without using any laboratory instrument and just from the naked eye.

This technique is called "Macroscopical Identicifacation of plant". It is very useful, especially in the Pharmaceutical Industries where the demand for material is more but no time to spend on identification also, production needs quick decision to get clear the material so as to take in production. Let's start with identification by using PowerPoint slides- It is self-explanatory slides to solve all queries if any doubts please approach me at pdd100@gmail.com

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Hope that you may get the idea to identify the chicory root as there are many materials available in the market to replace the genuinity. It has been seen that the mature dried and chopped reddish is also being mixed and sold in place of chicory. In this situation, we may check with organoleptic characters, especially with smell and taste, and get easily identified. 

Please follow this blog, I will bring some more identification in the next blog. Please visit my blog to read regularly.

NCERT conducts mental health survey on children and observed that 81% of children suferred with anxiety due to fear of their study, exam and result

In the study, it was observed that 73% of children from class 6th to 12th in the country were found satisfied with school life. At the same time, there were 33% of children felt pressure most of the time. 

According to the NCERT Mental Health Survey report released on Tuesday, 29% of students lack focus, while 43% do not have the mood to study and never like studying. The emphasis was made to conduct online classes during and after the corona pandemic. 

[Feeling sleepy while studying]

The survey also revealed that 51% of the children faced difficulties in understanding the content in the online medium. At the same time, 28% hesitated to ask questions. Approx. 3.79 lakh students from 36 states and union territories participated in the survey. 

Most of the study reveals that the main reasons for students get worried about their studies, exams, and results. 81% of the children surveyed consider studies, exams, and results as the biggest stress. The survey shows that in general, most children expressed happiness and satisfaction with school life. At the same time, there has been a decline in the mental health of most school students in middle school. 

The survey had been done on Teacher's day. The survey was launched along with several initiatives taken by the central government during the Shikshak Parv. This is the first survey conducted by the Center to assess the mental health of students in the country since the Corona pandemic. Shikshak Parv is being celebrated to honor teachers and implement National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Burning sensation when urinating and UTI, more common in woman during rainy season

Urinary Tract infections or UTI’s are common bacterial infections of the urinary tract. They occur for various reasons but primarily due to being sexually active, menopause, or lack of hydration. 

A woman suffering from UTIs

It has been proved that women are at a greater risk than men due to the female anatomy (the urethra in a woman is shorter than in men, which means the bacteria have to travel a shorter distance from the rectum). 

Symptoms-  It includes a strong, persistent need to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, and urine that appears cloudy and is strong in smell. The important thing to note here is that a UTI can be present in the bladder, kidneys, or urethra. If a person is suffering from back pain, a fever, or chills accompanied by nausea and vomiting, these are serious signs and may mean that the individual has a kidney infection. For these symptoms, it is necessary to go to the doctor or ER promptly. One interesting point to note is that elderly patients often show symptoms of confusion, restlessness, and agitation as opposed to the symptoms mentioned above. 

So, how do we prevent these pesky bacteria? It is very simple to avoid urinary tract infections so, 

• Stay hydrated.
• Drink plenty of fluids 
• Drink plenty of water. 
• Cranberry juice can help, but don't overdo it.  
• Empty your bladder after sexual intercourse. 
• Do not use douches! They can be irritating to the flora in your urethra thus causing an imbalance. 
• Make sure to wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from spreading. 

Note, that the aforesaid advice is for UTIs in adults. 

In children, UTI's are always complicated and require medical attention with the care of a physician. however, in adults UTI’s can be treated with oral antibiotics. Typically, a physician will perform a culture of the bacteria to determine which antibiotic to be given to the individual. Usually, a patient needs an oral antibiotic for three to seven days depending on the culture and antibiotic. However, recurrent UTI’s might require a stronger and longer course. Please do not try to treat with any antibiotic you have at home. It may not even work for the type of bacteria that has caused your UTI. 

Keep in mind to drink plenty of fluids when you have a UTI to help flush out the bacteria. Most importantly, do not stop taking your antibiotic as soon as you feel better. Complete your course because some bacteria may still be lingering. All in all, UTI’s can be easy to treat, depending on the bacteria and various other factors, particularly age. So, stay hydrated and practice good hygiene to prevent these unwanted infections. 

Hope you find this information useful to take routine care of your health.  

Stay healthy, stay safe...

Excess Iron in brain can develop many diseases – A new study.

Iron overload, usually caused by the genetic condition hereditary hemochromatosis, can cause a wide number of health issues, but this study sheds light on its impact on the brain. 

Research has been conducted by the researchers based on the studied data gathered by the UK Biobank to see if hereditary hemochromatosis and the subsequent iron overload had an impact on the brain. In the study, it was observed that some people with two copies of the HFE gene mutation, meaning they would have hereditary hemochromatosis, had iron buildup in the brain.  While studying the iron deposition seen in the brain's motor circuits. The researchers concluded that the iron buildup in the brain was linked to a higher risk of developing movement disorders.

According to a new study, the iron buildup in the brain may have a higher risk of developing movement disorders like Parkinson's disease But interestingly, the increased risk for movement disorders was only present in males. However, this isn't too surprising, as the iron buildup in males will almost always be more severe due to the lack of mensuration.

These findings hold implications for the further extent of how hereditary hemochromatosis and iron overload can impact the body and how they can lead to movement disorders. But even more importantly, the importance of the findings for medical purposes is especially notable because they can be applied immediately - after all, the safe and approved treatments for iron overload already exist.  

Usually overloading iron in the brain is caused by the genetic condition hereditary hemochromatosis, and develops a wide number of health issues. The findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal JAMA Neurology. Before explaining hereditary haemochromatosis, it's important to understand the role of iron in the human body. 

Iron is an essential mineral that the body needs to function, and it is especially prevalent in the human blood. This, in turn, is why the level of iron in the body must be balanced and controlled. The exact amount of iron needed in the body can vary, but it usually tends to be just 4-5 grams of iron, with 2.5 being used to bring oxygen into the blood and the rest being used in cells throughout the body, especially the liver, spleen and bone marrow - the former of which is where the primary iron reserve storage. 

Much research has already been conducted on what happens when iron levels in the body are too low, which is known as iron deficiency, something that is generally more common among those who menstruate due to the loss of blood. 

Further, there is also a significant amount of research that has been done on how to compensate for this, which can be done in the form of iron supplements or making sure one's diet contains a necessary amount of iron. Indeed, food is the main source of iron. But less well-known, especially among the general public, is that it is also possible for the body to have too much iron, which is known as iron overload or hemochromatosis. This can happen in a few days, such as repeated blood transfusions, too much dietary iron, or too many iron supplements. But hereditary hemochromatosis is the most well-known means for this to happen. This condition is genetic and is linked to a specific gene, the HFE gene, and is most common among those of Celtic descent. Both parents would need to have the gene for it to manifest as the condition, similar to other genetic conditions like Tay-Sachs disease. 

Hereditary hemochromatosis essentially causes the body to absorb far too much iron from food, increasing the amount of iron in the body. Unlike iron deficiencies, which can be solved by simply having more iron, iron overloads are harder to solve because humans don't actually have a way to release the excess iron outside of menstruation and pregnancy. In fact, the ability of menstruation and pregnancy to release excess iron from the body is why symptoms appear in people who menstruate much later than in others, really only appearing after menopause. 

However, according to the study, symptoms tend to appear late across the board, with males on average only showing symptoms after the age of 40 and females after the age of 60. When undergoing iron overload, the iron will accumulate in the body, often in the liver, skin, heart, thyroid, pituitary gland, and more. This, in turn, is linked to numerous other symptoms and diseases. These include, but are not limited to: 

·                     Joint and abdominal pain

·                     Liver cirrhosis

·                     Liver cancer

·                     Arthritis

·                     Diabetes

·                     Severe fatigue and weakness

·                     The skin turning bronze or gray color

·                     Abdominal pain

·                     Lack of sex drive

·                     Liver failure

·                     Heart failure

·                     Erectile dysfunction and sexual impotence

·                     Memory fog 

Considering how many of these conditions can be life-threatening, treating hereditary hemochromatosis is very important. 

Treatment-  Blood donation under consultancy with your doctor is the best treatment as any iron overload can simply be prevented by getting phlebotomy (essentially bloodletting, just safely getting rid of blood in comparable amounts to a blood donation) on a regular periodic basis - sometimes just a couple of times a year. Apart from that medications also exist, and diets used to limit iron intake can help as well.

Long COVID Symptoms makes many changes like hair loss, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, etc in the body – a study report

A study reveals that the long Covid Symptoms make many changes in the body. It includes hair loss and reduced libido. Other symptoms included chest pain, fever, bowel incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and limb swelling. About 2 million people in the UK have persistent symptoms after COVID infection, termed long COVID. They commonly reported long COVID symptoms, such as fatigue and shortness of breath, which have a significant effect on people's daily activities, quality of life, and capacity to work. But long COVID symptoms are much broader than this. In a new study published in the journal, Nature Medicine  62 symptoms have been identified as associated with long COVID.  

Much of the initial work undertaken to understand long COVID has been among people who were hospitalized, but most people infected with COVID have been managed in primary care, therefore, it is known relatively little about long COVID in people with typically milder initial infections. In the study, it has been analyzed electronic primary care records from more than 450,000 people in England with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID, and 1.9 million people with no prior history of COVID, from January 2020 to April 2021.  Both groups were matched very closely in terms of their demographic, social, and clinical characteristics, then, scientists assessed the relative differences in the reporting of 115 symptoms to GPs. For those who had COVID, they measured this at least 12 weeks after they were infected. 

They found that people who had been diagnosed with COVID were significantly more likely to report 62 symptoms, only 20 of which are included in the World Health Organization's clinical case definition for long COVID. Some of these symptoms were expected, like loss of sense of smell, shortness of breath, and fatigue. But some of the symptoms that they found to be strongly associated with COVID beyond 12 weeks were surprising and less well known, such as hair loss and reduced libido. Other symptoms included chest pain, fever, bowel incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and limb swelling. 

These differences in symptoms reported between the infected and uninfected groups remained even after we accounted for age, sex, ethnic group, socioeconomic status, body mass index, smoking status, the presence of more than 80 health conditions, and past reporting of the same symptom. 

They also found that younger age, female sex, belonging to certain ethnic minority groups, lower socioeconomic status, smoking, obesity, and a wide range of health conditions were all associated with a higher risk of reporting persistent symptoms more than 12 weeks after COVID infection.

 Stay healthy, stay safe...

Are you Underweight? Know some healthy ways to gain body weight.

 On health grounds, it is mandatory to maintain a healthy weight. Both underweight and overweight can give adverse effects on the body and may prone to acquire many malnutrition or more nutritional disorders to the body. 

Being overweight can cause obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and other health conditions and all of these conditions can damage different vital and important internal organs of the body and that can be fatal. On the other hand, if you are underweight, you might face issues such as low blood pressure, anemia, and low immunity among other tiredness, severe muscular pain, and other health conditions. It is, therefore, important that you maintain a healthy weight so that you don’t have health complications. 

Some people thought, that gaining weight is very difficult, however, on the practice ground, it is observed that gaining weight is too easy in comparison to reducing weight.  

Anyway, some people are interested to gain a little weight to look, not like a very thin personality. It is, however, important that you gain weight in a healthy manner and not just include all sorts of food in your diet to gain weight.

[Are you underweight? check regularly]

One more point I would like to add is that the genetic factors are also involved in making the body fatty or slim, although the genetic impact will not give more value if you are determined to maintain yourself healthy, it is seen in many cases that some people diet is very less in comparison to other but have more body weight whereas some are eating more but no gain of the body weight observed. There are many medical terminologies involving these conditions like imbalancing of hormonal secretion from respective glands like pancreatic glands. The pituitary gland, thyroid glands, etc, and to maintain the hormonal balances in the body or make the good function of the respective glad to work well with the appropriate amount of secretion of hormones, health screening followed by doctors consultation is very important. However, I will suggest a few ways that will help you to add some pounds if you are underweight. 

1. Add simple carbohydrates to your diet: If you want to add some extra pounds to your diet, it is recommended that you add a bit of carb to your diet and that could be some potatoes or a bit of rice that could help you add some extra kilos. 

2. Add smoothies and shakes to your diet: Smoothies and shakes have calories in them and consuming them can add to your weight. Also, they have good nutrients in them which is again a healthy option. 

3. Exercise: This might sound weird but yes, exercising is important for weight loss as well. When you exercise, you stop the accumulation of fat and work on muscle building which eventually helps in weight gain. 

4. Get good sleep: When you get good sleep, it helps to improve your metabolism and also helps in muscle gain which eventually adds to the weight.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness program or making any changes to your diet.

 

Eating disorders in children and preventive meausres

Eating disorders are more common in young children and can be seen in any age group. Eating disorders mean problems with the way a child eats. It can be stressful for the parents to deal with the child having an eating disorder as it can impact them mentally and physically children with eating disorders tend to experience adverse effects on nearly every organ in the body thus, timely treatment is key to helping children with eating disorders. 

[Image showing Eating disorders]

According to Dr. Vrushali Bichkar, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Motherhood Hospital in Pune's Lullanagar, there are many types of eating disorders that have been seen in children; however, the common and main eating disorders are under  

1. Anorexia Nervosa - This is an eating disorder wherein the weight of the child is below average for their age and height. Children with anorexia have a fear of getting fat or gaining weight. They tend to have a distorted body image, calling themselves “fat” even when very thin. Those with this issue tend to have mental health problems like mood disorders, depression, or anxiety disorders. Symptoms-  Bluish discoloration of the fingers due to a lack of oxygen, hair fall, fatigue, insomnia, fainting, and the absence of menstruation in teenage girls.

2. Bulimia Nervosa - Here, a child engages in episodes of bingeing during which he or she eats too much food and then purges, or tries to get rid of the extra calories. This means self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise, such as running on a treadmill for hours. Those suffering from it have anxiety and self-injurious behaviors. Symptoms-  Stained teeth, calluses on the backs of the hands or knuckles from self-induced vomiting, frequent weight fluctuations, and an irregular menstrual cycle.

3. Restrictive food intake disorder - If a child has this disorder then he/she is unable to or refuses to eat certain foods based on texture, color, taste, temperature, or even the aroma. Symptoms- The child may have weight loss problems, inadequate growth, and nutritional deficiencies. Here, a child may consume only a very narrow range of foods and refuse even those foods if they appear new or different.

4. Binge eating disorder - Having a binge eating disorder means the children will eat large amounts of food but do not attempt to get rid of calories once the food is consumed. Such children can be obese or overweight. 

Symptoms- They tend to have trouble coping with anger, sadness, worry, and stress. They will always feel guilty for eating a lot and not exercising. Causes: According to Dr. Vrushali Bichkar, genetics, stress and pre-existing psychiatric disorders can make a child prone to having an eating disorder. 

Treatment: “Psychotherapy, nutrition education, medical monitoring, and medications in some cases can help children with eating disorders,” suggested Dr. Vrushali Bichkar. 

Preventive measure - Dr. Vrushali Bichkar advised, “As parents, you need to speak to your child about unhealthy eating habits, encourage the child to eat healthy foods, maintain an optimum weight, exercise daily, sleep well and stay stress-free. Try to help your child to build a healthy body image, do not body shame the child. Do not diet around the child as he/she will feel that it is alright to skip healthy foods or even starve. So, make sure that your child gets all the essential nutrients from the diet.”

Make your children healthy and stay safe...

 

Pregnancy and skin care

Expecting a child and prepping to welcome a baby into this world is the most delightful feeling. However, pregnancy brings along tons of inconveniences. Pregnancy changes your entire lifestyle, including the skin-care products that you use. While the pregnancy glow is not news to many, not every woman experiences that due to hormonal changes some pregnant women struggle with blemishes and acne during pregnancy, leading to taking extra care of their skin. This is because the ingredients of the products get absorbed into your body and might harm the unborn child.  

[Pregnancy and skin care]

    

Dry skin is normal during pregnancy as the unborn child consumes water from whatever you eat or drink. Hence, it is crucial to stay hydrated as well as keep your skin moisturized all the time. Products containing shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, peptides, and hyaluronic acid can be helpful in such a scenario. Once your skin is moisturized properly, its elasticity increases, which automatically helps with the stretch marks.        

Some of the common but important issues are listed below and to combat that skin problems during pregnancy are also given-:

Anti-aging or wrinkles- For common issues like anti-aging and wrinkles, you can rely on antioxidants and Vitamin C works like magic in such scenarios. Apart from safely enhancing your skin’s vitality, it protects it from any further damage and maintains collagen. Apart from Vitamin C, some of the pregnancy-safe antioxidants are Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Green tea, and Vitamin B3.

Sun protection- The importance of sunscreen can’t be stressed enough. However, it is crucial to use mineral-based sunscreen with SPF 50 and above. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are two components included in mineral-based sunscreen. 

Acne and hyperpigmentation- It is safe to avoid glycolic acid from your routine when you are pregnant, women struggling with acne and hyperpigmentation can use it in small quantities, which isn’t harmful. However, it is advisable to once consult an expert before using it.

Stay healthy, stay safe...

Healthy cardiovascular lifestyle may reduce risk of stroke- Recent Medical Outcome

As we know Genes and lifestyle factors together play a role in stroke risk. According to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association. "People at high risk for stroke, adopting a healthy cardiovascular lifestyle may significantly lower the risk of stroke in their lifetime" According to Senior study author Myriam Fornage, Ph.D., FAHA, professor of molecular medicine and human genetics at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas, Health Science Center, Houston, a well-managed, modifiable risk factors, especially the treatment of hypertension, can noticeably lower an individual's risk of stroke,"     

"He confirmed that they may be able to mitigate the lifetime risk of stroke by modifying other risk factors and that regardless of genetics—whether you have a high polygenic risk score or low polygenic risk score—maintaining good cardiovascular health decreases the lifetime risk of stroke. So, modifiable risk factors are crucial in preventing stroke." For the study, researchers reviewed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, a community-based study of more than 11,500 white and Black adults over the age of 45, who had no history of stroke at enrollment. Study participants were followed for 28 years; 45% were men, and 55% were women.         

Researchers estimated the lifetime risk of a first stroke according to levels of genetic risk based on a stroke polygenic risk score. Polygenic risk scores were derived from over 3 million genetic variants, or single-nucleotide polymorphisms, across the whole genome. Participants were categorized as having either low, intermediate, or high genetic risk based on an analysis of how many stroke-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms they had.  

The researchers investigated the potential impact of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7.  Life's Simple 7 scores are a composite measure of seven modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors: smoking status, physical activity, healthy diet, body mass index, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels. Cardiovascular health is categorized as optimal, average, or inadequate based on each participant's total score of ideal cardiovascular health components according to Life's Simple 7. For this analysis, Life's Simple 7 scores were combined with the polygenic risk score to estimate lifetime stroke risk.     

This study used the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 metrics, which were established in 2010. On June 29, 2022, the organization expanded and relaunched the recommendations to Life's Essential 8, adding sleep as an additional component of heart health."

This is the first step in using genetic information to identify people who may be at higher risk for stroke, and also in motivating people to make lifestyle changes for cardiovascular disease prevention," Fornage said. "This type of study shows us the possibilities for the future. Polygenic risk scores are not used clinically at this point; however, this may be the first step towards achieving personalized risk information to be used in lifestyle and health change. Having optimal cardiovascular health is crucial in stroke prevention."     

The authors note that one major limitation of the study is that a polygenic risk score is a tool that needs improvement before it can be used broadly. The tool was developed and validated only among people who are white, which means it cannot be used to predict stroke risk accurately in people from diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds. 

The outcome of the study: 

1. At age 45, study participants with the lowest polygenic risk scores had the lowest lifetime risk of stroke, 9.6%. The lifetime risk of stroke was 13.8% for participants with an intermediate polygenic risk score and 23.2% for participants with a high polygenic risk score. 

2. Those with both high genetic risk for stroke and low cardiovascular health had the highest lifetime risk of stroke score of 24.8%. 

3. Across all polygenic risk score categories (low, intermediate, and high), people with optimal cardiovascular health had the most significant reduction in lifetime risk of stroke. Participants who had a high polygenic risk and optimal cardiovascular health were observed to mitigate their lifetime risk of stroke by up to 43%, compared to those with inadequate cardiovascular health. This translated into about six additional years without a stroke.

Recent study on Covid - 19 patient : Sore throat, dry cough may persist for long time even after recovery...

The campaign for booster doses to prevent from covid - 19 has been speeding up as the omicron virus has become the dominant variant in circulation. It has been seen the infection is very much involved with the upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat, and irritation. 

The patient is observed to see very normal except for the aforesaid symptoms but after a couple of days of infection, mild fever up to 101 Foernheit has been seen with severe calf muscle pain and body pain. The fever is seen subsidizing within 4 days by using paracetamol tablets under a doctor's prescription along with some other supplementary medicines for boosting the immune. It has also been seen that an affected person with Omicron virus is prone to invite some other seasonal as well as post covid infection.

Dry cough and throat irritation has been seen to persist in the patient suffering from Omicron virus. The upper respiratory tract is very much affected. It has been practically observed to the patient once the fever is subsidized they gradually start coughing with or without sputum. People who are about 40 years of age have been found with severe wheezing complaints along with severe sinusitis. 

As we know that after Covid-19, the immune system of the patient becomes very weak and there are many chances of other diseases in which cold-like symptoms are very common due to the growth of the bacteria in the respiratory tract and around the throat region. 

The persisting cough and growing bacteria may cause disturbance in the regular and routine life, although, this is not taken as important significance among the doctors and left out without considering to give treatment; however, if the cough and wheezing symptoms persist and throat infection or irritation is still there, it would be better to approach a physician, who may give some antibiotics along with immune boosting tablets to stop the growth of the harmful bacteria in the respiratory tract and lungs. 

The long-term cough should not be left untreated, it might convert into some other respiratory diseases, so, be aware, and take care of your health. 

Stay healthy, stay safe...      

Loss of 'Y' Chromosome in Men and Risk of Heart Failure

The Y chromosome is one of the two sex chromosomes in humans (the other is the X chromosome). The sex chromosomes form one of the 23 pairs of human chromosomes in each cell. The Y chromosome spans more than 59 million building blocks of DNA (base pairs) and represents almost 2 percent of the total DNA in cells. Geneticists have discovered that all human embryos start life as females, as do all embryos of mammals. About the 2nd month, the fetal tests elaborate enough androgens to offset the maternal estrogens and maleness develops.'Y' Chromosomes are also known as sex determination chromosomes.

[Chromosomes pairs in Female & Male]

According to the results of a study published in Science, it is presumed that the loss of the Y chromosome in white blood cells can cause fibrosis in the heart resulting in impaired heart function and develop severe cardiovascular disease in men; however, the causal relationship with CVD and Y chromosome is still not clearly identified. 

This study established a causal relationship when investigators from Uppsala University used the gene-editing tool, CRISPR, to generate mouse models with mLOY in their white blood cells. They found that mosaic loss of Y (mLOY) caused direct damage to the animals’ organs and that mice with mLOY had shorter survival than mice without mLOY. 

“In the mouse models used in the study, the mouse 'Y ' chromosome was eliminated to mimic the human mLOY condition and had analyzed the direct consequences that this had,” Lars Forsberg, associate professor at the department of immunology, genetics, and pathology at Uppsala University, said in a statement. “Examination of mice with mLOY showed increased scarring of the heart, known as fibrosis. We see that mLOY causes fibrosis which leads to a decline in heart function,” Forsberg said. Investigators also were able to corroborate the causal effect in mice via epidemiological studies in humans. They found that mLOY was a new significant risk factor for death from CVD in men. 

They found that men with mLOY in their blood at the start of the study displayed an approximately 30% increased risk of dying from heart failure and other types of CVD during the 11 years of follow-up. “ It has also been seen that men with a higher proportion of white blood cells with mLOY in the blood have a greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. 

This observation is in line with the results from the mouse model and suggests that mLOY has a direct physiological effect also in humans,” Forsberg said. These studies were performed using data from the United Kingdom Biobank, a database with genomic and health information from half a million normally aging individuals aged 40 to 70 years at the start of the study. 

The study described the mechanism by which mLOY in the blood causes disease in other organs and further identifies a possible treatment. Additionally, mLOY in a certain type of white blood cell in the heart of mice, called cardiac macrophages, stimulates a known signaling pathway that leads to increased fibrosis. When the research blocked the pathway, the pathological changes in the heart could be reversed. 

“The link between mLOY and fibrosis is very interesting, especially given the new treatment strategies for heart failure, pulmonary fibrosis, and certain cancers that aim to counteract the onset of fibrosis. Men with mLOY could be a patient group that responds particularly well to such treatment,” Forsberg said.