Anbu general & chest clinic

Diabetes is a complex group of diseases with a variety of causes. People with diabetes have high blood glucose, also called high blood sugar or hyperglycemia.

Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism, the way the body uses digested food for energy. The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates, sugars and starches found in many foods, into glucose, a form of sugar that enters the bloodstream. Diabetes develops when the body doesn't make enough insulin or is not able to use insulin effectively, or both.

The two main types of diabetes are:

1. Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes typically occurs in children and young adults, though it can appear at any age. In the past, type 1 diabetes was called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Heredity plays an important part in determining who is likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Genes are passed down from biological parent to child.
2. Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes develops most often in middle-aged and older people who are also overweight or obese. The disease, once rare in youth, is becoming more common in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of factors, including insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's muscle, fat, and liver cells do not use insulin effectively.

Physical Inactivity, Obesity, and Diabetes-

Physical inactivity and obesity are strongly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. People who are genetically susceptible to type 2 diabetes are more vulnerable when these risk factors are present. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.

An imbalance between caloric intake and physical activity can lead to obesity, which causes insulin resistance and is common in people with type 2 diabetes. Central obesity, in which a person has excess abdominal fat, is a major risk factor not only for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes but also for heart and blood vessel disease, also called cardiovascular disease (CVD). This excess belly fat produces hormones and other substances that can cause harmful, chronic effects in the body such as damage to blood vessels.

So, measuring your waist is a quick way of assessing your diabetes risk. This is a measure of abdominal obesity, which is a particularly high-risk form of obesity. Women have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if their waist measures 80cm (31.5 inches) or more. Asian men with a waist size of 89cm (35 inches) or more have a higher risk, as do white or black men with a waist size of 94cm (37 inches) or more.

Simple Steps to Lower Your Risk-

Making a few lifestyle changes can dramatically lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. The same changes can also lower the chances of developing heart disease and other life taking cancers.

1. Control Your Weight: Being overweight increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes seven-fold. Being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight. Losing weight can help if your weight is above the healthy-weight range. Check your BMI. Losing 7 to 10 percent of your current weight can cut your chances of developing type 2 diabetes in half.

2. Get Moving and Turn Off the Television: Inactivity promotes type 2 diabetes. Working your muscles more often and making them work harder improves their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. This puts less stress on your insulin-making cells. 

3. Tune Up Your Diet: Four dietary changes can have a big impact on the risk of type 2 diabetes-

• Choose whole grains and whole grain products over highly processed carbohydrates.
• Skip the sugary drinks, and choose water, coffee, or tea instead.
• Choose good fats instead of bad fats.
• Limit red meat and avoid processed meat; choose nuts, whole grains, poultry, or fish instead.

If you are already suffering from diabetes, then do take a walk everyday and adopt healthy eating habits. Along with that relieve your stress and take proper doses of insulin or medications as prescribed by your doctor. To more simplify, if your waist is more than half of your height you are at the higher risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

At some point in life, everyone suffers from gastric problems. Reasons could be as simple as your irregular diet or even other health issues. Homeopathic tips to help you ease the gastric problem are best for quick relief.

Before getting a remedy, it is vital to understand what is gastric problem.

Reasons for Gas:
Passing gas is quite normal until you pass it for less than 25 times a day via burp or via flatulence (passing gas through rectum). If it's more than that, then you may have some issues. But why does gas occur? It may be due to food leading to indigestion as one takes in quite a lot of air while having food.

Common foods that trigger gas formation are milk and milk products, artificial sugar, onion, cabbage, potatoes and even eggs in some cases. Few people are allergic to certain foods, which may result in gastric problems.

Another cause of gastric problem is swallowing excess air such as chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, even eating or drinking rapidly, having candies and so on.
Medications and health problems also trigger excess gas formation as side effects.

Homeopathic Remedy:

Homeopathic remedy is one of the best ways to treat gastric problems without any side effects. To name a few Carbo Veg, China, Colocynth, Lycopodium, Nux Vomica and Robinia help in treating this issue.

Carbo Veg is a natural remedy for digestive problems, treating gas in the abdomen. It is used to treat gas that is present in the upper abdomen. Burps may give relief.

China is best to treat if the whole abdomen is filled with gas, and you feel bloated. It is majorly used to treat diarrhoea if the person is tied by frequent loose stool with excessive weakness.

Colocynth is taken if there are cramps along with loose stool.

Lycopodium is the Homeopathic treatment for gas formation in the lower abdomen.

Nux Vomica is best for treating a frequent urge to pass stool, but the stool is quite insufficient and inadequate.

Robinia is excellent for the treatment of digestive problems when you have complaints of heartburn and burps causing burning sensation in the throat, and if you have acidic vomiting.

Prevention is better than cure. Although these homeopathic wonders will give you a quick relief, it is advisable to avoid such foods and eating habits that lead to gastric problems. Exercises will also help. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a specilized homeopathy and ask a free question.

Varicose Veins is a severe medical condition whereby the veins (mostly legs) become swollen, tortuous and dilated, i.e. the veins become varicosed. The Venous blood flows in an upward direction from the feet to the heart. There are special valves present in the veins that assist the upward flow of the blood. Fatigue, prolonged standing, menopause and a number of other factors can weaken the valves. This affects the movement of the blood flow. As a result, some of it leaks and flows back down. The affected veins turn bluish-brown, red or blue. There also occurs dryness, leading to unbearable itching. Redness or the Red Leg syndrome is very common in case of Varicose Veins.

A number of surgical and non-surgical options are available for Varicose Veins. The Ayurvedic treatment, with its effectiveness and negligible or zero side effects, is the most sought after option.

Identifying the root cause

Accurate diagnosis is very important for effective treatment. According to Ayurveda, an imbalance of the Vata (wind and space) plays a pivotal role in Varicose Veins. The role of Rakhta (blood) and Pitta (heat) cannot be neglected either. Thus, restoring the Vata balance becomes a very important part of the treatment.

The Vata balance can be easily restored by following a healthy lifestyle and having an equally healthy and nutritious diet:

1. Citrus fruit like Amla works miraculously to revitalise the fatigued and Varicosed vein.
2. Include fresh fruits, whole grains (oats, millets to name a few) and proteins (milk, eggs, fish and chicken) in your diet. Drink plenty of water.
3. Red meat and spicy foods should be strictly avoided.
4. Garlic, onion and ginger are very beneficial. Consume them regularly.
5. Do not indulge in rigorous exercise or walking. Never soak your feet in cold water after exercise. It can prove to be detrimental for Varicose Veins.
6. Do not compromise on your sleep. A rejuvenated body and a relaxed mind can enhance the healing process greatly.

Ayurvedic medicines and herbs for treating Varicose Veins

A number of Ayurvedic medicines are available that treats Varicose Veins very effectively:

• Kaishora guggulu: Being a natural cleanser of blood, Kaishora guggulu is an obvious choice for Varicose Veins.
• Sarivadyasava: It goes a long way to detoxify the blood naturally.
• Chirabilvadi kashaya: It is very effective in case of haemorrhoids.

Sahacharadi: It is amazing herbal oil that provides great relief. Tender application of Sahacharadi over the varicosed vein/ veins can work wonders.
Herbs like Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Brhami go a long way to restore the Vata balance.
Do not lose sleep over Varicose Veins. The best and most effective Ayurvedic Treatment is just a click away.

PCOD or Polycystic Ovary disease is one of the most common hormonal disorders faced by women today. The trigger for PCOD varies from person to person, and can range from poor diet and stress to fluctuating insulin and hormonal disturbances. PCOD patients have an enlarged ovary with a number of small follicular cysts. If you or a loved one has PCOD, here are a few things you should know. 

Acknowledge the symptoms 
PCOD is hard to diagnose. Some of its symptoms are irregular periods, high insulin levels, abnormal hair growth, low thyroid, acne, obesity and high blood pressure. Checkups at regular intervals are needed to confirm a PCOD diagnosis. 
A change in lifestyle is the best form of medication 

Medication for PCOD addresses its symptoms. For example, you could take medication to correct Insulin resistance or pills to control acne and hair growth. However, a lifestyle change in the form of a well balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for PCOD patients. In terms of diet, PCOD sufferers should have lesser carbohydrates and sugars, and increased amounts of fiber and protein. Exercise helps control weight and the balance between male and female hormones. PCOD patients also need to find ways to lower their stress levels. Yoga and meditation can be very helpful to this effect. Without this, no medication will be effective. 
If left untreated PCOD can lead to many other problems 

Diagnosing PCOD is difficult and even when diagnosed, regular checkups are essential for PCOD. When left unchecked, PCOD can lead to many more problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even endometrial cancer. PCOD can also result in difficulties at the time of conception and lead to miscarriages if not treated properly. 

You can have a baby even if you have PCOD 
A PCOD diagnosis can make it hard to get pregnant, but does not limit your ability to conceive a healthy baby. If the patient has fertility problems because of PCOD, doctors often prescribe treatments to stimulate the ovaries into producing more eggs. Women with PCOD are often recommended to plan an early pregnancy, as advancing age adds to the limited capacity of the ovaries. 
Lastly, know that you aren't alone and PCOD should not embarrass you. Instead of bottling up your feelings and thoughts, find supportive friends and family members that you can talk to. You can also find support online through a number of discussion forums. Or contact us for a private consultation. 

Ovarian cancer is referred to as the cancer of the ovaries. The ovaries are a component of the female reproductive system. There are two ovaries located on either side of the uterus in a woman's body. Ovaries which are the organs responsible for producing egg cells also produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer which often goes undetected until it has spread all the way to the pelvis and the abdomen. However, it is also very difficult to treat the condition in its later stages which is why diagnosing ovarian cancer quickly is quintessential.

Here is everything you need to know about ovarian cancer:

Symptoms

1. No symptoms at first
Usually, in its early stages ovarian cancer does not cause any symptoms.
2. Abnormal bloating
Bloating is when your abdomen swells due to excess fluid or gas inside. Abnormal bloating is more frequently associated with irritable bowel syndrome or even constipation is a common symptom of ovarian cancer.
3. Feeling full quickly
This is also an associated symptom which has often been mistaken for constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
4. Weight loss
This is one of the more common signs of ovarian cancer.
5. Discomfort in the pelvis area
This symptom occurs towards the later stages of ovarian cancer after it has already spread.
6. Constipation
Constipation is a symptom of ovarian cancer as well.
7. Frequent urination
This is yet another symptom which is a sign of ovarian cancer.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often mistaken with that of irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.

Causes

As with other forms of cancer, it is still very unclear what exactly causes ovarian cancer.

Treatment

1. Surgery
Surgery most commonly involves removing large parts of the female reproductive system which includes the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus as well as the lymph nodes. The surgeon will also try and remove as many cancer cells as possible from the abdomen and pelvic areas.

2. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is usually done after surgery. It is usually performed so that the rest of the cancer cells are killed off. Chemotherapy drugs can be injected directly into the vein, abdominal cavity or sometimes even both.

Sleep is the best reliever of all stress and physical pain. Not only is it important to get sleep but also to sleep soundly and without any disturbance. The quality matters.

Here are a few tips to get better sleep: 

1. It is important to maintain the same sleep schedule every single day. This helps to naturalize your body clock and get the best quality sleep. 

2. Switch off all mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Their artificial glow not only hampers your eyesight, but also prolongs the amount of time your body takes to relax and fall off to sleep. 

3. If your back pain causes you to continually wake up in the middle of the night in discomfort, then sleep with a pillow or cushion between your legs so as to straighten out your back and relieve pent up stress. 

4. The importance of your pillow can never be stressed upon enough. Your pillow should be not too fat, hard or soft. It should just about support the natural curve of your neck, so that it is perfectly aligned with the centre of your body. Correct sleeping postures are extremely important. 

5. Make sure your room is nice and dark so as to stimulate the secretion of a hormone called melatonin that is regulated by light exposure. Darker the room, greater melatonin, making you more sleepy. 

6. Those who exercise regularly and well are known to be fitful sleepers. Exercise well before bedtime. If required, do some light yoga or stretching exercises that promote sleep. 

7. What you eat throughout the day makes a difference to the quality of your sleep. Stay away from too much caffeine, alcohol, or a heavy meal just before sleeping. They only make you stay awake for longer and may cause heartburn or stomach trouble. Don't drink too much water, or else you will be making more midnight trips to the bathroom than clocking those sleep hours. 

8. Try to keep your head clear of all worries and stress when in bed. Regular meditation and deep breathing can help. 

There is no end to all the things you can do to sleep well and comfortably. It is important to be self-disciplined to sleep well and hence be a healthy individual.