Diabetes- Diet and Blood tests

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels, including the arteries that supply blood to the brain. This damage makes it easier for fatty deposits (plaques) to form in the arteries. The build-up of arterial plaques (atherosclerosis) can choke off blood supply to raise the blood pressure, leading to coronary heart disease.

Timings of Blood sugar tests:

Time of testing - Normal readings/per 100 ml of blood:

1. before breakfast - 80-120 mg.
2. 2 hours after breakfast - 140—180mg
3. Before lunch--------------80—120mg;
4. Bed time------------------100—140mg;
5. At 3am--------------------70—140mg.

Diabetes and Diet:

1. High Glycemic foods raise the blood sugar levels. Then extra insulin is produced, quickly sending sugars into blood cells, this is extra burden to the pancreas.

2. Effective management of diabetes depends on a delicate balance between medication and diet control and also to keep the weight under control (neither over weight nor under weight).

3. To maintain blood sugar levels close to the normal levels.

4. Doing exercise regularly and avoiding stress and strain.

5. Avoid sweets and fried foods, which raise cholesterol levels in the blood (leading to heart disease).

6. Every adult requires 2000 calories per day to maintain optimum health.

7. The diet of the person with diabetes should consists of a good combination of nutrients i.e.;-carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals, in order to stay fit and fine and to keep the blood sugar levels in check.

Type 1 Diabetes- breath analysis may replace blood test

This is a new hope for millions of type 1 Diabetic children. Diabetic patients can soon test their health with a breath analyser rather than a blood test. This breath test will use chemical analysis technique which is widely used in air-pollution testing. Children with type-1 diabetes exhale more methyl nitrate when their blood sugar levels are high. This is very happy news for children if this breath test replaces painful, invasive blood testing. This study was conducted at the University of California and was supported by the National Institutes of Health and Juvenile Diabetes foundation. It was published in the online version of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Methyl Nitrate level is at 10 times the normal when blood sugar levels are high. Researchers find correlation between methyl nitrate and blood sugar levels when they did research on 10 diabetic children. Breath Analysis was also used in the diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis and ulcers.
According to world health organization, 200 million people are diabetics all over the world and this number will rise to 300 million by 2025. Type2 diabetes is more common.

Why Methyl Nitrate levels correlate with blood sugar levels?

When blood sugar levels rise in the body of type 1 diabetes patients, there will be more fatty acids in the blood that cause oxidative stress. Methyl nitrate is a by-product of this increased oxidative stress, he added.

Diabetes advice - Exercise, Medication and Diet facts

These are some of the essentail facts about Diabetes. Advice on Diabetic diet, Diabetic medication and exercise. If proper care is taken with disciplined life style, Diabetics can live normal life.
It is hereditary. Diabetes runs in families.. A gene is present in the family members.
More thirst, more urination – more common mainly in diabetic Children. These symptoms may be less common in adults. If both parents are diabetics, more is the risk for children.
Wounds take more time to heel in diabetics. So, proper care is better.
After 30 years, it should be good to monitor glucose levels yearly.
In Diabetes, sugar level in the blood is more important than in urine.
If sugar is present in urine but not in blood, it is renal Glycosuria. There is no diabetes in that perso.
Diabtes -Blood tests: Random blood sugar test is not perfect.
Test on empty stomach early in the morning and after 2 hours food taken is essential.
Borderline persons – Glucose tolerance should be done to decide diabetes in them.

Diabetes Diet: Diet should be taken in small amounts 5-6 times daily at regular intervals.
Diabetics should not indulge in fasting and feasts –as they imbalance the glucose regulatory mechanism.
Exercise – Be regular and uniform. Brisk walking is the best exercise in diabetics. 30-45 minutes of daily walk is a must for every diabetic patient. Keep a candy to compensate decrease in the blood level if necessary.
Diabetes Medication – Medicine should be taken at regular intervals. By mistake, if you forgot to to take the drug yesterday, you should not take it in excess dosage today.
You might have taken sweets, for that you need not increase the dosage.
Never stop taking insulin even in illness.
Check your glucose levels at least monthly once or as per directions of physician.
Taking medicine without consulting doctor is not good for your health.

The time honored slogan in Diabetes:
First preference: Regular exercise.
Second preference: Diet control
Third preference: Drugs

All the three are important. For the sake of one, you should not neglect others.

Please comment on this article.

Diabetes - Risk facrors

Risk factors of Diabetes are divided into 7 types.


Hereditary
Obesity
Sedentary life style
Stress and strain
Drug side effects
Age
Infectious diseases.
I discuss here about hereditary risk factor.

Diabetes due to heredity:

Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes): Mainly caused by auto immunity. Severe lack of insulin is the characterestic feature.

If father is diabetic, there are chances of 9% of the children gets diabetes.
If mother is diabetic, 3% of the children get the disease.
If both father and mother are diabetic, 30% of the children get the disease.

Type 2 Diabetes: (Adult Diabetes)

If either father or mother is diabetic, 30% of the children get the disease.
If both parents are diabetic, 70% of the children get the disease.
So, high risk group children should monitor their diabetes levels regularly.

Type 1 Diabetes- breath analysis may replace blood test

This is a new hope for millions of type 1 Diabetic children. Diabetic patients can soon test their health with a breath analyser rather than a blood test. This breath test will use chemical analysis technique which is widely used in air-pollution testing. Children with type-1 diabetes exhale more methyl nitrate when their blood sugar levels are high. This is very happy news for children if this breath test replaces painful, invasive blood testing. This study was conducted at the University of California and was supported by the National Institutes of Health and Juvenile Diabetes foundation. It was published in the online version of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Methyl Nitrate level is at 10 times the normal when blood sugar levels are high. Researchers find correlation between methyl nitrate and blood sugar levels when they did research on 10 diabetic children. Breath Analysis was also used in the diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis and ulcers.
According to world health organization, 200 million people are diabetics all over the world and this number will rise to 300 million by 2025. Type2 diabetes is more common.

Why Methyl Nitrate levels correlate with blood sugar levels?

When blood sugar levels rise in the body of type 1 diabetes patients, there will be more fatty acids in the blood that cause oxidative stress. Methyl nitrate is a by-product of this increased oxidative stress, he added.

World Diabetes Day: November 14

Theme for 2007 World Diabetes day is “No Child should die of diabetes”. Main focus of this year’s diabetes day is on children due to increase in diabetes incidence in children and adolescents. United Nations is observing November 14 as World Diabetes Day from 2007 onwards. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is conducting global awareness campaign in association with World Health Organisation.


Significance of November 14:

November 14 is the birthday of Banting who discovered Insulin along with Best in 1921. Blue is the official color of World Diabetes Day.

Diabetes statistics:

1. According to International Diabetes Federation, more than 0.4 million children (under 14 years) are suffering from diabetes.

2. Around 70 thousand new diabetes cases are diagnosing in children.

3. More than 240 million people are suffering from diabetes which is a chronic debilitating disease.

4. 80% of diabetic people belong to lower and middle classes contrary to popular opinion.

5. Around 0.4 million type 1 diabetes cases are in the world.

6. More than 50% of type 2 diabetes cases are preventable with simple measures like exercise, weight reduction and regular checkups.

There should be more awareness campaigns on Diabetes throughout the year.

Diabetes - are you at risk?

Dr. Mohan's Diabetic centre, Chennai, India devised a simple test to know your Diabetes risk.




How Old are you? - Score




Below 35 years - 0


35-49 years - 20


Above 50 years - 30




What's your waist size in CM? - Score






Below 80 (female) 90 (male) - 0


Between 80-99 (female) 90-99 (male) - 10


Above 90 (famale) 100 (MALE) - 20




How Active are you? - Score




Regular exercise+strenuous work - 0


Regular exercise or strenuous work - 20


No exercise+sedentary work - 30




Does sugar run in your Family? - Score




No Family history - 0


Either Parent - 10


Both Parents - 20




Score Analysis




60 And above - Very high Risk


30 - 50 - Moderate Risk


Below 30 - Low Risk




This is applicable for Adults only.




Test youself and take necessary precautions.




Please comment.

Diabetes Facts

India is the Diabetes capital of the world with Hyderabad is the Diabetes capital of India. Here are some of the facts about this silent disease.

November 14 - World Diabetes Day.
India has highest number of Diabetics.
One in every five diabetics in the world is Indian.
India now has 35 million Diabetics.
Dibetes has no cure.
Major cause of diabetic death is Heart Attack.
Obesity is the major cause of diabetes in the adults.

World Diabetes Day ( November 14th 2006 )

The World Diabetes Day is celebrated each year on the 14th of November to commemorate the birthday of Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best, discovered Insulin in the year 1921.
The theme chosen this year is Diabetes in the Disadvantaged and the Vulnerable.
7 million people fall prey to the disease each year, with a 230 million being currently affected.
Diabetes is the major cause of kidney failure, blindness and stroke worldwide.
The pancreatic beta cells produce the insulin.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disease, in which the body is immune system attacks the beta cells and destroys them.
Type 2 diabetes is brought about when the body cells do not respond to insulin that is produced or, if the produced insulin is not adequate enough for the demands.
Most often diabetes goes undetected due to the harmless nature of its symptoms, which include frequent urination, excessive thirst and hunger, increased irritability, weight loss, fatigue and blurred vision.
Studies carried out recently have indicated that early detection and treatment of diabetes is capable of alleviating its severe, long-term complications. It is possible to keep the disease under check by modifying one is lifestyle, dietary habits and by the timely availing of appropriate treatment. The silver lining to this dismal scenario is that excellent treatments exist which, however, it is not available universally.
It is important for all concerned, including the public, the medical specialists and the policy makers to ensure that these treatments reaches of everyone, especially the disadvantaged and the vulnerable, in order to combat this potentially debilitating disease, which is now the bane of the developing and the developed world alike.
Source : Med India.

Diabetes Facts - 2

Every 10 seconds, a person dies of diabetes complications.

In the same 10 seconds, 2 people are diagnosed as diabetics.

Number of diabetics in India are at 4 crore.

Number of Diabetics in the world in 1995 - 124.7 millions.

Number of Diabetics in the world in 2000 - 153.9 millions.

Number of Diabetics in the world in 2025 - 299.1 millions.

It is gradually becoming more dangerous than AIDS.

Diabetes statistics

One person is dying for every 10 seconds in the world.
Two new diabetic cases are identifying for every 10 seconds in the world.
7 million new diabetic cases will be identified by 2025.
80% of diabetics in the world will be present in developing countries like India.
India is the Diabetic capital of the world.
It is not now a disease of rich people. It is a disease of sedentary people with Unhealthy diet habits.
These are some of the Diabetic facts telling the dangere lies ahead from this silent disease.

Diabetics ignore doctor’s advice on exercise

As per new rearch study, People with type 2 diabetes ignore their physician’s advice on exercise. These research results were published in the February edition of American Diabetes Associations journal Diabetic care. More than 20 million Americans have Diabetes. 90% of Diabetics have type2 diabetes or Adult diabetes which is linked to obesity.

American Diabetes association recommends people get at least 30 minutes of exercise like brisk walking.

Results of the Diabetic Research study:

1. More the risk, less they exercise by ignoring doctor’s advice.
2. Fewer than 40% get exercise.
3. 3/4th of the patients are advised by Doctor regarding exercise. Diabetics who got the strongest warnings to get exercise are the lease likely to listen.

Without exercise, type2 diabetics face complications like high blood pressure and nerve damage. This is the time Diabetics should listen to doctor's advise on exercise.

Please share your opinion.

Diabetes patients need better advice about home blood sugar testing

According to research study published in British medical journal, type 2 (Non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients need better advice about home blood glucose monitoring.
Patients generally monitor their blood glucose levels frequently in the initial days but they do less frequently over time due to complacency and frustration. Some patients have no idea about the meaning of the test results and how to act on them. No one is there to guide them on these results. Doctors generally do not believe in these results and show little interest in knowing about them. Patients then lose interest in monitoring their glucose levels at home.
Type-2 (Non insulin dependent diabetes) patients are generally obese with more than 40 years age. If they fail to control their blood sugar levels, it may lead to insulin dependent diabetes.


Diabetics can control their sugar levels with proper diet, adequate exercise and weight reduction. If they fail to control diabetes, it may lead to heart, kidney (nephropathy), eye (retinopathy) and neurological problems. Diabetics generally dye to heart diseases especially heart attack (Myocardial infarction).

Most common symptoms of diabetes:

1. Hunger.
2. Increased thirst.
3. Excessive urination.
4. Weight loss.

Diabetes Statistics:

7% of American population are suffering with Diabetes. 70% Americans have diagnosed with diabetes while 30% people unaware of this chronic disease.


Role of Western diet:
Western diet is another major reason for the rise in diabetic cases. Increase in fast food intake, sedentary lifestyle and decrease in vegetable content in diet are the major triggers for diabetes.
Patients should monitor their blood glucose levels regularly at home and physicians should guide them according to these results. If physicians neglect these results, patients frustrate and may not monitor their blood sugar levels. Diabetic health education is a must for every patient. We can control blood sugar levels without depending much on insulin and other drugs by taking proper diet and adequate exercise.

Exercise controls blood sugar level in type 2 diabetes

Aerobic exercise and resistance (weight) training combination will immensely benefits diabetic patients by controlling blood sugar levels. This was revealed in recently conducted randomized controlled trial on 250 type 2 diabetic adults over a 6-month period. Researchers used Hemoglobin A1c level as the determining factor. Combination of exercise will benefit more than a single activity alone. This research study was published in the September 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Image courtesy: Ericabla.

Haemoglobin A1C is the best factor to determine blood sugar control in the last 6 months. 1% decrease in Haemoglobin A1c level will decrease heart attack risk by 15-20%. Resistance and aerobic exercise will decrease Haemoglobin A1c level by almost 1% according to research.


The participants were divided to one of four groups:


1. Those who did 45 minutes of aerobic training three times a week
2. Those who did 45 minutes of resistance (weight) training three times a week
3. Those who did 45 minutes each of both forms of exercise three times a week
4. Those who did no exercise at all.


Benefits of exercise in type 2 Diabetes:


1. 1% decrease in Hemoglobin A1c.
2. 15%-20% decrease in heart attack or stroke risk.
3. 25-40% decline in diabetic complications.
4. It decreases Insulin resistance and helps to efficiently transport glucose.
5. Combined exercise has double benefit than single form of exercise.
6. Exercise helps to delay late onset Diabetes.


Diabetes is gradually becoming global epidemic and more than 300 million people will live with this chronic disease by 2025 according to World Health Organisation. Obesity, changing life style habits and rise in old age population are the major reasons for the Diabetes epidemic.


Please share your opinion on this article.

What is Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that ranks carbohydrate –rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to glucose, in the last 2-3hours. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the GI.

Eating higher GI foods produces a rapid increase in blood glucose levels, triggering the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin causes the body to attempt to store excess glucose. If the digestive system pumps more glucose in to the blood stream, quicker than the insulin can move it into the muscles (or glucose stays more longer time in the blood), then the body will convert the excess glucose into fat.

So, it is a good idea to know more about GI and better to choose foods with a low GI rating (than choosing foods with high GI).

Uses of Glycemic Index:

1. To control your blood glucose levels.
2. To control your cholesterol levels.
3. Control your appetite.
4. Lower the risk of getting the heart disease.
5. Lower the risk of getting the type-2 diabetes.

Choose the foods wisely:

Try to choose low to medium GI foods more often (than high GI foods).

1. Foods of low rank are: GI of 55 or less.
2. Medium rank: GI of 56-69.
3. More rank: GI 70 or more.

Other important diet considerations:
The GI is not the only criteria when selecting the foods as the total amount of carbohydrates, but also,
1. The amount of fat: Fats from cold-water fish, olive and flax oil are beneficial.
2. Fiber and protein are also important.

WE should minimize eating saturated fat and better to take more fiber in the diet.

Cooking, food-processing and age, are all affects food’s GI.
Ex. Pizza keeps glucose up longer than any other food and glucose was still high even after 4-5 hours.

Foods with low Glycemic Index:

Soya Beans, Bengal gram and Grapes.

Antidepressants raise Diabetes risk

People who are on antidepressants are at increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. People who have past history of depression have 30% of higher risk of developing diabetes. Researchers studied the medical records of 2,400 people to know the effects of antidepressants (Tricyclic antidepressants and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) on diabetes.



Chances of developing diabetes are more when they take both types of drugs for depression instead of one type. American Diabetic Association research studies also stated that antidepressants use predisposes diabetes.


Diabetes and Depression:


Depression by reducing one’s physical activity causes obesity which raises diabetes risk. Preventive use of Metformin may reduce diabetes risk in these depressive patients. People who are on treatment for depression should regularly screen for chronic diseases like Diabetes and Heart diseases. Depressive patients generally do not follow doctor’s advice. Some may even attempt for suicide by taking higher doses of insulin.

Diabetes may cause depression due to its chronic nature and associated complications. Rate of depression is very high in Diabetics than in normal people. Diagnosing with diabetes itself causes stress which may lead to psychiatric complications like depression.


This research study was published in “Diabetes Research & Clinical Practice”.

Men with ED are at high risk for heart disease

According to a Mayo clinic study, Men with Erectile Dysfunction are at 80% more risk to develop heart disease than men who do not have Sexual Dysfunction. Men in the age group of 40-49 who have Erective Dysfunction are 100% more risk than other age group men with ED.

According to an article published in the journal “Mayo Clinic Proceedings”, Sexual Dysfunction is a risk factor for Coronary heart Disease. But researchers failed to give sufficient explanation on why people with ED are at high risk of developing heart disease.

Possible explanations:

1. Loss of elasticity in the arteries – first in the penis but later the heart.

2. ED might have developed due to plaques in the penile arteries. Similar blocks may occur in the coronary arteries in the laster life.

Erectile Dysfunction risk gradually increases with age. Heart disease risk also increases with age. Above 60 age group men are at high risk for Sexual Dysfunction and Heart diseases.

Researchers conducted this study over 10 years and concluded that Sexual Dysfunction is a serious risk factor for heart diseases especially in middle aged men.

Health advice: If you are suffering from Sexual health problems, feel free to consult doctor without hesitation. If a person is diagnosed with ED, Physician should also conduct cardiac tests like ECG and ECHO. Doctor should advice him regarding the ED risk factor for heart diseases and gives him counselling on prevention measures.

Sexual Dysfunction Drugs like Viagra acts by dilating blood vessels.

Problems with Delivery

Problems with Delivery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7KarS7YAWg

Croon to your heart's beat

Pump up your heart
Watch what you put in your ears. The wrong music could hurt your heart, say University of Maryland researchers. They found that the blood vessels of people who were subjected to songs they didn't like constricted by six per cent in just 30 minutes. On the flip side, listeners who grooved to their personal playlists saw their blood vessels expand by 26 per cent. That means their bodies were pumping out more nitric oxide, a chemical that helps prevent the clots that can lead to a heart attack, says researcher Michael Miller, MD.

A flu-proof plan
If you still haven't gotten your flu shot, here's more incentive to do so: The influenza vaccine may help prevent potentially fatal blood clots. French researchers recently found that people who had been vaccinated were 48 per cent less likely to develop the dangerous blood-clotting condition-deep-vein thrombosis- than those who skipped the injection. Inflammation produced by the viral infection may thicken your blood, increasing the odds of deadly clotting.
Tell us where it hurts
Your nervous system sometimes leads you to perceive that pain from an injury is coming from a different area, an anomaly known as 'referred pain'.

Pain in…
May be caused by…

Your ears
A cavity or gum disease

Your right shoulder
A gallbladder attack or an inflamed liver

Your leg
A herniated disk in your lower back

Your elbow
Problems in your cervical spine

Your left elbow
A heart attack!
Pulse
(Facts you never knew)

Plastic bottles
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with the highest urine levels of bisphenol A, a chemical in plastics, are more likely to develop diabetes than others.

Tall order
New British research has determined that a man's risk of developing prostate cancer over a five-year period increases by 6 per cent for every four inches of height above 5'8". The hormones involved in human development may also spur cancerous growth.


Lick your wounds
Ever wondered why mouth ulcers clear up in days but a shaving cut takes weeks to heal? Scientists from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology found human spit heals wounds super fast. When they created a fake wound, and applied human saliva, it healed in 16 hours.

A protein in saliva called histatin is anti-bacterial and promotes cell-repair. It's easy to create, so could soon be on our shelves in salve form as an active alternative to antibiotic creams.

Fact of life
4.2 crore Indians suffer from thyroid-related disorders.
Source: Indian Thyroid Society

I'm coughing up blood. Am I dying?

Here's how to diagnose this scary symptom.

Yes, you’re dying: Coughing up blood can be a sign of cancer or tuberculosis, says Joel Kline, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. That’s especially true when the cough is accompanied by chills, fever, weight loss or night sweats.

Relax, you’re not: The most common cause of this shirt-staining symptom is an infection, such as bronchitis. If you hack up less than two shot glasses of blood only once and if it occurs during or after a cold, it’s not something that needs attention. But see a doctor if you cough up several times a week.

Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler

To de-stress
Don't abandon your inheritance to discover your true calling. Buddha already did that. His inspirational journey revealed in Deepak Chopra's Buddha captivates and helps us understand the true nature of life. You can rediscover your motivation to attain complete satisfaction in your work life by applying the three levels on survival, career and calling, as explained in The Art Of Happiness At Work by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler.

To gain peace
Explore every inch of your soul by using your mind's eye to reflect on past misdeeds and deflect negativity with The Third Eye by T Lobsang Rampa. Opening your mind's eye is what this book subtly tells us to do.

To be able to forgive
Meditations by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius is a collection of the lessons he learnt through his life and the weaknesses he was able to pinpoint. It is about how he could embrace life and face the consequences of his actions unflinchingly. Reflections on success, failure, a constant pursuit of virtue and emphasis on morality give this book its edge.

Another book that tugs at your conscience to know what it is to forgive is an account of people who've been hurt in life by family, friends, careers or even religion. Whether Neal Donald Walsh's Conversations With God are real or not, is not important. What is, is that this book talks about dealing with the pain and coming to our conclusions about right and wrong.

Read this to calm your mind

You don't have to go on a fast for life to become a better person. "Spirituality is all about being positive, and becoming more human at the end," says Dr Samir Parikh, a New Delhi-based psychologist.

Reading about other people's experiences, thoughts and opinions on how the human race can better itself is motivation enough to get a more positive outlook. Use these authors and their mindsets...

To ace concentration levels
Whatever be the situation, never give up your chase. Author Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist teaches you that it is the journey that's important and your reward is what you've learnt along the way. As Coelho says, "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

Scent sense

For oily skin
Most aftershaves are alcohol-based and can react with the oil patches on your face, leading to the birth of a new 'scent'! Stick to lighter notes (citrus and woody scents). They are strong enough to linger on your face, and light enough to not blend with the oily patches. Summer Night by Canali, Rs 3,180

For dry skin
The alcohol in the aftershave closes pores and stings for a while. It'll sting you even more if your skin is dry! Avoid alcohol-based aftershaves and opt for a balm, which stings less and also moisturises your skin. Elegance by Lacoste, Rs 2,700

Sensitive skin
If your skin is prone to breakouts, it's best to avoid using aftershave. But if you'd still like to wear one, apply it to your wrists and behind your ears, and stick with a classic, spicier scent as it will last longer. The One by Dolce & Gabbana, Rs 2,590

Do you wish to look hot shirtless?

want a bulkier torso for a shirtless summer. Any advice?
-Siddharth Khullar, New Delhi

Concentrate on these three areas-bulk up your lats and shoulders, and slay your waist. Recognise your body-type and then start. This means three weights sessions a week, targeting a different area each session. Newbies, remember:

1. Get into that weight-training mindset. That doesn't mean strutting about, lifting your single-rep max a few times. It means training consistently and pushing up the weights each session so that you can always do 8 reps, but fail at 12.

2. Cut down on the hustle and concentrate on the form. Maintaining the form requires proper breathing techniques.

3. Motivate yourself with goals: Aim to put an inch on your chest in a fortnight-push hard and you'll be up and running for your shirtless summer.

Session one hits your lats. Do 5 supersets of chin-ups with seated cable rows then five bent-over rows with bench pulls.

Session two is abs and lower back; 5 sets each of weighted Swiss-ball situps, lowcable pullins, Russian twists and deadlifts.
Session three targets your shoulders. Do 5 tri-sets of seated lateral raises, upright rows with a rope attached to the cable machine and seated shoulder presses.
One final word of advice: Take that shirt off only when you're at the beach, unless you want to look like a wannabe Salman Khan.

How can I hit every fitness goal I set for myself?
-Harish Pathak, Bangalore

Setting goals is an important way to measure your progress. But setting realistic goals is the only way to actually hit your milestones. My rules:

• For the first 2 weeks of a new regimen, strive to establish consistency and to change any bad habits. For instance, aim for a set number of workouts or cut out highly-processed snacks from your diet.
• Set your sights on your first performance-related fitness goal for the next month. Don't expect major physique changes.
• The 3-month mark is when you'll start seeing some changes in the way you look. Take note.
• After 6 months, you should be well on your way to achieving several long-term goals. Then you can reassess your goals for the next 6 months.

Time Goal
• 2 weeks Complete 6 to 8 workouts
• 1 month Increase your benchpress by 4.5 to 7kg
• 3 months Lose 3 to 4 inches off your waist
• 6 months Lose 11kg, then reassess your goals

Is there any way I can get bigger calves fast?
-Abhimanyu Singh, Mumbai

Imitate trainer Vince Gironda who first used this protocol for another guy who struggled with calf development: Arnold. Start with a weight that's roughly 30 to 40 per cent of what you normally use for calf raises. Perform 10 sets of 10 reps. Rest for 15 seconds between sets. Since calfmuscle-fibre makeup differs from that of bigger muscles, your calves recover too fast with the old 3-sets-of-10 approach. This routine will challenge your lower legs, and it will take less than 10 minutes to complete, so you can do it every day.

Find The Right Fit

Relaxed straight cut
This contemporary cut blends the legroom of a relaxed fit, the flared hem of a boot cut, and the snug seat of a straight leg.

If your build is... Athletic, buy in bulk. This style is tailor-made for your physique... Stocky, this cut is a terrific alternative to a relaxed fit, providing more shape and contour to your frame while still offering sufficient legroom and comfort... Average, wear these as a comfy alternative to relaxed-fit jeans... Thin, look elsewhere. Lean legs are lost in the roomy cut beneath the knee.

Snickers bar is healthy!

Beneath that unassuming exterior is a thick seam of peanut-packed potency. It's these mighty little nuts responsible for the low saturated-fat ratio, cramming in high-quality protein and heart-healthy monosaturated fats. And since the recipe was reformulated in 2006, there's no secret sucker-punch from trans-fats either.

Meanwhile, B vitamins keep a lid on stress by relaxing nerves and muscles, while ensuring energy levels are stoked. Chocolate ups serotonin levels to lighten your mood. Wrap these in a caramel blanket for a mean chocolate bar. Stick that in your snack gap, Twix!

Crossing lines

Is it ever okay to be a little kinky during first-time sex, or will I scare women away?
- Vibhor Nagpal, Surat

Depends on how you define a 'little kinky.' Because, while you don't want to freak her out, you don't want to bore her either. Some gentle groping followed by missionary position is standard. A woman appreciates a man who's bold enough to yank up her skirt, trace her spine with his tongue and locate her G-spot. If that's a 'little kinky,' then go for it. As for things like spanking and bondage, save that stuff for your six month anniversary.

Cat-walk
Why does she parade around nearly naked if she doesn't want to start something up?
- Akshit Varma, Pune

Because teasing you is fun. Sometimes when I slip on some sexy lace, it seems like a waste to immediately cover it up with work clothes. My man may catch a glimpse, but sorry, I'm heading to work. What I'm doing is stoking his appetite-and reminding him that the woman he has at home is just as hot as the babes he sees out there.

Bedroom secrets
Is there any way to tell if I'm a good lover in bed?
- Ajit Panda , Kanpur

Here are two signs that you really are a stud: 1. She seems completely out of it afterwards. When you hit all the right spots in all the right ways, it tends to short-circuit a girl's brain and body and it shows in her voice and on her face. 2. When she finally does come to her senses, she cuddles up to you. Authentic orgasms make us feel clingier than a koala bear.

Playing footsie

A foot massage turns my girl on like nothing else. Why?


It depends from one girl to another. Seems your girl's fetish are her feet. In all likelihood, rubbing her feet increases her desire for other soft sensations (such as stimulating the clitoris). Or it allows her to relax and let go-which is essential for arousal. Which means you've got it easy, boy. You know what to do. Here's some more tips: Start by wrapping her feet in a warm, damp towel. Use warm lotion, hit neglected spots, and vary your strokes. It can be suggestive of what comes next.

How to heat it up on phone...

Long distance frenzy
My girlfriend lives far away. We meet once in two months. Any tips for, ahem, phone relations?
- Shankar Vishwanathan, Chennai

The telephone is good for more than just keeping in touch. Next time you see her, find out what type of fantasies turn her on. Then fire up the foreplay by sending her racy text messages throughout the day. At night, walk her through the fantasy. Describe what she's seeing, smelling and hearing to keep her focussed on the fantasy. Most women have to be comfortable in order to experience intense pleasure. Just remember: Dial her only when she can focus, like when her roommates are out and she's just slipped into bed.

Health

Buy lean meats
Belgian researchers found that dioxins-chemicals that seep into water and soil and attach to fat in animals- lowered men's semen volume by 16 per cent and their testosterone levels by seven per cent. Buy the leanest meat cuts possible. In lamb or mutton, get the butcher to slice off the fat.

Reheat wisely
Phthalates, which add flexibility to plastics, can damage your sperm, according to a 2007 Harvard study. When you heat foods in plastic containers, phthalates can leak into your food. What's more, foods can absorb the phthalates during storage. It's safer to stick with clingwrap, zip-lock containers and Tupperware. All of these are phthalate-free.

Buy your veggies with care
Carbaryl, a lawn and crop insecticide, may damage sperm motility and decrease testosterone levels, says John Meeker, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. Exposure to carbaryl typically comes from pesticide-laden produce, especially apples, peaches, and bell peppers. Try to find organic replacements or get the stuff from out of the city.

how about that

Saturdays are so great, but Sundays are not to be sniffed at either: no office means you can stay in bed all day, how about that?

Here are some hot tips to keep the action going for hours. Instead of starting at the top, like kissing her on the mouth, start well below, like at the knees, or better still, at the feet. Work your way up slowly and don't go in a straight line. Don't be predictable.

Men's Health sex columnist Pooja Bedi makes you a wiser performer: "When you use a straight stroke (on her body), the nerves in the skin are not surprised." Tracing a wavy line and irregular strokes keep the nerves surprised and excited. "Also, kiss her in unexpected places, like the base of her spine upwards, or start at the back of her knees and work the kisses either upwards or down to her heels," says Bedi. Had enough of the bed?

Hit the shower. Get a bar of handmade soap in a scent you both love and rub it over each other's body. You'll discover new pleasure points and get all squeaky clean, too. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

The study adds to a growing body

The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting breastfeeding has health benefits for both mother and baby.

Research has found that breastfeeding reduces a woman's risk of ovarian and breast cancer and osteoporosis in later life.

And the list of benefits for the baby is long, with breast milk credited with protecting against obesity, diabetes, asthma and infections of the ear, stomach and chest.

The latest US study, by the University of Pittsburgh, focused on nearly 140,000 post-menopausal women.

On average, it had been 35 years since the women had last breastfed - suggesting the beneficial impact lasts for decades.

As well as cutting the risk of heart problems, breastfeeding for more than a year cut the risk of high blood pressure by 12%, and diabetes and high cholesterol by around 20%.

Fat stores

It has been suggested that breastfeeding may reduce cardiovascular risk by reducing fat stores in the body.

However, the researchers believe the effect is more complex, with the release of hormones stimulated by breastfeeding also playing a role.

Researcher Dr Eleanor Bimla Schwarz said: "We have known for years that breastfeeding is important for babies' health; we now know that it is important for mothers' health as well.

"Breastfeeding is an important part of the way women's bodies recover from pregnancy.

"When this process is interrupted women are more likely to have a number of health problems (including heart attacks and strokes).

"The longer a mother nurses her baby, the better for both of them."

In the UK, the Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months.

June Davison, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Breastfeeding has long been thought to be beneficial to baby and mother.

"This research suggests that it might have also have heart health benefits for mum too.

"However, it only showed an association between breast feeding and these health benefits. We will need further research to understand why this is the case."

Women who breastfeed their babies

Women who breastfeed their babies may be lowering their own risk of a heart attack, heart disease or stroke, research suggests.

A US study found women who breastfed for more than a year were 10% less likely to develop the conditions than those who never breastfed.

Even breastfeeding for at least a month may cut the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The research features in the journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Western doctors are at a loss

While Western doctors are at a loss as to how to treat this mysterious illness, Doña Porcela says she can cure people with her concoction.

"It can be drunk or bathed in," she said. "Within three or four days, they are normal again."

Using her herbs and candles, she performs a cleansing ceremony on sufferers and, often, on their houses too - akin to an exorcism.

She travels anywhere anxious parents ask her to come, such as Lola Emberto's home, set among palms trees and red earth in Barrio Pobre, a poor suburb of Puerto Cabezas.

"For four months, my children were affected," said Mrs Emberto.

"I couldn't sleep or eat. My daughter was just running around like a maniac. She tore off all her clothes.

"One time, she fell into the well while suffering an attack.

"Other times, she'd run into the bush or into the river and people would try to catch her when they could."

Both her 18-year-old son and her 13-year-old daughter were affected.

Black magic

Mrs Emberto, like many Miskito people, believes in black magic and that Doña Porcela lifted a curse to cure her children.

'She ran around like a maniac'

Rain is pelting down on Doña Porcela's treatment room in Puerto Cabezas, the main town on Nicaragua's Northern Caribbean coast.

The room is barren except for a few plastic chairs, a wooden table and some old plastic bottles balanced precariously on timber beams.

Doña Porcela is a respected traditional healer here and the bottles are filled with her secret medicinal potions.

Her patient today is a teenage girl asleep on a piece of cardboard, serving as a mattress on the dirt floor.

"Grisi Siknis turns people into witches and they go crazy," she said.

Last year there were 65 cases of Grisi Siknis, which translates from the local Miskito language as 'crazy sickness'.

Exorcism

It behaves like a virus, sending teenager after teenager into a frenzied state followed by long periods of coma-like unconsciousness

What is the prognosis?

What is the prognosis?

Poor. The average life expectancy for somebody with ALS is just two to five years from the time symptoms first appear.

Half of patients die within 14 months of their diagnosis.

Mel Barry, of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: "ALS is quite a complicated and mysterious disease, and often by the time a diagnosis is made people have had symptoms for up to a year."

However, not all people with ALS have the same symptoms, and the rate of progression of the disease can vary greatly

Professor Hawking first developed the disease when he was just 21 years old, and has lived with it for more than 40 years.

The fact that he has lived for long with the condition has been described as remarkable.

It is estimated that only about 5% of people with ALS survive for more than 10 years.

Ms Barry said: "The fact that Professor Hawking has survived for so long is very, very unusual."

Is there any treatment?

Only one drug - Rilutek - is licensed as a treatment for ALS.

The drug works by blocking release of a key chemical called glutamate by the central nervous system, but its effect is limited, extending survival by three to six months.

Trials are currently taking place using another drug, lithium, which has produced promising results in mice, but work is still at an early stage.

Most other treatment is simply palliative, attempting to minimise the effect of the disease.

This can include ventilation systems to help with breathing, feeding tubes if swallowing is a problem and muscle relaxants for muscle cramping.

How was Professor Hawking diagnosed?

On his website, Professor Hawking says that he tries to live as normal a life as possible, and not to think about his condition.

He said his diagnosis came as a great shock.

He had been physically uncoordinated as a child, but had taken up rowing when he went to Oxford.

"In my third year at Oxford, however, I noticed that I seemed to be getting more clumsy, and I fell over once or twice for no apparent reason.

"But it was not until I was at Cambridge, in the following year, that my father noticed and took me to the family doctor.

"He referred me to a specialist and shortly after my 21st birthday I went into hospital for tests."

What course has his condition taken?

Professor Hawking was able to feed himself and get in and out of bed until 1974.

Until that point he and his wife were able to manage without outside help, but then had to rely on live-in help from one of his research students.

In 1980, he changed to a system of community and private nurses, who came in for an hour or two in the morning and evening.

This lasted until he caught pneumonia in 1985, and had to have a tracheotomy operation.

After this, he needed 24-hour nursing care.

Before the operation, his speech had been getting more slurred, so that only a few people who knew him well could understand him.

However, he could communicate. He wrote scientific papers by dictating to a secretary, and gave seminars through an interpreter.

The tracheotomy operation removed his ability to speak altogether, and he had to rely on a small portable computer and a speech synthesizer fitted to his wheel chair.

Stephen Hawking's medical condition

Professor Stephen Hawking suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of motor neurone disease.

What causes it?

ALS, which accounts for more than 90% of all cases of motor neurone disease, causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord called motor neurones to degenerate and eventually die.

These cells play an essential role in passing messages to the muscles.

Without them the brain cannot control movement properly, and the muscles cease to work well.

Around one in 10 cases of ALS are thought to be due to genetics, but the trigger for the other 90% of cases remains a mystery.

It is estimated that 3,500 people in the UK have ALS.

What are the symptoms?

As more and more motor neurones are lost, the muscles - particularly in the limbs - begin to waste.

Early symptoms include tripping up when walking, or dropping things.

Twitching and "cramping" of the muscles is also common, especially in the hands and feet.

In the more advanced stages, people often have difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing and experience paralysis.

Death is usually caused by a failure of the respiratory muscles.

Researcher Dr Elaine Hardman

Researcher Dr Elaine Hardman, of Marshall University School of Medicine, said although the study was carried out in mice, the beneficial effect of walnuts was likely to apply to humans too.

She said: "We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases."

"It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer."

Previous research has suggested eating walnuts at the end of a meal may help cut the damage that fatty food can do to the arteries.

It is thought that the nuts are rich in compounds that reduce hardening of the arteries, and keep them flexible.

In the latest study mice were either fed a standard diet, or the walnut-based diet.

The animals fed walnuts developed fewer tumours, and those that did arise took longer to develop and were smaller.

Molecular analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acids played a key role - but other parts of the walnut contributed as well.

Nutritional value

Anna Denny, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said evidence for nuts reducing the risk of heart disease was currently stronger than it was for their anti-cancer properties.

She said: "Although nuts are high in fat (and thus calories), the fatty acids in nuts are predominantly 'good' unsaturated fatty acids.

"Other additional components of nuts that may contribute to a reduction in heart disease and cancer risk include fibre and 'bioactive' compounds.

"Among the many bioactive compounds found in nuts are phytosterols and flavonoids.

"More research is needed before it will be possible to attribute specific health benefits of nuts to specific bioactive compounds because nuts contain a complex mixture of different bioactive compounds."

Josephine Querido, of the charity Cancer Research UK said there was insufficient evidence to show that eating walnuts could prevent breast cancer in humans.

She said: "We know that a healthy balanced diet - rich in fruit and vegetables - plays an important part in reducing the risk of many types of cancer.

"The strongest risk factor for breast cancer is age - 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 so attending screening is important.

"Making lifestyle changes, such as keeping a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake and taking regular exercise, can also help reduce breast cancer risk."

Walnuts may prevent breast cancer

Eating walnuts may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, research suggests.

The nuts contain ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols that may all reduce the risk of the disease.

Mice fed the human equivalent of two ounces (56.7g) of walnuts per day developed fewer and smaller tumours.

The US study was presented to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

people on the register in the UK

There are 16m people on the register in the UK - a record number.

But three people a day die on average waiting for an organ.

Research has show that as many as four in 10 relatives deny consent.

The Oxford hospital team reviewed 20 previous studies on organ donation, the British Medical Journal reported.

Some of these looked at having the conversation about consent at a different time to announcing the death of the patient to the family.

These showed "decoupling" the conversations was up to three times more likely to result in consent been given. It made little difference if the donation discussion was held before or after death.

Another study showed that seven in 10 requests made jointly by the doctor and hospital's transplant coordinator were successful.

Lessons

Lead researcher Dr Duncan Young said: "I think these are invaluable lessons for hospitals.

"All too often officials will get involved in conversations about organ donation when informing the relative their loved one has died. But just having that time, even just a little time, to accept things seems to make a difference.

"I think the importance of having both a coordinator and doctor is to do with doctors not having the social skills to discuss this in the best manner.

"Many doctors will not necessarily deal with that many donor cases so they are not used to it. Whereas having a trained coordinator makes a big difference.

"However, the doctor is still important as they are likely to be a familiar face to the family."

Transplant coordinators are specially-trained staff who oversee organ donor issues at hospitals. They are not yet employed routinely across the NHS and instead tend to be focused on the biggest centres.

Sally Johnson, of NHS Blood and Transplant, the official authority that oversees transplants in the NHS, said the findings reinforce the need for the positions and said she hoped more hospitals would look to use them.

"We hope that this research will help them to understand the benefits of involving an expert donor transplant co-coordinator at the right time."

Doctors warned over donor consent

Doctors should not be taking it on themselves to ask bereaved families for consent to use their loved one's organs for transplants, a study suggests.

Instead, the John Radcliffe Hospital research said consent was more likely to be given if a doctor was accompanied by a specialist transplant coordinator.

The study also said discussing donation at a separate time to informing the relative about death was important.

Transplant officials said the findings should inform hospital practice.

The refusing of consent by families, even when a person is on the donor register, is a major problem for the NHS.

all children under five will develop

Half of all children under five will develop vomiting and diarrhoea over the course of the year.

Up to a fifth will end up seeing a health professional about the illness with nearly 40,0000 children a year ending up in hospital because of problems related to dehydration.

NICE believes some of the most serious cases could be avoided if parents and GPs followed the best advice.

Consultant paediatric gastronenterologist Dr Stephen Murphy, who chaired the panel drawing up the guidance, said: "The idea that flat coke and lemonade - or fruit juices for that matter - helps is just a myth. In fact, it can make it worse, but unfortunately people are still using them.

"Severe cases of diarrhoea and vomiting leading to dehydration need treating with oral rehydration solution immediately."

He said the combination of sugar and salt in rehydration drinks was the key to helping the body absorb fluids, whereas the likes of coke and lemonade had too much sugar.

NICE has produced a checklist for parents to assess whether their children are dehydrated.

Signs

The key signs are altered responsiveness, sunken eyes, pale or mottled skin and cold extremities.

If they are, set amounts of oral rehydration solution should be given over the course of four hours.

The amount of solution to be given varies depending on the child, but for the average one-year-old it would be half-a-litre, the guidance said.

After that, it is important that children are encouraged to eat food again, NICE said.

The guidance is also aimed at doctors and gives advice on when to carry out further tests and when and how to administer intravenous rehydration fluid.

Mother-of-three Narynder Johal, who acted as a patient representative for NICE, said the guidance was much needed as parents were often left frustrated by the advice given to them.

"I have often been very concerned when my children have had diarrhoea and vomiting and have not always received consistent advice on how to best manage the condition."

Sugary drinks 'worsen vomit bug'

Parents are making children suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea more sick by giving them flat coke and lemonade, experts say.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said it was a myth that sugary drinks could help ease bouts of gastroenteritis.

Instead, NICE said bad cases of stomach bugs in children under five needed to be treated with rehydration drinks.

The NHS advisers said prompt action was needed to avoid hospital admission.

NICE made the warning as part of guidance it has produced on the treatment of gastroenteritis in children in England and Wales.

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As officially defined by the World Health Organization, a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

According to WHO, "'Health for All' does not mean an end to disease and disability, or that doctors and nurses will care for everyone. It means that resources for health are evenly distributed and that essential health care is accessible to everyone. It means that health begins at home, in schools, and at the workplace, and that people use better approaches for preventing illness and alleviating unavoidable disease and disability. It means that people recognize that ill-health is not inevitable and that they can shape their own lives and the lives of their families, free from the avoidable burden of disease."
Some progress toward these goals has been made, but the goals have clearly not yet been attained on a global level. In many countries including the United States, for example, it cannot be said that the "resources for health are evenly distributed and that essential health care is accessible to everyone."

The United States government's principal agency for "protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves." Also known as DHHS and HHS.

"For decades, ionizing radiation has been beneficial to human beings in areas ranging from medical diagnosis and therapy to scientific research to generating electrical power. However, when used in large quantities or in unsafe ways, ionizing radiation can harm living organisms. Care must be taken to properly use equipment and to minimize the potential for unnecessary radiation exposure to individuals or environmental contamination in medical, research, or power generation activities. The health physicist is prominent among scientists charged with controlling the beneficial use of ionizing radiation while protecting workers and the public from potential hazards."


Health Resource and Services Administration -- HRSA helps provide health resources for medically underserved populations. A nationwide network of 643 community and migrant health centers, plus 144 primary care programs for the homeless and residents of public housing, serve 8.1 million Americans each year. HRSA also works to build the health care workforce and maintains the National Health Service Corps. Provides services to people with AIDS through the Ryan White CARE Act programs. Oversees the organ transplantation system. Works to decrease infant mortality and improve and child health. Established: 1982, bringing together several already-existing programs. Headquarters: Rockville, MD.

Measles

Introduction


Measles, a disease recognised for over two thousand years, is a highly contagious, acute infection caused by the rubella virus. It usually occurs in children. It is seen in every country of the world. Before the use of vaccines, epidemics of measles occurred every two to five years. Cough, cold, fever and a skin rash that begins several days before the initial symptoms characterise the illness. Recovery from measles is usual, but serious complications of the respiratory and central nervous system may occur.





Cause and Pathogenesis

Measles virus belongs to the Morbillivirus group of the Paramyxovirus family. Humans are the only natural host for wild measles virus. The virus is easily destroyed but remains in the droplet form in air for several hours, especially under conditions of low relative humidity. It is spread by direct contact with droplets from respiratory secretions of infected persons. It is one of the most communicable of infectious diseases and is most infectious when cough and cold is at its peak. The virus invades the respiratory lining membrane and then enters the blood stream. It causes inflammation of the respiratory tract and may predispose to secondary bacterial pneumonia.

Symptoms and Signs


The incubation period is one to two weeks and is often longer in adults. The illness begins with symptoms of malaise, fever, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis, cough and cold lasting several days. This is followed by bluish-grey spots in the oral cavity (Koplik's spots) and then a diffuse skin rash beginning on the face and proceeding down the body to involve the extremities. The rash lasts for five days and then peeling of the skin occurs. Several days after the appearance of the rash, the fever abates. The most common complications of measles involve the respiratory tract and the nervous systems. Bacterial super-infection can also cause middle ear infection or pneumonia in severe cases. Encephalitis may be acute or chronic, after measles infection. Transient hepatitis can also occur.

Severe measles can occur in persons who are immunocompromised such as those, being treated for malignancy or those with AIDS. Malnourished children in developing countries may also develop severe measles. In pregnant women, however, measles (rubeola) unlike German measles (rubella) does not cause any congenital anomalies.





Investigations and Diagnosis

Classic measles is diagnosed when a child develops along with cough, cold, conjunctivitis, Koplik's spots and a skin rash. Leucopenia (a low white blood cell count) is common. Virus isolation in the laboratory is technically difficult. A four-fold increase in the measles antibody titre in acute and convalescent serum samples is considered diagnostic.

Treatment and Prognosis


The disease is usually self-limited, and supportive therapy such as antipyretics and fluids are indicated. Bacterial super-infection should be promptly treated with appropriate antimicrobials. Prophylactic antibiotics are not known to be of value and are not recommended.

Prevention


Measles can be prevented by administrating a live vaccine long before an anticipated exposure. It is now recommended that all healthy children be administered live measles vaccines at fifteen months of age. A second dose given in childhood, usually as a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) is now routine. The first vaccine can be given between six and nine months of age in situations where the incidence of measles is high before the age of one year. Transient fever and rash develop about one week after vaccination in 5 - 15 percent of children. Live measles vaccine is contra-indicated in persons with defects in the cell-mediated immunity and in pregnant women.

Passive immunisation with antibodies is recommended for those at high risk of developing severe measles and for those who have been exposed to the infection. For example, children with malignant disease and those with defects in cell-mediated immunity. To be effective, passive immunisation must be given within six days after an exposure.

Investigations and Diagnosis

Investigations and Diagnosis


An X-ray of the para nasal sinuses is often the first test done. Haziness or opacities in the region of the infected sinus is often seen. Sometimes a CT Scan may be required for confirmation. The discharge from the sinus is sent for culture and the organism isolated, and appropriate antibiotics may be given. Sometimes transillumination of the involved sinus may be helpful. The affected sinus produces a dark shadow as opposed to a normal sinus, which produces a light shadow. Tests to check for the presence of infection and ESR may be done to gather supportive evidence. Fungal scrapings and smears may be taken from the discharge and fungal cultures have to be done if a fungal aetiology is suspected.





Treatment and Prognosis


The treatment may be either medical or surgical. The initial treatment involves administration of appropriate antibiotics along with an analgesic and an anti-histaminic. Steam inhalation and nasal spray could also provide relief and may be used to relieve the congestion. Avoiding nasal irritants and allergens may help. Irrigation and drainage of the affected sinus is sometimes done.
Surgical treatment involves puncturing the sinus and making a window in it to facilitate easy drainage. Other procedures include the Caldwell-Luc procedure for chronic maxillary sinusitis and ethmoidectomy for ethmoid or sphenoid sinusitis. The prognosis is often quite good and depends upon the sinuses involved and the duration of the infection. Most patients who have acute sinusitis of a short duration generally recover with appropriate early therapy. However chronic sinusitis can be quite a problem and even after drainage patients may be symptomatic. Some patients may require radical surgical techniques for cure.

Prevention


While there are no vaccines to prevent sinusitis and it is impossible to predict who will develop it except in a small number of patients who have an anatomic defect in their nose, early diagnosis and treatment is the only practical solution.

Symptoms and Signs

Patients with sinusitis usually present with malaise, mild fever and headache, and nasal discharge. The area of the face over the inflamed sinus may even appear swollen in some cases. Maxillary sinusitis may cause pain in the maxillary area of the face, toothache, and frontal headache. Frontal sinusitis causes frontal pain and headache. Ethmoid sinusitis causes pain behind the eyes and frontal headache. Sphenoid sinusitis causes pain in the occipital region. The risks of sinusitis is that it can become chronic or lead to complications such as orbital cellulitis, meningitis and brain abscess, which can even be fatal.

Cause and Pathogenesis

Sinusitis is caused by a variety of bacteria such as streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae viruses such as the influenza and the parainfluenza virus and less commonly by fungi such as aspergillus. Sinusitis often begins after an acute respiratory infection, which very often could be viral. Less commonly it may occur after a tooth extraction or other dental procedures, or after diving or swimming in contaminated water. Sometimes sudden changes in the climate, especially the sudden movement into cold climes, can also trigger an attack. Patients with AIDS, and other immunocompromized patients are more prone to attacks of fungal sinusitis. An attack begins with the inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane. This causes an obstruction of the opening of the sinus leading eventually to secretions accumulating in the sinus with associated pain and swelling. The secretions get infected exacerbating the situation

Sinusitis

Introduction

Sinusitis is a common problem caused by acute or chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. The paranasal sinuses are aerated cavities in the bones of the face that develop from the nasal cavity and maintain communication with it. The main sinuses are the maxillary, the frontal, the ethmoid, and the sphenoid sinuses. Maxillary sinusitis is the most common type of sinusitis. The ethmoid, frontal and sphenoid sinuses are affected less frequently.

Prevention

Viral fevers are difficult to prevent. They occur as epidemics of infection depending on their mode of spread. Vaccines have been tried targeting the respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses with little success due to several sub-groups of viruses with different forms of antigenicity, all of which cannot be covered with a single vaccine. Fortunately since most infections are mild and self-limited, we can be assured of a full recovery.


Source

Dr. V.Ramasubramaniam MBBS, MD, MRCP.



Dr.V.Ramasubramaniam is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and heads the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute

Treatment and Prognosis

Treatment of viral fever is purely symptomatic with antipyretic and analgesic drugs. Bed rest and adequate fluid intake is advised. Nasal decongestants may be beneficial. Specific antiviral therapy is not routinely recommended. Steroids are not advised as it may lead to bacterial super-infection. Only in cases of super-infection do antibiotics need to be prescribed. It is important that antibiotics are NOT routinely used for prophylaxis.

Complications of viral infections like pneumonia (viral or super-infection by bacteria) need to be addressed specifically by clearance of respiratory secretions and utilising ventilator assistance if hypoxia is severe. Symptoms of gastroenteritis should be managed with anti-motility agents. Most viral fevers recover completely in a week although fatigue may persist for a few weeks

Investigations and Diagnosis

The diagnosis and management of viral fevers is based more on the clinical presentation than by laboratory investigations. Since these infections are commonly self-limited, investigations are unnecessary. The diagnosis is made by the typical history of fever with severe muscle and joint pains. Skin rash and lymph gland swellings have to be specifically looked for.

Laboratory investigations are undertaken to rule out other bacterial infections rather than to confirm viral fever. Blood tests will not show any increase in the white blood cells, which typically occurs with bacterial infections. The numbers of lymphocytes may be increased. The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is not elevated. Confirmation is by culture of virus from the relevant specimens such as nasal swabs, and skin rash or by increase in antibody levels in serial blood samples.

Symptoms and Signs

Once the virus enters the body, there is an incubation period when the virus multiplies to a level high enough to cause infection. This is followed by a prodromal phase of fatigue, malaise and body and muscle aches that may lead to the onset of fever. The fever may be low grade or high grade and remittent. Inflammation of the pharynx, a running nose, nasal congestion, headache, redness of the eyes, cough, muscle and joint pains and a skin rash could be present.

The fatigue and body pain could be disproportionate to the level of fever, and lymph glands may swell up. The illness is usually self-limited but the fatigue and cough may persist for a few weeks. Sometimes pneumonia, vomiting and diarrhoea, jaundice or arthritis (joint swelling) may complicate the initial viral fever. Some viral fevers are spread by insects, for example, arbovirus, can cause a bleeding tendency, which results in bleeding from the skin and several other internal organs and can be fatal.

Cause and Pathogenesis

Most viral infections are spread by inhalation of aerosolised particles, by intake of contaminated water or food, or by direct contact. Infection then spreads locally and thereafter into the blood stream or lymph channels. Some of the viral infections can be transmitted sexually or by direct inoculation into the blood stream.

The duration of the primary infection may vary from days to several weeks. Manifestation of the disease clinically is usually a consequence of the virus multiplying at a specific site. Even though the fever comes down, in some infections the virus continues to multiply and cause persistent infection.

Viral Fever

Introduction
Viral fever refers to a broad spectrum of conditions where viral infections are associated with elevations of body temperature. The term encompasses a wide variety of viral infections, some of which can be clearly identified by their symptoms and signs. These viral infections may show generalised symptoms, but may target specific organs.

Headaches, body aches and a skin rash characterise most of these viral fevers. They may affect any age group, and are seen world-wide. They require only symptomatic treatment. Some are highly contagious. Most of them are not dangerous and self-limited, but some can progress rapidly leading to death.

Puberty and beyond

In nature, as for any living organism, the probable sole aim of the human body is to reach maturity and reproduce before it dies, in order for the species to continue. Girls are born with all the eggs they'll ever have - in fact, the number of viable eggs falls steadily throughout life until the menopause. It takes, on average, 12 years for the female human to develop to puberty and become fertile.

It's not clear why it takes this long, although there's probably a critical weight - around 47kg (7.5st) - at which menstruation is triggered, dependent on the other hormone systems functioning properly, including growth hormone.

The changes puberty brings are vast, prompted by rapidly increasing levels of many hormones including oestrogen, progesterone and androgens.

During puberty, girls go through obvious outward changes, such as breast development, shape and hair pattern changes. The complex hormonal rhythm of the ovulatory cycle, involving brain, glands, ovaries and other organs, also begins.

Every month the body's hormones coordinate the production of an egg with a thickened uterine lining and receptive cervical mucus. If the egg's fertilised, the different series of hormonal changes that support pregnancy will follow, suppressing ovulation.

In our culture, girls of this age aren't considered emotionally mature enough for motherhood, but their bodies are capable of having children and in most cases continue to be so until the onset of the menopause between 45 and 55.

After the birth of a child, falling levels of hormone signal the brain to start the ovulatory cycle again, although if the mother is breastfeeding this will be suppressed and periods may not start for several months.

Why does it all stop?
Why women go through the menopause when they do - at what is just over halfway through their lifespan - and the exact trigger are unknown. It may be that thousands of years ago, 50 was the normal female lifespan.

Before you're born

The sex of a baby is determined primarily by the two sex chromosomes. In normal male cells, there's an X and a Y sex chromosome. In normal female cells there are two X chromosomes.

Initially, the embryonic tissue that later becomes testes in boys or ovaries in girls is undifferentiated. At around six to eight weeks of pregnancy, the presence of a Y chromosome causes this tissue to develop into testes. If there's no Y chromosome, ovaries develop.

As well as the hormones released by the testes and ovaries, which determine whether we grow into boys or girls, hormones also influence brain development and behaviour.

Most of the brain is similar in males and females, but some regions such as the hypothalamus and amygdala, which control functions related to sexuality, differ between the sexes. In these tissues there are receptors or receiving units that allow the cells to respond to androgens, or male sex hormones.

Early hormone environment permanently influences behaviour. Girls exposed to high levels of androgens in the womb show more interest in toys such as cars and less interest in dolls, are more likely to prefer boys as playmates and engage in male-typical rough-and-tumble play.

Tips on Diet

What we eat has a profound effect on our mind as well as the body. It is not only important as to what we eat but it is equally important as to how we eat. Following are a few tips on diet which help in getting the best out of what we eat.
Fresh ginger with a small amount of salt should be taken 10 to 20 minutes before food.

The diet, especially hard substances should be properly chewed.
Wherever possible intake of curd or buttermilk should follow food.
The food should be tasty, fresh and good in appearance.
It should neither be very hot nor absolutely cold.
Water should be avoided at least 15 minutes before food. The quantity of water after food should be small. Let it be drunk often.
Heavy (Guru) food should be taken in a limited quantity.
Heavy food should not be taken at night. The proper time of night meal is two to three hours before going to bed. After night meal, it is better to go for a short walk, of say hundred steps.
Heavy work or exercise should be avoided after food.
After meals, heavy mental or physical work should be avoided. Some rest is advisable for proper digestion of food.

Kapha Dosh

Kapha is responsible of the structural integrity and stability of the mind-body. It provides the reserves of physical strength and stamina. Ayurveda considers kapha people to be most fortunate as they generally enjoy the best health.
Symbol: Water

Constitution: elements of water(apa) and earth(prithvi)

Principle: Integration, lubrication, potential energy and stability in the mind-body.

Qualities: slow, cool, oily, liquid, dense and static.

Body characteristics: kapha people have heavy bones, muscles and fat. Tendency to put on weight; slow metabolism and digestion; cool and clammy skin; big, liquid eyes; thick wavy hair.

Mental constitution: slow to pickup new things but excellent long tem memory; inertia to start new things; forgiving, loving and compassionate.

Kapha in balance: strong and calm.
Kapha out of balance: dull and lethargic.

Diet for Kapha:

Prefer
Barley, corn, millet
Asparagus, cabbage, eggplant
Leafy green vegetables, potatoes
Apples, pears, pomegranates
Skim milk
Chicken, turkey Avoid
Rice, wheat
Sweet potato, tomatoes
Coconut, dates, grapes, pineapple
Avoid other dairy products like butter,cheese, etc.
Red meat.

Likely diseases in kapha people
Since kapha is considered the equivalent of phlegm, kapha people have a tendency to get diseases like, respiratory problems, asthma, allergy, sinusitis etc.

General methods of keeping kapha in balance
The key to balancing kapha is stimulation. They need physical activity, new challenges, hot and spicy food.
Since kapha is sweet, try to avoid sweet and heavy food. Try not to overeat.
Stay warm, avoid dampness.
Head congestion is a common kapha problem which can be handled by steam inhalation.

Pitta Dosh

Pitta is responsible for the entire metabolism in our mind body. In its widest sense, it governs digestive function including all chemical and metabolic transformations in the body as well as processes which promote heat production. Pitta also governs our ability to digest ideas and impressions and to therefore perceive the true nature of reality. Pitta is often regarded as the "fire" within the body. The keywords as far as pitta is concerned are ‘heat’ and ‘intensity’ and these are reflected everywhere in the mind and body of a pitta person.

Symbol: Fire

Constitution: elements of Fire(Agni) and Water(Apa)

Principle: Transformation, metabolism and discrimination in body-mind.

Qualities: hot, sharp, light, liquid, sour, oily and spreading.

Body characteristics: as pitta is hot, a pitta person has higher body temperature than vata or kapha people; pitta is sharp so pitta people have sharp nose, teeth , eyes; because of the hot, sharp and oily qualities these people have a tendency to grey prematurely. Strong appetite and strong body odour are the other characteristics.

Mental constitution: sharp memory, often wise and brilliant but tend to be dominating. They have a tenency to be overly critical and have a sharp tongue.

Pitta in balance:
Strong and complete digestion
Efficient assimilation of foods
Searchod complexion; healthy facial tone and coloration
Stimulated, open intellect

Pitta out of balance:
Incomplete digestion; poor differentiation between nutrients and wastes
Variable, blotchy skin color, inflamed; unhealthy appearance
Dullness of reasoning faculty

Tridosha

The cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine is the concept of the Doshas or the biological humors. The doshas are the basic operating principles which govern the psycho-biological aspect of the body. These are three in number and are called the Tridosha, the Vata, Pitta and the Kapha.

These doshas are composed by the combination of the five elements or the ‘PanchMahabhut’. The five elements are:
Space or Akasha
Air or Vayu
Fire or Tejas
Water or Apa
Earth or Prithvi
Elements Composing The Tridosha
Vata: Space (Akasha) and Air (Vayu)
Pitta: Fire (Tejas) and Water (Apa)
Kapha: Water (Apa) and Earth (Prithvi)


Thus, Vata is composed of space and air, Pitta of fire and water, and Kapha of water and earth.
The tridosha regulates every physiological and psychological process in the living organism. The interplay among them determines the qualities and conditions of the individual. A harmonious state of the three doshas creates balance and health; an imbalance, which might be an excess (vrddhi) or deficiency (ksaya), manifests as disease.

Vata-pitta-kapha are present in every cell, tissue and organ. In every person they differ in permutations and combinations. The sperm and the ovum also contain vata-pitta-kapha (VPK). The sperm gets influenced by the father's lifestyle, diet and emotions, and the ovum by the mother's. At the time of fertilization, when a single sperm enters a single ovum, individual constitution is determined.

According to Ayurveda, there are seven body types: mono-types (vata, pitta or kapha predominant), dual types (vata-pitta,pitta-kapha or, kapha-vata), and equal types, (vata, pitta and kapha in equal proportions). Every individual has a unique combination of these three doshas. To understand individuality is the foundation of healing according to Ayurveda, "The Science of Life".

Panchkarma

Panchkarma is a part of the purification therapies of Ayurveda. ‘Panch’ means five and ‘Karma’ means actions so literally translated, it is a set of five systematic actions used for purification of the body. It is used to bring the aggravated doshas into balance and to flush out the accumulated ‘ama’ toxins from the body using the normal modes of elimination like the intestines, sweat glands and the urinary tract.

Elimination is a natural body instinct but over a period of time, and in cases of dosha imbalance these wastes are not effectively eliminated from the body. These wastes tend to stick into the minute channels of the body known as the ‘srotas’ and start producing disease. Panchkarma is considered to be the most radical way to cleanse the body and thereby eliminate, once and for all the disease causing doshas and the toxins.

Since most of the treatments used in Panchkarma are used to treat deep rooted diseases, a set of preliminary detoxification and ‘ama’(toxin) reducing methods should be followed for a period of a week or more. These are known as the ‘PurvaKarma’.

PurvaKarma: this consists of the following steps

1.Snehan(oleation therapy) : these are of two types, internal snehan-medicated oils and ghee(clarified butter) are used. These help in pushing the impurities so that their elimination becomes easy.

External snehan- This comprises of different kinds of massage. Medicated oils like sesame oil are used.

2.Swedan(sweating) : sweating is done shortly after the massage. This is done in a sweat box or with the steam of diaphoretic herbs like camphor or eucalyptus.

Panchkarma: The five steps are as follows:

1.Vamana – use of emetics – artificial vomiting is induced using herbs like, strong teas of locorice, salt, calamus. It is usually indicated for people and disorders of ‘Kapha’(phlegm).

2.Virechan – use of laxatives – A strong purgative like senna or rhubarb is given. It is normally used to eliminate high Pitta(fire) from its site in the small intestines.

3.Basti – use of medicated enemas – cleaning enemas are used primarily to dispel high Vata(air) from the colon.

4.Nasya – Nasal administration – medicinal oils or herbal mixtures are inhaled or used as drops(mixed with oils or ghee) to clear the congestion in the sinuses. It is also good for balancing the ‘prana vata’.

5.Rakta Mokshana – blood letting – this is not much in use these a days except in oriental systems of medicine.

PaschatKarma:

The use of Panchkarma therapies puts a lot of strain on the body and the digestive fire becomes weak. Paschatkarma is the set of therapies used to regain the vigour and vitality of the body. These include:

1.Samsarjan karma:a special diet and life style is prescribed for about two weeks. In this therapy the digestive power and strength of the person is restored by starting a light diet and gradually moving towards a heavy diet.

2.Shamana: In this treatment is given for the main condition for which the panchkarma was undertaken.

3.Rasayan: It is a special form of tonification therapy. This is best done after the panchkarma. Special herbs are used to tone up the various systems of the body.

Ayurveda recommends that everyone needs the Panchkarma. ideally it should be done three times a year, at the turn of spring, fall and winter. Today’s hectic life may not permit us such a luxury but on e should try getting one week of these therapies once a year to keep in good health year after year.

One word of caution though, these are very specific and technical therapies and these should only and only be done under the supervision and direction of a well qualified Ayurvedic practitioner.

Dinacharya - The Ideal Daily Routine

Researchers have long discovered that our body has many inbuilt rhythms or cycles. Most of our body functions follow a daily cycle. our weight fluctuates during the day and is maximum in the evening, our body temperature is highest in the evening, most of our hormones have their well defined periods of high and low secretions during the day and the most obvious of all the sleep – wake cycle. Therefore intrinsically the emphasis in our body is on natural cycles.

In Sanskrit the daily routine is called the Dinacharya. Din means 'day' and ‘acharya’ means 'to follow' or 'close to'. So Dinacharya is basically an ideal daily schedule for us which takes into account the nature’s master cycle and suggests actions to follow. Ayurveda recommends that in order to be optimally healthy we should tune our bodies to the nature’s master cycle which in turn regulates the various other rhythms.

Everyday two waves of change pass through us, each bringing a Vata, Pitta, and a Kapha cycle. The approximate times of these cycles are as follows:

First cycle: 6 A.M. to 10 A.M. - Kapha
10 A.M. to 2 P.M. - Pitta
2 P.M. to 6 P.M. - Vata

Second cycle:
6 P.M. to 10 P.M. - Kapha
10 P.M. to 2 P.M. - Pitta
2 A.M to 6 P.M. - Vata

Based on the above cycles the ideal schedule would be something like:

MORNING
From 2 until 6, or until dawn, the Vata element is dominant. Waking up an hour before dawn you utilize the Vata qualities in the nature. Vata is light, subtle and clear and this helps in tuning the body to the delicate messages the nature sends. This is the time when there is the most sattva in the air. It is the most fresh and pure time of the day.

Drinking a glass or two of warm water helps in the elimination.

Brush the teeth and scrape the tongue. Ayurveda considers the coating of the tongue as an indicator of ‘Ama’ or toxins in the colon.

Massage the body(abhyanga) with sesame oil. This massage need not be long and cumbersome. Massaging the Scalp, forehead, temples , hand and feet for about 2 – 3 minutes is sufficient

Bathe in water which is neither too hot nor too cold.

Exercise a little doing some Yoga postures and breathing exercises(Pranayam).

Meditate for about 15 minutes.
Breakfast should be warm, nourishing and wholesome

NOON
Lunch should be taken early between 12 and 1P.M. this coincides with the peak Pitta period, Pitta is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day. After the meal it is good to take a little walk, a couple hundred steps only, to help the food digest. Anything more than a short nap should be avoided because sleeping in the day is prohibited in Ayurveda.

SUNDOWN:
Sundown is a special time of balance between day and night. In this balance it is easier for your mind to stop long enough so that you can see your Self. This is the time for evening prayers and meditations in many cultures around the world.

DINNER: 6-7 P.M.
It should be taken around 6 – 7 P.M. It should be lighter than the lunch. The dinner should be at least three hours before bedtime as gives the body ample time to digest the food. Sleeping just after the dinner with a heavy stomach is not conducive to a sound sleep.

Walk to aid digestion for about 10 – 15 minutes.
BEDTIME: 9.30 – 10.30 P.M.

Search to sleep so that you can get 6 to 7 hours of sleep before 4:30 am. A good practice is to massage the soles of your feet with a calming before going to bed. This will calm your system and promote well being.

All of this might have sounded dull and dreary but the fact of the matter is that one should try to keep the routine as close to the recommended Dincharya as possible. The body might resist the change for a few days or weeks but if you do manage to persist then you are bound to get rewarded with a much healthier and satisfying life.

Introduction to Alternative Medicine

Over the past few years there has been greater interest in the alternative modes of therapy. One of the reasons for this is the been some disenchantment with the conventional western medicine. But the problem remains that despite some interest in alternative medicine, people are not able to get the right kind of information. There are widely conflicting stories circulating in the media as to the efficacy of alternative medicine.
Here is an attempt to answer a few basic and important queries regarding alternative medicine.

Q. What is ‘Alternative Medicine’?
A complete definition of alternative medicines is difficult to derive as it means different things to different people. In general terms, Alternative therapy is all those modalities and techniques of healthcare which are not provided by the conventional allopathic practitioner.
It is an all encompassing term for systems of medicine like ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy, Reiki etc.

Even if you do not know what alternative medicines are you would have used them in one or other way in your own life. If you have ever had tea with Tulsi leaves and a bit of ginger in it, or if you have decided to fast for a day because of an upset stomach you have already used Alternative Therapy techniques. If you've ever massaged your temples to ease a headache, applied an ice pack to a sprained ankle, or listened to your car radio to de-stress during a traffic jam, you've already practiced some simple natural healing techniques.

In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 percent of the world's population (about 3 billion people) rely on traditional (‘alternative’) medicine as their primary form of health care.

IANS

Regular peelings and daily scrubbing with a brush can prevent stretch marks, which occur when the skin is stretched during pregnancy or from being overweight, the German women's magazine Feundin reported.
Peelings and washings increase circulation and keep the tissue elastic, the Munich-based magazine said. The same is true of massages.

When stretch marks are already visible on the skin, the use of certain substances can help.

Peptide and silicon derivatives are effective as well as plant extracts from ivy, lady's mantle, mimosa and holy thistle, the report said. Though they cannot remove the small streaks, they could help conceal them, it said

Ayurveda

According to Akhilesh Sharma, visiting faculty, California College of Ayurveda, the ban is a systematic conspiracy to curb the growing popularity of the oldest system of medicine which has become more of a fad. He argues, “This malign campaign began in 2003 when the officials of Food and Drugs Act (FDA) picked up a couple of samples in Boston in New York. And they reported that they were adulterated , containing metals more than the permissible limit. But that is not true for when metals used for processing are used for preparations , they are purified and rendered harmless. And thus the medicines don’t cause any side effects. The MNCs who are levelling the allegations have not done any human trials but instead based their reports on lab experiments.”

Says ayurvedic physician, SK Gupta, “When the medicines are prepared, certain bhasms (compounds of metals) are used like that of zinc, silver, gold and iron. But if the arsenic is purified, then the toxicity of the metal is diluted and there is no problem in using that. The Indian government had passed a law recently to state the percentage of metal content for export drugs which has been put into force recently.”

Adds Gupta, “The controversy over the use of animal products is motivated. They are used only if they have medicinal value. Even animal products like tiger’s teeth and deer’s horn have curative properties but since they are endangered, they are banned from any usage. ”

Ayurveda, India’s most ancient system of medicine, is under attack from the US drug authorities, despite its popularity among the Hollywood biggies

Made in India, adopted by the Westerners ! Ayurveda’s growing popularity can be gauged from the international line-up of celebs like Madonna, Sting, Demi Moore, Cindy Crawford and Goldie Hawn who have faith in it. The centuries old traditional system of Indian medicine has now become a popular way of holistic healing worldwide. But of late, Ayurveda has been attacked by one controversy after the other. While the latest one on the use of animal products by Baba Ramdev’s pharmacy refuses to die down, more recently, New York banned the sale of three Indian herbal products, claiming that they contain dangerous levels of lead or mercury.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) had found that Jambrulin contained 24,300 ppm of lead, Lakshmivilash Ras contained 14,100 ppm of mercury and Maha Sundarshan contained 2,190 ppm of mercury. Vaid Devendra Triguna, president, All India Ayurveda Congress, who is treating former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee for ailments and has also been advisor to many former Presidents, says, “It’s a drug war between the MNCs of US, UK, Europe on one hand and India on the other. The MNC lobby is working against us. The reason is that ayurvedic medicines don’t have any side-effects and are cost effective. We have an export worth Rs 1,500 crores. Since 1978, I have been visiting major universities in the US and Europe for delivering lectures on this traditional system of medicine and today we have thousands of followers. 95 percent of ayurvedic medicines are herbs and do not contain any metal compound.”

Why Choosing to Get Your Child Vaccinated Against HPV Is a Tough Call

Parents certainly need to be told about the known risks—including allergic reactions and fainting—and may be justified in using caution if their daughter previously had a bad reaction (like spiked fevers or seizures) to a different vaccine, Deborah Kotz reports. What's more, all parents need to understand that Gardasil protects against the strains that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers, not all. So vaccinated women still need Pap smears for early detection.