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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Do you have crowded teeth?
EYESIGHT
When homoeopathy ensures better results
Fishes prevent heart attacks, cancer
Donkey’s milk as medicine
Kids who exercise are leaner and fitter than others
Lack of vigorous activity linked to disability
Ayurveda & you
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Do you have crowded teeth?
There has been lots of talk about Shining India. The fact is that health-related services in India are not so shining. There is little awareness about dental health. Sometimes irregular, crooked and crowded teeth or spacing in the teeth can become a factor in one’s losing a job. This can, however, be avoided by going in for orthodontic treatment.
What causes orthodontic problems? Most orthodontic problems like crowding, spacing, protrusion, extra or missing teeth and jaw growth problems have a genetic origin. Why is treatment important? Crooked, crowded and irregular teeth are hard to clean and maintain. These problems can contribute to tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. A bad bite can also cause an abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing or speaking, excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue, and possible jaw joint problems. Then, psychologically, an unattractive smile makes you feel less confident in the way you look and your self-esteem suffers. Children and adults whose malocclusion are left untreated may go through life feeling self-conscious, hiding their smiles with tight lips or keeping a protective hand. What about the problem of teenagers? When you think of orthodontics you tend to think of teenagers. And the fact is that orthodontic treatment in most cases begins between the ages of 9 and 14 years. An orthodontist can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. It is important for the parents to know that some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they are found early. Does orthodontic treatment have any harmful effect? There is some discomfort or pain in the teeth after fixing the braces, which usually subsides within a week. The myth that orthodontic treatment weakens the teeth is not correct. Does extraction of teeth necessary for orthodontic treatment? It depends on the severity of the problem. Severely crowded, irregular teeth, which are out of alignment, cannot be aligned without the extraction of teeth. There is no harmful effect after the extraction of the teeth and no residual spaces are left after treatment. When we talk about orthodontics most people seem to know about it or have heard of it. People in urban areas are more aware about orthodontic treatment since everyone is aware of his/her own smile or at least of their children. But most people do not know what is the right time/age for this treatment, which is a major factor in providing retention and stability to the achieved results. The writer is a practising
orthodonist.
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EYESIGHT
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in India. It is noticed usually after 45 years of age and is considered an age-related problem. Almost 11 million cases are there in India. The unfortunate aspect of cataract blindness is that though it is reversible by surgery, the lack of surgical facilities in the rural areas has resulted in a backlog of patients needing cataract surgery.
The human crystalline lens, which is clear and transparent, is part of the focusing mechanism of the eye. With age, the lens becomes cloudy and opaque, thereby hampering normal vision. Any opacity in the crystalline lens, which leads to decreased vision, is called cataract or “safed motia”. Ageing is the most common cause of the problem. With age, proteins of the eye-lens get altered and opacified, leading to cataract. Other causes include congenital and developmental anomalies, trauma, inflammation of the eye, metabolic diseases like diabetes, hypothyroidism, a prolonged use of steroids, etc.
The symptoms Cataract makes simple tasks difficult and in some cases impossible to perform. This happens on account of:
* Cloudy or blurred vision *
Change in one’s perception of colours *
Sensitivity to bright lamps or sunlight *
Poor night vision * Difficulty in driving, especially at night *
Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription Treatment options In the absence of any proven medical cure, surgery is the only course of treatment for cataract. The two common surgical options available for cataract surgery are: 1. Conventional cataract surgery or extra-capsular cataract extraction [ECCE] It requires an incision of 10-12 mm. The cloudy eye lens is removed in one piece. A hard plastic lens is implanted and multiple stitches are required. Final glass prescription could take even up to 10 weeks. 2. Microincision cataract surgery Phacoemulsification : It requires a very small incision of 3 mm. There is cataract extraction with phacoemulsification and foldable lens implant. Walk-in walk-out procedure is used. This is stitchless, bloodless, painless surgery. Chances of infection are very low with minimum post-surgery precautions. It leads to quicker healing and recovery. When to go for cataract removal? Cataract should be removed as soon as it begins to affect daily activities. With any of the mentioned symptoms setting in, it is the right time to go for cataract removal. Do not wait for the cataract to get mature as an unnecessary delay can lead to complications and a more difficult surgery. Cataract surgery can be undertaken successfully in any season. Summer or the rainy season has absolutely no effect on the outcome of cataract surgery. Recommended treatment With phacoemulsification and implantation of foldable intraocular (IOL), treatment of cataract has become very sophisticated yet simple. The procedure is safe, accurate and leads to rapid recovery. Thus, phacoemulsification with foldable lens implant is the most recommended treatment for cataract. In phacoemulsification, ultrasound power is used to break the hard cataract into multiple pieces, which are then sucked out through a small 3.2 mm incision. A foldable lens (IOL) of the required power is then implanted. These foldable lens implants are made of a soft flexible material. The soft and flexible material allows the lens implant to be folded for insertion through a 3.2 mm micro-incision. Once in place, the lens unfolds to its regular size of 6 mm. Whatever the cause of cataract, its management remains surgery with IOL implantation. The writer is Chairman and Medical Director, Centre for Sight, New Delhi. Email:
msachdev@bol.net.in
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When homoeopathy ensures better results
Chandigarh: Two months old Gurvinder cried of pain all day till his parents took him to a doctor in Banga in Punjab for diagnosis. The parents were heart-broken when they learnt that their tender child had a kidney stone. The panic stricken couple brought the child to the PGI here and an ultrasound report confirmed the stone in his right kidney. For seeking a second opinion, the couple took the child to a homoeopath in the city who gave him a medicine — lycopodium 30 — and within a week ultrasound tests confirmed that the kidney stone had disappeared.
“There are several cases of kidney stone which in the allopathic system require surgery but homoeopathy can treat them with medicines alone,” says Dr Sandeep Puri, Assistant Professor and Senior Medical Officer, Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Sector 26, Chandigarh, who treated the two-month-old child from Banga. Barring a few limitations, experts say in a large number of surgical cases, homoeopathy can bring about the desired results. “I would rather say that since homoeopathy completely treats the disease non-surgically, the results are much better and there are no-side effects,’’ adds Mohali-based homoeopath Dr Harsh Sharma. Apart from the treatment for renal (kidney) stones of any size, homoeopaths say that the cases of piles, prostate, tonsillitis, slip discs and appendicitis are routinely and successfully treated. ``Even the gall bladder stones, less than 6 mm in size, can be treated through homoeopathic medicines. In my 14 years’ association with the college, I have even treated some pancreatic inflammations, gall bladder cancer and liver cancer. People need to be aware about the possibilities of treatment available in homoeopathy,” Dr Puri says. Talking about the results of this line of treatment, Dr Sharma says that in some diseases like tonsillitis, the success rate is 100 per cent and, importantly, devoid of any side-effect. “We have observed that in most cases the patients have the tendency to run to big allopathic hospitals. Some, however, prefer to go to a homoeopath in the early stage of their disease. If this trend is taken care of, homoeopathy can bring about even better results,’’ adds Dr Sharma.
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Fishes prevent heart attacks, cancer
Washington: Eating fish regularly can reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, mental decline in old age and prostate cancer.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily, dark-fleshed fish offer genuine health benefits, says the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. Fish oil is one important source of Omega-3s, but the Harvard Men’s Health Watch points out that eating fish provides other important nutrients like selenium, antioxidants, and protein. Moreover, people who eat fish and take less of meat and cheese, may add other healthy food such as vegetables and brown rice to their diet. However, live fishes may absorb contaminants found in the waters. Methyl mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) absorbed by fishes may cause harm. The research explains that while pregnant women and children should limit their intake of high-mercury species like swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, among others. Farmed fish such as salmon have little mercury, but they may have PCBs. The Harvard Men’s Health Watch recommends peeling the skin and fat before cooking to minimise harm. Limiting consumption of farmed and wild salmon is also suggested in the study. Meanwhile, the American Heart Association’s recommendation to eat two servings of fatty fish per week is a healthy move for most middle-aged and older men.
— ANI
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MADURAI: Even a crying baby giggles after drinking donkey’s milk. So goes a Tamil proverb that highlights the medicinal properties of donkey’s milk.
A common belief in rural Tamil Nadu is “if one drinks donkey’s milk regularly, one will be able to put in hard physical work — like donkeys — famed for their trekking and carrying heavy loads on their back”. But donkey’s milk has become a rare commodity now, unlike cow’s milk or goat’s milk which Mahatma Gandhi used to like. Allimuthu, a native of Sannasinallur near Jayankondam in Perambalur district, who sells donkey’s milk on the Turaiyur-Athur road about 160 km from here, says donkey’s milk is not only rare but a seasonal commodity. “We are about 10 families involved in the sale of donkey’s milk. We are camping near the small town of Turaiyur only to sell donkey’s milk,” he says. Allimuthu and others bring their donkeys to Turaiyur and milk them on the roadside. “Customers can buy fresh milk from us, whatever quantity they need,” he adds. Donkey’s milk however is not poor man’s milk. It finds place in the history of many countries. Legend has it that Queens and Princesses famous for their beauty had taken bath in donkey’s milk. Donkey’s milk is beyond the reach of common man for it sells at Rs 600 a litre. Each donkey gives around 1.5 litres a day. The milk is normally given to babies in a conch. A baby is supposed to take 50 ml, says Dr Kannan, a Siddha doctor.
— PTI
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Kids who exercise are leaner and fitter than others
Washington: A study conducted by researchers has revealed that adolescents who undergo vigorous physical activity on a regular basis tend to be leaner and fitter than their less active peers.
The study conducted by researchers from the Medical College of Georgia, which appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that kids who undergo vigorous activity for longer periods of time remain the leanest and the fittest, as these activities affect cardiovascular fitness. “The leanest and fittest kids are the ones who have the most vigorous activity for longer periods of time. “We could not show that the amount of minutes spent in moderate activity - such as walking to school - was related to how fat they were, although it did have some impact on cardiovascular fitness. The implication is that you need to do vigorous activity if you want to be lean,” the journal quoted Dr. Bernard Gutin, exercise physiologist at the Medical College of Georgia and lead author on the study as saying. For their study, the researchers used an accelerometer that discriminates between light, moderate and vigorous physical activity to monitor the usual physical activity of 421 black and white adolescents for five days, with cardiovascular fitness, measured by a treadmill test that went progressively faster at an increasing incline. The findings revealed that the most fit took in more oxygen at a lower heart rate, with black males having the highest average at 8.6 minutes and black females the lowest at 2.8 minutes. The study also revealed that boys had less body fat than girls. Researchers are of the opinion that obese, unfit children should start with moderate physical activity and an improved diet, and then progress to more vigorous activity as they become leaner and fitter. “These data suggest that general exercise recommendations for adolescents should encourage vigorous physical activity,” the journal stated. “They can do their schoolwork when they get home; they will just not be able to watch as much television,” Dr Gutin added.
— ANI
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Lack of vigorous activity linked to disability
Washington: A new study by researchers at Northwestern University has revealed that lack of vigorous activity is linked to functional decline in older adults with arthritis.
The findings published in the recent issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism supports physical activity programmes for preventing disability among elderly patients. The researchers conducted their study on 5,715 women and men aged 65 and up. They were diagnosed with having arthritis or rheumatism and were drawn from a large national study of health among people of traditional retirement age. Over the two-year period, nearly 14 per cent of the patients experienced a measurable decline in their ability to carry out daily activities. Functional ability deteriorated more frequently among women.
— ANI
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Ayurveda
& you
Like all other degenerative changes occurring in the body, osteoarthritis or “sandhigata vata” more or less comes to stay with the patient for the rest of his life. The approach of treatment for osteoarthritis should be confined to three main objectives: - to relieve pain, maintain mobility and minimise the disability. To achieve the desired results ayurveda believes to adopt a multi-pronged strategy. Given below are some of the basic points which are helpful for persons suffering from this disease:
It should be borne in mind that the pathological changes occurring in osteoarthritis are irreversible, but much may still be done to alleviate symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. Apart from opting for right treatment, the patients are advised to take care of their complete lifestyle when the time is on their side. The writer is an ayurvedic physician based at Ludhiana.
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