Cancer at any age is dreadful and when the cancer patient is a child, it is hideous. Even after cancer treatment and cure, the effects of this deadly disease remain through the child’s adulthood stages. One study insists on the fact that one in 12 adult survivors of childhood cancer may have undiagnosed blood pressure.
Apart from heart damage due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, having high blood pressure worsens the situation. Even after diagnosis, one in five patients don’t take medications or follow lifestyle changes needed to treat the disease. One good thing among all these is that, high blood pressure is treatable and less-painful than cancer on any given day. The Deadly Link Between Cancer Treatment Procedures & Blood Pressure Research has already established a link between cancer drugs known as anthracyclines to heart muscle weakening and radiation therapy to cardiac rhythm disorders and damages to arteries and valves. Technology advances have made it feasible for most of the childhood cancer patients to survive through adulthood and hence, they face increased risk of hypertension and other health problems as they age. While the primary reason for death is malignancy, cardiovascular disease is the second reason for death and illness in these cancer survivors. Study Details The study involved 3,016 adults who were cancer survivors since childhood. By the age of 30, 13% of them developed high blood pressure with the percentage increasing dramatically with the patient’s age. It increased to 37% by age 40 and crossed 70% by age 50. In general, these survivors are twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as the general population once they grow into adults. One sure fact is that these patients did not develop blood pressure as a result of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Also, the patients were checked for BP levels during their single visit every time and there is the probability that some patients could have developed high blood pressure temporarily due to checkup tension. Also, these patients were followed up continuously and received greater care than other cancer survivors. Any adult in 20s, 30s and 40s does not imagine getting himself/herself checked for blood pressure during those ages but a cancer survivor needs to consider it as his/her chances of acquiring hypertension is higher and can start at an early age. Such child cancer survivors can also start eating nutritious foods and adapting to a healthier lifestyle to avoid further health complications such as blood pressure and diabetes. They can get in touch with reputed nutritionists/dietitians at www.firsteatright.com who can help them plan a healthy meal keeping all their other health aspects in mind. The early man used his entire body from head to toe to hunt down animals, gather food and live safely away from the dangerous clutches of animals. The modern man apart from using his fingers, head and neck, does not use most part of the body while working-yes, I am talking about all the software engineers/people working on computers typing away at jet speed on their laptops without moving even slightly here or there all through the day! These people, even if they have never heard of the term ‘text neck’ are sure to feel/experience one. Tightness and pain slowly crawl up your neck and upper back after working on your system or playing your favorite game of cricket or watching episodes of ‘The Crown’ on your precious smartphone. You don’t realize the number of times you pick your mobile to access the GPRS, send messages or check mails. These can add to the pain in the neck and cause critical problems during your elderly years. Looking at your mobile phone while lying on the bed before sleeping can drastically affect sleep routines. The negative effects of smartphones on our health have been elaborately discussed at www.firsteatright.com Looking Down The front portion of the neck experiences pressure every time you look down and so does your back portion of the neck due to muscle contraction that happens when these muscles try to support the weight of the head (around 5 kilograms). Beyond these, text neck tightens the front of the neck and chest that causes discomfort of the shoulders and spinal cord as well. You would laugh at someone who asks you to refrain from using your smartphones as mobiles have become your best friend these days. Performing simple exercises can help lift off a part of the stress on your neck and back. The amount of time you spend in the ‘text neck’ position, the same amount of time (if not more) should be spent in the opposite position to keep your neck balanced. Individuals become 10% shorter due to spinal compression and exercising for the neck unloads the joints and increases the space between the vertebrae. Exercise to Counterbalance ‘Text Neck’ Position Pigeon Neck Counter the forward-and-down head position by pulling your back such that your head firmly rests between your shoulders. This relaxes the spine muscle and relieves strain in the neck muscle. NOD Sit upright with your head situated directly above your torso. Now, nod your head from top to bottom slowly to gauge the motion of your top neck joint. Hold up to the bottom of the nod that creates a small double chin for up to 10 seconds and slowly let go. Do not overdo this such that you cut off your breath or hit your chin into the throat. Open Chest Lock your hands behind your head in the sitting/standing position. Open out your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades back. You would be able to feel a stretch in the front of your chest. You can increase this stretch by bringing the head and shoulders back slightly to arch the upper middle back. Hold in this position for 10-20 seconds and release slowly. Posture Correction Sit at the edge of your seat with legs apart and your feet turned out at 45 degrees. Keep your arms loose on your sides and your palms facing forward. Sit straight with your head back over your shoulders. Take about 10 deep breaths in and out. Repeat the same again. The fragrance of a beautiful rose, the aroma of baked muffins or the lovely perfume gifted by your darling hubby make you feel delighted and pleasurable. At the same time, able to detect gas leaks, burning food or stale meat protects an individual against harmful health effects. Any changes in your sense of smell can impede your quality of life indicating a severe health problem residing inside your body. As people grow older, their sense of smell diminishes, and this is predominantly present among the male population. Even one study has found that almost one-quarter of men between the ages of 60 and 69 experienced smell disorders while only about 11% of women in the same age group reported any problem. Nose-Brain Linkage Sensory cells called as olfactory sensory neurons that are found in a small patch of tissue inside the nose helps you smell things and are linked to the brain. Every neuron has one odor receptor and microscopic molecules released by substances around us (rose in the garden or coffee brewing) induce these receptors. As soon as the neurons detect the molecules, they send signals to the brain to identify the smell. Smells reach the neurons in two ways-either through nostrils or through a channel that connects the throat to the nose. If a person has cold, these channels are blocked, and you lose the ability to enjoy a food’s flavor. This proves that your sense of smell and taste are interconnected to each other. If your sense of smell does not work properly, even strong flavors such as coffee or chocolate becomes difficult to distinguish. People with smell disorders either don’t get to smell things exactly the way in which they are meant to be smelt or experience a decline in the sense of smell. Hyposmia: This indicates the decrease in ability to detect odor. Anosmia: The complete inability to detect odor. Rarely, some people are born devoid of a sense of smell (congenital anosmia). Parosmia: Change in odor perception, for instance something that has a pleasant smell now smells foul. Phantosmia: The presence of an odor sensation that does not exist. The major causes of a smell disorder include:
A smell disorder can be diagnosed in two ways. One type of test aims at diagnosing the smallest amount of odor that a person can detect while another type of test consists of a paper booklet of pages that are filled with different odors. If an individual is not able to recognize the odor, then he/she is said to have a smell disorder. An otolaryngologist helps diagnose a smell disorder and suggests the needful action. Some people might recover their ability to smell instantly for no reason, some people might need a change of medication, some people with nasal problems might need a surgery and others might recover their sense of smell once they are cured of their illness. A change in the sense of smell can make some people change their eating habits. This makes some individuals eat too little food and lose weight while making some other individuals eat too much food and become obese. If in case you suffer from such weight-related issues, you can get in touch with a dietitian/nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com to guide you and help you stick to healthy weight goals. A smell disorder can also be a warning sign of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis. It is better to speak to your physician and get the needful done before it attacks you badly. Rare Disease Day is held on the last day of February every year. As the name suggests, this day is dedicated to all the rare diseases that rarely get public attention. We have days dedicated for individuals suffering from diseases such as AIDS and cancer, but there is least importance given for rare diseases that strike at least 1 in 20 people at some phase of their life. Spreading awareness and making people understand these diseases is the core aim of this day. This day is practiced throughout the world reaching more than hundreds of thousands of people with around 94 countries participating in these campaigns. The last day of February is aptly declared as ‘Rare Disease Day’ as February is the only month that has rare number of days-28 or 29 days and the first Rare Disease Day happened on Feb 29th 2008, a rare date that occurs only once in four years. What are Rare Diseases? There are over 6000 rare diseases that are classified under various disorders and characterized by different symptoms that vary not only from disease to disease but also from patient to patient who has the same disease. 80% of rare diseases have a genetic origin while the rest are due to infections, allergies and environmental causes or are degenerative and proliferative. Read more on how genes determine the health of an individual to some extent at www.firsteatright.com. It is also saddening to know that 50% of rare diseases affect children. Marfan syndrome, Turner syndrome and retinal eye disorder are popular rare diseases. Common symptoms mostly hinder the diagnosis of these diseases leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. These affect the patient’s quality of life as firstly the diseases are not diagnosed accurately on time and secondly, there are no proper cure available for most of these diseases that further add pain and suffering to the affected individual and his/her family. Out of more than 6000 diseases only a few hundred have any treatment. Every case of rare diseases is different and due to such diversity, research must be conducted on an international level to provide connectivity between researchers, clinicians and patients so that the affected individual can benefit from pooling of resources across the world. While we still need major breakthrough and rare disease patients face a plethora of challenges, mammoth progress is happening every day. Active Participation of India India is actively conducting various programs, events and marches on Rare Diseases Day every year. In 2017, events were held across the country, symposiums were conducted, and a film festival was organized. In Bengaluru on Feb 25th, 2018 there was a walk/run organized to bring hope and positivity to all the people suffering from a rare disease and to also provide access to national and international resources. Sitting continuously for long hours has been linked to poor posture, persistent back pain and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Just because sitting is bad for health, all of us cannot quit jobs, switch over to jobs that demand moving around or work in a standing posture all the time. What we can do practically is to incorporate a few changes here and there to avoid the hazards of sitting together for prolonged hours continuously:
Stand: Stand for 2-3 minutes every hour to activate muscles and upregulate metabolic processes. Sit on a yoga ball: Replace your normal chair with a stability ball and sit on it for 20-30 minutes a few times each day to work on your core. For more information on healthy tweaks to your boring desk job, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. Walk while you talk: Schedule walking meetings to improve mood, concentration and blood flow to the body. Go for fitness breaks: Do as many rounds of 10 wall push-ups, 10 squats and 10 calf raises as you can in a 10-minute break. Don’t eat at your desk: Work outside for some time or take a small walk outside to boost productivity and increase job satisfaction. Drive a cycle: Commute by bicycle or on foot for a more active and a less stressful day. Perform office yoga: Breathe deeply and move gently for 5-10 minutes to ease stress and cultivate mindfulness. We can bet on the common risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, inactive lifestyle, stress or high cholesterol levels to cause heart disease. Some weird aspects that don’t possibly qualify as risk factors according to you and me can also trigger a heart disease. Great! So now, to escape from the clutches of a heart disease we not only have to take care of the usual risk factors but have to avoid these bizarre ones too! Let’s have a look at the weirdest heart disease-stimulating factors:
Menstruation before the age of 12: Most of us don’t even remember when we got our first periods! But now, we have no option but to break our heads and ensure that we did not get it before twelve years of age. This is because, a recent journal study has confirmed that women who got their menstrual cycle before age 12 are 10% more likely to be at risk of a heart attack than women who got theirs at age 13 or later. While the reason is not yet confirmed, some attribute it to the increased estrogen levels that can trigger blood clots and strokes. Diet pills: Vibrator machines, slimming powders and diet pills never help you achieve your weight loss goal. Further, they could put you in more trouble or even kill you! Any pill that has a stimulating effect can hurt your heart as they increase our blood pressure and heart rate. This leads to stress induced on your heart and taking such pills on a daily basis can cause permanent damage. Down with a flu: Flu might sound funny, but an individual is at a six-times higher risk for heart attack the year following a flu recovery, according to an authentic study. Symptoms such as breathing difficulty while lying down or a swollen face after a cold/flu needs immediate hospitalization. Some bacterial or viral infections can move to your heart and cause heart failure/disease. Isolation: Living by yourself without company increases the risk of heart disease by almost 30%, which is shockingly the same quantity of risk associated with smoking a cigarette! Thankfully this is one risk factor that can be taken care of much more easily compared to the other ones. Get off your social media chats and join a real community or group. You can even adopt a pet that showers you with unconditional love and moreover, taking your dog outside is an exercise too. Turbulent pregnancy period: Taking care of your baby includes a lot of stress, hard work and extra push on your circulatory system that necessitates extra work for your heart. But it does not start here and goes back to your pregnancy period. Having gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or increased blood pressure during pregnancy increases your risk of heart disease even after decades. Know more on how to take care of yourself during pregnancy, both physically as well as mentally, by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Heartbreak: The name itself indicates it all! Distress, death of a loved one, breakups, financial stress or marriage breakups can cause heartbreaks and put a person in emotional distress. Avoiding one is impossible and you only learn the tactic to deal with one rightfully-maybe by practicing yoga, meditation, tai chi or some therapy. Drinking More than One Glass of Wine Daily: We hear interesting and contrast information on drinking wine and are perplexed about what to believe and what not to believe. While drinking one glass or not drinking wine at all is fine, anything above this one glass is sure to increase your risk of heart disease. Attacked by an inflammatory disease: Diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis affect a greater number of women and are said to increase the risk of heart disease too! Victims of child abuse: Child abuse is distressing and to add more to this, experiencing three or more traumatic events as a child puts you at a greater risk of heart disease as an adult. By traumatic events we mean personally being abused, witnessing others being hurt or being victims of bullying. Treatment for ADHD: Medications used for treating ADHD include stimulants and drugs that increase heart rate and blood pressure or those that cause increased strain on your heart. Short height: All these years we were aware that being short increases your risk of heart attack without knowing the exact reason. A new research suggests that genes that determine the height of individuals are the same ones that increase the risk of heart disease in these people. While it is a non-modifiable risk factor, such individuals can take care of plenty other modifiable risk factors to prevent a heart disease. One would feel euphoric if they can predict friendship with a person just by looking at how their brains respond to video clips and this is a reality now! The basis for this are neural activity patterns that are similar between friends. Friends-of-friends have second degree of similarity followed by friends-of-friends-of-friends.
The study was the first of its kind that included the link between neural activity of people and their response to real world stimuli (video). The Neural Patterns The study included nearly 280 students whose friendship was analyzed. It focused on the social distance between pairs of students depending on their common social ties. Of the lot, 42 students were subjected to videos spanning different subjects such as politics, science, comedy and music which was expected to garner different responses. Their neural activity was tracked through a functional MRI (fMRI) scanner. Every student was made to watch the same video in the same sequence with the same set of instructions. After this, the researchers compared the neural response between sets of students to determine whether students who were strongly connected over social media had similar brain activity compared to those pairs who were distantly connected over social network. The research also found that the response similarity was strongest among friends in areas involving emotions, attention and high-level reasoning. Despite controlling variables such as left- or right-handedness, age, gender, ethnicity and nationality, the similarity in neural activity remained intact. The fMRI response can be used to find two things: if two people were friends and if so, the social distance between the two of them. One question that remains unanswered is whether we are naturally inclined towards people who share our similar interests or whether similarity comes from shared experience. We thrive as a society together and environmental factors affect every individual greatly. Read more on how environmental factors mold an individual at www.firsteatright.com. We are connected to others in this society and understanding how our brains work in combination to each other helps us understand how the human brain works individually. When you meet a person you know, your brain instantly recognizes the influence or importance of that person and his/her priority in your social network. Any problems related to the heart causes panic in any individual. But, most heart issues are treatable if they receive proper treatment. But sadly, many individuals don’t realize their problem on time and lose their lives unnecessarily.
While physicians and the common man talk about heart attack all the time, very few individuals discuss about heart valve disease and their ill effects on our health. As the name suggests, heart valve disease is a result of malfunctioning heart valves. These heart valves have tissue flaps that open and close with each heartbeat and these flaps are responsible for ensuring that blood flows in the right direction through your heart’s chambers and to the rest of the body too. Heart valve can have three basic problems: regurgitation, stenosis and atresia. Regurgitation occurs when a valve does not close tightly. Blood goes back into the chambers instead of flowing forward through the heart or artery. Stenosis can happen when the valve flap thickens, stiffen or fuse together and atresia occurs when a heart valve lacks an opening for blood to pass through it. Causes Age-related factors, other heart conditions, rheumatic fever or infections can cause heart valve disease while certain conditions such as high BP, atherosclerosis in the aorta and scar tissue due to a heart attack can increase damage to heart valves. If you are unfamiliar with atherosclerosis, you can read A-Z details about it at www.firsteatright.com. Some other diseases that are said to contribute towards heart valve disease include autoimmune disorders, diet medicines, metabolic disorders, radiation therapy and carcinoid syndrome. Risk Factors Old age leaves no problems untouched and heart valve disease is no exception. Old age makes heart valves thicken and become stiffer. As people are living a longer life in recent times, the risk of acquiring the disease has also increased. Individuals who have rheumatoid fever, heart failure or previous heart disease are at a higher risk of acquiring heart valve problem. Smoking, high BP and cholesterol, obesity/overweight, diabetes, insulin resistance, sedentary lifestyle and family history of early heart disease are other risk factors. Symptoms The primary symptom of heart valve diseases is an unusual heartbeat sound called a heart murmur which your physician can hear with the help of a stethoscope. But, some people might hear a heart murmur without any heart valve problem and certain others might have a heart valve problem and have only heart murmurs without any other symptom until they are middle-aged or above middle age. Some other symptoms that are similar to heart failure symptoms include constant fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen and veins in the neck. Some individuals might also experience fluttering, racing, irregular heartbeat or chest pain while some others might experience dizziness or fainting. Treatment Once the doctor diagnoses a heart valve disease, the patient must go for treatment. Presently, there are no medicines that can cure heart valve disease. But, medicines and lifestyle changes together can treat symptoms and delay problems for many years. Surgery is the permanent solution to repair or replace a malfunctioning heart valve. Repair needs a small surgical procedure sometimes while at other times it might require a more extensive surgery. Valve replacement might need minimally invasive procedures or if the patient wants to have an efficient long-term solution, Ross procedure or the insertion of a new tissue or valve is suggested. The five food groups are familiar to us. There are some foods that don’t fit into any of these five food groups nor are they required as a part of a healthy diet. Such foods are high in fat, sugar, sodium levels or alcohol and low in fiber/nutrition. While being energy-dense they are poor in nutrition value, but often are substituted for much more nutritious foods from the five food groups. The only result of consuming these foods is increased risk of obesity, chronic diseases or some forms of cancer. What are Discretionary Foods The kind of foods that satisfy your taste buds devoid of any nutritional value but high in energy, salt, sodium and fats fall under this discretionary food category. In short, ‘optional’ foods and drinks are called as ‘discretionary’ choices. People on a weight loss program or those suffering from medical conditions can’t even dream of eating these foods. But, people in the normal weight ranges usually do drink or eat these foods in small quantities to enjoy the pleasure of eating and to make their life enticing. Your processed meats, sweets, biscuits, cookies, pastries, desserts, cakes, ice creams, chocolates, other confectionary; burgers, French fries, potato chips and other salty/fatty foods; butter, cream and spreads high in saturated fats; soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks come under the ‘discretionary’ foods category. The table below segregates these foods into four categories depending on their base ingredient:
These foods also have serving size and portion sizes just like the foods in the five food groups. One serving of a discretionary food is the quantity that contains 600kJ. Some examples of a serve of these foods that contribute towards 600kJ include:
Fusing Discretionary Foods with our Everyday Food One category of people who need extra calories, for instance those who are taller and more active, can incorporate a small portion of discretionary foods in their diet. Ideally, it is better if these extra calories come from the five food groups, particularly vegetables and whole grains including beans/legumes and fruits. But, occasionally a serving of discretionary foods is not harmful. Whole grains help individuals stay full for longer time periods due to their fiber content and aids in weight loss. For more information on the different whole grains and to choose the best of the lot, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. For people planning to lose weight or for those who want to stay slim, it is better if you don’t include these discretionary foods in your healthy diet plan as these are high in kilojoules but low in nutrition value. Such people can restrict themselves to such foods by limiting portion sizes, substituting them with foods from the five food groups and eating mindfully. Obesity spares none. Globally, almost 18% of children aged between 5 and 19 are obese/overweight. In India alone, 6-10% of schoolchildren are obese and the highest obesity rates prevail in urban South India.
Increased screen time, academic pressure, technology improvement and other factors have contributed greatly to the declining physical activity rates in children. Parents, teachers and the society are equally responsible for instigating the importance of daily physical activity in these kids. Not even 50% of kids involve themselves in the required 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Support and awareness regarding this is crucial to prevent an obesity epidemic in near future.
Advantages of Nurturing a Healthy Kid The advantages outweigh the disruptions faced in our life when it comes to physical activity:
Small pearls of sweat appear on your friend’s upper lip while relishing a quick bite of fried Maggie or a juicy burger. You both have a good laugh at it as every time he/she eats something it is always accompanied by sweating. This is medically termed as gustatory sweating. While such sweating makes you laugh, some people find it embarrassing as they sweat on both sides of the face after eating. Let’s compare normal sweating to gustatory sweating and look for ways to prevent such food-induced sweating.
Food-induced Sweating Gustatory sweating is normal sweating that happens on the forehead, neck, scalp and upper lip when the person thinks, talks or eats food. Most people experience sweating while eating hot and spicy food, but some others sweat after eating any food. The word ‘gustatory’ is related to the sense of taste and any nerve damage around the parotid gland (cheek gland that produces saliva) causes sweating on one side of the face, called as Frey’s syndrome. Patients with diabetes mellitus may experience sweating on both sides of the face and this is termed as bilateral gustatory sweating. The Sweating Anomaly Gustatory sweating and Frey’s syndrome are used interchangeably though both do not mean the same thing exactly. Food is special to each of us and nothing brings about more joy than delicious food for most people. So, it is normal to sweat while/after eating as this is the body’s way of responding to rise in body temperature. The same sweating process happens for a different reason in people with Frey’s syndrome. This kind of sweating mostly happens because of surgery near the parotid gland and rarely due to illness/injury that affects the parotid gland. In an attempt to heal themselves, damaged nerve cells mix with other nerves causing sweat instead of saliva. Gustatory sweating happens as a result of eating, thinking or talking about food. Some other rare causes of this type of sweating include diabetes mellitus, tumor, face injury or viral infection of the face. Start Treatment to Stop Sweating There is no need of meeting a doctor if you sweat while eating spicy or hot food. Even people with Frey’s syndrome who find it a nuisance to sweat while eating might not find it troublesome enough to seek medical help. Only those who sweat profusely while tasting, smelling or talking about food may want to seek medical guidance. Actually, nothing much can be done to treat this kind of sweating. Surgical procedures can be done to replace the damaged skin, but the risks are not worth taking. Doctors mostly prescribe medicines or creams to stop the sweat. Botox treatment is increasingly used to treat Frey’s syndrome. Medication is induced via injection into the affected area to stop sweating and this has minimal side effects. Get a clearer idea about this treatment at the website www.firsteatright.com. But, Botox treatment too is not advocated or approved by many countries. Sweating that happens without any previous injury/illness needs diagnosis on the underlying disease or disorder. In short, gustatory sweating does not require any treatment until the patient feels embarrassed to face others. Mushrooms are conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of specific fungi that produce spores. Not all mushrooms can be picked and tasted. Only certain varieties, such as the button, oyster, porcini and chanterelles, are edible and consuming non-edible mushrooms can lead to vomiting, stomach pain or even death in some situations, as in the case of the death cap mushroom.
All types of edible mushrooms contain certain quantities of protein, fiber, B vitamins and powerful antioxidants and are consumed for their numerous health benefits. Cook Tasty, Tangy Mushrooms Swap the Burger: Burger lovers can swap the greasy burger for a grilled Portobello on a bun with other veggies. The meaty texture satisfies your taste buds as well as your health. Freeze: Sauté fresh mushrooms and freeze them for up to a month. Take care to never freeze uncooked toadstools. Mushroom Chips: Want to munch on some tasty snacks without compromising on your health quotient? Bake some mouth-watering mushroom chips with some oregano dressing. Sandwich Twist: Replace meat with nutritious Portobello mushroom on your sandwich for an inexpensive meal. Sandwich is one food that contains enormous amounts of carbon footprints. Read more on the different sandwiches that have different carbon footprints at www.firsteatright.com. Add Mushrooms to Every Dish: Toss few mushrooms in your soups, sabjis or lasagnas to incorporate nutrients with minimum calories, zero fat and no cholesterol. Mushrooms with Eggs: Beat some eggs and blend them with chopped mushrooms to make ‘mushroom scrambled eggs’ within five minutes to help you during the busy morning hours. Roasted Mushrooms: Roasting doesn’t literally mean deep frying in oil. Brush mushrooms with oil and bake them in the oven stirring them occasionally to enjoy a yummy treat. Use crushed salt, pepper, oregano and chili flakes to spice them up. Grill and Broil: Grilled mushrooms are best enjoyed over breezy dinners and weekend gettogethers. Sauté: Sauté mushrooms in minimum oil in a pan and cook them until brown. Use these meaty delicacies in any dish of your choice. In the name of technology and modern adaptations, we have complicated our lives. In early days, Caesarian delivery was a rarity, but now normal delivery has become a rarity! Parents used to nurture healthy kids without any fuss, but now we use apps to monitor vital signs in our babies or even keep a CCTV camera to monitor their activities 24×7. Where are we heading to?
Although parents might be anxious to ensure that their infants sleep peacefully through the night and take every possible step such as using smartphone applications with sensors to monitor babies’ vital signs, there is no medical evidence proving that these products work. Products Unleashed into the Market A wide range of baby home monitoring products have invaded the markets. Electronic sensors attached to socks, buttons and dresses continuously check for vitals such as breathing, pulse rate and oxygen levels and notify parents via smartphones in case of any deviations from the normal ranges. But repeated false alarms can wreck a parent’s peacefulness and lead to unnecessary tests performed on the baby. But, none of these devices are tested and approved in the same way as medical devices and neither there are any evidences supporting that these monitors are safe and effective. We, as parents, have the tendency to have a peek into our children’s room to make sure that we can hear them breathe normally. What Makes Parents Choose Wearable Monitors? There is so much excitement, fear and anxiety during the first few weeks after a baby is born and anything that seems to be of help in reducing the anxiety level seems appealing. But, vital sign monitors are not the solution to this problem. Marketing strategies play on the parents’ fear of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and promote their products suggesting that the apps and sensors can be used when babies sleep to assure good health. While the incidence rate of SIDS has decreased, parents should take steps from their end to ensure a peaceful sleep to their loving infant. Read more on SIDS at www.firsteatright.com. Instead of tying some smartphone to the baby’s leg, prevention efforts such as breastfeeding and sleeping in the same room as their infants are better ways to deal with the tension. The safest place for a baby to sleep is on a firm surface such as a crib or cradle without soft bedding, bumpers or pillows. Parents and even grandparents have lost sight of what is safe for their infant-it is the presence of a responsible caregiver that keeps a baby safe rather than some smartphone/video-monitor. We think that we have better things to do than keep monitoring a baby with our own eyes, ears and touch. This is another disadvantage attached to smartphone monitoring-it reduces the care and affection kids get directly from their parents. Depression is becoming as common as diabetes and cold nowadays. Being sad is understandable. But being in that state every single minute and every single day of your life can cause symptoms that reflect on how you feel, think, eat, sleep or work. It is a medical condition more prevalent among the women population due to certain biological, hormonal and social factors that are unique to women.
Depression as a Medical Condition Although common, depression is a serious condition that needs treatment to feel better. Research studies state that this condition is due to a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors that affect the daily activities of the individual. Although friends and family members might encourage you to ‘be positive’, ‘happier’ or ‘forget the sad thoughts’, depression is not because of weakness or flaws in an individual. Truly, people with depression need treatment to get better. The best way to support your loving woman friend/family member in depression is to give emotional support, understand her feelings, offer encouragement and be patient. Never ever ignore her feelings but often keep reminding her that with time and treatment by the physician, she is going to become better. Get Treated by a Physician Fix an appointment with your physician or a psychologist/psychiatrist who can help you overcome depression by treating it in the right way. Before starting any treatment, the doctor will rule out any possibilities that negate it to be depression (for instance, certain medicines and medical conditions such as thyroid disorder can cause similar symptoms as depression). After that, your doctor will explain the treatment process and run you through the next step of actions that need to be taken. Depression Can Twirl Your Entire Body Functionality While we relate depression to sadness, it is only a small part of the big parcel of things that come along with it. A depressed person also experiences pain, aches, headaches, cramps or digestive problems. He/she also finds it difficult to fall asleep or wake up after a sleep. Symptoms that tell you to meet your doc immediately include:
Depressions that Belong to Women Women experience pregnancy, postpartum period, perimenopause and menstrual cycle, all if which cause drastic physical and hormonal changes. Depressions that occur in certain stages of a woman’s life include: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PDD) PMS or premenstrual syndrome, known by most of us is characterized by moodiness and irritability a few weeks before menstruation and the symptoms are mild. PDD is the severe form of PMS which is characterized by disabling symptoms such as irritability, anger, depressed mood, sadness, suicidal thoughts, appetite changes, bloating, breast tenderness and joint/muscle pain. Perinatal Depression Pregnancy involves dealing with morning sickness, weight gain and mood swings which is easier said than experienced. Even after delivery, rearing the new born brings a whole new set of changes and challenges to the new mom. While many of them experience ‘baby blues’ and the symptoms are usually mild such as worry, unhappiness, irritation and mood swings, these go away in a few weeks’ time as the new mother gets used to the baby. Read more on baby blues and how you can be a pillar of support to the new mom at www.firsteatright.com. Perinatal depression is one that is experienced during/after pregnancy. More serious than baby blues, the symptoms of extreme sadness, anxiety and depression that accompany this depression makes it hard for the new mom and the baby to complete their daily activities. Talk to your doctor if you experience any signs of perinatal depression. Perimenopausal Depression Perimenopause which involves the transition into menopause is a definite phase in every woman’s life which is quite challenging. Mood swings, hot flushes, abnormal periods and sleeping problems are typical symptoms while it is also falsely believed that it is normal to feel depressed. Treatment for Depression The most complicated and severe cases of depression can be treated with medication, psychotherapy or combination of both. Psychotherapy is a talk therapy session where the affected individual talks with the trained professional about his/her thoughts and feelings. There is no one remedy to treat depression in all. Every person is differently affected by depression and it may take a few trial and error sessions to find the best treatment that fits the individual. Every woman experiences different symptoms of depression. While some might experience only a few symptoms, others might have many. Also, the frequency, severity and duration of any of the symptoms depends on the individual and her stage of illness. People wanting to gain weight are lost among the ocean of people trying vigorously to lose the extra kilograms. People hope to add a few kilograms due to some medical condition that had led to unplanned weight loss or some other people desire to add muscle mass to their frame. Ideal weight gain is always in the form of lean muscle and not fat muscle. Your weight gain might be a matter of envy to your friends/relations when they know that you must add weight to stay healthy. But, you are the one who has understood that weight gain too can be tricky, especially when it must happen in the healthy way. The rule is simple-consuming more calories than you burn and creating a state of positive calorie balance. This does not mean that you keep munching on some junk or the other all through the day. ‘What’ you eat is as important as ‘how much’ you eat. Eat calorie-dense foods that are dense in nutritional values to help you acquire the required vitamins and minerals. We might consume empty calories over ambitiously in an eagerness to gain weight in a limited time. To gain weight in a healthy way, it is best to get in touch with a nutritionist/dietitian at www.firsteatright.com who can assist you with the best foods that are high in both, calories and nutrients. Misconceptions on increasing muscle mass exist till date and the most common of it is that eating more proteins and taking supplements can build new muscle tissue and you can become a superstar with six-pack abs like Salman Khan or Aamir Khan. Building a healthy new muscle requires:
For increased muscle strength and size, protein synthesis must be greater than breakdown for long time periods (maybe weeks or months). Certain foods, some of which might be your all-time favorites too, help to gain muscle mass.
Given here is a list of high-calorie healthy snacks that can be consumed heartily:
Location is of primary importance when we lookout for an apartment. We want our apartment to be located in the heart of the city, near supermarkets and restaurants but quite away from the polluted roads. This same location plays a central role in heart failure risk. A highly renowned journal study has found that the neighborhood in which you reside contributes to almost 5% of heart failure risk.
Location, Location, Location The characteristics of your residence play a pivotal role in influencing heart failure risk beyond the regular risk factors such as an individual’s cardiovascular health, income and educational qualification. We already have proofs linking socioeconomic factors as a predictor for chronic disease. The study involved 27,078 middle-aged participants, 50% of whom were living in lower-economic communities. They were split into three groups starting from the least-deprived to the most-deprived category. Most of the participants’ annual income was minimal, many were obese and did not even complete their high-school education. These participants were monitored for 5 years and during this period, 4,300 of them were diagnosed with heart failure and almost 5% of the heart failure risk in such deprived communities is a result of the surrounding factors. Read more on health factors that trigger a heart failure at www.firsteatright.com. It is agreeable that nurture than nature molds a person’s personality traits and character. This environment does affect our health. The surprise element here is the extent to which neighborhood characteristics impact heart failure risks. Researchers hope that physicians realize this impact and look beyond the regular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity. They also hope that these results send the right message to public health sector people such that they can take much more vigorous action to implement safer environment and community health resources. Further, people need to become more neighborhood-conscious and take steps to keep their surrounding heart-friendly. Improved community-level resources can definitely decrease the risk of heart failure in these communities. Look beyond the books and medicines. Understand that you need to look past an individual’s living conditions too as where you live matters a lot! E-cigarettes have been under scrutiny since its discovery and even now, not all countries favor using these tobacco alternatives. But, the public health of England (PHE) has come up with a new proposition that these must be included in prescription in a couple of years due to its staggering benefits for smokers. A research by PHE states that e-cigars are 95% less harmful than smoking and hospitals must come forward to sell these and also have separate areas where people can vape. It even asks hospitals to permit patients staying for a long time to be allowed to smoke (e-cigars) inside their private rooms. All these being on one side, independent tobacco experts are hesitant to wave a green signal overruling the risks posed by e-cigarettes. While some claim that e-cigarettes induce the younger generation to start smoking, the PHE research suggests that less than 1% of people who have never smoked used e-cigarettes regularly while the number of young smokers too steadily declined after using these vape pens. Vape Pens An e-cigarette is a battery-operated device that gives out vaporized nicotine or non-nicotine alternatives for the smoker to inhale. The device resembles a pen or cigar and is reusable/disposable. The main aim of the device is to give the user the feeling of inhaling tobacco smoke, without the smoke. The U.S. FDA started enforcing rules on these vape pens after some serious research suggested that using them might be hazardous to health. E-cigarettes claim to avoid most of the health hazards of normal cigarettes and studies even support the fact that these help smokers to quit. Some other studies prove that while e-cigarettes offer only a slight advantage to smokers who wish to quit, they are greatly helpful for those who want to cut down on smoking. When people smoke tobacco cigars, they inhale more than 70 smoke constituents that are proven to cause cancer and e-cigarettes are said to be comparatively less harmful than cigarette smoking. Reasons Not to Use these Cigar Pens There are not one or two, but many more reasons to avoid using these cigarette alternatives.
E-cigarettes are tobacco products and using tobacco is not safe. The FDA disposes e-cigarettes to the same rules as tobacco products. Research suggests that e-cigarettes are less harmful than normal cigarettes but also stresses on the fact that nicotine in any form is addictive. It is best to use such products with caution until we know more about it and have authentic evidence supporting their use. Your teeth’s health affects your overall body health! Some years back, when you had gone to your family physician for checkup, he/she might not have referred you to a gum specialist when in suspicion of a heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy or some other health condition. But now, everything has changed drastically. Gum disease may increase the risk of health complications such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Sometimes, these gum diseases can also be linked to problems such as dementia and pregnancy. Although there is rock-solid scientific proof backing up the associated link between oral health and overall body health, only one in six people realize that gum disease increases the risk of stroke or diabetes, while only one in three individuals realize the heart disease link. HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis and endocarditis are other possible health diseases due to oral problems.
Allow the Link to Sink Inside You! Bacteria accumulation on the teeth make gums prone to infection. When the immune system steps in to control infection, the gums become inflamed and the inflammation stops only when the infection is brought under control. Uncontrolled inflammation paves way for chemicals that eat up the gums and the bones surrounding the teeth resulting in periodontitis and other problems as well. Diabetes people are at increased risk of periodontitis and this connection is the strongest of all connections between the mouth and the body. Read more on diabetes and oral health at www.firsteatright.com. Up to 91% of patients with heart disease have periodontitis and the vice versa is also true-periodontitis increases the risk of heart disease as well. Inflammation in the mouth increases the risk of inflammation in the blood vessels as well paving way for the progression of heart disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, lung conditions such as COPD and pneumonia and obesity are other health conditions linked to periodontitis. Controlling the Problem There is a two-way link between the mouth and the body: your body can affect your mouth and your mouth can affect your body. But, simply brushing your teeth properly and taking good care of your gums can prevent and treat gum disease, improve overall health and minimize the risk of health problems such as heart disease. Brush your teeth for full two minutes twice a day and floss it up. Make it a point to visit your dentist every six month for a dental checkup. If you have periodontal disease, visit your dentist frequently and get it treated on time before you start losing your teeth. Eating a healthy diet with reduced sugary snack consumption, avoiding tobacco use and changing your toothbrush every 3-4 months is good for better oral health. Depression is not just a state of mind for a temporary period of time, but a serious illness that involves the brain. It can strike a person during anytime in his/her life, especially after the death of a loved one, during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Pregnancy & Childbirth Depression While the woman involved may not know any symptoms, the physician can easily gauge if the symptoms are due to depression or something else. Depression is beyond the feeling of “baby blues” or “down in the dumps” which may continue just for a few days’ time. Here., the sadness, empty feeling or anxiousness don’t disappear and hinder normal life activities as well. The good news is that, with treatment most people with depression get better. With more women working nowadays, the ratio of stay-at-home women has drastically decreased and childbirth curbs a woman many of her pleasurable things and freedom to do what she wants. These things have made depression a common problem among women during and after pregnancy. Almost 13% of pregnant women and new mothers have depression. When a Woman is Termed to be Depressed? Some women might not know that they are depressed while being pregnant or after delivering a baby. Certain strong symptoms that indicate depression include:
There is no single cause but a combination of factors that can make a person fall into the baits of depression:
Postpartum psychosis is usually rare: about 1 in 4 of every 1,000 moms get it some 2 weeks after delivery. Confusion, rapid mood swings, seeing things that don’t exist and trying to hurt yourself or the baby are few things that indicate such a disorder. Possible Ways to Curb Depression As Soon As Possible It is better to meet a doctor if:
But, it is necessary to treat depression either using talk therapy (psychologist) or medicines. Untreated depression can lead to use of harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs, sleeping trouble, unable to meet the child’s need, premature birth and problems during pregnancy and after delivery. Every child deserves to be loved and cared by a healthy mom. Every mom deserves to enjoy her life and her children. If you feel that you are affected by depression, immediately notify a loved one about it and call your doctor right away. Would you like to have some crispy crickets for snacks or include a plateful of stir-fried grasshoppers as sides for lunch? I am not joking, but eating insects is prevalent across countries worldwide because of its nutritional benefits while this statement might nauseate most people. We look at cockroaches in our households with disgust, would hate a fly on our meal and avoid grasshoppers while sitting on our garden porch. How on earth are we going to digest the fact that eating insects is common and happening around us? This loathing has nothing to do with nutrition, digestion and evolution. Even studies pacify those against this habit with the example of our ancestors. They put forth the fact that the insect food choices of our primeval generations could still be executed today. Till now, our perception was that mammals did not produce the enzyme that would help them break down the exoskeleton of insects and hence, eating them would make digestion a difficult process. But now, researchers have uncovered the fact that humans still possess a working copy of the gene CHIA, a stomach enzyme needed to break down chitin (a part of an insect’s outer covering). Still existing are small living primates that contain three copies of the CHIA gene. Henceforth, even if there are contradicting theories that support/deny the existence of an enzyme for digesting insects, individuals would not face any problem in eating a cooked insect as the exoskeleton becomes soft and easier to chew. The Chosen Ones! Any insect lovers’ first choice would be beetles followed by caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants, crickets and grasshoppers. Almost more than 1,900 species of insects are said to be edible for consumption. We eat beef, pork, meat and crabs, then why not eat insects too? Insects are sustainable alternatives to other animal food sources with minimum carbon footprint and higher protein source. Advantages of consuming insects include:
Even after reading these list of benefits, not many would prefer to pop a grasshopper into their mouth. This is because, more than the taste of the food we are bothered about its origin, its background and our culture. Let’s not deny the fact that human taste varies based on his/her cultural background (history, community and environment) and it is difficult to accept certain things despite their advantages/benefits.
But, the days are not far off when people would be ordering a beetle sandwich for lunch or munch on boiled ants for breakfast. Grandmas and grandpas have become extended families and so are their long-lasting cultural heritage and our deep-rooted historic tales. Science proves facts whereas, our beloved grandma’s facts and beliefs have hidden messages that need to be unraveled. These stories and messages extend to the relatively new field, nutrition. The intuition and intelligence of our elders have taught us more than what we realize.
You would be in awe after reading through some of the proverbs and their nutritional relevance: Spilling salt brings bad luck This superstition originating from Greece may contain a reality that needs to be uncovered. In today’s world, increased salt (sodium) consumption is linked to numerous health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and most importantly, hypertension. Health organizations recommend individuals to limit sodium intake to not more than 1,500 mg/day. You might cling onto your superstitious beliefs or take up the path of modern science, either way you are benefitted as you will think twice before using the salt shakers to spill salt onto your meals. Eating garlic, onions or mustard seeds grants good luck by blessing you or saving you from the evil Speaking scientifically, vegetables of the Amaryllis (onions & garlic) and the Brassicaceae (mustard & broccoli) families are under investigation for their anticarcinogenic property. Naturally-occurring phytochemicals in these vegetables might help ward off the formation of cancer-causing compounds, help repair the damaged DNA and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Munching these veggies might help enhance your health but might keep your friends away from you due to their lingering odor. Fishermen bringing bananas on a boat may be subjected to ill will & a bad catch Green bananas, a good source of resistant starch, may also bring about some unwanted illnesses. Depending on your body composition, green bananas can provide your intestines with a healthy dose of short-chain fatty acids or a bad bout of gas and diarrhea. Plant a parsley to get pregnant Pregnancy chances are always more with good nutritious food intake. Of all, parsley is of great help to the developing fetus as it a major source of different vitamins, minerals and folic acid, nutrients that are greatly needed for the health of the developing fetus. Folic acid helps the baby to stay out of neural tube defects. Read more on the dangerous effects of neural tube defects at www.firsteatright.com. Better plant a parsley before planning for a baby. Every day, a new discovery in nutrition/food industry is made correlating their effects on our body. Whatever might be the new approach/discovery, our ancestral histories are treasures that are never to be forgotten and might be of help to our future generations as well. The world seems to advance in science, technology and innovations but seems to lack an open mind when it comes to women, their norms, cultural beliefs and activities. We boast of clicking pictures of Mars, inventing robots to do household work and much more. Are we giving the same importance to women empowerment and liberty? We do have women in higher official positions and the status of the female sex has definitely improved, but has it improved in the right way giving women their needful independence? Definitely not!
People around the world still hold the affected women accountable for sexual assaults against them and even support female genital mutation due to cultural beliefs. What is this female genital mutilation and how does it affect a woman in her lifetime? Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves all procedures that include partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia or imposing some injury to the genital organ for non-medical reasons. This is either performed by a traditional circumciser who plays a critical role in community affairs and childbirth or by a health care professional who ignorantly believes that performing the procedure is advantageous and safer when done medically. FGM is a form of discrimination against women and openly portrays the inequality existing between the sexes. Mostly performed on minors, it is inhuman, cruel and grabs the girl’s/woman’s right to life when the procedure results in death. FGM is of 4 categories: Clitoridectomy (Type 1): This includes partial or complete removal of clitoris (small and sensitive part of the female genitals) and very rarely, the prepuce (skin fold surrounding the clitoris). Excision (Type 2): Partial or total removal of clitoris and labia minora (inner folds of vulva) which might/might not include the excision of the labia majora (outer folds of vulva skin). Infibulation (Type 3): The vaginal opening is restricted by cutting and repositioning the labia minora/majora by stitching. The clitoris can be removed or left intact. Type 4: The female genitals are subjected to piercing, incision, scraping, pricking and cauterizing for all non-medical reasons. Consequences of FGM There are no advantages as believed by people living in different communities across the world but the procedure results in numerous disadvantages for the girl/woman involved. It not only damages the healthy female genital tissues but also disrupts natural functions of the girls’ body. Greater the procedural complications, higher is the risk. Issues that can rise immediately after the FGM procedure include:
FMG is generally performed on minors mostly between infancy and adolescence, and sometimes on adult women too. Almost 200 million girls and women living in 30 countries including Africa, Middle East and Asia have their genitals mutilated. FMG is practiced mostly due to various unscientific beliefs. Some communities perform it as they believe that being cut increases chances of marriage, prevents extra-marital affairs and protects premarital virginity. FGM is also associated with modesty, femininity, a way of preparing the girl for adulthood and a part of the cultural tradition. Religious leaders contribute towards this practice in several ways-some leaders support it, some protest it while others consider it to be irrelevant to the religion. Better late than never! The study that people in their late 40s and early 60s can revive heart health through regular and reasonable aerobic exercise program regardless of their inactivity tenure falsifies many age-old proverbs and quotes that state that good habits start at a young age.
This was a small study conducted on a group of around 60 people aged between 45 and 64 years who were healthy but leading a sedentary lifestyle. The group was divided into two and each group was assigned different physical activities for two years. One group took part in 4-5 days of exercise every week and the other group underwent training in yoga, balancing and weight-lifting workouts. As the participants were not used to exercise all these years, the training was a bit subtle for the initial couple of months after which the participants adopted a regular set of workouts. They were subjected to two days of high-intensity workout, one day of moderate-intensity workout and one or two days of moderate-intensity workout for 30 minutes. Cycling, running, treadmill, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes were included in these training schedules. Individuals in the aerobics group transitioned to their weekly maintenance dose. At the end of the two-year period, the individuals in the exercise group had more youthful hearts than those in the control group who did no aerobic exercise. Fitness Has No Age Limit Heart disease is one of the leading cause of death in our country that is prevalent mostly due to inappropriate lifestyle practices, eating habits and stress factors. A flexible heart puts down the risk of heart failure as one ages. This study is a standing evidence that the right amount of exercise at the right time is the key to a healthy heart in the middle ages. One more important thing is that, a sedentary lifestyle in the late middle age increases the risk of heart failure due to stiffening of heart muscles. One fact that remains a mystery is the upper age limit that stays as a benchmark to reduce the risk of heart disease. Some experiments have shown that intensive exercising after 70s will do nothing to improve the heart health of individuals. Also, simple or casual exercise two to three times a week is not good enough to preserve youthfulness. Exercise must be included in your daily activity list, just like brushing your teeth or having your food. All this, combined with the right diet can help in a small way to curb the effects of an unhealthy heart. If you feel that guidance is required on the do’s and don’ts of food habits and exercises during your middle ages, it is best to get in touch with a registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com. Cold and flu are common during winter while heat stroke, typhoid and food poisoning are typical of the summer season. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is one type of depression that becomes prominent/restricted depending on the season-summer, winter, spring or autumn.
SAD starts in the late autumn reaching its peak during winter and goes away during spring and summer. SAD is sometimes called as ‘winter depression’ as the symptoms are most severe during December, January and February. But this does not mean that it never occurs during summer, only that they are less common, and this cycle is repeated every year. Symptoms & Risk Factors First of all, SAD is not a unique disorder by itself and is only a type of depression that shows seasonal behavior. Any person would be diagnosed with SAD only if he/she meets all criteria for major depression occurring in a specific season for at least two years. One thing is that, seasonal depression is more frequent than non-seasonal depression. Common symptoms of depression include:
Some risk factors of SAD include:
The occurrence of SAD is closely linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. The logic is that, minimum exposure to sunlight affects the working of the hypothalamus of the brain which can in turn affect: Melatonin Production: Melatonin is the sleep hormone that regulates your sleep pattern. Winter days are shorter and melatonin production increases, making you lethargic and sleepier. Serotonin Production: Serotonin is the hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep. Certain foods can elevate your mood and make you feel happier. For the complete list of such fruits, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. Lack of sunlight can lead to lower serotonin levels which can make a person depressed. Vitamin D Production: Vitamin D is linked to serotonin performance and a decreased production of vitamin D is linked to clinically significant depression symptoms. Treatment Options SAD treatments fall under four main categories:
Who would believe that men and women who were diagnosed with heart attack at the same time would have varying life spans only due to gender difference? This is the latest study by some researchers in Sweden who monitored (for 10 years) 180,368 Swedish patients who suffered a heart attack. The major finding of these researchers was that, women were twice at an increased risk of dying from a serious heart attack in the successive years after having one.
It All Boils Down to the Sexes There were no differences in the number of deaths between men and women who suffered from a heart attack if one looks at data in your hand. But, with the fact that women outlive men in most parts of the world, one could notice the exceptionally increased death rates in female heart attack patients. The researchers collected data about their patients from the Swedish dataset which contained 96% relevant records. Researchers basically looked for survival rates at 1 and 5 years after being treated for a heart attack. They found that:
Health professionals also do not always diagnose a woman with heart problem immediately. Almost 50% of them are initially misdiagnosed with digestive problems such as acid reflux and are less likely to be advised for an ECG. There is no data to reason out the difference behind the individual treatment decisions. GERD is an antagonizing problem which prevents a person from eating some kinds of foods. Such individuals can get in touch with a nutritionist/dietitian at www.firsteatright.com to fulfill their nutrient requirements anyhow. Also, we should remember the fact that in everyday life, a woman is expected to heal quickly and start performing her day-to-day activities faster when compared to a man. This puts the woman at a greater stress to fulfill these requirements. Psychosocial factors can also affect women in ways not yet revealed to us. |
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Dr. Nafeesa Imteyaz of First Eat Right clinic, is the Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Bangalore. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Pune. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Hyderabad. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Chennai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Mumbai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Delhi. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Kolkata.