The Mind of a Smoker 

There are a few instances when our body and mind refuse to acknowledge rationality, and quickly give in to carvings. Alcohol abuse, junk foods, depressant medications are a few of them. Among these, the most harmful is undoubtedly, smoking. In today's time, almost everyone knows about the ill-effects of tobacco. But despite our knowledge, we continue to give in and smoke. Let us have a look in depth about the usage, and the various steps one can use to come out of this dangerous habit. 

Ill-Effects of Smoking 

Smoking is dangerous for your health, and quitting can vastly reduce your risk of getting a disease related to the heart or lung. There is also a 50% chance that your life expectancy will be less due to smoking. On an average, a smoker has 10 - 12 years of lesser life expectancy than that of the nonsmoker. Also, quitting tobacco products can greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer. A smoker is always in the higher risk group of getting a tumor in the voice box (larynx), mouth, throat, intestines, kidney, and pancreas. Smoking can also hamper your sexual urge and erectile strength. Pregnant women who smoke carry a greater risk of having babies with many complications. 

How to Curb Smoking 

Quit smoking, and you can see visible differences right away. Your breathing will improve, and your asthma symptoms will likely to get better once you quit. Apart from a healthier you, you can also avoid health complications for your family members. Passive smoking is as harmful as active smoking, and a passive smoker is also easily susceptible to the complications of that of a smoker. Do not opt for lighter nicotine content cigarettes, as they have advertised that they contain less tar and nicotine. They simply do not, and they are equally harmful to you. Once the decision has been made, quit it altogether. Also stay away from chewing tobacco products. There are many ways by which you can quit smoking. Consult with your doctor in case you need medications for staying away. 

There are safe non-nicotine gums and chewing tablets for curbing the smoking feel and sensation. There are also self-help groups and treatment centers that can rehabilitate you from your habits. Indulge yourself in activities that keep you happy and passionate. Try signing up for your favorite sports and keep yourself occupied at all times. Always be positive, and do not give into temptation. Believe in yourself and always remember that you are also spoiling the health and wealth of your near and dear ones. Your children follow you, and they can easily be misguided. Be a role model to them and quit smoking, and inculcate the healthy habit now and forever.

Strategies and Medications to Stop Smoking, and Benefits of Stopping Tobacco Use!

Tinea or ringworm is basically a skin infection caused by fungus. Tinea can affect any part of the body. When the skin is affected it is tinea corporis, scalp (tinea capitis), feet (tinea pedis, this is also called as athlete's foot) and groin area (tinea curis, also known as the jock itch). This presents as several white patches on the skin.

Causes of Tinea
Tinea or the ringworm infection is not due to worms but caused by fungi dermatophytes. The fungus remains alive in the dead tissues of nails, hair and skin. Symptoms of Tinea are red circular patches on the skin along with itching.

As per the Ayurvedic philosophy, tinea is often diagnosed as dadru. The body type or the dosha involved is kapha and vata. Kapha, which is an Ayurvedic humor symbolizes mucus. It is usually dense, sticky and cold in nature. Vata, also an ayurvedic humor represents the wind. It is dry, mobile, subtle and cold. Both kapha and vata when present in the skin lead to accumulation of toxins. These toxins further collect in the deep tissues of the skin like rakta (Blood), rasa (nutrient plasma), lasika (lymphatic) and mansa (muscles).

The toxins lead to contamination of the deeper tissues thereby leading to the aggravation of the kapha-vata dosha, thus leading to ringworm. A third dosha which is involved is pitta. Pitta symbolizes heat or fire. It is often referred to as the tridosha disease, and the prime involved doshas are kapha and vata.

Diet and Lifestyle Modification
1. Spicy and hot food, excessive sweet and sour foods should be avoided. Pickled foods, chutneys, citrus fruits like lemon and oranges, vinegar and mustard should also be avoided.
2. Avoid foods made up of white flour such as bread, pastries, cakes, pizza
3. Artificial and processed foods, fast foods and aerated drinks should be avoided. Excessive salt and tomatoes should be restricted.
4. Since tea, coffee smoking and alcohol aggravate the pitta, these should be avoided
5. Milk and milk products like yogurt and cottage cheese should be given a miss
6. Foods which are sweet, blend and alkaline in nature should be added into the diet
6. Fresh vegetables and fruit should be taken
7. Foods like grains, rice, pasta, beans, breads, dairy products, sweet drinks and juices can be had

Home Remedies
1. In 3 cups of water boil 10 to 15 neem leaves, until half the water evaporates. Washing the tinea lesions with this water helps.
2. Rubbing papaya over the lesions is very effective
3. Make a paste of turmeric and milk and apply on the lesions. Wash this within half an hour of the application and repeat it 3 to 4 times a day.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Tinea ( Ringworm) Fungal Infection

Drug addiction is one of the social menaces and in most people, what starts off as a result of peer pressure and trying to be cool ends up affecting lives significantly. It is not just social, but also affects financial, physical, emotional, and social well-being. The small periods of happiness given by the drug is followed by months and years of torment.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has identified that drug addiction causes chemical and structural changes in the brain, leading to dangerous and self-destructive behaviours. The brain s response to stimulus like pleasure, joy, happiness, and pain are altered with constant drug abuse. For instance, the neurotransmitter called dopamine, which makes one feel good, is usually produced by the brain in small amounts. However, drugs increase this level to 2 to 10 times more, making the person feel extremely high and happy. Since the body is unable to reach the highest level of happiness on its own, the dependency on these drugs to feel good increases.

Repeated use of the drugs leads to increased dependency, wherein the brain refuses to feel good without reaching those high levels of dopamine. The issue is mostly seen in teenagers and young adults but can be seen in any age group.

October 2 is recognised as National Anti-Drug Addiction Day and nationwide campaigns and drives are done to help people overcome addiction. One of the main reasons a drive this size is required is because of the social stigma attached to the problem. Most families shun away from recognising it as a problem that can be easily treated, and so the affected person is sucked deeper into the problem.

Overcoming addiction: One of the main success factors for treating addiction is for the affected person to recognise that he or she is addicted and needs to get rid of the problem.

    There are national toll-free helplines that are set up, which can guide through the whole program. This way, if required, anonymity is maintained and support for overcoming addiction is increased.
    It involves a group effort involving the affected person, family and friends, medical and clinical personnel, and counsellors in some cases.
    Cognitive behavioural therapy: The person is made conscious of the change in behaviour and the way drugs affect it. Healthier patterns to be happy and joyful are discussed.
    In most cases, the underlying reason for reaching out to drugs needs to be addressed also to prevent relapse.
    Group therapies where the person makes friends who have faced similar issues and overcome the problem. This increases their accountability and commitment to getting rid of the problem.

Drug abuse is a national social menace and needs more free admittance and management.

National Anti-Drug Addiction Day - Overcoming Addiction

Hives is a very common condition and about 20% of the world has got it at some point in their lives. There are many causes to it ranging from blood transfusions to certain allergic reactions to food. It starts off as an itchy patch of skin but slowly swells and turns into red welts. There are certain factors which makes the itching worse including stress, alcohol and scratching the area of skin which was itchy in the first place. 

Causes
Here are all the causes and symptoms of hives:
1. Food
Allergic reactions to foods such as nuts, eggs and shellfish are a common cause of hives.

2. Medications
Certain medications also have a side effect of causing hives. Penicillin and sulfa are two of the antibiotics, which can cause hives. Ibuprofen and Aspirin are also two other medications, which are commonly known to cause hives.

3. Infections
Both bacterial and viral infections can lead to hives. Strep throat, urinary tract infections, common cold and hepatitis are some of many bacterial and viral infections, which may cause hives.

4. Stimuli
Certain factors such as temperature, pressure, sun exposure and other physical stimuli may cause hives as well.

5. Plants and animals
Dander in animals are the flakes of skin in their fur. Moreover, coming into contact with certain poisonous plants may cause hives.

6. Insects
When insects sting or bite you, you may get hives.

7. Latex
Latex is a type of rubber used in many types of clothing. It has been said that wearing clothing made out of latex can cause hives.

8. Pollen
Pollen is a light powdery substance produced by plants such as oak trees. It travels through the air and may cause hives if it comes into contact with your skin.

Symptoms
1. Bumps
Itchy red bumps appear on the skin when you have hives. Sometimes, the bumps can be skin-colored as well.
2. Blanching
When the bumps turn white after you press them, it is known as blanching. Blanching is the only clear symptom of hives.

Hives: Causes and Symptoms

As soon as one is released from hospital after going through an abdominal surgery, the patient must make a checklist and an early recovery strategy before leaving home. Do follow the following tips and recover soon.

    Do make prior arrangements for a safe and comfortable journey back to home. Ensure that you have made transportation arrangements to go home safely. Use your own car or book any cab or take any friend s help. Place a cushion over your abdomen to keep it safe from jerks.
    Do go for post-surgery checkup. Book an appointment with your surgeon post-surgery. This would ensure that surgery did not cause any side-effect.
    Understand the schedule for taking medicines. Usually the patients are given painkillers. If you think you are not getting relief from it then ask your surgeon to prescribe you an alternative. Patients are likely to suffer from constipation post an abdominal surgery. If that happens, intake more fibrous food, fluids and indulge in light physical activities. Patients can also ask for cheaper alternative medicines.
    Check for certain signs and symptoms and take adequate steps:
        Take adequate sleep. There are chances that you may feel dizzy and fatigue, therefore one must observe change in sleep patterns. Have patience. Things will become normal in due course of time.
        You will also be subjected to little pain from the incision. Take your medicines as directed in order to get an early relief from pain.
        Draining of yellow color liquid from the incision in little quantities post the surgery is normal. If the drainage continues even after 7 to 14 days with redness around incision, it is a clear symptom of infection. Consult your surgeon immediately for the cure.
        Removal of urinary catheter from the bladder may cause minor difficulties during urination. Situation will become normal in few days. If discomfort persists, consult your surgeon.
    Identify the following dangerous symptoms and call your doctor right away.
        Persistent vomiting or nausea
        Incapability to digest food or fluids
        Swelling in leg
        Abnormal body temperature
        Infection at the surgical site
    Maintain a healthy and supervised lifestyle post surgery.
        It will take few days to return to your normal routine life. So have patience until then.
        Go for morning and evening walks. Avoid heavy exercises as such activities may cause physical strain.
    Take care of your surgical incision
        Surgical incision should be regularly cleaned or washed gently. Try to keep the surgical site dry until the stitches are removed.
        After 5-7 days of surgery, the stitches would be removed by the surgeon. Avoid putting ointment on the stitches until then. It will take few weeks for the scars to fade.

Under proper care and supervision, the patient will soon recover post an abdominal surgery and will be able to get their life back on track.

Tips to Recover from an Abdominal Surgery

Silicosis is a lung disorder that develops as a result of exposure to dust, which has silica (chemical compounds) content. Silicosis significantly makes you prone to other serious health disorders. It is an incurable disorder and a prescribed dosage of medications in the form of cough syrups or antibiotics can help in the regulation of the symptoms. Inhalers are also useful to clear the blocked air passages. In extreme cases, the doctors might suggest a transplant of the lung to eradicate silicosis.

Causes
Silicosis is caused primarily due to a long- term exposure (usually 5-15 years) to silica. But a short-term exposure (for a few weeks or months) can also result in silicosis, which tends to worsen considerably as time progresses, if not diagnosed in its early stages. Silica is a natural dust particle, which is found in abundance in rocks, sand, bricks or concrete. Once silica gets into your body through inhalation, these particles tend to damage the tissues of the lungs by inflicting minor incisions. This considerably disfigures the lungs, thereby making the whole process of breathing rather troublesome. Long-term exposure to silica might further lead to lung cancer. People who work in mines, glass or asphalt manufacturing industries, iron and steel industries and construction sites are at increased risks of developing this condition.

Symptoms
The Symptoms of Silicosis begin mildly, but tend to worsen with time. The symptoms of Silicosis are as follows:
a. The initial symptoms include severe weariness, repeated instances of coughing and experiencing trouble while breathing. These symptoms usually recur as time progresses.

b. In the latter stages of silicosis, the symptoms gradually worsen accompanied by severe pain in the chest along with fever, night sweat and sudden loss of body weight.

Silicosis might make you susceptible to other infections related to the respiratory systems such as tuberculosis.

Prevention
In order to prevent Silicosis, you should wear suitable protective gear and a respirator on your face while working in a place which has risks of silica exposure.

Causes and Symptoms of Silicosis

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