Health News

The perfect way to end the day for some of us would be eating a piece of dark chocolates. The presence of antioxidants and lower levels of sugar in the dark chocolates would make them a healthier treat. Not many of us would know that the dark chocolates could harm our body also. These things will happen if we consume dark chocolates during the night before sleeping. Positive effects: Body will repair itself: Both inflammation as well as oxidative stress would be removed by eating dark chocolates containing flavonoids. Truth is that the antioxidants would support our overnight cell recovery when we consume dark chocolates at night. Boost our mood: It is believed that eating dark chocolates during the night would lift our mood after a long day. Feel good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin would be stimulated. By this, we could feel happy and relaxed before going to bed. It is good to eat in moderation. Lowers stress and calms down nerves: Over-thinking would be high especially in the night. So, eating dark chocolates containing magnesium would bring calmness in us and stress would get reduced. Negative effects: Sleep disturbances: Caffeine and theobromine are present in the dark chocolates and these are stimulants. Therefore, intake of dark chocolates in the night would affect the sleep. If we eat dark chocolates too late in the night, then our sleep could get delayed plus we could get a lowered deep sleep quality etc. Late night cravings for sugar: It is known that dark chocolates have less sugar content when compared with milk chocolates. Bitter fact is that eating dark chocolates at night could trigger sugar cravings in the night. The blood sugar would be spiked briefly and this would force us to snack again. For uninterrupted sleep, stable blood sugar levels are important.              Chances of acidity or discomfort: After eating dark chocolates late at night, those persons prone to acidity etc would feel uneasy or disiscomfort. As esophageal muscles get relaxed due to theobromine, acidity symptoms would worsen Therefore,, it would be good to eat dark chocolates in the evening and in small amounts. When to eat dark chocolates? This leads to an important question now – When to eat dark chocolates? It would be good to eat dark chocolates in the night one to two hours before going to bed and not right before sleeping. Portion control is very important and combining it with a herbal tea would provide more relaxation during night.

In humans, lungs are the important organs and they help us in respiration. Point to be noted is that lungs take in oxygen from air and transfer it to blood and remove carbon dioxide from blood to be exhaled. Therefore, it is necessary that we must have good lung health. These days, lung diseases have become very common and many get affected. It is noteworthy that early detection of lung disease would make the treatment more effective. Usually, cough is considered to be an important sign of lung disease. Not many would be aware of other signs of lung disease. Various subtle signs of lung disease in us are Shortness of breath while doing daily activities: Those with lung disease would find it difficult to breathe while walking or while performing household chores etc. It must be noted that issues like COPD and pulmonary fibrosis etc could hinder lungs from effectively exchanging oxygen. Abnormal fatigue: It is known that lungs provide oxygen to our body cells. Our body would have to work harder when the oxygen intake is compromised. By this, we could feel abnormally tired even after resting well. When we feel abnormally tired without any changes in the lifestyle, diet or sleep etc then it is due to lung issues only. Chest tightness: Persons with lung disease would have chest tightness in them. This is because of inflammation and narrowing of the airways etc. It must be taken into note that chest pain might not be heavy but even mild also. Frequent respiratory infections: Getting cold, bronchitis and sinus infections etc frequently could be due to lung disease. Please take care. Truth is that weakened lungs would have trouble in removing irritants and pathogens etc. Noisy breathing or wheezing etc: Airway obstruction or inflammation would be revealed by noisy breathing or wheezing. Unless we are quiet, resting etc the breathing noises would not be heard. Unexplained weight loss: This is also one sign of lung diseases in us. Losing weight in a healthy manner is different from unexplained weight loss. It must be noted that lung disease would make the body expend additional energy just to breathe. Blue lips or fingertips: Lips n nails and fingers etc would appear pale or bluish in colour and this can be due to low blood oxygen levels due to the lung disease. Reduced lung efficiency is also indicated by shorter periods of discolouration.

Are you aware of what palmar erythema, dupuytrens contracture and terry`s nails etc is? Playing an important role in processes like detoxification, metabolism and digestion etc, liver is a crucial organ in our body. It is necessary that for our lives to be normal we must have good liver health. Damaged liver or liver malfunctions would be revealed by certain signs on our hands. Long before other signs would appear our hands would provide us early clues about liver damage in us. It is necessary that we must consider these signs seriously and take necessary action. Various subtle signs of liver damage shown in our hands are Palmar erythema or red palms: Beneath the thumb and little finger, we could have red colored and this is palmar erythema. Here, elevated oestrogen levels could result in vasodilation in our hands. If red colour occurs in health persons then it is normal but in certain adults it reveals underlying liver issues. Dupuytren`s contracture: Beneath the skin of the palm, tissue would get thickened and tightened leading to bent fingers and this is referred to as dupuytren`s contracture. Those with liver disease would have this mostly. Terry`s nails: Presence of white appearance at the tip of the nails with narrow pink band at the base is terry`s nails. It must be noted that the nail change could indicate liver cirrhosis in us. This sign would also be seen in persons with heart failure, diabetes etc. Nail clubbing: In some persons, their fingertips and nails would be round and wide and this is called nail clubbing. These persons might have chronic liver diseases. Asterixis: A coarse, non-rhythmic tremor with sudden brief lapses in muscle contraction is asterixis. Those patients with severe liver disease would show this sign. It is a neurological disorder that is characterised by flapping tremor. Itchy palms and soles etc: It is worthy to note that Cholestasis is a condition where flow of bile from the liver gets slowed down. As a result, bile components would build up in the body. The person would have itchy palms and soles. Issues like liver cirrhosis could lead to cholestasis in us. When to seek a doctor? It is worth noting that if a person finds persistent changes in their hands like redness, nail abnormalities, unexplained itching etc, then he or she must consult a medical professional or doctor immediately. Effective liver management would be possible by early detection of liver problems.

For many people, eating idli for breakfast would be boring!! How about you? If there is one breakfast that is wholesome, light on our stomach but highly filling etc, then it is none other than the soft and fluffy idli.  It is also one of the cleanest traditional breakfast choices because it is steamed and fermented.   It is said that eating idly everyday for breakfast could be very beneficial to us. There are superb health benefits of eating idli every day for breakfast and they are Good for digestion: The growth of good gut bacteria would be encouraged by fermented foods like idli. This would lead to smoother digestion. As idly is steamed and easy to break down, the stomach doesn`t have to work hard to process it. Those with acidity, heaviness and frequent bloating would find eating idly very easy and comfortable. Bowel health would be supported by consuming idly with sambar containing fibres. Long lasting energy: The presence of complex carbohydrates in idli would release energy slowly and this would keep us active for longer duration. Issues like sudden hunger spikes would be avoided in us. When we consume idly with proteins and vegetables etc, idly would offer a balanced start. Cravings for food would be controlled. It is worthy to note that the slow energy release would help us to avoid mid morning junk snacking. Supports heart health: Idly is low in fat and free from excess oil etc as it is steamed. It was brought to light by a research study in 2018 that replacing high fat breakfast with low fat options would support cardiovascular health. Our heart would function well by combining idly with sambar due to antioxidants and fibres etc. Helps in weight management: There are 35 calories to 50 calories present in one medium idly. We would feel full without any sluggishness due to the light texture of idly. This would control calorie control throughout the day. It is worthy to note that by combining idly with sambar or chutney having proteins etc our satiety would increase and hunger would reduce. Gentle on the gut and immunity: Our gut would be benefited if we eat fermented foods. It must be noted that gut health would have a direct impact on immunity. By eating idly, our overall well being would become better. It is noteworthy that a calm gut health would reflect in our mood, skikin health and immunity.

How Stress Affects Blood Sugar Levels When stressed, the body enters a fight-or-flight mode, triggering hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones raise blood sugar levels to provide quick energy. For individuals with diabetes, this natural response can be problematic. Stress increases insulin resistance, making it harder for cells to absorb glucose. Blood sugar can rise unexpectedly even without food, affecting both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and complicating diabetes management. Impact of Emotional and Physical Stress Emotional Stress: Prolonged cortisol secretion due to anxiety, work pressure, or financial concerns can elevate blood sugar levels and trigger food cravings. Physical Stress: Factors like illness, injury, or lack of sleep release stress hormones that spike blood sugar and reduce insulin sensitivity. Ways to Lower Stress and Improve Blood Sugar – Engage in regular physical activity such as walking, jogging, or light exercises.– Practice deep breathing, yoga, or mindfulness meditation to calm the mind.– Ensure a minimum of 6 hours of sleep daily.– Consume a balanced diet rich in high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and whole grains to stabilize blood sugar levels. Note: If stress consistently affects blood sugar levels despite lifestyle changes, consult a doctor or mental health professional. They may recommend therapy or specialized stress management programs to help manage both stress and diabetes effectively.   

If you have been sitting for a long time in front of your computer without any movement then you have more chances of getting affected with blood clots or thrombosis!! It has been brought to light by some doctors that too much sitting whether at work or sitting during travel or even at home etc could cause VTE or venous thromboembolism. This is an issue that combines both deep vein thrombosis or DVT or pulmonary embolism or PE. What exactly is thrombosis? When the normal flow of blood is restricted due to the formation of a blood clot inside the vein then thrombosis would occur in us. Information is that DVT would occur in our legs. Sometimes, clot would travel to the lungs too and this could lead to pulmonary embolism or PE. It was pointed out by a Dr. Sunil Rana from Asian Hospital that Reason why sitting increases the risk: The circulation of blood would lower in our legs if we just sit for a long duration of time. This can lead to venous stasis and it would make it simpler for clots to develop. Especially those who are dehydrated or overweight must be very careful. There would be inflammation in our blood vessels due to stagnation and this would then lead to clot formation in us. It has been brought out by some research studies that sitting for more than 8 hours without any movement could result in thrombosis. There are certain warning signs of thrombosis in us and these are Various early signs of thrombosis are swelling in a single leg, redness or skin becoming darkened, sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, rapid heartbeat or dizziness etc. Who could get affected by thrombosis easily? Thrombosis could occur in those persons who sit for an extended period of time, had surgery recently, those who use birth control pills, those who smoke, those who are obese and those who have family history of clots etc. Ways to avoid thrombosis: Firstly, by shifting every 30 to 45 minutes by standing up, doing stretches and walking for short distances etc. Secondly, it is necessary to stay hydrated or drink water because dehydration would thicken the blood and this would increase clots. Blood clots can be avoided by us by sitting up straight with feet flat on the floor and finally by doing a minimum of 150 hours of physical activity every week.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. With so many treatment options available, it’s natural to feel uncertain. This is why getting a second opinion from another cancer specialist is so important – it helps confirm your diagnosis, review your options, and give you peace of mind before starting treatment. Why a Second Opinion Matters Confirms the Diagnosis:Cancer is complex, and test results can sometimes be interpreted differently. A second opinion ensures that the type and stage of cancer are correctly identified. Explores More Treatment Options:Another oncologist may suggest new or less aggressive treatments, including targeted therapy or clinical trials. Avoids Unnecessary Risks:A second opinion can help you avoid treatments that might not be necessary or suited to your condition. Builds Confidence:When two specialists agree, it strengthens your trust in the treatment plan. If they differ, you gain more knowledge to make an informed choice. When to Get a Second Opinion – When first diagnosed with cancer.– Before major surgery or chemotherapy.– When cancer returns or spreads.– When you feel unsure about the first treatment plan. Final Word A second opinion in cancer care is not about doubting your doctor – it’s about protecting your health and making the best decision. Taking this extra step can ensure the right treatment, reduce stress, and bring hope for a better recovery.

Caffeine and cortisol don`t get along!! If you think that drinking coffee after waking up in the morning would give you energy without any issue you might be surprised by this!! It has been brought out by some experts that drinking coffee in the morning could also spike the cortisol or stress hormone levels in us. High levels of cortisol would be secreted by our body automatically after we wake up in the morning and this would increase our alertness and energy etc. Truth is that this increase in cortisol hormone usually takes place between 6qam to 10am in the morning and by drinking coffee at this period caffeine would reinforce the effect making cortisol levels higher. We could feel weird, irritable and would have a racing heart etc. It was mentioned by a senior consultant from Noida based Sharda Hospitals that chronic high cortisol over time can result in issues like fatigue, hormonal disruption and sleep issues etc. When to drink coffee after waking up? Now, this leads to an important question – When to drink coffee after waking up in the morning? It is worthy to note that we mustn`t drink coffee right after waking up in the morning. After waking, we must wait for 80 to 90 minutes and then drink coffee. This was as per the consultant from Sharda Hospitals. There are few signs that would reveal that the coffee is spiking our cortisol levels. The signs are feeling jittery after drinking coffee, racing heart plus other signs like slump in the energy midday despite drinking coffee and difficulties in sleeping during night etc. Stress response: Drinking coffee would trigger adrenal glands to secrete more cortisol and adrenaline and this would be similar to how hormones would be released when the body faces stress. It must be noted that if  a person is already under pressure due to work, lack of sleep etc then this extra boost would push stress levels even more. Simple tests to know if cortisol in the body gets spiked by coffee intake Step one, we must not drink coffee as soon as we get up and instead wait for 60 to 90 minutes. Step two, by eating a minor snack or breakfast that would buffer the effect of caffeine on the stress system. It is necessary to consume matcha or green tea instead of coffee if the body is very sensitive. By watching the energy curve for about a week and monitor how mood and alertness shifts. Finally, by monitoring cortisol with saliva or blood tests etc. Important note: It is worth noting that by coordinating or synchronising coffee routing with the natural cortisol cycle we would be able to drink coffee without any jitter or energy slump etc.

Not only sleepless nights, fatigue etc, but many new mothers suffer from after pregnancy headaches or postpartum migraine headaches also!! It is true that becoming a mother is filled with superb happiness and challenges. It is worthy to note that factors like hormonal changes, stress, disrupted sleep and changes in the routine are responsible for postpartum migraines in new mothers. It is necessary that new mothers must take measures to manage their migraines. In the first 6 weeks after giving birth to a baby, 30% to 40% new mothers would get affected with postpartum headaches. The frequency of migraines would become more after giving birth as their oestrogen levels would reduce. Irregular sleep schedules, dehydration plus skipped meals and stress etc could lead to severe migraine headaches in the new mothers. New mothers could manage their postpartum migraine headaches in these ways. Track your symptoms: It is worthy to note that by tracking the symptoms of postpartum headaches new mothers would be able to manage their pain well. Truth is that new mothers must maintain a headache diary that would help them to identify certain triggers like food, lack of sleep etc. By maintaining gentle routine: The newborne would require round the clock care and new mothers must maintain their regular meal times and hydration etc. By this, new mothers could avoid sudden drops in their blood sugar levels. By prioritising sleep: One of the most important causes for migraine in the new mothers is lack of quality sleep. It is true that newborn care would not allow the new mothers to take rest or sleep well but making small adjustments could make a difference. By sleeping when baby sleeps: Fatigue in the new mothers would reduce even if she takes naps for 20 to 30 minutes during the time when her baby sleeps. By sharing night duties: The new mothers must ask their partners or other family members etc to help with night feeds so that she could take rest at that time. By creating a calm bedtime routine: Before bedtime, it is important to dim lights, avoid screens and d do deep breathing exercises etc to create calmness before bedtime. Effective home remedies for postpartum migraines are By applying cold or warm compress: It would be good to apply cold compress on the forehead and warm pack to the neck to ease tension. By massaging: Pressure in the new mothers could ease by gently massaging temples or the skull`s base etc. By relaxation techniques: By doing deep breathing, mindfulness meditation etc stress could be reduced in the new mothers and migraines could be prevented. Please, take care. Seeking emergency care: Though migraine headaches are common in the new mothers, sometimes they might reveal serious conditions like preeclampsia or postpartum hypertension etc. New mothers must seek immediate help if they have sudden severe headaches, blurred vision and high BP, swelling etc. 

How will you feel if you come to know that your youthful complexion is just a glass of lauki juice away? Truth is that not many of us would love to drink lauki juice. Many of us would find lauki juice boring and bland. Lauki or bottle gourd belongs to the family cucurbitaceae and genus lagenaria. The sensational piece of information is that drinking lauki juice would boost our skin health to a huge extent. Truth is that drinking this vegetable juice would do wonders on our skin. There are many nutrients like dietary fibres, vitamin B and C plus minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus etc present in lauki or bottle gourd juice. Health benefits we can get by drinking lauki or bottle gourd juice. These are Has high water content: The most important reason why lauki juice will be superb for our skin health is that it contains high amounts of water in it. It is known that hydrating vegetables would nourish our skin and would prevent dryness. Fact is that lauki has got 92 to 96percent of water in it and would be superb for our skin. Rich in vitamin C: For our skin health to be good, it is essential that we must consume vitamin C rich foods. What better than lauki juice having vitamin C. It must be taken into account that vitamin C would fight free radicals and would help in collagen formation. Our skin would look radiant, rejuvenated and refreshed by intake of lauki juice. Has anti inflammatory properties: The anti-inflammatory properties of lauki juice would soothe irritated skin and reduce redness etc. it was brought to light by a research study published in the journal Ethnopharmacology that lauki`s bioactive compounds would help in skin healing. So for a clearer and even tone complexion, it is a must to consume this juice. Boosts production of collagen: For maintaining skin youthfulness, lauki juice would be superb. When we grow older or age, collagen production would reduce. Truth is that lauki`s vitamin C and antioxidants would counteract this effect. Promotes skin elasticity: It is known that vitamins and minerals would help in skin elasticity and lauki juice has vitamins and minerals in it. This would help in skin elasticity and the ski would be flexixible and supple. Our skin texture would get better plus our wrinkles and fine lines would get reduced etc.