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| HEALTH TRIBUNE |
Exercise to control diabetes, but how?
Your diet may soon cure diseases!
Serving the sick under pressure
Cosmetics can cause cancer in children!
Breakfast keeps tooth decay at bay!
Ayurveda & you
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Exercise to control diabetes, but how? The three most important tools used to control diabetes are diet, exercise and medication. Doctors advise an increase in physical activity, but most of the times they are not aware about where to start and what type of exercises a patient should do. The patients are equally confused.
Stop
exercising if you feel:
Headache, Dizziness, Pain or pressure in your chest or
upper body, ort of breath, Blurring of vision Immediately take about 15 gms of carbohydrate, a candy or sugar tablet so as to get quick relief. It is, therefore, always better to do the blood sugar test before and after the exercise so as to adjust the dose of the medicine. The patients should begin exercises — walking, jogging, bicycling, etc — slowly and increase the duration as well as intensity gradually. To get the best results, the following method may be followed: Exercise for 5-10 minutes at least four times in the first week. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you are walking, you should be able to say hello to your neighbour or a person passing by on the sidewalk without feeling short of breath. Exercise at a pace that makes your body work, but you should not feel pain or exhaustion.
Resistance training
Resistance training is an ideal exercise for type-2 adult onset diabetic patients. It has been observed that in exercise-induced muscle “fatigue” there is intense spurt of insulin receptors in that muscle which helps insulin to land on the cell. Therefore, the exercise which fatigues muscles in the body is helpful for diabetic patients.
Resistance training is in the form of weightlifting, sit-ups and push-ups, climbing stairs, etc. Leg exercises for people with diabetes:
Staircase exercise — walk briskly up a flight of stairs using only the balls of feet.
Chair exercise — Sit down on a chair and raise yourself up 10 times keeping your arms crossed.
Heel raising — Get up on your toes and then down on your heels. Also try putting your whole weight first on one leg and then on the other.
Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, which in turn lowers the blood sugar level. It is very beneficial, but one must keep a check on the symptoms of low blood sugar while exercising. Avoid exercising if the fasting glucose level is more than 250 mg, as exercise can further increase the blood sugar level. In case the blood sugar level is lower than 100 mg, then take carbohydrate snacks before starting your exercise. Similarly, in case the blood sugar level is between 100 mg and 250 mg and strenuous exercise is to be undertaken, then carbohydrate snacks must be taken before starting the exercise. Exercise also helps reducing the dose of insulin. Patients on insulin are advised to reduce the dose 30-50%, two-three hours before starting the exercise. Here are a few suggestions for doing exercises: Set realistic goals.
— The writer is a former doctor/physiotherapist, Indian cricket team.
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Your diet may soon cure diseases!
Wellington: Eating nutritional foods could soon help people avoid obesity, bowel cancer and cardiovascular disease if scientists are to be believed. According to the New Zealand Herald, a new research conducted by Crop and Food Research,
AgResearch, HortResearch and the University of Auckland has revealed that diet had potential to make a real difference in genetically linked diseases. The New Zealand Nutrigenomics Centre of Excellence looks at the relationship between a person’s genes and what he or she eats. Dr Lynnette Ferguson, the leader of the study, said, “Our genetic make-up determines how we react to different foods and how we utilise them. What has got nutritional value for one person may not be so good for another.” By looking at those genetic differences in people ... scientists might be able to manipulate their diet to help manage the disease, she said. Crop and food research leader Prof Julian Heyes said sufferers of Crohn’s disease, an incurable irritable bowel condition, might be the first to benefit from the research. He also said about half of those who suffered from Crohn’s had a specific defect in their genes. Patients reported improvement when they ate certain foods; it was not clear what foods were beneficial and why. He said the ultimate aim was zeroing down on the foods that those with Crohn’s reacted to. Diet could also be used to prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes, obesity and even bowel cancer to those genetically predisposed to the diseases.
— ANI
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Serving the sick under pressure
Medicine has not always been a path to privilege. A clinician is engaged in the service of the sick and accepts the burdensome demands that are continually made upon with the thoughtful management of the problems of a sick person and understanding human nature. The care of the patient thus does not end with the correct diagnosis and prescribing treatment. Those he cannot make well, he comforts and is capable of infusing into his patients optimism and courage. Management thus is concerned not only with the sick person, but also the entire family. Doctors have been trained to deal with individuals, take personal responsibility and to do their best for each patient in the prevailing environment. Unhappiness in the medical community is an international problem. Certain universal aspects of modern medicine may underline much professional unhappiness. A doctor with the pressure of work and without adequate help from the support systems cannot give his patients the love, sympathy and individual attention they deserve. Because of the ever-increasing workload, the time spent may not be sufficient for a patient to develop a relationship with and trust in the physician. Patients’ expectations are rising and they are led to expect that the advances in technology will be rapidly implemented. Patients expect enhanced services, including rapid access. This is compounded by unrealistic expectations about the power of medicine and technological advances to solve the problems. The job of doctors thus has become more difficult and emotionally demanding. Considerable unhappiness is caused by the many non-medical roles doctors now have to play — too many hours, too many patients, and a burnout due to physical and emotional expectations. What can the profession do? The medical profession needs to respond to the challenge of being judged not only on the quality of care provided but also on its humanitarian aspect — encourage a fuller understanding between patients and those who care for them. In the past the physicians tended to make decisions for patients with little patient input. More recently, patients have indicated the need for more information about their disease and a desire to be involved in decisions about their care. The doctor and his patient need to participate in the decision-making process at every stage, and both should agree on the decision to implement it. A physician has to specify the impact of treatment on a patient’s life-style and emotional state. This will make patients more comfortable, resulting in an impact on patient satisfaction. In the absence of this, patients underestimate the side-effects of a particular form of treatment and this leads to dissatisfaction with the care provided. The hospital authorities and the government need to improve the support systems to help the physicians to serve their patients better. The attitude of the medical profession must also change to meet the public’s expectations. Medicine has become more effective, but the advances have brought its own risks. Openness and transparency provide the key to a harmonious relationship between the patient, his or her family and the doctor. The public and the media have to understand that doctors are struggling everyday to protect the patient against odds. A doctor even under the pressure of work needs to give all his patients love, sympathy and individual attention. Effective communication will help in building greater trust and getting improved results. Doctors need to have the necessary skills to deal with the societal pressure, which includes accountability. The writer is Professor and Head, Department of General Surgery, PGI, Chandigarh.
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Cosmetics can cause cancer in children!
London: Make-up may help you look good, but the cosmetic used for it can cause cancer, especially in children. Health experts worldwide have cautioned that excessive usage of cosmetics by children enhances their risk to various types of cancer and to fertility-related problems later in life. According to The Independent, fertility experts, cancer specialists and environmentalists have expressed alarm over evidence that suggests that most of cosmetic products use potentially dangerous chemicals linked to breast cancer, falling sperm counts and hormonal damage.
— ANI
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Breakfast keeps tooth decay at bay!
Washington: A new
study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association
suggests that eating breakfast, plenty of fruits and veggies may be as
critical as a toothbrush, toothpaste and a good dentist when it comes to
having and retaining a healthy smile. According to Health Scout, the study found that children who don’t eat breakfast every day have higher levels of tooth decay when compared to those who eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Dr. Jonathan D. Shenkin, co-author of the study, said, “Kids who don’t eat breakfast tend to snack more.” Shenkin and his colleagues used data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1988 to 1994, to investigate the relationship between healthful eating practices and tooth decay in more than 4,000 preschoolers, aged 2 to 5. The study found that baby teeth were at a greater risk of decay in the children with poor eating habits. The researchers said that dental health education should include encouraging parents to help their children eat better. Habits such as eating breakfast daily are associated with other healthy habits. Besides snacking less, “kids who eat breakfast tend to drink milk,” Shenkin pointed out, and calcium is good for the teeth. Shenkin also said that cutting down on juice intake is also wise if you want to prevent cavities. More than 10 per cent of preschoolers in the United States consume at least 12 fluid ounces of fruit juice a day, the study reported. According to Dr. Richard Price, a spokesman for the ADA, good dental health habits must start early. “Once the baby is born, dental health starts.”
— ANI
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Ayurveda & you Graying
of hair is no longer a problem of the 40-plus generation only. People much younger in age, including school-going children, complain to have grey hair. A large number of them use hair dyes much before they reach 30. Once used , these dyes fast turn the remaining black hair into grey ones, and the person is left with no other choice than to use them for the rest of one’s life. Though greying of hair is generally considered a sign of old age, its early onset never makes a person to qualify for it. Modern medicine believes that hair turning grey is just one of those mysteries that we have yet to solve. Ancient ayurvedic texts, while calling it “palitya”, mention a number of conditions which prompt its early onset. Apart from the heredity factor, adoption of a diet which is excessively salty, sour and pungent in taste leading to the vitiation of “pitta” and “vata”, psychological upheavals and mental stress associated with a wrong working schedule and certain chronic ailments like sinusitis have been given as the reasons for the early onset of greying. The lure of looking young by changing the hair colour is as old as the problem of greying of hair is. In the present era when more and more dyes are in vogue, the decision of changing the hair colour has become more complicated because some studies have linked colouring with an increased risk of contacting certain cancers. To make matters more confusing, other studies do not support those findings. Consumers are often on their own consequently, when deciding whether hair dyes are safe or not. Several studies have broadly tried to pinpoint the risks of various health problems among the users of chemical hair dyes. These include short-term side-effects like allergic reactions, dermatitis, eczema, and small episodes of visual disturbances and headache associated with nausea and vomiting. Researchers are busy finding the long-term effects of hair dyes. The failure in reaching any conclusion only supports the doubt that many of these dyes are not only carcinogenic but can also start degenerative diseases like cataract quite early. Most of the hair dyes sold in the market carry a brochure indicating certain precautions. Whereas old dye users are advised to adopt moderation, new recruits should use good judgment to delay to opt for it. One should never dye the eyebrows and eyelashes as an allergic reaction to dye can result in serious damage to the eyes. The less hair dye used over a lifetime, the less likely it is for a person getting exposed to its side-effects. Persons looking for a herbal hair dye should be aware of fact that pure henna is green in colour and the various preparations sold as “kali mehandi” are nothing but chemical dyes. Ayurveda views that in the case of untimely greying of hair, it is best to opt for an early treatment. Of many medicines prescribed in ancient texts to arrest greying, amla and bhringraj are considered the best. Ayurvedic physicians put a lot of trust on “amlaki rasayan”, a fortified form of amla made by stirring its dried powder in its fresh juice. Similarly, various oils prepared by boiling other herbs, including these two, in sesame oil are given to massage the scalp. “Saptamrita lauha” is another classic medicine which shows good results in younger patients complaining of greying of hair. The treatment of grey hair is successful only if the patient gives due attention to his diet and daily schedule and avoids mental stress. If he is suffering from chronic and recurrent cold and sinusitis, adequate treatment should be given to cure it. —
The writer is a Ludhiana-based ayurvedic consultant
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During the second week the duration may be increased to 10-20 minutes.