Health Adda

Madhu is in the 5 th year of her new life. She had alsmost reached her end because of her failing liver, when on 14 th February 2004, a new liver arrived in Lucknow almost by miracle. She had been a healthy homemaker and mother till 1994 when she had an attack of jaundice. Unlike the common ones that pass away on their own, this episode, was persistent. One doctor after another and with one herbal tonic to be replaced by another, she finally reached the SGPGI. Tests revealed that her chronic liver ailment was not due to the common infective viruses B or C but due to a rare condition called autoimmune hepatitis, a condition in which the body’s defending cells and immune system start attacking its own organs, in her case, her liver. Autoimmune hepatitis is somewhat rare: it accounts for 2% of all prolonged cases of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. It affects women 5 times more often than men, and needs awareness for timely diagnosis. If detected on time, the disease can be ...

One of the reasons that keeps some women away from outdoor activities and they find embarassing to discuss is urinary incontinence. Although not threate ning to life, this disorder caused by lack of control to hold back urine, often spoils the quality and makes life miserable. Incontinence of urine is quite common; around 10% of adult women suffer from this disorder. The typical sufferer is a woman above 40, overweight and had suffered injury to the pelvic muscles while bearing children. The leakage of urine into undergarments or clothes is often intermittent during fits of coughing, sneezing or while lifting heavy objects. It sometimes progresses to a state of constant dribbling. The consequences are a feeling of being “soiled” or a constant worry of it. Often the smell of urine can be a source of embarassment in social gatherings that strong perfumes are unable to cover. She starts shying away from group activities, prefers to remain isolated, begins to lose self-esteem...

The events around World Woman’s Day last week brought out the grim state of health and power women enjoy in our society yet again. Women have probably realized by now that their dependence on “chivalrous” and “caring” male partners over history has no t done them much good, and have finally decided to take up their cudgel, at least in politics. Medical research has shown that women’s health matters to society. Weak anemic mothers with soft fragile bones produce weak low birth-weight babies, even male ones. And the short-sightedness of feeding iron and calcium to our women only during pregnancy while neglecting them the rest of their lives, can’t make them robust quickly enough to bring forth a healthy next gen. Kerala is the state that has shown by example, how educating and empowering women can make a strong and healthy society. I wonder whether Aishwariya Rai Bacchan who adorns the Wikipedia page on ‘Women in India’, also personify health and power, as she does beauty (...

The two words that are being hurled frequently at exam goers these days are “Concentrate” and “Relax”, both difficult to practice, yet being vital determinants of a good examination performance. “Concentration” is the proverbial hippopotomus, easy to recognize, but not always easy to understand and master. Students often remain buried in their books for long hours, with little going into the heads or staying there! Remember, concentrating is about focussing the mind, not merely looking into books or repeated reading. This simple 2-minute technique helps improve cncentraion. Close your eyes and visualize the blue sky in your mind for just 2 minutes. Every time a passing cloud comes between you and the sky, consciously ignore it, and bring your focus back to the blue sky that lies beyond the cloud. Hold your mind in control there for just 2 minutes and don’t let it waver. It sounds simple but may take time to master! If you are able to do it, you will probably be doing very well in the...

Eye injuries are a common hazard during Holi, and like other injuries during this festival, is on the rise. Water-filled balloons directly hitting the eye cause the majority of them. Abraisions due to sand or mica that are present in “abir” or “gulal” getting into the eye, or to splashing of toxic colours is another cause; they can lead to grittiness, pain, temporay loss of vision, and occasionally, even permanent blindness. The other common health hazard during this festival is to the skin and hair. A fact sheet published by a Delhi based organization, Toxics Link, revealed alarming facts about the colours used for playing Holi. They contain toxic chemicals such as the black coloured lead oxide which can result in kidney failure, the silver paint coloured aluminium bromide and the red coloured mercury sulphate that are carcinogenic, the blue coloured prussian blue and the green coloured copper sulphate that cause contact dermatitis, eye allergy and puffiness. Unsafe Holi...