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Why you must encourage your parents to Stay Physically Active!

June 2nd, 2022 by

Why you must encourage your parents to Stay Physically Active!

Authored by –

Dr. Deepa Mehra & Dr. Neelam Bisht

Heard of the term ‘Use it or lose it? This phrase is not just applicable to the cognitive function of the brain but even to the muscular tissues. Muscles are the anchor of the body that keeps the body mobile and erect. Of course, bone and joints have a very important role in locomotion (basically movement) but today we are going to discuss about a less talked about Medial Condition called ‘Sarcopenia”. According to the Lancet ‘Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalised skeletal muscle disorder involving the accelerated loss of muscle mass and function that is associated with increased adverse outcomes including falls, functional decline, frailty, and mortality.’

Which basically means that the body starts losing muscle mass and function which may result in fall & frailty. It is basically an age-related muscle loss and is a natural part of aging. As we grow old the natural wear and tear increases in the body including the muscles. After age 30, one begins to lose 3 to 5% of their muscle mass per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes.

Less muscle means greater weakness which in turn means less mobility. And there starts the vicious cycle of less muscle, less mobility, increased weight leading to lesser mobility and further lesser muscle mass!! This also increases the risk of fall and fractures. A 2015 report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with sarcopenia had 2.3 times the risk of having a low-trauma fracture from a fall, such as a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm, or wrist.

The symptoms of Sarcopenia include weakness and stamina loss. This can affect the ability to carry out physical activities. A reduction in activity then leads to further muscle mass loss.

Now let’s talk about the various Causes of Muscle loss (sarcopenia) – The most common cause of this medical condition is decreased physical activity throughout the day. Other Causes of Sarcopenia may include:

·     Reduction in the nerve cells that send signals from brain to muscles to move

·     A lowering of hormone levels

·     A decline in body’s ability to convert protein to energy

·     Not consuming enough daily calories and protein to maintain the muscle mass

·     Inflammatory diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Diabetes mellitus

But just because the muscle mass is lost it does not mean it is gone forever. it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it. And the solution is quite simple.

How to Avoid muscle loss

1.    Exercise Regularly- This is main mantra to stay away from this condition. Encourage your parents to get into the regular habit of following any exercise routine. It may mean a 30 min regular walk or yoga or gardening or going to a gym.  Anything and everything that ensures that the regime is there as a rule and not as an exception! Don’t limit moving around because they are old, have maids to do the work, Everything is home delivered (from grocery to medicines) it’s too hot or too cold to work out etc etc….. Ensure staying mobile and active is a part of their daily routine. If someone must take rest because of a medical condition, then try to get back to the routine of exercise as early as possible. Lying down for a week loses at least 5% of muscle mass! And in old age it is very difficult to get these muscles back.

2.    Consume a protein rich balanced Diet – Ensure that the diet is rich in protein, as a lot of wear and tear happens in old age. Protein helps in building the muscles. So, ensure that the diet is not calorie deficit and 30 to 50% of these calories are coming from proteins. It is helpful to know the health status by getting a Health Check minimum once a year. It helps in knowing the status of basic parameters of the body. And based on that status a more individualist approach can be planned.

3.    Keep a check on the Body weight – Data suggests that it becomes more difficult to lose weight once you cross the age of 50. Specially if one has never exercised before. The usual tendency is to start eating less to lose weight. It becomes a double whammy because the muscle mass is lost because of less activity and then eating less means consuming calories / nutrition deficit diet, further reducing the muscles mass. So, getting in touch with an expert like a Clinical Nutritionist will help in reducing weight without compromising the Nutrition.

So encourage your parents to stay Active and Stay fit!!

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Are you fatigued weeks after COVID? You may have Long COVID

June 2nd, 2022 by

Are you fatigued weeks after COVID?

You may have Long COVID

In the last two years of the pandemic, more than 517 million were infected with COVID-19. Most of them recovered from the infection but some continued to face health issues even after months of testing negative. These symptoms are part of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PACS) which is commonly known as Long COVID. Those who suffer from Long COVID often call themselves ‘long haulers’.

 

Almost 40% of COVID survivors suffer from long-term impact of the infection one month after the infection, according to a University of Michigan study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases on 22 April 2022. According to its findings, it is estimated that there are more than 200 million people who are suffering from Long COVID across the world.

 

Who is likely to suffer from it?

Various studies show that those who have been hospitalised for COVID-19 had a higher chance of suffering from Long COVID. Also those who suffered from severe COVID-19 are more likely to suffer from it than those who had a mild infection. Similarly some studies suggest unvaccinated individuals are more likely to suffer from Long COVID than those who are fully vaccinated.

 

The Michigan study, mentioned earlier, reviewed 50 studies from 17 countries and found that Asians (49%) followed by Europeans (44%) and those in North America (39%) had more likelihood of suffering from Long COVID. It also found that women (49%) had a higher likelihood of suffering from it than men (37%).

 

Pre-existing conditions like Asthma increased the likelihood of Long Covid. Other risk factors identified in the study were initial illness, older age and underlying conditions like obesity and hypothyroidism.

 

The most common symptom in the review was found to be fatigue which was found in 23% of the survivors followed by memory problems (14%), shortness of breath (13%), sleep problems (11%), and joint pain (10%).

How long do the symptoms last? 

Across the world, prevalence of Long COVID was 37% after 1 month of diagnosis, 25% at 2 months, 32% at 3 months and 49% at 4 months according to the Michigan study.

 

Another study published in the medical journal The Lancet in July 2021 showed that 91% of Long haulers took 35 weeks or about 9 months to recover. Researchers surveyed nearly 4,000 sufferers with confirmed or suspected COVID from nearly 60 countries, with illness of a month or longer. During their illness, survivors experienced symptoms across nine organ systems. The most frequent symptoms after six months were fatigue, post exertional weakness and cognitive dyfunction like memory loss, problems with attention span and problem solving.

 

What are the symptoms?

Long Covid can be varied and can impact different people differently. In the Lancet study, participants experienced anything from ear numbness, vision loss, reduced sensitivity to medicines, new allergies, suicide ideation and facial paralysis.

 

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, following symptoms are reported by long haulers.

 

General symptoms

●    Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life

●    Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort (also known as “post-exertional malaise”)

●    Fever

Respiratory and Heart symptoms

●    Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

●    Cough

●    Chest pain

●    Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)

Neurological symptoms

●    Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)

●    Headache

●    Sleep problems

●    Dizziness when you stand up (lightheadedness)

●    Pins-and-needles feelings

●    Change in smell or taste

●    Depression or anxiety

Digestive symptoms

●    Diarrhoea

●    Stomach pain

Other symptoms

●    Joint or muscle pain

●    Rash

●    Changes in menstrual cycles

Source: US CDC

POTS 

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome or POTS is a condition where heart rate increases by at least 30 beats per minute after a person moves from sitting or lying down to standing. This is because their autonomic nervous system is unable to control their blood pressure and heart rate to make for your change in posture. There is recent evidence that those who have had COVID-19 are vulnerable to be POTS.

 

Long COVID in children

It is now emerging that even children are affected by Long COVID. Some of the symptoms that children show are different from adults. Usually children have complained of chest pain, cough fatigue, joint pain, loss of smell or taste and memory fog.

 

Living with Long COVID

Treating Long COVID is not straightforward or simple since it manifests differently for different people. Some of the symptoms may get better with time and others would require medical assistance. With growing awareness, there are doctors and clinics that specialise in helping people with Long COVID manage their symptoms.

 

Some general tips: 

Modify the way you work: You may need to take breaks between your work days to take care of your fatigue. Find what time in the day you feel most refreshed and aim to finish a major chunk of your work at that time. Speak to your colleagues and boss if you need more time to finish work and ask for help whenever you need it.

 

Get good sleep: In order to recover, you need to give your body good 7-8 hours of restful sleep. Use a fitness app to track your sleep to monitor if you are getting deep sleep. Reduce stress, keep away gadgets in the evening and exercise to maintain good sleep hygiene.

 

Seek help: Long COVID can leave you feeling tired, frustrated and lonely but know that help is available. Speak to a doctor well-versed with treating post COVID symptoms and ask for help. Seek help from a psychologist if you feel low. Get a physiotherapist’s help to begin working out gradually. Speak to your friends and family and tell them about how you are feeling, their support will be crucial in your recovery.

 

Get a health check up: If you find yourself suffering from any of the symptoms mentioned above long after your infection, it is a good idea to go for a full body health check up that can give you a status update on the health of your body and help your doctors pinpoint the exact cause that is causing the symptoms.

 

Resources

To join the Long COVID India Survivors group on telegram: https://t.me/+3SHOL_cmzpkyYzdl

Follow @LongCOVIDIndia on twitter for latest news

For more information on Long COVID, go to https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/covid-19

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Smile without a worry: 4 Dental problems and their solutions

June 2nd, 2022 by

Smile without a worry: 4 Dental problems and their solutions

 

‘A smile is a curve that sets everything straight’ – Phyllis Diller.

As very rightly said, a healthy smile not only makes a good first impression it also has an impact on your social circle, relationships and Career, yet many of us hesitate to smile fully. We feel self-conscious about our ‘less than perfect’ set of teeth and hide our smile.

 

Our smile is defined by the Shape, size and orientation of our teeth as well as the health of our teeth, gums and surrounding structures.

 

Healthy teeth are important to cut, eat and chew our food. So it is important for us to regularly monitor the health of our teeth and thus always have a beautiful and healthy smile.

Here are some of the most common dental issues and the treatment for them.

 

Yellow or discoloured teeth: You may get yellow teeth if the outer coating of your tooth called enamel is eroded and the dark(Yellow) inner coating of the tooth called dentin is visible. Smoking or drinking too much tea or coffee can also cause discolouration in teeth. Sometimes too much fluoride in toothpaste and water can cause white-brown spots on your teeth. Lastly teeth may be discoloured due to some traumatic injury to the tooth

 

Solution: Treatment depends on the extent of discolouration and etiology. Sometimes simple over-the-counter bleaching agents/toothpastes do the job. However in most of the cases a proper in-office bleach is recommended for better results. In worse cases Your dentist can also do composite/Ceramic veneers  which are thin shell types of materials fixed on your teeth or ceramic crowns to change their appearance.

Cavity: Cavities occur when your teeth decay and it affects the inner and outer coating of your tooth. Cavities occur when high carbohydrate foods stay on our teeth which are broken down by oral bacteria into acids. These acids with saliva and food debris become plaque that sticks to your teeth. Over time, the acid in the plaque erodes enamel creating pits known as cavities. Initially, you may not see a cavity but experience sudden pain, sensitive teeth, bad breath and pain when you bite down.

Solution: The course of action will depend on the extent of damage. The dentist will remove the affected area and fill the cavity using dental fillings. If the root of the tooth is damaged, you may need a root canal where the dentist removes the pulp that contains nerve endings that cause pain. If that option is not possible, you may need to extract the tooth and get a dental implant in its place to ensure your teeth do not shift and your biting isn’t affected as well as the appearance remains intact.

 

Broken Teeth: Teeth can break due to accidents, biting too hard or cavities. Minor tooth chipping or breaking doesn’t hurt but if it has chipped too much, it can cause pain. The pain may come and go and intensifies on chewing. The sharp edge of the tooth may even hurt your tongue while chewing or talking.

Solution: You will have to visit the dentist as earliest as possible. The dentist may polish the tooth if the chip is minor. Sometimes the dentist will fill the crack with filling material and a crown on top. If the pulp of the tooth is affected, you may need a root canal treatment.

Irregular Teeth: Heredity and genes play a role in having irregular or crooked teeth. Sometimes, it is difficult to clean between the irregular teeth which increases risk for dental problems. They interfere with chewing and may impact speech and personality of the person.

Solution: If you have decided to seek correction for your irregular teeth, you may need to visit an orthodontist. Based on the health of your teeth, gums and your age, they may suggest Removable, fixed or Aligners. Most commonly used fixed appliances for teens are Braces, You can select metal, ceramic or transparent braces based on your preference and budget. For working professionals Aligners (also called invisible braces) is also a great option. In some cases, orthodontists may suggest additional surgery to correct your alignment if it affects your chewing or speech.

 

Some general tips to take care of your teeth:-

●    Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft brush and floss once a day. Flossing ensures that plaque deposited between your teeth is flushed out, preventing cavities and bad breath.

●    Quit smoking as it causes discolouration of teeth, gives you bad odour and increases your risk for gum disease.

●    Avoid too many sugary items and high carbohydrates foods as they can lead to plaque formation and tooth decay.

●    Visit your dentist at least twice a year to prevent gum disease and dental problems. ‘Prevention is better than cure’

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How to build stamina

June 2nd, 2022 by

Tips to Build Stamina and Conquer your Fitness Goals

 

It is one thing to be accurate in your line and length and another to bowl at 150 km per hour. For South African pacer Dale Steyn, both came easy. Called one of the best and the “most complete” fast bowlers of his generation, Steyn dominated the number one spot in ICC Test rankings for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and 2014 in his peak. Whatever the weather conditions or the pitch; Steyn’s bowling was accurate, lethal and a pleasure to watch.

 

What gave him an edge when other fast bowlers suffered near constant injuries?

“What bowlers should be doing is making sure they can train their muscles for taking part in battle for a long period. You want your quick bowlers bowling at 140km/h at the start of the day and just as quick in the late afternoon,” Steyn said in an interview once. He said rather than building muscles, bowlers need to train their muscles to bowl with endurance and durability rather than bursts of power.

 

What Steyn hinted to was building stamina which gives you the ability to sustain any prolonged physical or mental activity. It is not just fast bowlers who need to have good stamina to perform at their best. All of us need stamina in our day to day lives–be it to play with your children, shop for hours, not pant when taking the stairs or going for a hike.

 

Stamina is a combination of endurance (ability to endure a difficult activity without giving up) and strength (ability to lift heavy loads). With time and effort, you can build your stamina and watch your overall performance improve.

 

Here are some tips that can help you-

 

Long Walks: One of the simplest ways to improve your stamina as a beginner is to go on long walks. Walking for 30 to 60 minutes improves your cardiovascular health, fitness, puts less strain on your muscles and can improve your mood. Start by walking for 20 minutes for a few days and keep increasing the time by 10 minutes after every few days. Do a light stretch before you begin walking and walk at a medium pace to get proper exercise.

 

Interval Training

Interval training which combines high energy bursts of speed with slow, recovery spaces is a powerful way to improve endurance and stamina. Interval training ( for example take small sprints of 30 seconds every 3-4 minutes and walk) twice a week helps you burn more calories, avoid injuries by repetitive movement and helps you increase training intensity without burnout. Some tips to begin interval training: assess your fitness level, start slowly, warm up before you start and keep a steady but challenging pace throughout.

 

Play Sports

A cool way to increase your stamina is to play sports. It also helps to break the monotony of workouts in the gym or running. Playing sports involve different movements for example playing badminton involves running, picking up the shuttlecock and hitting with the racquet. This kind of intermingling uses different muscle groups and improves your stamina.

 

Lift Weight 

It may seem counterintuitive but weight training also improves stamina. A meta analysis of various studies has shown that lifting weights improves endurance and speed and economy of your workout (improves the time taken and energy required to finish your workout). If you have never lifted weight before, start with working out with a trainer who can assess your form and gradually increase the weights you lift. Also consult a doctor before weight training if you have pre existing diseases, injuries or illnesses.

Dance

Another fun way to break the monotony of workouts is to dance regularly. Dancing helps improve your cardiovascular health as well as improve your muscle strength. Dancing improves mobility, balance, increases agility, strengthens bones and reduces stress. What’s more, you can dance together with your family or friends and it would be a great activity to do together and de-stress.

 

Listen to music when you exercise

What pumps up your mood when you go to the gym or come home tired from home? Usually it’s the music. Listening to high-energy music while exercising helps you workout more, distracts you from the strain of the workout, changes your perception of fatigue and makes exercise feel easier. So keep a fast-paced playlist ready when you are lifting weights in the gym or go for a run.

 

Eat healthy and get adequate rest

Eating healthy food with an adequate portion of protein, fats and good carbohydrates is important to find the energy to workout. Also getting 7-8 hours of sleep is crucial for your body to rest and recover after a workout so do not scrimp on sleep. Also undergoing vitamin deficiency tests will also tell you if there are vitamin deficiencies that are making you feel lethargic and tired all the time.

 

With these tips, you will improve your stamina in no time and conquer your fitness goals.

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7 Diabetes Myths you shouldn’t believe

June 2nd, 2022 by

Diabetes is a household name these days. Almost all families have at least a member with diabetes in it. Changing diets and sedentary lifestyles have led to an explosion of diabetes in the country. There are 74 million diabetes patients in India, second to only China. The incidence of diabetes is increasing in both urban and rural parts of the country.

As common as it is, there are still many misconceptions about diabetes, from what causes it to how to manage it. We bust the most common myths about diabetes so that you can break the cycle of misinformation

1.   Diabetes is caused due to eating sugar

Given that it is called “madhumeha” in Sanskrit, literally translated as a condition that causes sweet urination, diabetes is attached to eating sugar in most people’s minds. This is not entirely true. When we eat carbohydrates, they are broken down as glucose. Our body then produces the hormone insulin so that this glucose is available to the cells for their energy needs. In diabetics, the body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin well leading to excess glucose in the bloodstream. Over time, the excess glucose in the bloodstream causes issues with the kidneys, heart, vision etc. This is why diabetics are asked to avoid foods that are sweet and high in simple carbohydrates which will be converted to glucose quite easily.

 

2.   Diabetes isn’t that serious

Many believe since many have the disease, diabetes is something that comes with age and has to be lived with. Complacency is a wrong approach to have because diabetes harms indirectly through complications. Longer that you have diabetes and the more uncontrolled the diabetes, the higher is the risk for complications. Some of the most common complications of diabetes are cardiovascular problems, nephropathy or kidney damage, neuropathy or nerve damage, retinopathy or eye damage and foot damage that can cause amputations.

 

In 2015, 3.46 lakh Indians died of complications related to diabetes. This is why regular follow up with the doctor, managing blood sugar and regular check ups are important.

 

3.   Diabetics should avoid sweets

Like we said earlier, diabetes isn’t caused just by eating sugary foods or sweets, but sweets do increase blood sugar drastically, so they need to be eaten once in a while and with consideration. For example, fruits also contain a lot of simple sugar, but they also contain fiber, various antioxidants, and vitamins that are good for the body. On the other hand, cakes, loaves of bread, and biscuits do not contain fiber and hence are broken down quickly increasing blood glucose level so they have to be eaten once in a while as a treat. Also recent research shows, it is not just what you eat, the order in which you eat also impacts the glucose spike. The recommended order is vegetables, followed by protein and fat and starches and other carbohydrates in the end. This also ensures that you remain full longer.

 

4.   Herbal medicines can cure diabetes

People are attracted to herbal remedies because they are promised they are free of side-effects and can cure disease. However most herbal medicines that promise to cure diabetes have not been pharmacologically tested, do not have quality assurance and some are even toxic in nature. Yet, many believe these “cures” rather than relying on tested and evidence-based medicine that has been proven to work for decades often leading to serious harm. Remember, before you replace your diabetes medicine with something “herbal” or natural, speak to your doctor first.

 

5.   Those who take insulin are more serious than those on oral medicines

Those who have type 1 diabetes need to take insulin as their bodies do not produce the hormone anymore. Others with type 2 diabetes may also need insulin shots as their disease progresses and is not controlled by oral diabetes medicines alone. Not taking insulin does not mean your diabetes is milder either, your doctor may choose to manage diabetes with whatever treatment option is the most suitable for you.

 

6.   If your parents don’t have diabetes, you will not have it

While having diabetes in your family increases your risk for it, not all diabetics have a family history. Other risk factors for diabetes are: obesity, age, prediabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, gestational diabetes, and race (Indians have a higher likelihood of diabetes than Caucasians).

 

7.   Only those who are fat are prone to diabetes

While excess weight gain and obesity do increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, it is not the only risk factor for diabetes. In India, diabetes especially happens at a much younger age and in people with lower body mass index. In diabetes, as with other metabolic diseases, abdominal fat is a more important marker than just your weight. So going for an annual health check which includes a blood glucose test is a good idea in your 30s.

 

Also, there is a condition called prediabetes where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. This condition is a precursor to diabetes. However, you can still make lifestyle and dietary changes to prevent diabetes at this stage.

 

Diabetes may not be curable, but it is manageable with regular health checks, the right kind of medication, a diet plan, exercise, and a change in lifestyle. At HCL Healthcare, we offer a complete care consortium to HCL employees and their dependents, through our health and wellness facilities right on your campus as well as in the comfort of your home.

“Diabetes is a great example whereby,

giving the patient the tools,

you can manage yourself very well.”

― Clayton M. Christensen.

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