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Feb28
diabetes and depression
DIABETES AND DEPRESSION

These two diseases can relate to each other in some patients due to following reasons:

The rigors of managing diabetes can be stressful and lead to symptoms of depression.

Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression.

Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.

Depression affects your ability to perform tasks, communicate and think clearly. This can interfere with your ability to successfully manage diabetes.

Managing the two conditions together

Diabetes self-management programs. Diabetes programs that focus on behavior have been successful in helping people improve their metabolic control, increase fitness levels, and manage weight loss and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. They can also help improve your sense of well-being and quality of life.

Psychotherapy. Similarly, participants in psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, have reported improvements in depression, which has resulted in better diabetes management.

Medications and lifestyle changes. Medications — for both diabetes and depression — and lifestyle changes, including different types of therapy coupled with regular exercise, can improve both conditions
.
If you have diabetes, watch for signs and symptoms of depression, such as loss of interest in normal activities, feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and unexplained physical problems like back pain or headaches.

If you think you might be depressed, seek help right away. Your doctor or diabetes educator can refer you to a mental health professional.


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Jan02
Dry skin remedies ....
Tips to soothe dry skin:Got dry skin? There are many things you can do to make it smooth and supple.
In many cases, all it takes is making a few adjustments to your daily skin care routine.Here are our recommendations:

Oil therapy: Rub on some olive, almond or coconut oil and massage lightly on to your hands, legs and the rest of your body before heading for a shower. Heat the oil and then apply. Post shower, use a light moisturizer / sunscreen.
Scoop some milk cream: Milk cream makes for a very good moisturizer. Mix a few drops of lime, a teaspoon of milk and two teaspoon of milk cream and rub onto your hands and legs. Leave it on for a while before you head for a shower.
Curd : Curd makes for an excellent skin hydrant, and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties will help soothes your dry, itchy skin. Apply curd just as it is or mix it with some honey and a few drops of lime. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes before you wash it off. It is sure to do wonders for your skin.
Honey: Honey helps lock in moisture, has antioxidant and anti-microbial properties, which makes it a sought after ingredient in many over-the-counter skincare products. Why shell out money on those, when you can buy yourself a bottle of honey (which is cheaper) and use it to treat your skin. Lightly heat 2 tsp. of honey any apply it onto your skin , while warm. Leave it on for 15 minutes, and then wash it off.
Aloe vera: After bath, slice a piece of aloe, squeeze all the gel out and apply onto your face, hands or legs. It will not only moisturise your skin, it will also form a protective layer that will keep impurities from entering your pores. Although aloe is a good skin hydrant, it can leave your skin feeling tight.
Milk: In 4 tsp. of raw milk add a few drops of rose water/ lime and rub it all over your body and wash with cold water. Do this twice a day. And your skin will feel baby soft.
Vitamin-E : Take Vitamin-E capsules( 2 capsules) squeeze out the oil, mix a few drops of lime juice and apply all over your body. Take a shower and feel the difference.
Glycerine: Glycerine helps absorb and retain moisture . Mix a teaspoon of glycerine with a few drops of lime and massage onto your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes before you wash it off.
Coconut milk: Coconut milk not only reduces skin dryness, but also helps combat dark spots and blemishes. Rub it onto your face and body, and leave it overnight. Make sure to spread out an old bed-sheet and pillow cover.
Scrub: Use a body scrub that isn’t very rough on your skin (apricot or walnut) and scrub your body at least once a week.
Do not use any exfoliator until your dry skin heals a little, else it gets worse!
And yes, do drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated.
Avoid scratching: which damages the skin. If itching is a problem, try the following:
Keep the itchy area well moisturized. Dry skin may make itching worse.
Try an oatmeal bath to help relieve itching.
Wrap 1 cup of oatmeal in a cotton cloth and boil as you would to cook it. Use this as a sponge and bathe in tepid water without soap.
Try a nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream for small itchy areas.
Use the cream very sparingly on the face or genitals.
If itching is severe, your doctor may prescribe a stronger cream.
If you are using this cream for larger areas like your arms or legs, you may want to mix some of this cream with a moisturizer before putting it on your skin.
Try a nonprescription oral antihishamine.
Cut your nails short or wear gloves at night to prevent scratching.
Wear loose and comfortable clothing. Avoid scratchy fabrics next to your skin.


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Jan01
My winter blues
My winter blues
For few days I was wondering why am I feeling so sad, low and somehow depressed sort…as there was no personal enmities with anyone…professionally too I am doing well….what????
Then suddenly one word came to me “winter blues”…oh yes it could be…yes I got it is winter blues ….oh no…
But I have the solution to enlighten myself and get out of this winter blues…now all of you must be wondering what I am talking about …yup…let me explain that now…
Some symptoms include depression, marathon napping, low self-esteem, obsessiveness over little things, irritability, shyness, and panic attacks. People with seasonal affective disorder may also sleep poorly (although for many hours), partly because they don't have enough serotonin to convert to the sleep substance melatonin.

Winter depression is still a mystery to scientists who study it. Many things, including brain chemicals, ions in the air, and genetics seem to be involved. But researchers agree that people who suffer from winter depression -- also known as "seasonal affective disorder," a term that produces the cute acronym SAD -- have one thing in common. They're particularly sensitive to light, or the lack of it.

As the days get shorter most of us do not feel going after a particular time say 6 p.m. we tend to remain indoors because of cold weather so as aresult most of our outdoor chores remain unaccomplished…result feel irritated…do not get time to meet friends result loneliness…

Many studies have shown that people with seasonal affective disorder feel better after exposure to bright light. It seems simple enough: In higher latitudes, winter days are shorter, so you get less exposure to sunlight. Replace lost sunlight with bright artificial light, and your mood improves….
Have your bedroom lights turn on a half hour before you're supposed to wake up.
Expose yourself to sunlight as early in the morning as you can.

Use artificial light. You can use the light box to effectively lengthen the day: use it before daylight, after the sun sets, or a combination of the two. Increasing the day length by two hours should be effective.
Get Moving

Did you know that one hour of aerobic exercise outside (even when it's cloudy) has the same therapeutic effects as 2.5 hours of light treatment indoors? This is because it raises serotonin levels, which tend to get low when you have the winter blues.

Research has proven that exercising regularly can help ward off depression. Every little bit helps--a mere thirty minutes of daily physical activity can decrease symptoms of mild to moderate depression by upwards of 50 percent.
Watch your cravings! When your serotonin levels are low, one of things your body tends to do is to crave food high in carbohydrates, especially high-sugar foods like junk food and soda, because they raise serotonin levels.

Eat wisely. This means, pushing away the leftover cake and eating sensible carbs to stimulate serotonin. Sweets and simple carbs, like white rice and white bread, quickly raise blood sugar, flood you with insulin, and then drop you in a hole. Eating wisely also means watching the caffeine, which suppresses serotonin.

Take a multivitamin containing vitamin D-3 daily. Vitamin D is created by the sun's rays on the skin, and therefore declines during the winter. Although studies on the effect of vitamin D supplements on seasonal depression have come up with varied results a good multivitamin will also help with energy levels.

Take up a winter activity

Do not be a couch potato: I know you will crave for paranthas, ladoos, panjiri and other desserts to make yourself happy….beware it will all add up calories and increase weight…so please eat healthy options like
Popcorn
Oatmeal
Nuts
Egg whites for omelets
Peanut butter
Prewashed veggies
Fruit
Whole grain crackers and bread
Cottage cheese
If you really want to munch on…do not stuff yourself.

Tommorrow we will talk more about foods that help you in combating winter blues.

for further queries you can consult our e clinic
sunainakhetarpal.zest.md


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Jan01
how to combat sugar cravings
http://sunainakhetarpal.zest.md/

sunainakhetarpal.zest.md

how to combat sugar cravings
Combat hypoglycemia, or low-blood sugar by trying the following:

Eat a breakfast that is NOT sweet, for example brown rice, or lean protein and blanched vegetables.

Have no sweets (that includes fruit, refined flour, and all sweeteners) until after 3:00 pm. After that eat either fruit or a fruit or grain-sweetened dessert rather than sweets that contained refined sugars.

Eating sweets in the morning or early afternoon tend to stimulate sweet cravings throughout the day. You might feel sick from eating sugars in the early morning

If you have the sugar blues in the morning around 10-10:30 and again in the afternoon around 2-4:00, drink 1 cup of sweet vegetable drink.

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Research has shown that artificial sweeteners cause intense cravings for sweets.


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Dec03
Association between asthma and infertility
Do you know?

There is an association between asthma and infertility due to an increased time to pregnancy. Delayed pregnancy was significantly longer among women whose asthma was not treated compared with women whose asthma was being treated (30.5 percent of the untreated asthma group versus 23.8 percent of those receiving treatment), the researchers said. Asthma is an inflammatory disease and inflammation can happen anywhere in the body.The inflammatory part of asthma may well be affecting not only bronchial tubes but also fallopian tubes.


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Nov20
how to look great on D-DAY
How to look great on the D-day….your wedding….for the brides to be and the bride’s best friends?

1. MAINTAIN A FOOD DIARY: Track your food from the spoonful of custard to the little bites of chocolates everything you taste. We do not consider these hidden calories when we consume little bites of our favorite foods of and on. Kindly keep a track on these "hidden" calories as they are easy to gloss over but can really add up. Plus, research shows that the simple act of tracking your food can help you lose twice as much weight than if you don't track at all. For example 5 numbers of almonds have the same calories as of 1 chapatti….and we eat dried fruits as if there are no calories in them. So you be aware of this fact.

2. EAT BREAKFAST. Breakfast is the easiest meal to prepare and it sets the stage for your day. NEVER SKIP THIS MOST IMPORTANT MEAL. Eat a healthful breakfast to get your metabolism fired up, and then you'll be more likely to make healthy choices throughout the day. Eating breakfast can help you lose weight, as studies have shown breakfast eaters tend to consume fewer total calories during the day than people who don't eat a morning meal.

3. MINIMIZE THE PROCESSED AND PACKED FOODS: What the meats, dairy and processed and refined foods do is clog up your intestines with acidic toxins that can contribute to acne. These packed and preserved foods are loaded with sugar, salt, synthetic preservatives and fats either Trans fats or hydrogenated fats. Those toxins overwhelm your organs and alter the balance of good and bad bacteria in the intestines.

4.EAT FRESH: Try to eat fresh foods. Do not consume the left overs for a while as the left overs causes the bloating also they have minimum nutrient contents. Secondly when you eat left overs you are not satisfied with what you eat and you tend to eat some snack that is either a pack of noodles, bhujias, biscuits or any other which tend to add extra calories.

5. DRINK WATER: Drink lots n lots of water as it will remove toxins from the body. As winters are here and we tend to drink lesser water but we need at least 1ml of water for each 1 kcal we consume. So try to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Drink at least 35ml/kg body weight of water every day.

6. GOOD NIGHT SLEEP: WEDDING DAY SHOPPING…NEW DREAMS….STRESS….ALLL THESE WILL TAKE UP YOUR SLEEP ….it happens as most of the brides do forget what sleep is after they get hitched! But remember that sleep is the only time when your body recovers from all the stress your body goes through during the day. A good sleep is an important ingredient in your process of weight loss as well. It stabilizes your hunger hormones, which help you control appetite. . Your mind and calendar may be full of to-dos, but is "plenty of sleep" on your agenda each day? It should be. Too little sleep can hinder your weight-loss efforts, increasing cravings and leading to poor choices. Staying organized will help, but do you best to stick to a consistent sleep schedule, aiming for at least 7-8 hour hours per night—including weekends.

7. ACTIVE LIFESTYLE: Be active… yes the most important mantra of weight loss is in being active. If you can motivate yourself and go for a good brisk walk for an hour, well and fine. But if you are not able to do it at home it is better for you to join a gym, dance class, etc. An hour of exercise is a must to help you burst your flab and to look fab. . Maintain an active lifestyle. Try short workouts and find simple ways to turn downtime into active time. When you exercise, you help flush toxins out of your body. You also improve your circulation, bringing more blood to the surface of the skin. This not only gives you a healthy glow post-exercise, but it also keeps your skin cells healthier in the long run.

Try yoga, hiking, biking and running— whatever feels best for your body! Do something that you love so you’ll feel as if exercise is something you get to do, rather than one more chore. If wedding planning is stressing you out, you need the exercise to release some of that anxiety. You’ll get glowing skin, boost your mood, and be able to think more clearly with a little physical activity. All of these things will help you look beautiful, calm, and happy on your wedding day. You can also try pranayams at home. Deep breathing exercises also help you to lose weight. Yes the fun loving thing is to dance and make others dance as well.

8. NO SALT PLEASE: No Sodium! Avoid or minimize salt, it might sound difficult but it is certainly a small sacrifice for a slim body. Just flavor your food with other herbs and spices instead. Try to take one meal without salt and in others you can have lesser salt. Salt tends to cause water retention so beware….

9. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING FOODS IN YOUR DIET FOR A FLAT BELLY ON D-DAY:

Pineapple

Tomatoes

Watermelons

Papaya

Mushrooms

Olive Oil

Green tea

Oats

10. MANAGE STRESS: It is a big day for you …yes so many emotions will be flowing through your mind..as you have to start a new life….but stress will take the charm of your face on the wedding day…try to keep yourself relaxed and calm. Do some meditation or call a close friend and discuss with her. Do pranayams or go out for a walk…try to spend maximum time with your family as this will keep you relaxed…remember the childhood…cherish the moments you spent with your siblings…and have great fun…as we cannot predict our future so live this day and enjoy.

FOR THE PERSONALISED DIET CHARTS ENROLL ON MY WEBSITE AND GET A SPECIAL 20% DISCOUNT FROM US FOR THIS SPECIAL DAY…


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Oct25
For all the new moms:
For all the new moms:

Try these tips to help your little one sleep:

When your baby fusses at night, wait a minute or two to see if he calms himself down and goes back to sleep.

Be quiet during nighttime feedings or diaper changes. Try not to wake him up too much.

Be active and play during the day so he stays awake for longer periods. That can help him transition to sleeping more .


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Oct10
How to Break the fast
Hi Every one


Fasting means depriving yourself of solid foods. When you are coming out of a fast, it is important to ease your body back into the process of digesting regular foods. Because your digestive system has most likely reduced enzyme production and affected the mucus lining in your stomach, overeating or ingesting certain foods too quickly may cause you to experience health problems such as nausea, stomachaches, or diarrhea.

Introducing regular foods slowly and strategically will help you break a fast safely, without disrupting your digestive system.

Keep yourself hydrated. Continue to drink plenty of water and fresh juices while you are breaking your fast.

Maintain healthy eating habits. Remember that your fast was a cleansing experience for your body. Do not immediately fill it back up with junk food and processed meals. Make your fast the start of a healthy lifestyle

As fasts are going to be over...you must be feeling some what lethargic too as you must be grabbing or grazing on more n more of potatoes (fried) or you must have followed my tips on nutrition during navratris, or literally feeling good and have lost weight....but now towards the end of the fasts you must be craving for wheat or rice or dals...I mean the food which we usually relish. So now what we are going to do after the fasts is grab n eat each n everything of our choice....

I hear people say I have just finished fasting for 30 days, I’m going out to my favourite restaurant to have my favourite dinner. This is wrong. When on a long fast of about 20 days or more, the digestive system shuts down partially or completely.


Hold on.........

This is not the right time .....

Breaking a fast with vegetables, either steamed or raw, is best. Your stomach is smaller now, so eat lightly. Stop before you feel full.

The stomach and the intestines have been cleaned out. A thorough fast cleans out everything. Therefore, you must allow time for the digestive system to prepare itself for food again.

citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, and food such as
yogurts, are the best food to take, as they contain “good” bacteria that help to restore the intestinal flora and the digestive system.


If you eat solid food or processed food after a long fast, the first thing that will occur is constipation. Your digestive system will not move that solid food until it starts functioning again. This is because, all along, it has been busy cleaning, not digesting

Other habits you should avoid in the next two weeks are smoking and heavy drinking. The doctors warn that tobacco and alcohol may shock the system after fasting and this may lead to sudden cardiovascular events like a heart attack.

FIRSTLY TAKE CARE OF HOW YOU OPEN YOUR FASTS...HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR YOU

1. BREAK YOUR FAST WITH LIQUIDS FIRST..LIKE COCONUT WATER OR MILK OR FRUIT JUICES..

2. TAKE 1 PURI ONLY AND TRY TO TAKE CHAPATI INSTEAD OF PURIS OR ANY FRIED THING.

3. TRY TO MAKE CHANAS/BEANS IN OLIVE OIL. USE 2 TSP OF OIL ONLY.

4. TAKE HALWA IN SMALL QUANTITIES ONLY JUST 2-3 TSP ONLY.

5. MAKE SOME DESSERT WITH MILK (LIKE LAUKI KHEER, APPLE KHEER) AND PUT DRY FRUITS IN IT AND HAVE IT INSTEAD OF MORE OF HALWA.

6. TAKE MORE OF VEGETABLE AND FRUITS.

7.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER TO HYDRATE YOURSELF.

8. MAKE SURE YOU SHOULD NOT EAT TO THE FULLEST.

9. HAVE A BOILED CHANA CHAAT WITH VEGGIES AND FRUITS WITH JUICE OR COCONUT WATER..

10. AVOID USING MORE OF SPICES AS THEY WILL IRRITATE YOUR STOMACH.


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Oct05
Healthy nutrition Tips for Navratras
Healthy nutrition Tips for Navratras


Navratras are coming our way and we all plan to go for fasting or feasting this navratras..Surprised by the word feasting…yes that’s true what we all tend to do. We all indulge ourselves into eating fried foods like kuttu ka pakora, puris and fried potato chips, namkeens(vrat ki namkeens), fried potatoes…and so on. So instead of losing weight we end up in gaining weight. but here I m going to provide you a few healthy tips for this navratras to keep you fit and unbloated….


1. Substitute kuttu ki puri or pakodas (fried items) with kuttu ki roti..
2. You can also prepare idlis from the kuttu atta (buckwheat flour) and dosa from the samak rice.

3. Eat a lot of fruits that flush the liver of cholesterol accumulation. Apple, orange, papaya, guava, pomegranate, lemon juice and pear especially help to bring down cholesterol. Fruit chat made with papaya, pear (nashpati), apple, and some amount of potato.

4. Go for skimmed or low fat milk and curd. Add cucumber (kheera), bottle gourd (lauki) or tomato to it. . Fried foods produce a lot of burning sensation in the body. So fruits and curd act as cooling agents.

5. Go for the preparations of lauki, pumpkin, fruits such as apple, pear, cucumber, mashed potato, phul makhane (puffed lotus seed) are advisable.

6. Try saamak rice with bottle gourd vegetable and curd.

7. You can also take sabudana khichdi with curd with fruit.

8. Try to take milk shakes with fruits and nuts it will give you satiety along with good invisible fats and complex carbohydrates.

9. Drink a lot of fluids such as juices, vegetable soups, lassi, and herbal tea. They will detox your body from pollutants..

10. If one suffers from acidity and heartburn problems, be sure to not remain empty stomach for long hours. Eat tiny portions every few hours daily. Cold milk, cream, curd and bananas are effective remedies for acidity.

11. Make sure to go for healthy cooking methods such as roasting, boiling, steaming and grilling like substitute fried potato chat with adequately boiled potato chat and kheer with fruit, preferably mixed fruit curd.

12. Try to make chilla with kuttu ka atta or singhare ka atta or samak ka atta or ramdane ka atta with green chillies and ghia (grated). serve it with tamarind and dhania chutney or curd.

13. Consume more of dairy products (low fat).

14. Try yogurts with fruits and fruit purees salads.

15. Drink coconut water.


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Oct04
How to make groundnut milk?
Groundnut milk can be used for the infants suffering from intestinal lactase deficiency, infantile eczema, gastroenteritis and in gastric ulcers.

How to make groundnut milk?

100gm groundnuts are roasted slightly on tawa and outer skins are removed. The kernels are soaked in water for 5-6 hrs and then ground in a mixer with 30ml of water which is then filtered.
The milk obtained is then boiled and can be used.


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