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Showing posts from January, 2023

GB Syndrome ; Do not mistake this for a stroke

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 Understanding of this rare disorder You may have heard of the medical term “ autoimmune disease ” in a very broad & vague sense. In layman terms it is often associated with “Molecular Mimicry” wherein there are similarities between foreign and self-antigen and the body starts to attack its own healthy cells, leaving itself with a very weakened immune system. Now, when an autoimmune disease occurs in the body in the form of an infection, the body's first response is to go into Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy which is the rapid onset of ascending weakness or weakness going upwards from the leg up due to a slower transmission of electrical impulses to the brain. This is the very first indicator of the GB Syndrome or the Guillain-Barre Syndrome.  Diagnosis of Deceptive Symptoms With a symmetrical limb weakness and absence of neurological reflexes (Areflexia) or peripheral neuropathy, this syndrome can greatly mimic the symptoms of a stroke too. There are no tailor

Hypoglycemia vs Hyperglycemia ; Two Ends of a Spectrum

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  Living with Diabete s is an inconvenient lifestyle change. The system of our body works in a certain order. It is a perfectly wired system with several mechanisms which work in a domino effect. Glucose is the elixir that flows throughout the body and provides fuel to make our body and our brain operational. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps glucose from food be converted into sugar for the body. But when this process is disrupted and the pancreas does not produce insulin well, the glucose then remains into your blood and does not reach your organs or cells. Now, the condition of diabetes mellitus is also called hyperglycemia. But that is one end of the spectrum. On the other end lies Hypoglycemia, which takes a 360° turn. Hypoglycemia is a condition wherein there is excessive insulin in your bloodstream. A drop in blood sugar means there isn’t adequate amounts of glucose in your bloodstream to be able to fuel your brain and your body. But this gets interesting

The Importance of Calcium During Menopause

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  Menopause marks the end of a menstrual cycle and usually occurs in women in their 50s. Menopause is considered a rite of passage in a woman’s life. However, it brings along many physiological and mental difficulties in women who are unable to manage it well. Menopausal women experience a range of physiological changes including a calcium deficiency.  Problem #1 Menopausal induced Osteoporosis causes the bones to become weak and brittle which may result in fractures of the vertebrae, hip and wrist.  Solution- Calcium supplements should be taken along with Vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D for optimal absorption of calcium. If you're experiencing menopausal symptoms you are more susceptible to calcium deficiency than a normal human being. Some natural sources of Vitamin D include sunlight, varieties of fish, oranges, dairy and egg yolks. Problem #2 Hypocalcaemia causes numbness in the face and hands. Solution- Adding milk to your diet through tea and coffee is a great way to co

WORLD DIETETICS DAY : Importance of Protein for Cancer Patients

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            It is already hard enough for your body to manage living with cancer. This condition causes the body enormous amounts of effort to simply digest food. During this time, cancer patients can manage their low appetite by incorporating protein rich foods in their diet. Let us keep in mind that sometimes, in cases of advanced cancer, eating protein rich diets may or may not affect the end result of the illness or health concern but it can help cancer patients: ·          Gain muscle ·          Improve blood clotting ·          Fight off any infection ·          Enhance cell growth ·          Feel strengthened  ·          Builds immunity   Now, what is healthy doesn’t necessarily have to be boring! Let us look at some interesting ways in which you can stay healthy while keeping your taste buds tingling: 1.     Craving pizza?  There is no doubt that pizza is an all weather food yet it has little to no nutritional benefit. It is here that oats flou

Septoplasty; You May Not Know About It But You May Need It

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  There is a thin cartilage that separates the nostrils in the nasal anatomy and becomes crooked or inclined towards one side. This is called a deviated septum. The septum regulates the airflow from the nose into the lungs. The septum transfers the air directly into the lungs and helps the air to lose its path.  Now, this deviation in the septum is often observed at birth itself. Sometimes, an injury directly related to the nose could cause deviation in the septum such as contact sports or motor vehicle accidents.  How to identify a deviated septum: ·          Inability to get a good sleep ·          Feeling of constant obstruction of the nasal passage ·          Noisy breathing due to swelling of the nose from one side ·          Preference of sleeping on a particular side due to comfort ·          Nosebleeds due to dryness caused by a deviated septum A septoplasty is performed inside your nose to straighten the deviated septum. Your septum is physiologically about 7

What is a Hair Transplant Procedure and Why Should You Get It?

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  Watching your hair fall is depressing. More so when you feel you are in the pink of health but what goes on internally is often unknown to man. On an average, a person loses about 50 to 100 strands of hair every day but this often goes unnoticed because hair generation keeps happening simultaneously. However, it is when you start noticing excessive hair fall, bald patches on your scalp, thinning of the hair on your scalp, it's indicative that a trip to the cosmetologist is due. Do not worry if they diagnose you for Alopecia Areata, it is the medical term for hair loss.  This process can be understood a bit better by knowing what causes hair loss.  ·          Heredity and hormonal changes are the most common reasons cited for hair.  ·          Strong medication to treat any pre-existing illnesses may also cause hair loss, such as being exposed to chemotherapy radiation for cancer treatment.  ·          Certain hairstyles and hair treatments involving chemicals can also ca

It is Harder to Diagnose Cancer in Pregnant Women. Read Why.

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  In a normal human anatomy, new cells develop in the body and multiply through the process of cell division thus forming new cells. The old cells, which are of little use and are damaged, then die and get replaced by newer cells. However, in this naturally occurring intricate process when an abnormal activity takes place, things get complex. When these damaged cells present in the body multiply to form newer damaged cells, certain tumours and lumps of tissue are formed which may be benign or malignant. On investigation, if found that this tumour or lump formed is malignant, it indicates a possibility of them to be cancerous. The process of when these damaged and malignant cells divide and spread further into healthy tissues is known as metastasis. For many types of cancers, metastasis indicates the 4th stage of the severity of cancer, which in medical terms suggests that the malignant cells have entered and damaged the healthy tissues of another organ different to where it first origi

Get to Know Blood Types and What They Mean

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  “ Blood is memory without a language” Blood is a body fluid containing various proteins, nutrients, and oxygen that travels through the circulatory system. Blood is the basis of life . Without blood, life cannot be sustained. Blood is extremely important for life because of the crucial functions it performs every single day. From the minute that we are born to the day that we die, blood carries clean oxygen from the lungs to the heart, and other essential organs and cells, whilst also carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs for exhalation. Other functions of the blood also include coagulation, maintaining body temperature, hydraulic functions and transporting hormones to name a few.  Now, like most things, blood also has variations in the inherent nature of its being. Blood’s composition is complex but intricate. Let us learn the chemical composition of its various varieties and their significance.  From the outside, blood is considered to be a fluid with a thin membrane but