Hazards of Dieting

Going on a diet could increase the risk of developing potentially deadly conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, a new study has found.

 

The study revealed that those who controlled their calorie intake produced higher levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol and exposure to the hormone actually made some dieters put on weight, reports the Daily mail.

 

Dieting could actually damage mental health too as many suffered increased psychological stress when they were constantly forced to count calories and monitor what they ate.  Regardless of their success or failure ( in losing weight), if future studies show that dieting increases stress and cortisol, doctors may need to rethink recommending it to their patients to improve to their patients to improve health.

 

Chronic stress, in addition to promoting weight gain, has been linked with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.  Dieting might potentially add to this stress burden and its consequences would best not be ignored.

 

The study, by California University in San Francisco and Minnesota University, looked at 121 women who were put on a standard three-week diet of 1200 calories a day – around half a woman's recommended daily amount of 2000 calories.  Each patient was asked to provide a saliva sample before and after the study to test the cortisol levels. 

 

The results showed increase in the amount of the hormone after three weeks on the programme.

 

 

 

Courtesy : Times of India, Chennai Times , 20/04/2010

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Healthy Feet

We take our feet for granted but scarcely give a thought to how best to keep them healthy.  Until of course, something goes wrong.

 

The human foot is one of the most complicated parts of the body, each foot has 332 joints, eight arches, 26 bones, more than a hundred muscles, ligaments, and tendons that all work in unison to allow movement.  Foot disorders must be diagnosed and treated early, as they often have the potential to become very painful and incapacitating.

 

There are three common foot problems that when treated early will save you from a lot of pain, and more importantly, form more complications..

 

Corns and Calluses

 

Anybody who ever worn uncomfortable shoes has probably had foot corns and calluses problems.  Foot corns are  a result of too much pressure being applied on the foot's skin, such as when the bones of the feet press against tight shores and also press against each other.  This foot condition is fairly easy to treat.  Doctors often prescribe wider shoes or cushion pads to relieve pressure.

 

Infected Toenails

 

Sometimes, the things you do to clean your toenails can do more harm than good.  Over clipping and digging deep into the sides can cause nails to throb, swell, and become infected and lead to a more serious foot problem called ingrown toenails. Podiatrists usually remove the nail spike and clean the area.  In the worst case, you may have to undergo simple surgery.

 

Athlete's Foot

 

Fungi are attracted to warm and moist areas of the body such as the feet – usually between sweaty toes.  The fungi latch onto the foot and cause itch and peel.  If untreated early, the fungi can even spread to the toenails and lead to what is called as Athlete's Foot.  There are many over-the-counter anti-fungal sprays, creams and powder available to treat this condition.

 

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Tuberculosis - causes and treatment

The most common cause for tuberculosis to manifest in the human body is low immunity. Lifestyle habits, poverty, personal choices and low awareness create situations for the disease to enter the body and spread. Tuberculosis may also come about due to pre-existing conditions that allow for its development. The awareness of actions and the possibility of developing tuberculosis can help large masses stay clear of the disease.

Low Weight
Poor countries have a high incidence of tuberculosis because of the low availability of nutritious food and poor sanitation in the surrounding areas. Research has shown a higher chance of tuberculosis for people with a low BMI – below 18.5. In some extreme cases of anorexia, that involves the loss of weight with extreme dietary restrictions, tuberculosis may appear when there is another infection that places excess stress on the human body. If you have people who fall in this category of weight as a result, it is advisable to contact an agency to visit the location to check and advice about the presence and prevention of spreading the disease.

Drug abuse
People with a history of drug abuse suffer from reduced immunity and have a higher risk of having unsafe sex. The unwitting sharing of needles and the possibility of developing tuberculosis are closely related. Tuberculosis may affect patients of HIV because their immunity is compromised. Added to this, the absence of awareness of the disease and the risk of spreading increase the possibility of transmission from person to person. Latent tuberculosis is another danger that causes the person carrying the germ to continue without symptoms while others who come in close physical contact develop the disease. Avoidance of dangerous habits is necessary to counter the ailment.

Lifestyle
A high-risk lifestyle that involves frequent sexual encounters with different partners, living in crowded surroundings, carers for patients with tuberculosis. Lack of regular exposure to sunlight, poor sanitation facilities and the absence of good hygiene standards are precursors to this disease as are frequent travel to locations with a high incidence of the disease, alcoholism with weakened liver function and poverty are the common causes for the development of tuberculosis. Some patients are carriers and do not develop the disease since their bodies have developed the immunity against it whereas they can spread the disease. It is necessary for communities that living in crowded conditions to ensure that each person is checked for this. Carriers must be trained to avoid certain behaviours that can lead to the spread of the ailment.

Ignorance
The commonest reason for the disease to reach dangerous proportions is the ignorance regarding the developing symptoms and precautions to stem the spread. Lack of isolation of the tuberculosis patient and the complete avoidance out of fear of being infected are both extremes that almost reduce the viability of successful treatment. The patient must be provided nutritious food that may be beyond the reach of the family. The only way to guard against the spread of the disease is with vigilance about the possibility of its symptoms, community awareness of managing the patient and sensitivity towards patients.

The article is submitted by Tuberculosis.net

Party Hangover - How do I manage?

New Year Eve! Festival Season! Party Party Party! Unavoidable.
Excitement and happiness on 31st night party leads to spicy food, drinks, smoke all of them lead to disaster on 1st Jan. I dont think it feels good to have a bad New year. Here are some good tips on how you can manage your 31st night and 1st Jan to feel normal and enjoy the new year.

Acidity and gastritis are normal effects of parties. All you need to do is just realize what you are consuming. Just think twice before over eating and drinking.
Consume lot of water and juices, take more vegetables like cucumber, tomato and fruits like guava, apple, etc. These can control your hangover to some extent.

Make your drinks diluted and take time to drink. Do not gulp in haste and reduce your excitement time. Make it slow and with lot of salads and juices, which can reduce the impact of drinks and junk food.

Have a good sleep. Have a bottle of water on your bedside and whenever you wake up take a few gulps of water (preferably room temperature). Atleast consume a litre of water in the night, so that whatever you have consumed gets diluted.

1st Jan, a hot black tea to start with will help you clean your stomach. Over the day, drink good amount of juices. Avoid citric fruits like orange and lemon. Guava, Banana and apples can help a lot.

Take a hot water bath and allow lot of warm water flow through your face, which will make you feel better. Avoid non-vegetarian food and spicy food during the day and have light food and be kind to your digestive system.

Happy new year! Wish all the readers a great new year agead

The Diabetic Foot

Introduction
The human foot according to Leonardo Da vinci, is the most marvelous of machines and a work of art. It is made a work of art. It is made up of 27 bones, 19 muscles and 32 joints. It is estimated that by the time a person is 55 years old he may have walked nearly 70,000 miles, the equivalent of circling the globe two times.

What is a “Diabetic Foot”?
It is the term used to describe changes which occur in the foot in patients with diabetes mellitus. These include changes in sensation where the nerves have been affected and sensations altered, blunted or completely absent. The sensation of touch, pain, heat or cold is those that are affected. Eighty-five percent of diabetes- related amputations begin with into the foot leading to an infection. In some cases gangrene may set in.

• Every year 4 million people worldwide get a food ulcer?
• One in every 6 people with diabetes will develop a foot complication in their life time?
• People with diabetes are up to 40 times more likely to undergo a lower limb amputation

Why do diabetic patients develop problems in the feet?
There are two main reasons for the foot complications
Some diabetic patients develop diabetic peripheral neuropathy characterized by loss of sensation in the feet. Such patients have a high risk of injuries which often go unnoticed.

Diabetic patients particularly those with neuropathy often develop abnormal pressure points under the ball of the feet. In these areas, the skin often thickness into a callus which if it becomes excessively thick can lead to an ulcer. Chronic infection in the ulcer ultimately leads to amputation of a toe or the whole foot. Some diabetic patients have reduced blood circulation in the feet. These two groups of patients are considered to have “High Risk Feet”.

How can we diagnose patients with a high risk foot?
We do not require any expensive gadgets to diagnose high risk foot in diabetic patients. A physician should check for sensation in the feet with simple devices like a tuning fork, feet the pulsations in the feet and look ofr deformities in the feet to diagnose a high risk foot in a person with diabetes mellitus. People who have loss of sensation should never walk barefoot even inside their homes. This is necessary to prevent injuries and reduce the high pressures under the feet. The footwear which could be a sandal should have soft insole, heel counter, Veicro straps in the footwear upper. Hawai chappals, sandals with toe grips should not be worn since the strength of the small muscles in the foot is weak.

The diabetic foot complication is preventable to a very large extent, if the patients take proper care of the feet. However, even today the majority of people with diabetes do not perform regular, daily inspection of their feet, do not wear adequate foot wear or practice proper foot care. These three elements essential to the prevention of foot ulcers.

In an Amputation Prevention Study at Diabetes Research Centre, it was shown that strategies such as intensive management and foot care education were helpful in preventing newer problems and surgery in diabetic foot disease. It was published in the journal Diabetes Care in May 2005, In this study, patients were provided with simple foot care management like daily examination of foot, performing pedicure and usage of footwear.

Conclusion:
Diabetic foot complications are preventable or treatable with patient education, properly designed and fitted footwear and careful periodic follow-up. It is important to remember that all persons with diabetes, even those without any risk factors, must be careful with their feet.

• Regular examination of the feet by the physicians
• Identification of persons with high risk foot
• Proper care of feet by regular pedicure
• Avoiding barefoot walking and usage of right type of footwear
• Good control of diabetes to prevent loss of sensation and blood circulation in the feet.
  
  The Hindu November 14 2006