Dr. Pk Kesar

Did you know that by reading this article and others on here that you may be creating a world of benefits for your health?

Yes, reading has got innumerable health benefits, and what I am about to share with you may even surprise you a little.

Reading has been in our DNA for generations. Our education system relies on reading to impart knowledge. Reading magazines, novels and even messages on the phone can help us learn something, inspire us or even entertain us. 

The good news is that reading can make a significant difference to your health. Here, I will talk about some of the common health boosts that reading will give you if you practice it on a regular basis.

Okay, first let me tell you that what I will be discussing here is the reading of ‘real’ books, not e-books or books on your computer.

It seems that many of us have now transferred onto reading books online in the form of e-books. But the good news is that studies have shown that those of us who like reading e-books continue to read printed books.

After all, you could never beat the experience of an old fashioned read now, can you?! I mean, the smell of a new book just ‘hot off the press’ is something many of us relish.

Anyway, moving away from delightful smells, it is great to know that reading books regularly increases our intelligence.

It’s obvious, right?

Even Dr Seuss wrote – “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”.

In one study, children who read books learned 50% more words that those who spent time watching television. Reading a book is even easier – apparently reading off a screen slows down your reading time by nearly 30%. 

Reading gives your brain a great work out. It keeps it on it’s toes, stimulates the formation of new neural connections and can even delay the onset of memory loss.

Emotions can be quite charged when reading a good book, and I remember screaming at the walls when reading John Grisham’s An Innocent Man. I even remember feeling heartbroken when reading Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones. Reading books can make you more empathetic, which is an essential social skill in this world. 

Remember I mentioned that reading can slow down memory loss?

Well, it appears that putting your brain to work regularly with a book can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, you could be 2.5 times less likely to suffer from the problem.

Aside from the relaxing effects books have on the mind, they are also essential to keep you informed.

Take Bill Gates for example.

He reads nearly 50 books a year to keep himself informed. One wonders how a man like him even finds the time, right?! Apparently, he is a fan of non-fiction, and uses books as a medium to learn something new. 

By the way, are you having trouble falling asleep? Then maybe blame all the blue light you are exposed to from your gadgets. Instead, why not grab a good book to help you wind down before bed time? Reading out loud to children throughout their school years could inspire them to take up reading as a hobby.

Don’t you think it’s time to take it up?

Hysterectomy is a procedure that is used to treat a wide variety of conditions. A partial hysterectomy is performed for the removal of the uterus whereas a myomectomy is performed for the removal of the fibroids. A complete hysterectomy is performed in order to remove the uterus and the cervix. With hysterectomy, there comes some critical and sensitive topic that needs to be discussed with the surgeon. Here is a list of top 10 things that need to be known about hysterectomy:

1. The sex life concern: Unlike common apprehension, hysterectomy doesn’t necessarily mean the end of sex life. In the worst case scenario where the cervix is removed, it takes around 6 weeks before one can resume the sex life.
2. Hysterectomy can’t cure endometriosis: Endometriosis is a condition that is characterised by menstrual cramp, painful intercourse and chronic pain. Hysterectomy is not the first line of treatment for a condition like this. If any doctor has suggested it, it makes sense to take a second opinion.
3. Hysterectomy doesn’t mean menopause: This procedure doesn’t mean a menopause or an inability to get pregnant. There are certain other misconceptions such as getting night sweats, hot flashes and menstrual cramp etc. On the contrary, a well-performed procedure will ensure that a person doesn’t feel a thing after the surgery.
4. The loss in ovaries: Depending on the condition of a patient, a doctor might remove the fallopian tube, uterus and ovaries. It necessarily means a sudden loss of oestrogen and progesterone hormone abruptly. Both this hormone are critical for bone and sexual health. It might also lead to menopause, decreased urge in sex and hot flashes during the night. It is therefore very important to discuss each and every aspect of the procedure before the surgery begins.
5. Hormonal therapy: Since the removal of ovaries is likely to cause physical discomfort to the body, hormonal therapy can come to the rescue of an individual. Hormonal therapy can curtail the risk of blood clot formation, heart diseases, stroke etc.
6. Explore other non-surgical options: Hysterectomy is not the last word for any uterus or ovary related problems. The goal is to keep the uterus intact. There are certain less evasive procedures to save ovaries and uterus. This is where multiple opinions come handy.
7. Less invasive options: There exist less invasive surgeries for treatment related to uterus and ovaries. For instance, a robotic hysterectomy causes far less pain as compared to traditional procedure. It also ensures less loss of blood from the system resulting in less weakness.
8. The morcellation technique: In case a uterus has to be removed, doctors these days use a process known as morcellation. The latter involves making small cuts into various places of the uterus in order to bring it out. The false apprehension of this process causing cancer cells in the body is not true. Only if a patient is suffering from a particular kind of cancer, it might spread to other parts of the body. A doctor has to be consulted to assure such a thing doesn’t happen.
9. Cancer apprehension: For people facing a gene defect such as BRAC1 and BRAC2 hysterectomy can reduce the chance of ovarian cancer by a good 80 percent.
10. Physiological healing post hysterectomy: Although physical healing takes no more than 6 weeks after the procedure, the emotional healing might take some time. It makes sense to seek professional help for postoperative depression. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Fat and cellulite though are different forms of the fat cells must be eliminated from the body when in excess so that you can lead a better and healthier life. While removal of deep tissue fat which resides underneath skin is possible with many therapies, the cellulite which resides loosely adhered to the skin just under it, is stubborn and tough to remove. That is why effective treatment methods like Endermology have been brought into practice since the 1980s which helps in weight loss as well as inch loss. This is the first cellulite and fat loss treatment, which has been approved by the FDA too.

This is a non invasive treatment, and is a painless and permanent solution against cellulite wherein no scarring or surgery is done. To prepare the body for the treatment, one must follow the below 5 methods, which will let the effect of the weight loss/fat loss treatment to be more visible and faster.

1. Get cellulite treatment: The cellulite removal endermologic treatment is a special treatment, which is done with the help of two rollers and a vacuum suction machine. The rollers roll or knead the skin and create a suction force in the loose skin superficially. This makes the fat cells in the body under the skin, release the cellulite which is very effective for belly weight loss. The warmth from the treatment initiates lymphatic flow, and good blood circulation in the body, thus increasing fat metabolism.
2. Maintain regularity of treatment: The treatment has a schedule, and the best results are obtained only when you maintain regularity. You cannot skip the sessions. 14-28 weight loss/fat loss sessions are required initially within 1-2 weeks. This has to be done as suggested by the health and treatment expert. From the 6th session onwards, fat loss results will start to get visible gradually.
3. Stay hydrated for the treatment: It's a mandate that you keep hydration levels in the body optimum to receive full benefits from the Endermology treatment. Ideally, 5 cups of water intake is must before you start a session.
4. HIFU Treatment- the next level: High-Intensity Focalized Ultrasound is the next level of treatment, wherein the ultrasound waves are targeted on the skin areas at thighs, abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, etc., which contain cellulite. This ruptures the deep-laid fat cells, and then the fat is induced to get drained through the lymphatic system further enhancing the weight loss.
5. Maintain healthy lifestyle and diet: A healthy lifestyle with no liquor and smoking, no late nights or drug abuse, and no stress, etc. is needed. Diet has to be a low calorie, balanced diet, and all junk and oily food filled with unsaturated fats must be avoided. Light exercises or moderate to heavy as per the capacity of the body must be encouraged to see the effects of Endermology to become permanent.