Health News

Our memory, thinking and everyday life are affected by one important condition named dementia. Many elderly persons these days have Alzheimer`s disease or AD, which is a leading form of dementia and they find it very difficult. We could lower the chances of dementia in us by means of physical activity, especially cycling. It is noteworthy that cycling is a low impact physical activity that would improve our heart as well as brain health. It was brought out by a research study that those who do cycling in their middle age have low chances of developing dementia in their later stage. Point to be noted is that cycling daily would reduce dementia risk by 19 percent and the risk of AD would be reduced by 22 percent. How can cycling lower dementia risk in us? It has been revealed by research that regular cycling could Improve cognitive ability: By cycling, cognitive function in elderly persons would get improved and this includes memory attention and processing speed etc. Lowers inflammation in us: One important risk factor for dementia is inflammation. It must be noted that by cycling we would be able to lower inflammation in us. Promote blood flow to brain: By cycling, blood flow to the brain would get better. This would help us to have healthy brain function. Boost mood and lower stress etc: By cycling, endorphins would get released and cortisol levels would get reduced. By this, issues like stress, anxiety and depression would get alleviated. Conclusion: Cycling would improve our brain health by boosting our cognitive function, by reducing the risk of dementia in us plus by boosting our mood and by increasing BDNF or brain derived neurotrophic factor

More than 830 million across the world are suffering from one important health condition. Guess what? It is the diabetes condition or high blood sugar levels. It was brought to light by WHO or World Health organisation that in 2022 14percent of adults above the age of 18 have been living with diabetes. An important method by which we could manage this issue in us would be by keeping a check on what we consume. Point is that foods we eat have a direct impact on our blood sugar levels. There are some foods that could spike our blood sugar levels. There are many diabetic people who are confused regarding whether dates could be good for them or not. Can diabetic persons eat dates? It is true that dates when consumed in moderate amounts are good for the health. These reddish coloured dry fruits have fibres plus others like vitamins and minerals etc.  The natural sugar content present in dates would lead to confusion regarding eating for the diabetic persons. It is noteworthy that dates have high GI but the fibre content in the dates would slow down sugar absorption by the body. Therefore, eating dates are considered to be better when compared with refined sugar or sweets. Those who have control over their diabetes condition would not get any issue if they eat one or two dates per day. There would not be any significant rise in the blood sugar levels in them after eating dates. It must be noted that the fibres plus antioxidants like flavonoids and phenolic acids etc in the dates would help in blood sugar level management and lower inflammation. Portion control is important: It is worth mentioning here that control over portions is very important as excess intake of dates could result in the spike in blood sugar levels. Dates could be consumed in combination with nuts, yoghurt and high fibre foods etc and digestion would get slowed down. Those with diabetes must monitor their blood sugar levels after consuming dates. By this, these diabetic persons would come to know about how their body would react. Conclusion: For those with diabetics, it is good to eat dates in moderate amounts in small portions as they could be natural healthy snacks. Point is that it is essential to consult a healthcare provider etc before making changes in the diet. Please take care.

For a healthy and comfortable environment, it is necessary that we maintain optimal humidity levels indoors. This would be required in the cold climates or in dry climates etc. What is a humidifier? It is a device that has been designed to add moisture to the air. By this, the overall quality of air inside the office or home could get better. It must be noted that humidifiers would combat the effects of dry air. We could get many health issues due to this. Various types of humidifiers are central humidifiers, steam vaporizer, ultrasonic humidifiers, impeller humidifiers and evaporator etc., There are certain health benefits of using a humidifier inside hoes and these are Bring relief to respiratory issues: Respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis etc would get exacerbated due to dry air. By using a humidifier, moisture would be added to air and this would clear our nasal congestion etc. Our breathing would become nice and smooth. Moisturises skin and hair: Our skin could become dry, itchy and flaky etc due to dry air. The reason is that dry air would rob the skin of its natural moisture. Our skin would get hydrated due to humidifiers and promote healthier hair and skin. Lowers the chances of respiratory infections: The virus and bacteria would spread easily in dry air. When we use humidifiers at homes, moisture would make it tough for these microbes to thrive. Improved sleep quality: It is noteworthy that dry air could lead to nasal congestion, dry throat and itchiness etc. By humidifiers, a more favourable environment would be created for sleep. Prevents dryness and irritation in eyes, nose etc: It is worthy to note that by using humidifiers inside homes dryness and irritation in eyes, nose etc would be avoided.

When was the last time you went for your health check up? While some people go for medical screenings or health check ups often, many others avoid citing reasons!! It is worth mentioning here that medical or health screenings are essential as they would help us to track our overall health. Not only do we get to know about the health issue or disease present in us by means of health checkups, but also prevent or avoid them. These are the health check up or medical screenings every male above the age of 40 must undergo for the sake of their overall health and well being. Blood pressure: Usually, high blood pressure or hypertension might not show any symptom but the fact is that it would harm our heart health, kidney health etc. Therefore, men above the age of 40 must get their BP done frequently to track their cardiovascular health. Cholesterol test or lipid profile: By this test, we would be able to get details about bad cholesterol levels or LDL, good cholesterol levels or HDL and triglyceride levels in us. High cholesterol is shown by higher levels of bad cholesterol. By this, we might get heart attacks etc due to clogged arteries. It would be possible to maintain our cholesterol levels by health checkups. Screening for diabetes: Without causing any major symptom, type 2 diabetes is a very common health condition that can occur in those who are above the age of 40. Pre-diabetes or diabetes could be detected by fasting blood sugar tests. It is noteworthy that detection of diabetes by health check up would help us to avoid health complications. PSA test or prostate cancer screening: Prostate cancer could be detected at an early stage itself through this PSA test. Those with family history are advised to undergo this important test. Liver function test or LFT: A simple blood test would be enough to detect liver damage or fatty liver disease in us. It is true that this LFT would help us to detect early signs of liver stress and would help us to avoid liver damage. Colon cancer screening: The fact is that colon cancer is one of the common types of cancer in men. Hidden blood that is a possible sign of colon cancer could be detected by a yearly stool test or FIT. Men above 40 are advised to undergo colonoscopy also. Eye examination: Annual eye checkups are necessary and these could help to detect issues like cataract, glaucoma etc. It must be noted that these could lead to vision problems. It is known that after the age of 40 men might get these eye issues.

Improving health related outcomes like cancer etc would depend on the oral health care. This was revealed by a recent study done by AIIMS or All India Institute for Medical Sciences, New Delhi. It must be noted that oral health care must be done not only at the primary levels but throughout all health management. Information is that the study was published in the Lancel regional Health- SE Asia in July month. Poor oral health could be related to several health issues in us and these would include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer`s disease or AD etc. This was according to cancer specialists like Dr. Abhishek Shankar and Dr. Vaibhav Sahni. Truth is that oral health is connected to cancer risk and its prediction especially regarding cancer in head and neck based cancers or HNC. There is a relation between periodontal disease or gum disease and various cancers of the digestive tract, prostate, pancreas, breast, uterus and lungs etc. Cancer incidence could get elevated due to the presence of pathogenic oral bacteria lie Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Prevotella Intermedia etc. Overall survival would get affected. It has been confirmed by the recent systematic review that radiotherapy or RT to the head and neck region would alter the oral microbiome. Beneficial bacteria would be reduced and potentially harmful species would get increased. This would result in post RT complications. This was as per the research study. It was later brought out by some researchers that patients with severe periodontal disease undergoing IMRT or intensity modulated radiotherapy along with or without chemotherapy have higher chances of post treatment bone healing complications. Therefore, it is highly essential for the patients to maintain good oral health before/during/post RT because the oral health would play a huge role in survivorship outcomes.  Routine dental visits are associated with lower cancer deaths and this was as per the research study. The necessity of integrating oral health practices must be done not only at the primary levels but also throughout all healthcare settings. This has been confirmed by the doctors.

Have you consumed healthy foods in the morning in an empty stomach and experienced stomach discomfort etc later on? Then, you are not alone!! Truth is that healthy foods need not be good for us and they might not be the best choice to begin the day. It is worth mentioning here that healthy foods would have nutrients but their high acidity, fibre content or sugar content etc could result in certain issues in us if we consume them in the morning. The issues are sluggishness, stomach discomfort, energy crashes, poor nutrient absorption etc. It is necessary to avoid these healthy foods in the morning. Avoid citrus fruits: It must be noted that citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C but their acidic nature would irritate the lining of the stomach if consumed in an empty stomach. Those with acid reflux would get heartburns or discomfort if they consume citrus fruits in the morning.  Avoid raw vegetables: Though the raw vegetables have superb nutrients in them but they also have insoluble fibres in them. This could be harsh on the stomach if eaten in an empty stomach. There are chances of abdominal cramps, bloating gas etc if we eat them in the morning in an empty stomach. Avoid granola or muesli: Being rich in sugars and refined oil etc, consuming granola bars first thing in the morning could result in mid-morning energy crash. Blood sugar regulation would be disturbed throughout the day if we consume this in the morning in an empty stomach. Avoid green smoothies: Examples like kale and spinach can be healthy but raw forms are rich in oxalates and fibres etc. When we consume green smoothies first thing in the morning in empty stomach calcium absorption can get hindered and there are also chances of issues like bloating, gas etc. Avoid tomatoes: Our stomach lining could get irritated by consuming tomatoes (rich in vitamin C and antioxidants etc) in an empty stomach. We could get gastritis or acid reflux symptoms. Avoid bananas: High in sugar content and acidic, intake of banana in the early morning can spike the blood sugar levels and increase magagnesium in the blood also. By this, there could be disturbed heart health in some persons. Avoid avocados etc: Intake of avocados in an empty stomach in the morning can become too heavy for some individuals. Digestion could get slowed down and we might feel sluggish etc.

Detoxification of harmful substances, production of bile for digestion etc are some of the key roles played by our liver. Not only these, the liver also does its role in storing vitamins, minerals etc. For the sake of our overall health, we must keep our liver health in good shape. For maintaining liver health, the food we consume is important. There are few foods that would prevent fat build up in the liver plus lower inflammation etc. Important foods to eat to boost our liver health are Intake of leafy green vegetables: The chlorophyll that is present in the leafy greens vegetables like spinach, kale etc would detoxify the liver. Our overall health would become better when we eat green leafy vegetables having important nutrients. Intake of cruciferous vegetables: Our liver health would get boosted by eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc rich in fibres and beneficial plant compounds etc. Intake of berries: Intake of berries not only would be beneficial for our heart but for our liver also. It must be noted that blueberries and cranberries having antioxidants would protect our liver from getting damaged. Intake of olive oil: The liver enzyme levels would get lowered and insulin sensitivity would get improved by consuming olive oil. It is believed that eating a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil would lower the chances of fatty liver issue in older adults. Intake of nuts: Our liver health would get boosted by the intake of nuts that have several important ingredients. Walnuts intake would lower the chances of fatty liver disease in us and this is due to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids plus others like vitamin E etc in nuts. Intake of coffee: It is true that coffee intake would be superb for liver health. We could avoid getting multiple liver issues by drinking coffee.

Many of us would have been familiar with issues like heart blockage, heart attack, heart failure etc How many really know what heart cancer is? In some people, the heart would have cancerous cells. This is known as heart cancer or heart tumour or cardiac tumour etc. Fact is that though the heart is the most important organ for our lives it is also highly susceptible to many health risks because of certain lifestyle habits. It is learnt that cardiac tumour or heart cancer is one of the rare and damaging conditions that could occur in the heart.  One out of every 2000 autopsies would have cardiac humour in them and this was according to ESC or European Society of Cardiology. The types of heart tumours are primary tumour or rare form and secondary tumour or most commonly occurring form. Symptoms: Persons with heart cancer would show important symptoms such as chest pain, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, feeling weak, shortness of breath etc. Information gathered is that the symptoms could vary based on the size, type and location of the tumour. Risk factors: There are few risk factors associated with heart cancer and these are age, genetics, exposed to certain environment factors etc. Heart cancer would also depend on other factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity etc. Diagnosis: Point to be noted is that heart cancer is rare and it would have symptoms similar to heart conditions. Therefore, it would not be easy to diagnose heat cancer. Echocardiograms would be able to diagnose heart cancer in us. With the help of CT scan, it would be possible to differentiate between benign and malignant tumours. Treatment of heart cancer: One important treatment is surgical removal of a tumor from the heart. The tumour could be shrunk through radiation therapy. It would be possible to use chemotherapy to target the cancerous cells and prevent it from spreading. It is noteworthy that in some conditions heart transplant will also be considered for the patients with heart cancer. Complete cure for heart cancer might not be possible but benign heart cancer can be cured.

An important stage in the lives of a woman is the pregnancy stage. Nothing can bring more joy and happiness for a woman than becoming a mother. Normally, pregnancy would be revealed 12 to 15 days after ovulation. It is worth mentioning here that normally pregnancy is revealed by a woman missing her monthly period. She would then confirm the pregnancy by means of a pregnancy test. Not many women would know that fact that her body itself would show certain signs of pregnancy. Some women can feel these signs in them but other women might not be able to feel the signs of pregnancy. The reason for that is that each body is different. Various signs of early pregnancy or before 6 weeks that are shown in a woman are Implantation or light bleeding: This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy in a woman. It must be noted that the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining between 5 to 14 days after conception. Point is that the early bleeding is both faint and temporary and it is a pink coloured discharge. It would be for just a couple of days.  As the light spotting would appear as a brief and minimal amount of discharge it is different from regular periods. The light bleeding that would differ from the usual heavy bleeding during periods would indicate the pregnancy. It is noteworthy that not every woman would have implantation bleeding. Breast changes and tenderness etc: The woman would have changes in her breast due to hormone based changes during pregnancy. It is noteworthy that breasts would become tender with swelling/soreness etc between 2 to 6 weeks after conception. Early signs of pregnancy would be revealed by tingling sensation in the breast. The reason is due to the body that is preparing to nourish the baby by making changes to breast tissue. Pregnancy based breast tenderness could be long lasting unlike menstruation based breast tenderness. Fatigue and more sleepiness: That the woman is pregnant is also shown by fatigue or sleepiness etc in her. There would be extreme tiredness in women who are 4 to 6 weeks pregnant and this inspite of good sleep in the nights. Point is that the body would release more progesterone that would make her relaxed as well as sleepier. Just after one week of conception, the first signs of fatigue would be visible. In the fourth week after conception, the signs would become stronger. Nausea and changes in smell and taste: Normally, in the late pregnancy or after 6 weeks only nausea would occur in a woman.  Four weeks after conception,n, morning sickness that includes vomiting and nausea would be present in women. It must be taken into account that this sign can occur at any time of the day. The early signs of pregnancy also include aversion to certain smells or taste etc. The pregnant woman could have a metallic taste in her mouth with sourness etc. Frequent urination and mild cramps: The conceived woman could get frequent urination and this is another important early sign of pregnancy. Here, the woman would have bladder pressure caused due to more blood flow to kidneys and expanding uterus etc. Within the lower abdominal area, mild stomach cramps can occur. It is brought out that fertilized egg implantation along with growing uterus can create these symptoms.

Do you have pets in your house? How would you feel if you were told that leptospirosis or hookworm infection that you have got is due to the pet you have in the house? Shocked right!!  Many of us have pets like dogs, cats and certain birds like parrots, pigeons etc in our houses. Bitter truth is that pets not only bring us huge happiness plus companionship etc but also bring viruses, bacteria etc. It is worthy to note that from pets humans can get certain diseases and these are termed as zoonotic diseases. With proper handling of pets, regular visits to veterinary doctors, with good personal hygiene et, we could avoid most pet related diseases in us. There are few diseases we could get from pets. Ringworm infection: Ringworm infections are fungal based infections that can affect our nails, skin scalp etc. Truth is that from pets like dogs and cats we could get ringworm infection directly. It is possible for us to avoid this infection by bathing pets daily plus grooming them. It is necessary to use disinfectants in those areas where pets visit the house. Finally, washing hands after handling pets is very important. Toxoplasmosis: A parasite that is found in cat faeces is responsible for getting toxoplasmosis. Those with weak immunity and pregnant women are at high risk. It is necessary to clean the litter box by using gloves etc/ pregnant women must avoid doing this. It is necessary to wash hands after completing the above said work. Cat scratch disease or CSD: Having pets like cats at home can also lead to CSD in us. Here, a scratch or bite from a cat can result in this bacterial infection in us. It is necessary that we try to avoid rough play with kittens especially.  Point is that we must clean the scratches immediately with soap and water. Salmonellosis: By handling reptiles, birds etc we can get this Salmonellosis infection in us that is caused by Salmonella bacteria. Even contaminated pet foods can cause this. It is important to wash hands after touching pets or pet foods etc. Leptospirosis: From the urine of the infected dogs, a bacterial infection can spread easily and that is leptospirosis infection. Through contaminated d water or soil, humans can get this infection.  Those having pets like dogs must vaccinate their dogs and they must try to avoid walking with their dogs in floodwater etc. Campylobacteriosis: There are possibilities of humans getting diarrhoea from pets. Campylobacteriosis is due to bacterial infection. When we handle kittens or puppies having diarrhoea issues, then we could also get diarrhoea. It is highly important to have good hygiene. Washing our hands before cooking or eating etc is essential. Rabies: From the bites of infected animals or pets like dogs etc, we can get this deadly viral infection.  Our nervous system could get affected by rabies. We must seek immediate medical treatment if bitten by even our pet dogs.