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World-Alzheimers-Day-20

Healthy living with Alzheimer’s

Sep 21st, 2020

Archive for the ‘ Health Tips ’ Category

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Healthy living with Alzheimer’s

Monday, September 21st, 2020

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s disease tends to develop slowly and gradually worsens over several years. Eventually, Alzheimer’s disease affects most areas of your brain. Memory, thinking, judgment, language, problem-solving, personality, and movement can all be affected by the disease.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Mild forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. But if memory problems are seriously affecting your daily life, they could be early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. They include:

  • Memory loss
  • Misplacing things
  • Lapse in judgment
  • Daily tasks are a challenge
  • Times and places are confusing
  • Changes in vision
  • Words and conversations are frustrating
  • Social withdrawal
  • Mood changes

These symptoms need further investigation by a neurologist.

Reduce your Alzheimer’s risk

Adopting healthy lifestyle changes may lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 60 percent. Here is what you can do:

  •  Physical exercise – Regular physical exercise helps prevent the development of Alzheimer’s and can slow the progression in people who have symptoms.
  • Eat healthy – A nutritious diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, and beans helps reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s.
  • Sleep – Protect your brain and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease by establishing a bedtime routine and sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours.
    Stress – Studies suggest that stress and hypertension increase the risk of both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Manage stress better.
  • Mental stimulation – Reduce Alzheimer’s risk by stimulating your brain. Solve puzzles, crossword, sudoku, or play card games. Keep your brain active.
  • Social interaction – Alzheimer’s experts believe that social engagement promotes healthy aging and can help prevent the disease. Socialize with family and friends, participate in community activities, learn a new skill to help keep your mind engaged.
  • Quit Smoking – Smoking is harmful to your body and your brain.
  • Medical conditions – Problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can increase your risk of getting Alzheimer’s later in life.
  • Maintain a healthy weight –  Maintaining a healthy weight with exercise and a proper diet can help reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s.

Living with Alzheimer’s
There isn’t a cure yet for Alzheimer’s disease. But certain medicines help slow down the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and make the disease easier to live with. There’s a lot you can do to help someone you care about with Alzheimer’s enjoy their day-to-day activities. Even though people with the disease can get frustrated or confused easily, take these steps to help them feel calm and safe. Here are a few helpful tips:

  • Keep a routine: People with Alzheimer’s tend to prefer a familiar schedule and settings. Changes can be hard for them.
  • Limit distractions: People with Alzheimer’s can be easily overwhelmed by crowds and noise. Gather in small groups, avoid crowded places, keep the TV off during other activities.
  • Be flexible: Over time, a person with dementia will become more dependent. To reduce frustration, stay flexible, and adapt your routine and expectations as needed.
  • Create a safe environment: Dementia impairs judgment and problem-solving skills, increasing a person’s risk of injury.
  • Make decisions for your loved ones: People with Alzheimer’s may get flustered when they have to make decisions. It is okay for the caregiver to take some control of everyday choices.

Alzheimer’s in India

In India, more than 4 million people are estimated to be suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, giving the country the third highest caseload in the world. India’s dementia and Alzheimer’s burden is forecast to reach almost 7.5 million by the end of 2030. It is time we increase the awareness of this disease and reach out for medical help.

Concerned about a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s? Our specialists at the Alzheimer’s clinic offer a comprehensive screening and care program for Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders, including neurology consultation, physical and cognitive rehabilitation, and psychotherapy. Please visit:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicsatkh/alzheimersclinic.html

Right nutrition = Strong immunity

Saturday, September 5th, 2020

Make healthy food choices and eat right to help strengthen your body’s immune system. The main tasks of the body’s immune system are: to fight disease-causing germs (pathogens) like bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi, and to remove them from the body, and to fight disease-causing changes in the body, such as cancer cells. The way your body fights an infection depends on your overall health. Regular exercise, sufficient sleep, low stress levels and a nutrient rich food helps increase your body’s capability of fighting a disease.

Choose to eat right
Some compounds have properties that help make your immune system strong and help your fight diseases. Here is a list of must-haves in your daily diet:

  • Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants: Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables provide nutrients—like beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E—that can boost immune function. Many of the vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based foods are also rich in antioxidants, they help reduce oxidative stress.
  • Beta-Carotene: Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that can reduce inflammation and boost immune function by increasing disease-fighting cells in the body. Excellent sources include sweet potatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables.
  • Vitamin C and E: Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that help to destroy free radicals and support the body’s natural immune response. Sources of vitamin C include red peppers, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, mangoes, lemons, and other fruits and vegetables. Vitamin E sources include nuts, seeds, spinach.
  • Vitamin D: Research shows vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk for viral infections, including respiratory tract infections, by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory compounds in the body. Food sources of vitamin D include fortified cereals and milk and dairy products.
  • Zinc: Zinc is a mineral that can help boost white blood cells, which defend against invaders. Sources include nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, beans, and lentils.

Healthy eating tips
You may be eating the most nutritious diet but some dietary mistakes can weaken your immune system and have adverse effects on your health. Here are a few guidelines to follow to help preserve your immunity:

  • Avoid eating processed foods
  • Reduce sugar intake
  • Choose plant-based, whole foods
  • Say “No” to alcohol

Immunity boosting Superfoods
Superfoods contain a variety of nutrients that help ward off many diseases. Here is a list of such superfoods that are known for its immunity building properties:

Citrus fruits – The high vitamin C content in citrus fruits helps increase the production of white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections. Popular citrus fruits include oranges, grapes, kiwi, tangerines.

Broccoli – Broccoli is packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as fibre and many other antioxidants. It is one of the healthiest vegetables and must be lightly cooked.

Garlic – Its immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

Ginger – Since ages, ginger has been used for medicinal purposes, due to its rich nutritional properties. The presence of gingerol, an active component makes ginger a perfect immunity booster.

Spinach -Spinach is packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which helps increase the infection-fighting ability of your immune systems.

Almonds – Almonds have high concentrations of vitamin E that plays a crucial role in keeping the immune system healthy. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids the production of red blood cells and boosts blood circulation.

Yogurt – Yogurt is considered a probiotic that is essential to your immune system’s health. The good bacteria directly affects your gut, and helps improve your immunity.

Green Tea – Green tea contains excellent antioxidant properties that help the body detox toxins and other harmful elements. Green tea contains a powerful antioxidant called EGCG or epigallocatechin that works as an immunity booster.

Sunflower Seeds – Sunflower seeds are packed with nutrients and minerals, including vitamin E, vitamin B-6, magnesium, and phosphorus that benefit your immune system.

Turmeric – Curcumin present in suppresses various inflammatory molecules that are responsible for the causes of the damage by viruses.

A healthy lifestyle and balanced nutrition go a long way in improving your wellness and boosting your immunity. For personalised nutrition plans do consult specialists at our Department of Nutrition Therapy at:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutritiontherapy.html

Your Mental Health Matters

Saturday, July 18th, 2020

Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioural, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. A good mental health also means the absence of a mental disorder. Your mental health affects your ability to cope with stress, overcome challenges, build relationships, and recover from life’s setbacks and hardships. According the World Health Organization (WHO), mental illness makes about 15% of the total disease conditions around the world.

Common mental health disorders

One in four people in the world will be affected by mental disorders at some point in their lives. Treatments are available, but nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional. Stigma, discrimination, and neglect prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental disorders.

The most common types of mental illness are:

Anxiety disorders
People with these conditions have severe fear or anxiety, which relates to certain objects or situations. Restlessness, fatigue, tense muscles, disturbed sleep are some physical symptoms.

Mood disorders
People with these conditions have significant changes in mood, generally involving either mania, which is a period of high energy and elation, or depression. Examples of mood disorders include:

  • Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a constant low mood and loses interest in activities and events that they previously enjoyed. They can feel prolonged periods of sadness or extreme sadness.
  • Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences unusual changes in their mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue with daily life.
  • Postpartum Depression: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a type of depression that affects some women after giving birth to an infant. Symptoms include sadness, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, anxiety, and irritability.

Panic disorders
People with a panic disorder experience regular panic attacks, which involve sudden, overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death.

Phobias
There are different types of phobia:

  • Simple phobias: These might involve a disproportionate fear of specific objects, scenarios, or animals. Fear of closed spaces called claustrophobia is a common example.
  • Social phobia: Sometimes known as social anxiety, this is a fear of being subject to the judgment of others. People with social phobia often restrict their exposure to social environments. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a deeply stressful or traumatic event. During this type of event, the person thinks that their life or other people’s lives are in danger.

Schizophrenia disorders
Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour that impairs daily functioning.

Top tips for good mental health
Taking care of your mental and emotional health is as important as your physical health. Here are a few health tips to keep yourself mentally healthy:

Get plenty of sleep
Sleep helps to regulate the chemicals in your brain that transmit information. These chemicals are important in managing your moods and emotions. Lack of sleep can make you feel depressed or anxious.

Eat a healthy diet
Certain mineral deficiencies, such as iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, can make you feel low. Have a healthy and balanced diet.

Avoid alcohol, smoking, and drugs
Drinking and smoking negatively impact your mental health. It can make you feel more depressed and anxious.

Get plenty of sunlight
Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your brains to release chemicals that improve your mood, like endorphins and serotonin.

Manage stress
Stress is often unavoidable, but knowing what triggers your stress and knowing how to cope is key in maintaining good mental health. Meditation helps reduce your stress level.

Activity and exercise
Activity and exercise are essential in maintaining good mental health. Regular exercise promotes the release of feel-good brain chemicals.

Do something you enjoy
Take out some “me time” to do fun things you enjoy. Listen to music, take up a hobby or watch a TV show you enjoy to relax and unwind.

Stay connected
Staying in touch with friends and family is important not just for your self-esteem, but also for providing support when you’re not feeling too great.

Mental health in India

India shares a huge global burden of mental health diseases. Be it childhood mental disorders like autism or adult conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and psychosis or dementia in old age, the world is facing a challenge in the form of mental illness. The deep stigma around mental health in India contributes to denial and shame among the patients. They fear seeking medical help for their problems. People experiencing mental health problems must seek timely medical help just like they would for other physical health problems.

Seek professional help

One of the most important ways to keep yourself mentally healthy is to recognise when you’re not feeling good and to know when to ask for help. Remove the stigma around mental health. If you’ve made consistent efforts to improve your mental and emotional health and still aren’t functioning optimally at home, work, or in your relationships, it may be time to seek professional help.

Consult highly trained psychiatrists and psychologists at our Department of Psychiatry to help address your mental health problems. At Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital we also provide online consultations through video calls from the safety of your home. Please find below link for more details: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/psychiatry.html

Monsoon Diseases

Saturday, July 4th, 2020

The last few months have been difficult for everyone. The world has been struggling to fight a pandemic and learning the rules of the new normal.  The norms of personal hygiene, sanitization, and physical distancing has gained importance than ever before. The much-awaited monsoon season has certainly brought joy to many people. Are you looking forward to enjoying a hot cup of tea as you see the raindrops from your window? However this joy is short-lived. This cool season arrives with a swarm of unwanted and harmful viruses and diseases. Cold and cough, malaria, dengue, diarrhoea, fever, typhoid are some of the diseases which are commonly seen in monsoon.

Common Monsoon Diseases
Some of the common monsoon illnesses that are highly infectious and which may also prove life-threatening if not attended to on time.

  • Malaria
    Malaria, caused by a single-celled parasite called Plasmodium, is one of the major health concerns in India during monsoons. It is the breeding season for mosquitoes (type: Anopheles minimus) that is a host to this malaria-causing parasite. Symptoms include high fever, chills, headache, nausea and vomiting.
  • Typhoid
    Typhoid fever is a result of contaminated food and water. This is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella typhi. Maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation and at the same time using clean water is recommended to avoid this infection.
  • Chikungunya
    Chikungunya, caused by the Aedes albopictus mosquito, is a non-fatal viral disease. These mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and can bite you not only during the night but also during the day. The symptoms include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rashes.
  • Dengue
    It is caused by a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes known as the tiger mosquito, which has black and white stripes on their body. Symptoms of dengue include severe joint and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever, rashes, and exhaustion.
  • Cholera
    This is a water-borne infection, caused by many strains of bacteria called Vibrio cholera. Cholera affects the gastrointestinal tract causing severe dehydration and diarrhoea. Hence, it is advisable to drink boiled or purified water to keep the germs at bay.
  • Viral Fever
    Sudden weather change can cause viral fevers. This is highly contagious and it can spread through air and physical contact. The symptoms of this fever are fatigue, chills, body aches, and fever.
  • Leptospirosis
    The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Avoid walking through flooded waters as this infection enters your body through minor cuts on your skin.
  • Cold and cough
    The drastic fluctuation of temperature which happens during this rainy season makes the body susceptible to bacterial and viral attacks, resulting in cold and flu. This is the most common form of viral infection. One must consume highly nutritious foods and strengthen your immunity.
  • Diarrhoea
    Usually, towards the end of summer and early rainy season, seasonal diarrhea is common. This is spread through contaminated food and water. Maintain utmost hygiene while cooking and avoid eating outside food during monsoon.
  • Jaundice
    Jaundice is a condition wherein the colour of the skin and the eyes turn yellow. It is the cause of increased levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Jaundice harms your liver if left untreated.

Preventive Measures

Prevention is better than cure, take these health precautions during monsoon to help prevent the spread of monsoon illnesses. Here are a few health tips:

  • Drink safe and clean water.
  • Wash vegetables, fruits thoroughly.
  • Avoid eating outside food.
  • Use mosquito repellents.
  • Wear clean and dry garments.
  • Use hand sanitizers.
  • Use mosquito nets in your house
  • Clear stagnant water around your house.
  • Maintain high personal hygiene.

Make sure you protect yourself and your family from these dangerous diseases this monsoon season. However, despite your best efforts if you are infected with any monsoon illness please seek medical care. You can visit us or consult our experts online too. For more information please visit www.kokilabenhospital.com

International Yoga Day 2020

Saturday, June 20th, 2020

The theme for this year’s International Yoga Day on June 21, is “Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family.” This year International Yoga Day will be observed differently. Everyone is advised to stay at home and celebrate this day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage each one of you to make yoga a part of your life and spread awareness among your family and friends. If you are new to yoga you can refer to various online tutorials by experts to learn the correct form of yoga from the safety of your home.

How should Yoga be practiced?
Yoga should be practiced in a clean and calm environment, with a relaxed body and mind. It should be practiced on an empty or light stomach. A yoga mat or a folded blanket is ideal to perform yoga asanas. Choose to wear comfortable cotton clothes to ensure easy movement. If a person is unwell than yoga must be skipped that day. Also if you are suffering from chronic disease, pain or cardiac problems you must consult a yoga expert before practicing yoga. Pregnant women must speak with their doctor before starting any yoga routine. It is important to perform each asana slowly with awareness of the body as well as breath. Regular practice of yoga helps provide physical, emotional, and mental health balance.

Health benefits of yoga
Yoga is attributed to its many health benefits over hundreds of years. Here are some of the key ones:

  • Better Flexibility and Posture
    Yoga must become a part of your daily routine to get a body that is strong, supple, and flexible. Regular yoga practice stretches and tones the body muscles and also makes them strong. It also helps improve your body posture.
  • Builds Strength and balance
    Many yoga poses require you to bear your body weight in new ways, including balancing on one leg (as in tree pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (as in downward facing dog). Holding these poses helps build muscular strength.
  • Improves Immunity
    Yoga poses help massage various organs and strengthens muscles while breathing techniques and meditation release stress and improve immunity.
  • Supports Joint Health
    The movements necessary for yoga are low impact, allowing you to use your joints without injuring them. Yoga also helps strengthen the muscles around the joints, lessening their load. 
  • Prevents Back Pain
    Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who have back pain have a sedentary lifestyle. Spending long hours in front of your computer also causes tightness throughout the body and spinal compression. Yoga counteracts these conditions.
  • Helps you Breathe better
    Yoga breathing exercises, called pranayama, focus your attention on breathing and teach you how to take deeper breaths, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages and even calm the nervous system, which has physical and mental benefits.
  • Helps calm your mind
    Yoga asana practice is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing calmness to your mind. Yoga also introduces you to various meditation techniques. These skills help support you overcome an anxiety attack, fight insomnia, and even deal better with childbirth.
  • Reduces Stress
    Regular practice of yoga helps relax your body and eases the stress. Yoga can decrease the secretion of cortisol, the primary stress hormone.
  • Increases Self Confidence
    Doing yoga improves your mind-body connection, giving you a better awareness of your own body. The small subtle movements to improve your alignment helps you feel more confident over time.

Yoga and COVID-19
As the world faces one of its worst pandemics, there’s been a renewed focus on building one’s immunity. While eating right is one way to do it, another time-tested way is to practice yoga. Yoga also helps keep stress at bay in these uncertain times. This is the time to strengthen your defence system and stay positive.

Beginners guide to Yoga
If you are not practicing yoga now is the time to induct this ancient philosophy in your life. Starting your day with morning yoga will keep you energized and active full day. Here are some expert-recommended asanas:

  • Naukasana (boat pose)
    It increases the efficiency of abdominal muscles, is good for digestion, and reduces belly fat.
  • Paschimottanasana (head to toe)
    It stretches the calf and hamstring muscles, elongates the spine, and ensures good blood circulation to all the organs.
  • Ardha matsyendrasan (half spinal pose)
    It makes your spine more flexible and strengthens your side muscles.
  • Dwi Pada Uttanasana (both leg raise pose)
    It strengthens your core muscles and is an efficient practice to release the extra fat around the abdomen.
  • Dandasana (plank pose)
    This asana is an excellent way to strengthen the core, burn fat, and increase your overall productivity.
  • Viparita Karni (Inclined pose)
    This asana helps regulate your digestive process and stimulates the hormone system.
  • Kapalabhati (skull cleansing kriya)
    Kapalabhati balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs.
  • Dhanurasana (bow pose)
    It is effective in weight loss, improves digestion, and appetite and boosts blood circulation. It also makes your back flexible.
  • Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
    This pose improves the flexibility of your back, and tones the abdomen, neck and shoulders. It improves blood circulation and rids you of fatigue and stress.
  • Bitilasana (cat-cow pose)
    Bitilasana stretches the back torso and neck and strengthens the abdominal organs.

Start a new chapter in your life this International Yoga Day, make yoga a part of your life. Gift yourself physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.

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