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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Old age: Regular physical activity can keep you fit Interesting dental myths
Health Notes
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Old age: Regular physical activity can keep you fit It is true that old age brings with it many physical and physiological changes. But it is also true that by undertaking appropriate strengthening and endurance activities one can remain fit and at least postpone many changes. There is also a change in thinking that much of the deterioration in various body tissues is more due to disuse than the aging process. The saying that “One is as old as one thinks” conveys a lot. The general feeling is that if one becomes old, one is too weak to exercise. This brings in lack of physical activity leading to a decrease in strength, stamina and also self-confidence. Having a positive attitude vis-à-vis aging makes an individual not only more confident and physically active but also mentally healthy. Exercise is a must for a person above the age of 40 years. Such people need to do physical activity more than a youngster, whose metabolism is very strong. The effects of aging are
as under: Muscle strength decreases particularly after the age of 60 years. The reduction in the muscle mass associated with aging appears to be predominantly in the number rather than the size of muscle fibers. Bone mass declines slowly after peaking in the second and third decades, especially in women after menopause, due to hormonal imbalance. In the spine, bone mass loss can cause fracture of the vertebrae, resulting in upper back hump. Osteoporosis can also cause hip fractures. Although it is difficult to increase
bone minerals among senior citizens, appropriate physical activity can reduce the
rate of loss. Heart muscles become weak to propel a large quantity of blood to the body. Cardiac output decreases by about 20 per cent among the seniors than in a young adult. Exercise tends to lower the resting heart rate and the resultant increased diastolic time allows improved coronary blood flow. Exercise also has an effect on blood lipid levels, raising the levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) called good cholesterol and lowering the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) — bad cholesterol. Blood pressure increases by 10 mm due to the decreased elasticity of blood vessels. Exercise lowers blood pressure and reduces obesity. A combination of these two factors in addition to the reduction in cholesterol decreases the risk of Ischemic heart disease. There is lack of coordination due to slow reaction time. Joints become inflamed and arthritic as the cushioning cartilage begins to break down from a lifetime of use. Aging decreases the lungs’ vital capacity. Exercise/ praynayam improves the pulmonary function in older people with obstructive airway disease. The following exercises lead to all-round physical well-being: Cardio exercises for seniors: Walking, swimming, biking, gardening, golfing, playing tennis, etc, is important. It is recommended that seniors should do cardio exercise daily for at least 30 minutes. If they cannot exercise for some reason, they can start with 5-10 minutes of cardio three times a week to allow their body to get used to it. Each week add a few minutes until you can move continuously for half an hour or more. Strength training: It is believed that ‘resistance exercises may forestall a decline in strength and muscle mass for decades.” Performing strength exercises at least twice a week but not for the same muscle
group on any two days in a row is ideal. Wrist/ biceps strengthening: Sitting on a chair, place one end of the stretch band under your foot and hold the other end in your hand with the palm up. Bend the wrist upwards and downwards 10 times. Now rest the forearm on the thigh. Bend your elbow upwards and downwards 10 times. Rowing: Sitting on a chair with one leg extended, loop the band around the ball of the foot and hold the ends with the hands. Now pull the band towards the chest. Return back, repeat 10 times. Calf strengthening: Sitting with one leg outstretched, loop the band around the ball of the foot. Pull the band towards the body. A stretch shall be felt in the calf muscle. Stay for a count of 10. Return back, repeat 10 times. Quadriceps strengthening: While lying on the back, wrap the band around both ankles. Raise one leg towards the ceiling. Feel tension in the front of thigh muscle. Repeat 10 times. Hamstring strengthening: Lying your face downwards, loop the band around the ankles. Bend one leg towards the hips and feel the tension in the back of the thigh muscles. Return back, repeat 10 times. Lack of physical activity leads to early osteoporosis and a reduction in muscle strength and this causes
long-term physical and mental disability with associated complications. The writer is a former
doctor/physiotherapist, Indian Cricket Team. |
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Interesting dental myths Myth: The most prevalent myth is that extraction of teeth, especially the upper ones, affects the eyesight or vision of a person. Reality: The reality is that before extracting any tooth, anaesthesia is given. In the case of the upper teeth, infraorbital nerve block is given. Sometimes due to a wrong method of infraorbital nerve block, the orbital nerve at the orbital foramen gets anaesthetised which then transiently leads to blurred vision. But as soon as the effect of anaesthesia wears off, vision is regained, thus causing no harm to the eyesight of a person undergoing the extraction of a tooth. Myth: Another common baseless myth is that there is no need for taking care of milk teeth (deciduous teeth) in children as in a few years they fall out and are replaced by new permanent teeth. Reality: The fact is that milk teeth act as space maintainers for new permanent teeth as these either erupt in place of (in case of posterior teeth) or behind these milk teeth (in the case of anterior teeth). Myth: Scaling of teeth weakens them. Reality: Scaling is a process in which all the external hard deposits (calculus) and external stains are removed from the surface of teeth without causing any harm to the tooth structure. It not only removes debris or deposits but also improves the condition of gums by preventing bleeding from gums. Rather, if we are not removing the tartar or calculus, it will result in gum inflammation. When inflammation gets severe, the bone holding the teeth in place is also affected (or lost). This will ultimately loosen the teeth or cause mobility of teeth. Myth: Dental powders (commonly called as “manjans”) are better than tooth pastes in cleaning the tooth surface more effectively by removing more of plaque and stains. Reality: There is no doubt that these powders will remove plaque and stains in a better way, but powders have more abrasives which will ultimately cause abrasion of the tooth enamel, leading to sensitivity of the teeth and thus harming our teeth. Moreover, these powders are used with fingers which cannot clean the interdental areas (areas between 2 teeth) thus giving rise to periodontal problems and proximal caries (decay of teeth). Myth: Wisdom molar (the 3rd molar), commonly called as ‘Akal Dar’, is related to the wisdom or intelligence of a person. Reality: Wisdom tooth usually erupts between 17 and 21 years of age, thought to be an age at which a person is getting ‘wiser”. Otherwise, it has no relation with the intelligence of a person. Rather wisdom molar, which has no chance of eruption in a proper position and can cause trouble to the patient, must be removed as early as possible even if surgery is required. Myth: It is better to treat a decaying tooth rather than opt for removing it. Reality: Definitely one should always try to save one’s teeth as far as possible. But before making any decision whether to continue treatment or remove an aching tooth, one should consult a dental professional. The writer is a Dental Consultant, Fortis City Centre, Chandigarh. Email — dr_anuaggarwal@yahoo.com |
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Now, healthy people may be tagged as mentally ill!
Sydney: Proposals to categorise any condition a normal person is facing, under the umbrella term ‘disorder’, has sparked an international outcry, with psychiatrists fearing that it may mislabel millions of healthy people as mentally ill and lead to increased stigma and medication. The repercussions may include categorising what was once considered an unruly child’s temper tantrum as ‘disruptive mood dysregulation disorder’. If a widow’s grief lasts longer than a fortnight then she might be diagnosed with ‘major depressive disorder’. When the mother in a bitter custody battle tries to turn a child against the father, it might create ‘parental alienation disorder’, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. These are some of the new conditions proposed for the fifth edition of the psychiatrist’s bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is due to be finalised next year. — ANI
Breast implant surgery:
Cancer fear looms large
London: The fear of breast cancer is looming among more than 50,000 women in Britain following the death of a French woman who had implants with silicone gel “made for mattresses”. Tens of thousands of women who went under the knife are now being urged to have medical check-ups amid fears that they are at a heightened risk of cancer, the Daily Mail reported. Almost 50,000 British women, including some breast cancer survivors, have the French-made implants, which are fragile and more likely to leak than other brands. —
ANI
Red-coloured dye obtained from Lichens may combat Alzheimer’s
Washington: A red-coloured dye derived from Lichens, which has been used for centuries to colour fabrics and food, may help to reduce the abundance of small toxic protein aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has claimed. The dye, a compound called orcein, and a related substance, called O4, bind preferentially to small amyloid aggregates that are considered to be toxic and cause neuronal dysfunction and memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Protein misfolding is considered to be the cause of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and also Huntington’s disease. In a multistep process, proteins misfold and accumulate into large extra-or-intracellular plaques.
— ANI
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It is true that old age brings with it many physical and physiological changes. But it is also true that by undertaking appropriate strengthening and endurance activities one can remain fit and at least postpone many changes. There is also a change in thinking that much of the deterioration in various body tissues is more due to disuse than the aging process.
The saying that “One is as old as one thinks” conveys a lot. The general feeling is that if one becomes old, one is too weak to exercise.
Now, healthy people may be tagged as mentally ill!
We all grow up with some myths which are passed on from our parents and are accepted by us in a way that they are difficult to go away from our lives. Here are a few such myths and the reality behind it.