Diabetes is a common chronic condition that results from excessively high blood glucose. In this condition, either the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin, or your body does not utilize insulin produced by pancreas properly. This might lead to cardiovascular problems and neural problems, as well as health problems like ;depression and ;anxiety. Recent studies reveal that diabetes may have an impact on your reproductive health too.

Effects on men

A common problem that affects men s sexual life is erectile dysfunction. Diabetic men face this as they have low testosterone levels and are unable to maintain an erection during sex. For an erection, constant blood flow is necessary inside the penis. However, as diabetes disrupts the blood flow and damages the blood vessels, men are not able to achieve an erection.

Furthermore, diabetes also damages the arteries and nerves, which again, disturbs the blood flow to the penis. This also causes erectile dysfunction. Other factors that can cause sexual complications among men are- ;


	
	Diabetes-induced obesity
	
	
	High blood pressure
	
	
	Retrograde ejaculation ;  refers to a condition where semen is ejaculated to your bladder, but not through your penis
	


Effects on women

For women, during menopause, blood ;sugar levels may drop due to diabetes. Besides, high blood sugar levels damage the nerves of a woman. This may hinder the ability to feel aroused during sex and lowers sexual stimulation. This reduces their capability to achieve orgasm.

Another common issue among women with diabetes is ;vaginal dryness. This causes a lack of lubrication in the vagina that makes sex painful. Damage to the nerves that lubricate the vagina may be the reason for this. During menopause or after menopause, it can be due to low oestrogen.

Diabetes is more likely to cause vaginal infections such as yeast infections and urinary tract infections. Both of these cause pain during sexual intercourse. If the nerves of the bladder are damaged, it can lead to urinary incontinence ;while sex.

There are certain medications and therapy that may help control diabetes. Additionally, changes in lifestyle such as eating healthy, exercising daily etc. Will enhance your well-being that will significantly improve your blood glucose levels   and in turn, your sex life.

Know How Diabetes Impacts Reproductive Health

Blood donation is a process that is carried out when a person voluntarily offers for blood to be extracted from his body. There are countless myths about blood donation that need to be squashed and awareness is the only way of doing it.

While blood donation brings multiple health benefits to both the donor and recipient, some facts are known to only a few. These facts will not only open doors to endless possibilities, but will make people feel confident about it.

Facts

Here are some lesser-known facts about blood donation- every person should know-

 


	
	Approximately 112.5 million units of blood are collected from blood donation globally.
	
	
	Around 30 million units are transfused annually.
	
	
	Any person in sound health, at least 18 years old, and weighing at least 45 kilograms can donate blood every 56 days.
	
	
	Your one unit of donated blood can save up to 3 lives.
	
	
	A, b, ab, and o are the primary blood groups. While ab is a universal recipient, o negative is a universal donor.
	
	
	The blood donation process normally takes less than 10-12 minutes.
	
	
	Donating blood does not make you physically weak or decrease your strength.
	
	
	Only 1% of india's population donates blood each year, leading to an annual deficit of two million units.
	
	
	All donated blood units are tested for diseases like hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hiv, and syphilis before transfusion.
	
	
	Red cells, plasma, cryoprecipitate, and platelets are the various types of transfusable elements derived from the blood. The procedure takes place using a method called apheresis.
	
	
	Red blood cells carry oxygen to the organs.
	
	
	Red blood cells survive for about four months in the system of circulation.
	
	
	Platelets encourage blood clotting and provide leukemia patients and other cancer patients with better treatment.
	
	
	Plasma is a pale yellow combination of proteins, salts, and water.
	
	
	Plasma is 55 percent of the volume of blood and 90 percent water.
	
	
	White cells are the chief defense of the body against infections.
	
	
	There is no alternative for blood donation as blood cannot be manufactured.
	
	
	You cannot contract aids or other infectious diseases due to blood donation.
	


Lesser Known Facts About Blood Donation

People with sickle cell disease often experience myriad symptoms of the disease that can be controlled by the right nutrition. Reports suggest that nutrition is an increasingly significant factor to prevent symptoms such as slow growth, lower body mass, joint issues, infections, pain crises, and anemia.

There is a greater than the typical requirement for both calories and micronutrients.

The nutritional requirement of a sickle cell patient emphasizes more on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and more similar food items. These can prevent any deficiencies in the body and also decrease any chances of disease exacerbation.

 


	
	High-calorie nutrient-dense diet
	


The usual energy intake in a sickle cell patient is normally lower than the average values. It is a case even when the condition is asymptomatic where the requirement drops to half the level. As a result, people with sickle cell diseases (especially kids) are at higher risk for impaired growth and considerably lesser fat and fat-free mass, with obesity also posing a risk. It is suggested to have adequate energy supplements in the diet to reach the minimum sufficient requirement of the body that can be done only by proper nutritional assessment.


	
	Adequate fluids
	


Avoiding dehydration is another significant factor to avoid any severe symptoms of sickle cell disease. Sickling of the erythrocytes aggravates in patients who perform hardcore physical work in the heat without drinking enough fluids. This leads to dehydration and can even result in constipation.


	
	Micronutrients
	


Micronutrient deficiencies can be found in sickle cell patients up to a great extent. Several vitamins and minerals like vitamin a, b6, c, e, carotenoids, zinc, and magnesium are often found in fewer numbers in scd patients. A significant drop in blood-antioxidant status may result in acute chest syndrome. The supplementation of these vitamins and minerals can reduce the number of sickled cells in the body. Plant phenols and flavonoids may also help in lowering oxidative stress.


	
	Calcium-rich food
	


Getting plenty of calcium-rich food like dairy products, leafy vegetables, cereals, and fruit juices aids the child's growth and development. This may lead to a stronger physical structure and a greater resistance to the disease.


	
	Omega-3 fatty acid
	


There are reduced proportions of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in sickle cell patients. These acids aid the fluidity of red blood cell membranes. As a result, they prevent sickle cell crises. Supplemental docosahexaenoic (dha) and eicosapentaenoic (epa) have shown numerous therapeutic benefits in scd patients.


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Role Of Nutrition In Sickle Cell Disease

What are the different types of sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease or sickle cell disorder is a term often used to talk about a group of diseases affecting hemoglobin. It is the oxygen-carrying element of blood that makes up 2 alpha globins and 2 beta globins. Sickle cell disease happens due to beta-globin mutation and depending on the abnormality in mutation.

Types-
Sickle cell diseases can be of many types depending on the gene mutation in the blood. Some of the common types are-

Sickle hemoglobin s disease (ss)
Hemoglobin ss disease or sickle cell anemia is the most popular type of scd. It takes place when hemoglobin s gene mutation is inherited from both mother and father. In simple words, it happens when the child inherits one substitution beta-globin gene from each parent. In this type, the body only produces hemoglobin s. It is mostly found in people of african and indian origin.

Sickle hemoglobin- c disease (sc):
Patients with sickle hemoglobin sc disease have a moderately dissimilar swapping in their genes of beta-globin. Here, both hemoglobin c and hemoglobin s are inherited from each parent. It may cause similar symptoms like anemia but remains relatively l. People of west african and mediterranean origin are more prone to this.

Hbs beta-thalassemia
People with this type of scd inherit one sickle cell gene s and one gene for beta-thalassemia from each parent. Zero and plus are the two common types of beta-thalassemia. While beta 0 thalassemia usually takes a severe form, beta + thalassemia is a milder form of the disease.

Sickle beta-zero thalassemia
Beta-zero thalassemia takes form when the child inherits the beta s gene from one parent and beta 0 thalassemia gene mutation from the other. With similar symptoms to anemia, it is a slightly severe form of beta-thalassemia.

Sickle beta-plus thalassemia
Substitutions in both beta-globin genes take place in patients with sickle beta thalassemia (sb) disease. This may even lead to the requirement of blood transfusion if no normal beta globin is produced. Mediterranean and caribbean people are more likely to have this disorder.

Hemoglobin sd, hemoglobin se, and hemoglobin so
These are the few rare and not less common types of sickle cell diseases. They are also less severe. People with these forms of scd inherit one sickle cell gene s and one gene from uncommon hemoglobin (d, e, or o) from each parent.

Sickle cell trait
Hbas
People with sct have one sickle cell gene s and one normal gene a from both mother and father. Ones with this disorder show few to no signs of the disease and usually spend a normal life. However, the risk to their future generations still exists.
 

What Are The Different Types Of Sickle Cell Disease?

If you have diabetes, many parts of your body are likely to get affected over time. You might observe that your digestion is not the same as it was before you had diabetes. In this case, you are likely to face stomach problems and bowel issues. This is due to the effect of diabetes on your vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is responsible for managing the complex processes in your digestive system. When the nerve is not functioning properly, your digestion slows down. As a result, the contents of your stomach stay longer than they should. Such a condition is called diabetic ;gastroparesis, which is one of the most common diabetic problems.

What is diabetic gastroparesis?

In gastroparesis, your stomach takes too much time to clear the bowel due to disrupted digestion. Usually, after a meal, the vagus nerve helps to contract the stomach muscles to break down the food into smaller pieces and pass it to the small intestine.

However, if the nerve is damaged, the muscle contraction gets halted and the decomposition of the food is slowed down. This condition is common in patients suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This is because diabetes causes nerve damage, which in turn damages the vagus nerve.

Symptoms of gastroparesis

The most common symptoms of the condition are  


	
	Heartburn
	
	
	Nausea accompanied by ;vomiting
	
	
	Appetite loss
	
	
	Bloating in the abdomen
	
	
	Acid reflux
	
	
	Weight loss
	
	
	Fluctuations in the blood ;sugar level
	
	
	Feeling full even after consuming a little amount of food
	
	
	Spasms in the stomach
	


What are the treatment options?

The first step to treat diabetic gastroparesis is to manage the levels of blood sugar. In this case, your doctor might ask you to check your blood sugar regularly   that will help him to modify the treatment to cure this condition.

The treatment can include the following steps  


	
	Altering your insulin dosage and the number of times you take it
	
	
	Oral medication may be prescribed to improve the condition
	
	
	Gastric ;electrical stimulation   where a device called gastric neurostimulator is implanted in the lower abdominal region. It sends low energy electrical impulses to your stomach muscles to cure cases of severe vomiting and nausea.
	


The doctors will recommend some dietary changes   avoid fibre-rich foods and include low-fat foods instead. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes, diabetic patients may be able to avoid common digestive problems like gastroparesis.

What Is Gastroparesis- A Diabetes Induced Digestive Problem

Air pollution affects the overall health of a human being. Whether it comes out of exhaust fumes from cars and factories or smoke from burning stubble air pollution, it is a cause of major concern. The effects of this can be seen in the growing number of asthma and other respiratory diseases. These diseases affect adults and children alike, however, it is the younger generation and elderly people who are more susceptible. Hence, it is extremely important to care about the quality of the air you breathe in. 


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What is the significance of the air quality index (aqi)?

The air quality index is a visual representation of pollutant levels in the air around you. A quick glance at this colour coded map can tell you if the air outside your home is likely to harm you or not. The code is broken down into 6 levels ranging from green which signifies minimal impact to red which marks pollution levels that can harm a healthy person and seriously impact those who are already ill. The higher the aqi, the higher the level of air pollution.

 

What are the steps to reduce air pollution?

Simply talking about how there need to be stricter laws about car emissions and the burning of waste will not help you. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your family from the ill-effects of air pollution.


	
	Carpool: exhausts from cars and other vehicles are one of the biggest causes of air pollution. Do your part to reduce air pollution by restricting the amount you use your car. Try taking public transport to work or carpooling with colleagues. Similarly, avoid making individual trips every time you need something from the market. Make a list and when it s long enough, then step out.
	
	
	Limit indoor pollution: do not smoke indoors. When cooking, keep the exhaust fan on so that the smoke produced does not collect indoors. Avoid spraying air fresheners etc. While they may temporarily make the air smell fresh, in the long run, they contribute to air pollution.
	
	
	Use public transport try to use public transport and avoid the use of personal vehicles.
	


How to protect yourself from air pollution


	
	Refrain from morning walks routines to later hours.
	
	
	Use n95/99 face masks whenever you step out.
	
	
	Use air-purifying plants to purify the air around your surroundings.
	
	
	Ventilate your kitchen, and bathroom to keep yourself away from air pollution.
	
	
	Restrict outdoor activities for kids if there is a high level of air pollution
	
	
	Use air-purifiers in your surroundings.
	
	
	Try to take steam with a few drops of eucalyptus oil every day.
	
	
	Keep your car s environment fresh.
	
	
	Ventilate your home, open your windows and doors and allow the air to circulate during mid hours.
	
	
	Eat jaggery (aka gurr) to flush out pollutants from your lungs.
	
	
	Consume a diet rich in vitamin c, omega fatty acids
	


Hence, the other way to cut down this pollution is by bringing significant lifestyle changes in our daily living. Cutting down the number of diesel and petrol vehicles can also prove helpful. People should shift to cng and electric vehicles for daily commuting. These efforts, if practiced on a regular basis, can bring a huge decrease in pollution.

Air purifiers can also be a healthy option for indoor purposes.

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Why Should You Care About Air Quality?

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