To Be or not to Be- An Organic
Consumer
It’s Your
Life!
Dr. AARTI
MISHRA
http//linkedin//doctorsword
http//linkedin//doctorsword
In the past
few years, many Indian celebrities have undergone treatment for cancer: Manisha
Koirala for ovarian cancer, Lisa Ray for bone cancer and Yuvraj Singh for lung
cancer.
* Cancer causes 13% of all deaths every year. Many of us must have seen cancer related deaths in our friends' or family circle at some point or the other. I saw my next door neighbor, a noble 47 year old M.B.B.S lady doctor dying of cancer when her daughter and son were just 16 and 11 years old respectively. This incident shattered her old mother completely!
One of the causes of cancer is environmental pollutants.
One of the causes of cancer is environmental pollutants.
*According
to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Pollutants, nine out of the twelve most dangerous and persistent chemicals are pesticides.
Pesticides have been found to be associated with-
- Leukemia (Blood Cancer)
* Breast cancer; liver, lungs and skin cancers
*Strong evidence indicates that exposure to
pesticides is associated with-
1. Birth defects, alteration in fetal growth and fetal death.
1. Birth defects, alteration in fetal growth and fetal death.
( a fetus is the small baby growing inside a woman's womb)
2. Impaired fertility in men.
ROUTES
THAT CAN EXPOSE PEOPLE TO PESTICIDES ARE -
- Food
- Chemicals used at home &
- Occupation
- A healthy diet should consist of 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.
Fruits and
vegetables contain remnants of pesticides even after they are washed and
peeled.
Pesticides cause slow poisoning of the human body !
Where does this leave us?
After all, we do have the right to three HEALTHY meals a day.
Where does this leave us?
After all, we do have the right to three HEALTHY meals a day.
HOW CAN WE ENSURE GOOD HEALTH FOR OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN?
THE HONEST ANSWER IS ORGANIC FOOD.
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE! DEMAND ORGANIC FOOD!!
Organic
farming is a type of agriculture that uses natural fertilizers and pest-control methods, and
excludes the use of chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, plant growth hormones and genetically modified seeds.
According to
the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM), “THE GOAL OF ORGANIC FARMING IS TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF
PEOPLE,SOIL AND ECOSYSTEMS”
The Distinctive Features of Organic
Farming are-
1) CROP
DIVERSIFICATION
2) BIO-FERTILIZERS &
2) BIO-FERTILIZERS &
3) NATURAL PEST CONTROL
1) Crop Diversification- Planting a variety of different crops in the same place helps
to support a large range of soil microorganisms and other factors that improve the overall health of the farm.
Chemical farming has extracted too much out of mother earth and made it barren! Now, its time to replenish it with nutrients.
2) Bio-fertilizers- Bio-fertilizers are formed by the natural breakdown of
organic matter (like crop residues and organic manure) by bacteria.
3) Natural
Pest Control- Natural
pest control methods include-
a) Encouraging predatory beneficial insects to control pests.
(This is
done by serving nursery plants to predatory insects)
b) Rotating crops to different locations every year to
interrupt pest reproduction cycles.
c) Using plants with bitter tasting leaves like ‘Neem’ and
‘Aloe-Vera’.
d) Using sanitation to remove
pest habitat.
LET'S RETURN
TO OUR ROOTS; BE ORGANIC AND HEALTHY!
ECONOMICS OF ORGANIC FARMING (a sub-field of Agricultural
Economics)
*The economics of organic farming
deals with the effect of organic farming on human society, social costs, opportunity costs, unintentional
consequences and
economies of scale.
WHAT CAN THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT DO TO PROMOTE ORGANIC FARMING ?
WHAT CAN THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT DO TO PROMOTE ORGANIC FARMING ?
The Haryana Government
started subsidizing organic farming to some extent after film star Aamir Khan took up the
issue of pesticides in his popular show ‘SATYAMEV JAYATE’.
It is high time that the Indian Government started subsidizing
organic farming liberally in order to stop the slow decay of the health of
Indians.
COST OF ORGANIC FOOD
At present,
organic food is 10-15% more expensive than chemically grown food because the
cost of inputs for organic farming is high and the demand for organic food is very less.
How to make Organic Food Pocket Friendly?
DEMAND ORGANIC FOOD !
If the people of our city/State/Country want to consume
organic food and if they convey their demand to the market, two things will
happen
*Cost of organic food will
come down because Indian farmers will adopt Organic farming on a larger scale
and their cost of production (per unit) will decrease.
* A number of retail outlets
of organic food will open in every Indian city to fulfill people’s demand.
This way, people can have easy access to organic fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, rice and other things at affordable rates.
This way, people can have easy access to organic fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, rice and other things at affordable rates.
At
present there are very few organic food retail outlets in India ( mainly in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mysore) because of lack
of sufficient demand among Indians. As a result, health-conscious people, who want to consume organic food do not have easy access to it, especially fruits and vegetables that are needed on a daily basis.
Call To Action!
From today itself, start demanding organic food from your local departmental stores and branded retail food outlets. Very soon, you will find that these stores will start stocking organic products to fulfill your demands. Remember, in today's world the customer is the king !
Call To Action!
From today itself, start demanding organic food from your local departmental stores and branded retail food outlets. Very soon, you will find that these stores will start stocking organic products to fulfill your demands. Remember, in today's world the customer is the king !
ULTIMATELY, WE
GET ONLY WHAT WE DEMAND!
Multi-storeyed malls have sprawled up in big cities because
people have shown great interest in buying branded clothes, accessories and
food in a rich ambiance. Today, the Indian market is flooded with a huge variety of mobile
phones since people started demanding fancy gizmos!
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST!
What is your idea of a good life?
Good health is the biggest luxury. Pursue vibrant health and everything else will follow!
What is your idea of a good life?
Good health is the biggest luxury. Pursue vibrant health and everything else will follow!
Dr.Aarti Mishra
The Organic Revolution!
Kill Pests, Not Human Beings!
Dr. Aarti Mishra
http://linkedin//doctorsword
http://linkedin//doctorsword
The 'BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY' that struck India in the eighties and killed thousands of people occurred because of leakage in a pesticide manufacturing plant.
According to the Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Pollutants, 9 out of the 12 most dangerous and persistent chemicals
are Pesticides.
A pesticide is a substance
that destroys or incapacitates pests by poisoning them. Pesticides protect
plants from insects, weeds and diseases; but they also target fish, birds,
micro-organisms and mammals.
The American Medical
association (A.M.A) states that exposure to pesticides should be limited and
alternatives to pesticides should be found.
EFFECT OF PESTICIDES ON
HUMAN HEALTH
Many studies have shown that exposure to pesticides is associated with-
a)
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANCERS- Leukemia,
lymphoma, cancer of the brain, kidneys, prostate gland and pancreas; breast
cancer and liver, lungs and skin cancer.
b)
NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS- People,
who are exposed to even small amounts of pesticides, have 70% greater risk of
developing Parkinson’s disease.
c)
Impaired fertility in men
d)
Birth defects, abnormal fetal growth and
fetal death.
Ill EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON THE ENVIRONMENT
* About 95% of the sprayed pesticides reach a destination other than their intended target and cause contamination of air, water and soil.
*
The use of pesticides destroys natural habitat (especially for birds),
decreases bio-diversity and threatens endangered species.
*
Pests often develop resistance to a pesticide. As a result, farmers
are forced to use a new pesticide or a greater dose of the pesticide to
overcome resistance.
All
this leads to worsening of the problem of pollution, which ultimately affects
human health also.
The
Annual U.S cost of pesticides is estimated to be $9.6 billions because of
adverse effects on human health and the environment.
DO WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL FARMING?
Fortunately,
Organic Farming is there to rescue the human population.
*
Organic Farming is a type of agriculture that
uses green manure, crop-rotation and natural
pest-control methods and avoids or excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers,
pesticides, food additives and hormones.
* Organic
Farming methods are legally enforced and internationally regulated by many
countries according to the standards set by the International Federation Of
Organic Agriculture Movement. (IFOAM)
THE NEED FOR ORGANIC
FARMING IN INDIA
In India, Organic Farming is required
because of many reasons apart from safeguarding human health.
1)
During the sixties, the ‘Green Revolution’
ushered in the era of chemical fertilizers and pesticides leading to a spurt in
agricultural production.
·
Today, scientists have realized that the
production yielded by the ‘Green Revolution’ has reached a plateau/stage of stagnation.
·
Conventional agriculture is today
characterized by diminished returns even after higher costs of inputs.
(So,
the rising cost of vegetables and fruits should not surprise you! They are a
result of faulty agricultural practices.)
2)
Due to tremendous increase in Indian
population, the need of the hour is to increase agricultural production in a
sustainable manner.
·
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are
manufactured from massive amounts of petroleum, which is non-renewable and
whose availability is decreasing day by day.
PRODUCTIVITY WITH ORGANIC FARMING
A
wake-up call for Indians!
*
Several studies all over the world have shown that Organic Farming can produce
as much yield as Conventional Farming and in some cases much more!
This
is particularly true for a developing country like India.
1.
International studies have shown that soils
under organic cultivation retain moisture and require 25% less irrigation than
conventional soils.
·
A study conducted in 2003 revealed that
yields from organic farms are 20-40% higher as compared to those from conventional farms during drought.
·
This fact is of paramount importance in our
country, where farmers are largely dependent on rainfall for a bountiful yield
from their farms.
2)
A study conducted in 2007 (to determine the
efficiency of organic agriculture versus conventional agriculture) concluded that
in developing countries like India,
Organic Farming yields 80% more production than with conventional farming.
·
This is because in developing countries, the
materials needed for organic farming are more easily available than synthetic farming
materials.
Indian
farmers can raise animals for manure and use Natural pest-control methods.
(When farmers shift from Chmical farming to Organic farming, the productivity decreases during the first few years because the soil takes time to recover from years of chemical assault.)
But, in the long run, Organic farming will be more sustainable in a developing country like India.
And, who says we should make a 100% switch to organic farming all at once? We can slowly increase the area under organic farming so that food productivity is not affected.
(When farmers shift from Chmical farming to Organic farming, the productivity decreases during the first few years because the soil takes time to recover from years of chemical assault.)
But, in the long run, Organic farming will be more sustainable in a developing country like India.
And, who says we should make a 100% switch to organic farming all at once? We can slowly increase the area under organic farming so that food productivity is not affected.
PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC
FARMING
Organic farming is based on
the very principles that conventional farming violates, that is, Human Health
and Health of the environment.
ORGANIC FARMING’S PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH
Organic Agriculture maintains the health of human beings, animals, plants and soils and considers them as one.
Organic Agriculture maintains the health of human beings, animals, plants and soils and considers them as one.
According to this principle
the health of people cannot be segregated from the health of the Eco-system.
A healthy soil will produce
healthy crops that will nourish the health of animals and human beings.
CAN WE HAVE SOME CERTIFIED
ORGANIC FOOD, PLEASE?
INDISCRIMINATE USE OF PESTICIDES
31
pesticides that have been banned in other countries are still being used in
Indian Agriculture.
WHERE
DOES THE BUCK STOP?
YOU
DECIDE!
Dr. Aarti Mishra
SURVIVING IN A TOXIC WORLD!
NATURAL FOODS TO YOUR RESCUE!
Dr. Aarti Mishra
http//linkedindoctorsword
http//linkedindoctorsword
In today’s world, we are
constantly exposed to a large number of toxins everyday. The alarming build up
of toxins in the human body in the 21st century is a cause for
concern because it can lead to many chronic diseases. No wonder, we keep
hearing of people falling prey to different ailments.
Technological and industrial
progress has caused pollution of air, soil and water and increased people’s
exposure to strong chemicals.
FACTORS THAT CAUSE TOXIC BUILD-UP IN THE
BODY
*
Environmental pollution.
* Toxins from pesticides in the food.
* Increased intake of processed and refined
foods.
* Use of Plastics
* High levels of Stress
RESULT OF TOXIC BUILD-UP
IN THE BODY
· The main diseases that occur as a result of
toxins in the body are cancer, cardiovascular diseases (heart disease) and respiratory diseases.
·
Other problems include allergies and skin problems
·
Weakening
of the Immune system.
·
Symptoms like fatigue, headache, and
muscular pains.
TOXINS THAT ACCUMULATE IN
THE BODY ARE
*
Heavy metals (like mercury, copper, lead and
aluminium) that we take in through polluted air.
* Environmental toxins and chemicals like pesticides.
* Free radicals caused by stress and pollution.
* Environmental toxins and chemicals like pesticides.
* Free radicals caused by stress and pollution.
(Oxidation
reactions in the body lead to the formation of free-radicals, which start chain
reactions in the body.
If the chain reaction takes place in a cell,
it causes death or damage of the cell.)
LIVER- THE ORGAN THAT DETOXIFIES THE BODY
·
Liver, the largest organ of the body,
eliminates toxins so that they don’t accumulate in the body and cause diseases.
· The
human liver is built to expel toxins from the body, but it has not been
designed to handle so many environmental toxins to which it is exposed today.
*In today’s world, your liver needs help in the process of eliminating toxins from the body. Therefore, it is important to consume foods that increase the detoxification ability of the liver.
*In today’s world, your liver needs help in the process of eliminating toxins from the body. Therefore, it is important to consume foods that increase the detoxification ability of the liver.
Here
are some wonderful foods that help to expel toxins from the body-
1)
GARLIC-
Garlic contains powerful
antioxidants, which eliminate toxins from the body.
Garlic
is an EXCELLENT food, whose medicinal properties are so vast, that they deserve
a more detailed description.
EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
· Garlic
boosts the immune system and cleanses deep tissues.
· Out
of all the known foods, garlic contains the highest amount of Germanium, a
substance that prevents formation of tumors in the body.
EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Garlic
improves blood circulation, purifies the blood and helps to remove uric acid
from tissues.
EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Garlic
helps the body in eliminating mucus, thus it is an excellent food for cleaning the respiratory system.
Consume
2-4 cloves of fresh garlic everyday or take garlic capsules if you don’t like
the taste of garlic.
2) LEMON-
Lemon contains a number of
nutrients (including vitamin C and limonine), which help in detoxifying the
body.
Lemons
help to detoxify the liver; they fight exposure to pollution, prevent cell
damage and decrease the risk of cancer.
Start
each day with a warm glass of lemon water to flush out toxins from your body.
3)
GINGER-
The medicinal value of
ginger dates back to ancient times. You can consume ginger in raw form or add
it to meals.
· Ginger
helps in the proper functioning of the liver and is particularly beneficial if
you have a fatty liver because of excessive intake of toxic foods and drinks.
· Ginger
has antioxidant properties; when toxins weaken the digestive enzymes and hinder
the process of digestion, ginger restores digestion by stimulating the
digestive system.
4)
GREEN TEA-
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which destroy free radicals before they can
cause harm to the body.
You
can take this beverage daily and use it to substitute other teas, coffee and colas.
5)
ONION-
Raw onions contains enzymes
that flush out toxins from the body.
Onions contain sulphur and glutathione,
which help the liver in detoxifying harmful chemicals.
6)
LEMONGRASS-
Lemongrass helps to cleanse a number of organs like liver, kidneys, digestive
system and the bladder.
7)
BEETS-
Beets
are rich in antioxidants and contain a number of health substances like fiber,
betaine, iron, betalaine and folate.
Dietary
fiber present in beets absorbs toxins and eliminates them from the body.
Beet
juice contains large quantities of betaine, which helps the liver in getting
rid of toxins.
8)
AVOCADO-
Avocado contains
antioxidants and fiber making it a good detoxifying food.
Avocado
helps in detoxification of the liver because of the presence of a substance
called glutathione.
9)
BERRIES-
Blackberries, blueberries,
and cherries have important antioxidant properties because
they contain vitamin C.
Berries
contain polyphenols, a type of antioxidants that prevent premature ageing and
diseases associated with ageing.
10)
GRAPEFRUIT-
Grapefruit increases the production of enzymes, which help in detoxification of
the liver, and eliminate cancer causing substances (carcinogens) and chemicals
from the body.
11)
SOYBEAN-
Soybean
and its derivatives form the staple food in many Asian countries.
Soy Isoflavones have antioxidant properties.
The isoflavone genistein plays
an important part in soy’s anti-cancer effects.
12)
BROCCOLI -
Broccoli
is rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber and is a good antioxidant. It contains a
number of nutrients that have powerful anti-cancer properties.
Broccoli
contains Sulforaphane, which helps in the production of enzymes that give
protection from cancer causing chemicals.
Try to incorporate 2-3 foods from the above
mentioned list
in
your daily diet to prevent the build up of toxins in your body.
If
you regularly consume foods rich in antioxidants, your body will successfully eliminates all toxins and you
will be able to keep
diseases at bay!
diseases at bay!
Let Your Heart Keep Beating !
Dr.
Aarti Mishra
www.marcodoc.org
http//linkedin//doctorsword
www.marcodoc.org
http//linkedin//doctorsword
29th
September is marked as the World Heart Day. The human heart is a topic of
interest for poets as well as doctors. It is the seat of all emotions and is
one of the most vital organs of the body.
Love Your Heart!
The human
heart is a loving and benevolent organ that pumps nutrient rich blood through
all the blood vessels of your body by repeated and rhythmic contractions.
If
all the blood vessels in an adult are taken out and laid in a line, the line
would be about 100,000 miles long.
Small size, Enormous task
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of
a fist. It beats around 72-90 times per minute. This means, on an average it
will beat 3.4 billion times during a life-span of 80 years.
That’s
enough reason to take good care of your precious little heart!
A Special Day To Celebrate Heart Health!
Although
we all know important facts about heart health, the World Heart Day is a
special occasion to acknowledge the
important role that our tender heart plays in our lives, and subsequently take
positive steps to ensure its health.
Are
you ready to go an extra mile to ensure the health of your heart so that it
continues to beat for you and your loved ones?
Okay,
let’s quickly review some important Do’s and Don’ts for a healthy heart.
1. Work out for a healthy heart
We
all know that regular exercise helps to maintain proper body weight and
decreases the chances of developing high Blood Pressure; it helps us to cope
with stress, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
Still,
we come up with umpteen reasons for not exercising- job pressures, family
responsibilities, household chores, lack of time, fatigue, inertia, deadlines.
The list is endless..
The
truth is- If we don’t take proper care of our heart in today’s hectic and
highly competitive world, this laborious body part will be overwhelmed/ overburdened
and will become unfit for proper functioning.
Why
let Emergency strike the heart before taking some constructive action?
On
this special day, resolve to exercise regularly for 20-25 minutes every day.
(An average of two and a half hours every week)
Your
generous heart will thank you for this kind gesture!
2)
Consume a Heart Healthy Diet
*
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
* Avoid
Saturated fats and Trans fats because these raise the blood cholesterol level
and predispose the heart to disease.
Saturated
fats are present in butter, cream, cheese, hydrogenated oils and animal fats like meat, pork, organ meat and egg yolk.
*Omega-3 fatty acids (a type of
poly-unsaturated fats) are good for heart health.
Omega-3 fatty acids are present in abundance in some
fish like Salmon and mackerel, in flax-seed oil, Canola oil and in dietary
supplements.
* Low fat dairy products should be taken in
moderate amounts.
* Consume foods rich in antioxidants (garlic, lemon, ginger, raw onion, soybean etc.)
* Consume foods rich in antioxidants (garlic, lemon, ginger, raw onion, soybean etc.)
3) Don’t Carry
Extra Weight With You !
Excess body
weight invites High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and raised levels of cholesterol,
which increase the chances of heart
disease.
* The Body Mass Index (B.M.I) is a good parameter to see whether your body weight is healthy or not.
* B.M.I. is calculated on the basis of your weight in
kilograms and height in meters.
B.M.I. =
Weight (Kg) /
{Height (m)}2
* A BMI greater than 25 is associated with higher
risk of heart disease.
Remember, your waistline is linked to your lifeline!
4) Routine Tests for a Healthy Heart
* Give your heart the luxury of important
regular tests like-
regular tests like-
a)
E. C. G.
b) Echocardiograph and
c) Treadmill test ( TMT)
* Save your heart from dis-ease by regular
testing of-
a) Blood Pressure
b) Lipid Profile (Total Cholesterol, HDL-Good
Cholesterol, LDL- Bad Cholesterol & Triglycerides) &
c) Blood Sugar- Diabetics are 2-6 times more prone to heart disease as compared to non-diabetics.
· People with a family history of diabetes need to
get their blood sugar checked after every 6 months.
· Glycated Haemoglobin or glycosylated Haemoglobin test
measures a person’s average blood glucose level over prolonged periods of time and is absolutely essential
for diabetic patients.
5) Don’t attack your heart by smoking !
*It
has been proved that smokers have double the risk of suffering from a heart
attack as compared to non-smokers.
*
Moreover, smoking increases a person’s risk of sudden cardiac death by many
times.
(Quitting smoking will help you; bye-pass surgery/Angioplasty may always come to
your rescue!)
6) Don’t Torture your Heart by excessive intake
of Alcohol
Seek
Happiness in the Right Things. Don’t Be a Miss-directed Seeker of Joy.
*
Consuming excessive amount of alcohol leads to high cholesterol levels and thus
increases the risk of heart disease.
* Moreover, when your blood stream is loaded with
alcohol, the nutrient-rich blood is not able to nourish your heart properly.
Can
an ill- nourished heart function efficiently for you?
Be
kind to your heart so that it stays in the pink of health and does not trouble
you!
7.
Have a Merry Heart!
Laughter
IS indeed the best Medicine. It lowers your pulse rate and Blood Pressure and
is a good stress-buster. Someone has rightly said- ‘He who has a merry heart
has a continuous feast’.
Why not start following a healthy heart regime
from today itself? Pick up your phone and fix up an appointment for a
thorough check-up of the heart.
You owe it to yourself and your family!
Dr. Aarti Mishra
DIABETES – THE BITTER DISEASE
Dr.
Aarti Mishra
www.marcodoc.org
www.marcodoc.org
Diabetes
is a metabolic disease in which a person’s blood sugar is raised leading to
symptoms like-
· Increased
thirst (polydypsia)
· Frequent
urination (polyurea) &
· Increased
hunger (polyphagia).
TYPES OF DIABETES
The two main types of Diabetes are Type 1 And
Type 2, out of which Type 2 Diabetes is most common.
a)
TYPE 1 DIABETES- In type 1 Diabetes Mellitus,
the pancreas do not produce sufficient insulin because of loss of insulin
producing cells in the pancreas.
b)
TYPE 2 DIABETES- The characteristic feature of
Type 2 Diabetes is insulin resistance, that is, the body is not able to use
insulin properly.
Type 2 Diabetes occurs because of Heredity and
Lifestyle related factors like –
*Obesity
*Sedentary
lifestyle
*
Stress.
DIET AND TYPE 2 DIABETES
* Consumption
of saturated fats and excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks increase
the risk of developing type 2 Diabetes.
(Saturated
fats are present in butter, cheese, animal fats like meat and egg yolk)
* Dr. Ashish K. Saxena (MD Medicine & Diabetologist) based at Ludhiana informed, " According to a study
presented by Lithuania researchers at the International Congress of
Endocrinology and European Congress of Endocrinology, eating too quickly can
increase the risk of Type 2 Diabetes because if food is not chewed properly,
digestive enzymes are not able to breakdown complex carbohydrates leading to a
metabolic disorder in which the blood sugar level rises."
* Dr. Saxena added, "The study stated that people who just gobble down their food
are two and a half times more likely to develop diabetes as compared to those
who spend time eating their meals properly. "
* Dr. Saxena also commented," Consuming legumes helps in controlling blood sugar and decreases the
level of total cholesterol and triglycerides in patients with Type 2 diabetes."
GESTATIONAL DIABETES
*
Gestational Diabetes is a condition in which
pregnant women, who do not have a prior history of diabetes, develop a high
blood glucose level.
It occurs in about 2-5% of
all pregnancies.
*
Gestational Diabetes calls for careful medical supervision throughout
pregnancy.
If
gestational Diabetes is not treated, the health of the mother and the fetus can
be adversely affected.
· Gestational
Diabetes may disappear after delivery, but it is seen that around 20-50% of the
women affected by Gestational Diabetes develop Type 2 Diabetes later in life.
PREDIABETES
Prediabetes
is a condition in which a person’s blood sugar level is greater than normal,
but it is not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetes.
Prediabetes
is called ‘America’s
largest healthcare epidemic'.
If
people with Prediabetes exercise regularly and take dietary precautions, they
can decrease their chances of developing Diabetes.
COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES
Long-term
Diabetes can cause complications like-
CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE- Diabetics are 2-6 times more prone to heart disease.
CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE- Diabetics are 2-6 times more prone to heart disease.
· RETINOPATHY
(damage to the retina)
· CHRONIC
RENAL FAILURE &
· NEUROPATHY
(damage of nerves)-
Damage
to nerves causes tingling sensation, numbness and pain in the feet.
People
with long standing Diabetes can suffer a ‘Silent Heart Attack’ because they
cannot perceive pain due to the damage of nerves.
DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES
*
For early diagnosis of diabetes, it is important to get blood sugar tested
annually (fasting as well as after breakfast).
*
People with a family history of diabetes need to get their blood sugar checked
after every 6 months.
*
Glycated hemoglobin test measures a person’s average blood sugar levels over a
prolonged period of time and is absolutely essential for diabetic patients.
*
People with controlled Diabetes should get Glycated Haemoglobin Test done twice
a year, whereas if Diabetes is uncontrolled, this test should be repeated after
every 3 months.
IMPORTANT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
FOR DIABETICS
Apart from Blood Sugar, it is
mandatory for people with Diabetes to get the following tests done regularly-
a) E.C.G
b) Echocardiography
c) Lipid
Profile, which includes
·
Total Cholesterol
·
HDL ( Good Cholesterol)
·
LDL (Bad Cholesterol)
·
Triglycerides
HEPATITIS B- Are You Vaccinated?
Dr. Aarti Mishra
www.marcodoc.org
www.marcodoc.org
Hepatitis B is an acute infection of the liver caused by Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and is 100 times more infective than AIDS .
*It is usually a self limiting infection, however in 5-15% of cases, HBV infection does not resolve and the affected person becomes a carrier of the virus (with the virus harbored in the liver).
*Persistent infection with HBV may cause chronic hepatitis and liver cancer.
*About 240 million people all over the world are carriers of Hepatitis B Virus
* Infection with Hepatitis B Virus causes about 600,000 deaths due to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.
· The main source of infection with Hepatitis B Virus is contaminated blood, but the virus has been found in body secretions like saliva, semen and vaginal secretions of infected people.
HIGH RISK GROUPS
High risk groups of Hepatitis B include-
a) People, who receive blood transfusion.
b) People who use drugs intravenously.
c) Homosexuals
d) Children born to HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) carrier mothers.
e) People whose immunity is compromised.
f) People with organ transplant
HEPATITIS B AND HIV INFECTION
· Out of the 40 million people infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) all over the world, 10% are co- infected with Hepatitis B Virus.
· Infection with HIV increases the risk of developing liver cirrhosis and liver cancer associated with HBV by many times.
CLINICAL FEATURES
* Incubation period (the time period elapsed between infection with the virus and the appearance of symptoms) is 30-180 days with the average incubation period being 75 days.
* Hepatitis B presents symptoms like-
a) Loss of appetite
b) Nausea & Vomiting
c) Mild fever
d) Jaundice
d) Jaundice
The situation is complicated by the carrier state and by the chronic disease of the liver which may occur after the infection.
PREVENTION- HEPATITIS B VACCINE
*Hepatitis B can be prevented by giving one shot of the Hepatitis B vaccine in an infant followed by the second dose after one month and the 3rd dose after 6 months.
* Vaccination gives protection for at least 15 years, though current scientific evidence suggests life long protection.
* After the age of 40 years, protection given by the virus drops below 90%.
* At the age of 60 years, protective antibodies are formed only in 65-75% of the cases.
20/1/2014
20/1/2014
ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
Dr. Aarti Mishra
www.marcodoc.org
http://linkedin//doctorsword
www.marcodoc.org
http://linkedin//doctorsword
Road traffic accidents cause
financial loss to victims and their
families due to cost of treatment as well as decreased or lost financial
productivity for those killed or disabled by injuries.
· In
the year 2011, 4.4 lac road accidents were reported in India
· The
average speed of a vehicle is directly related to the likelihood of an accident
and to the severity of the outcome of the accident.
· In
vulnerable areas like residential areas and around schools, a speed of 30
Km/hour can decrease the risk of a crash.
DRINKING AND DRIVING
*Driving under the influence
of alcohol increases the risk of an accident and the chances that a serious
injury or death will result.
* When the blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) is more than 0.04 g/dl, the risk of being involved in an
accident increases.
*Random breath testing and
enforcing sobriety through checking can reduce alcohol related accidents by
20%.
HELMETS AND SEAT BELTS
*Wearing a helmet correctly
reduces the risk of severe injury by more than 70% and the risk of death by
about 40%.
*Helmets should meet safety
standards in order to ensure that the impact of a collision to the head in case
of an accident reduces effectively.
*Using seat belts in cars
decreases the risk of death in front seat passengers by 40-50% and back seat
passengers by 25-75%.
USING MOBILE PHONES WHILE
DRIVING
*The use of mobile phones
while driving is a growing cause for concern in road safety.
*Mobile phones can impair the
driving performance of a person in many ways; it can affect a person’s reaction
to traffic signals, increase the reaction time for applying brakes, result in
shorter following distances and impair a person’s ability to keep in the
correct lane.
· People,
who use a mobile phone while driving, are four times more likely to be involved
in an accident.
· It is important to mention here that hand free
phones are not much safer than hand held mobile phones.
