Dr. Musamill

While you may be controlling your portions and ensuring that your meals are healthy, the snacks in between the big meals may still be causing your body harm. The packets of chips that you may open will not only add calories but other harmful chemicals as well.

There are other healthier options out there which you can use to replace it and still satisfy your cravings:

1. Kurmura or puffed rice: A staple snack in many parts of India, kurmura comes in many varieties and mixtures that are quite popular. Some examples are jhalmuri, bhelpuri and others. While mixing it with other things, such as farsan, nuts and chana are good, excessive use of oil or sweet spices may increase its calorific value. Thus refrain from these additions.
2. Khakra: A great Indian snack that comes from Gujarat, this is a form of flatbread, which can be consumed on its own or with chutneys. This is very low in fats and oil and is one of the tastiest snack alternatives around.
3. Masala corn: Corn is considered to be a very healthy and nutritious snack on its own. However, you can add various types of masala or have a roast corn cob with salt and lime dressing, which is an already favoured snack all over India.
4. Nuts: Assorted nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, pistachios can be a very filling snack without the need for large quantities of it. However, don't consume too much of it as certain varieties do contain considerable amounts of fat and thus moderation is the key here.
5. Soya sticks: A new entrant into the Indian market, soya sticks are baked and then laced with spices. Soya tends to have protein while not much fat and thus it can be a healthy as well as a tasty snack. Soya sticks are usually laced with various kinds of masala.
6. Chickpeas or chana: This is another snack, which can come in many forms such as roasted, boiled or even as a paste in the form of hummus. It contains a lot of protein, but very little fat. Chickpeas can be had either on their own or mixed with nuts or other forms of mixture.
7. Baked snacks: Various forms of snacks, which are baked instead of fried can be a good alternative as well. Baked versions of potato chips and other snacks are increasingly available in stores across India.

Along with these foods, one should also go for regular full body check up, in order to know how healthy they are.

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Surgical Sperm Retrieval (TESA/PESA/MESA)

The main methods of surgical sperm retrieval available include:

• PESA: percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration.

• MESA: microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration.

• TESA: testicular sperm aspiration. This includes testicular fine needle aspiration (TFNA).

• TESE: testicular sperm extraction.

• Microdissection TESE.

• Perc biopsy: percutaneous biopsy of the testis.

Which method is used depends on the nature of the problem in the male partner, which needs to be explored carefully first.

• Tests required before surgical sperm retrieval

A man that produces no sperm in his semen is said to have azoospermia. This may be because of a blockage in one of the tubes that carry sperm from the areas of the testes where they are produced, out to the penis during ejaculation. Obstructive azoospermia can be caused by testicular cancer, as the tumour presses on the vas deferens. This type of cancer is common in young men and can be treated successfully. It can, however, lead to infertility, so surgical sperm retrieval may be performed to store some sperm before treatment begins.

Other conditions cause non-obstructive azoospermia, including having an abnormal cystic fibrosis gene. Men with this condition may not show all the symptoms, but they often have no vas deferens. Surgical sperm retrieval is possible but there is a 50:50 chance that the embryos produced by subsequent ICSI and IVF will have the same genetic abnormality. Options then include using a sperm donor and intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF, or having pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) performed on the embryos to select ones that carry the normal gene.

If the problem that underlies poor sperm production is physical rather than genetic, or if a couple wants to have children after the male partner has had a vasectomy that cannot be reversed, surgical sperm retrieval can go ahead

• Surgical sperm retrieval techniques used when obstruction is the problem

When the release of sperm is prevented by a blockage in the vas deferens, or by a vasectomy, several techniques can be used to retrieve the large numbers of sperm that remain inside the testes. The first three involve aspirating sperm using needles or tubes placed through the skin of the testis and are carried out under local anaesthetic. The fourth requires open surgical sperm retrieval and is usually carried out under general anaesthetic.

Some small studies have been done to compare success rates after the different types of surgical sperm retrieval. These concluded that MESA gives the highest number of sperm, with a hundred times more sperm being recovered compared to TESA and perc biopsy.

MESA also produced sperm that were better swimmers and therefore more useful for infertility treatments, including IVF and ICSI.

• Surgical sperm retrieval techniques when there is no obstruction

Men who have no sperm in their semen, despite having clear tubes in their testicles, usually have a problem with the process of sperm production. It is unlikely that sperm are present in large numbers, so the surgical sperm retrieval techniques required are more invasive

• TESE: Testicular sperm extraction. This involves opening up the scrotum and taking a large volume of testicular tissue, perhaps from several regions of the testicle. Sperm are then retrieved using a microscope to identify individual sperm.

  • Microdissection TESE: A similar technique but a microdissecting microscope is used to pinpoint the tissue to be removed. This aims to cause less damage to the structure inside the testicle, and to therefore have fewer after effects such as blood supply problems caused by tiny blood vessels being cut. It also appears to increase the number of sperm that can be retrieved.

It's anything, but difficult to make a hasty judgment when you understand your period is late. In case you're attempting to conceive, you may have this feeling of incredulity. In case you're not, you may feel frustrated or disarrayed in the event that you know it is highly unlikely you could be pregnant. The truth of the matter is, however, the vast majority naturally consider pregnancy, at the time of a late period, it may be the case that or one of numerous different conceivable outcomes.

Here's a summary of the common causes behind a missed period:

1. Preganancy: Sometimes when you miss your period, the cause maybe exactly what you think you could be pregnant! The initial symptoms of pregnancy such as bloating of the stomach, cramping of stomach, and tenderness in breasts can resemble the feeling that you get before your periods; may create confusion whether you are actually pregnant or if your periods are a little delayed. If your periods are delayed for over 10 days, then it is better to take a home pregnancy test.
2. Stress: Stress can have several effects on your body such as headaches, acne, weight gain and other issues. Stress can also make you miss your periods. When you are stressed, your body synthesizes stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These elevated levels force your brain to differentiate between essential and non-essential functions of the body. The blood supply to the muscles of the body can increase while systems such as the digestive system or the reproductive system can be subdued. This results in delayed period.
3. Excessive exercise: Working out and maintaining fitness is a great thing to do; although when you overdo it, it restricts your body from producing enough oestrogen, the hormone that helps in completing your menstrual cycle. Thus professionals such as ballet dancers, athletes and gymnasts face a higher chance of suffering through amenorrhea (missing periods) for 3-4 months. Also if you work out too much without consuming enough calories, it can cause disruptions.
4. Illness: When your body is battling a disease such as common cold or even fever, your brain starts concentrating on the functions that are important for the body. This can contribute to missing your period.
5. Weight: If you lose excessive amount of weight without maintaining a good diet, you can deprive your body from producing oestrogen that helps build up the uterine lining. The same thing happens with eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia. On the contrary, if you are obese, it can result in over production of oestrogen that can stop your ovulation in totality. This may lead to heavy, irregular periods. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.