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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Cosmetic procedures: beware of side-effects
Learning to live with arthritis
Who should be more careful in using garlic
Health Notes
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Cosmetic procedures: beware of side-effects During this festival season a large number of people, mainly women, go in for various cosmetic procedures without bothering about the precautions to be taken. These people need to be made aware of the side-defects. There are two kinds of reactions that might occur following exposure to cosmetics: irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Here are some useful tips:
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Those suffering from atopic dermatitis should avoid strong facials and chemical peels. l
l l Atopics and asthmatics should avoid usage of fragrances. l
Those having problems of hair loss and premature greying of hair should avoid shampoos having high concentrations of cocamidopropyl
betaine. l Those with fungal infections should avoid waxing. l
Those with acne should avoid threading and waxing. l
Those with viral infections like warts should avoid threading. l
Threading is a common beauty parlour procedure usually performed to shape the eyebrows and remove the unwanted facial hair for cosmetic reasons. However, the procedure can cause the appearance of warts at the site of threading in person predisposed to develop or as koebnerization from the initial lesion elsewhere on the patient’s body or may be acquired secondarily, possibly from some infected material at the beauty
parlour. l Those having keloidal tendencies should avoid laser procedures. Follow these guidelines to enjoy a safe and happy festival season. The writer is Head, Dermatology & Dermato-Laser Surgery Department, National Skin Hospital, Mansa Devi Complex,
Panchkula.
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Learning to live with arthritis Arthritis, a disease causing painful inflammation and stiffness of joints, is difficult to live with. The pain prevents you from concentrating on your day-to-day activities and even leaves you depressed and helpless. Painkillers may help, but their regular use leads to other problems like upset stomach or decreased appetite. To make life easier, arthritic patients may adapt to a number of home treatments. Exercise: Gentle and moderate exercise helps. An arthritic specialist says moving hurts, but not moving destroys. Incorrect moving harms, but intelligent moving heals. Walking, bicycling and swimming do not traumatise the joints. But along with the joints they also benefit the heart and lungs. A low impact aerobics programme helps in reducing fatigue and depression in arthritic patients. The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Centre makes the following physical activity recommendations: The goals of an exercise programme for individuals with arthritis are to: (1) preserve or restore the range of motion and flexibility around the affected joints; (2) increase muscle strength and endurance; and (3) increase aerobic conditioning to improve mood and decrease health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. To adapt to a productive exercise routine, begin slowly and progress gradually. The hallmark of a safe exercise programme is gradual progression in exercise intensity, complexity of movements and duration. Often patients with arthritis have lower levels of fitness due to pain, stiffness or biomechanical abnormalities. Too much exercise may result in increased pain, inflammation and damage to the joint. Thus, beginning with a few minutes of activity, and alternating activity with rest should be the initial goal. Avoid rapid or repetitive movements of the affected joints. Special emphasis should be placed on joint protection strategies and avoidance of activities that require rapid repetitions of a movement or those that are highly percussive in nature. Since faster walking speeds increase joint stress, the walking speed should be matched to biomechanical status. Special attention must be paid to joints that are malaligned or unstable. Adapt physical activity to your needs. Affected joints may be unstable and restricted in the range of motion by pain, stiffness, swelling, bone changes or fibrosis. These joints are at higher risk for injury, and care must be taken to ensure that appropriate joint protection measures are in place. Yoga can be a meaningful and enjoyable alternative. Yoga can play an important role in reducing stress and frustration that results from pain and disability, and increasing positive feelings and wellbeing. Drug treatments for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have improved markedly in the last few years. Despite this, arthritis cannot be cured, and even the best medications and medical care can’t do much. There is a great need for additional activities that patients can do to reduce pain and disability. Evidence suggests that when combined wiht a programme of good medical care, yoga may provide important additional physical and psychological health benefits for arthritis patients. Reduce
weight: To relieve pain and feel better reduce your weight. Discuss with your doctor or nutritionist to have a right diet regimen. If you are overweight, losing weight would help decrease pain in the knees, hips, ankles and feet. Excess weight stresses the cartilage in these joints, leading to inflammation. Psychological treatment is a must. A psychologist specialising in stress and pain management says, “People who have things in their lives under control will be better pain managers than people who do not.” Don’t race-pace: “People with arthritis need to learn how to pace themselves and not try to do everything they can possibly do on the day when they’re feeling good.” Learn to relax : If you focus on pain, it hurts more. But if you get busy doing other things that are important to you, you are not going to feel it. Another tip given by a psychologist at the Pain Centre, University of Washington, is to get your spouse involved. Don’t be attentive and supportive only when your spouse is in pain, but also when he or she is feeling good and being active. Praise is really important and something people tend to forget to do. Avoid foods you are allergic to. Stay away from hot, spicy and fried foods; sweet and wind forming foods like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra do not help. Excessive tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yoghurt, chocolates and cocoa are harmful. Sleeping during the day, staying up late in the night is bad. Anxiety, fear and stress worsen the condition. Being a vegetarian is better as animal protein is harder to digest. Optimise your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fiber-containing beans. Switching to a vegetarian-like diet may help reduce morning stiffness, joint pain and swollen joints. The writer is associated with the PGI, Chandigarh.
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Who should be more careful in using garlic
One of the most valued herbs since times immemorial, garlic (botanically Allium sativum) has been in use by all the old civilisations of the world. Whereas the Indian, Chinese and Egyptian beliefs have many stories about its divine origin and curative qualities, the ancient ayurvedic literature has gone to the extent of extolling it as “maha-aushadhi” — the great medicine. Garlic is endowed with five different tastes and is pungent, sweet, bitter, astringent and salty at the same time. Hot, unctuous, heavy and sharp in its properties, it is an alleviator of “kapha” and “vata” in the body. Though garlic is considered a native of Central Asia, nowadays it is grown as an annual crop in many parts of the world. Known for its sharp and pungent smell, which is perhaps its only negative property, its far exceeding medicinal and culinary value has made it a much cherished herb and spice. Ayurveda describes garlic as a digestive, carminative, cardiac stimulant, expectorant, analgesic, anti-oxidant and an aphrodisiac agent. It contains numerous secondary metabolites and sulphur-containing compounds which are responsible for its peculiar odour and numerous healing properties. Modern scientists, too, have found garlic to be an antibacterial, anti-arthritic, anti-cancer, anti-aging, liver-protective and cholesterol-lowering herb. As a medicine, garlic is indicated to be used in a number of diseases. It is best used in conditions like chest congestion, raised lipids, sciatica, degenerative diseases of the nervous system and various types of joint pains such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Garlic is a natural scavenger of body toxins and a powerful digestive aid that helps resolve heavy and fried food and acts as an anti-flatulent and wind-dispelling aid. It is also a major immuno-strengthening and “rasayan” drug used in geriatrics. Many of the ancient beliefs about garlic have been therapeutically evaluated by various scientific studies conducted on it from time to time. A controlled and standardised dose of garlic has been found to be effective in hypertensive and atherosclerotic patients with a significant decrease in the blood cholesterol level. The ancient Kashyap Samhita, too, describes about “Rasona kalpa” where garlic is used as a regime to treat many degenerative diseases. Garlic along with numerous other spices is an important constituent of most of the Indian cuisines. Nevertheless, its medicinal effects are enhanced if taken singularly. To reduce its pungency and sharpness, ayurvedic texts advise that a few of its flakes should be peeled off and kept dipped in half-stirred curd overnight. Next day two or three of these flakes should be further cut into small pieces and consumed with warm water before meals. These “purified” garlic flakes can also be taken by making a paste or by boiling them in a cup of milk. Despite so many good effects of garlic, it has a certain degree of unsuitability to persons of “pitta prarkriti”. Though acute toxicity of garlic is rare, its reported adverse effects are esophageal and include abdominal pain, dermatitis, urticaria, skin blisters and headache. Most of these side-effects gradually disappear on their own once the use of garlic is stopped. It is better to gain the prophylactic or curative benefits of garlic under the care of an expert than to use it on your own. The writer is a Ludhiana-based senior ayurvedic physician. E mail-
yourhealth@rediffmail.com |
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Health Notes London: A new study has revealed that alcohol causes much more damage to health than heroin or crack cocaine. Professor David Nutt, the government’s former chief drug adviser, conducted an analysis that assesses both harm to the individual and harm to the rest of society—and alcohol turned out to be worse than both cocaine and heroine. The “harm to self” categories cover mortality, poor health, impaired mental functioning, loss of friendships and injury, while “harm to self” categories cover mortality, poor health, impaired mental functioning, loss of friendships and injury. While heroin, crack and crystal meth fell under the former category, alcohol, heroin, and crack fell under the latter. Ecstasy is only one-eighth as harmful as alcohol in this new analysis. — ANI
Workouts during free time ‘cut depression risk’
London: A new research suggests that people with depression could benefit from regular physical activity — but only if it’s in their leisure time. People who take regular exercise during their free time are less likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to researchers in the UK and Norway. However, they said, physical activities at work do not count, reports the BBC.
— ANI
Turmeric could prevent
liver damage
Washington: A new Saint Louis University study has revealed that a chemical that gives curry its zing holds promise in preventing or treating liver damage from an advanced form of a condition known as fatty liver disease. The chemical, curcurmin, is contained in turmeric, a plant used by the Chinese to make traditional medicines for thousands of years. The recent study has highlighted its potential in countering an increasingly common kind of fatty liver disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). — ANI
WeightWatchers dumps old
‘calorie counting’ plan
London: Dieting company WeightWatchers’ fat and calorie-based points system is set to be replaced by a new system that allows treats, from birthday meals out to the odd fast food binge. According to Grocer magazine, the international dieting giant said it was adopting the “ProPoints” system because “science had moved on” and the previous style of calorie-counting had been proven to be inaccurate and “outdated”, reports the Daily Mail.— ANI
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Dr Vikas Sharma
One of the most valued herbs since times immemorial, garlic (botanically Allium
sativum) has been in use by all the old civilisations of the world. Whereas the Indian, Chinese and Egyptian beliefs have many stories about its divine origin and curative qualities, the ancient ayurvedic literature has gone to the extent of extolling it as “maha-aushadhi” — the great
medicine.
