Dr. Bharti Sharma

There are heaps of things we can do to get to a healthy weight and, just as importantly, stay there.Whether at home, work or on the run, some simple, small and easy changes for life can make all the difference.

Critical illnesses does not occur all of a sudden, and there are always a few signs that your body gives you, which indicate that all is not right with your system. These are the signs that we must watch out for and not ignore them. As ignoring them can sometimes turn fatal for your health. So what are these that you must be careful about?

1. Sudden weight loss: Have you recently lost weight despite not intending for any? This calls for a visit to your doctor as unexplained weight loss can be your body's way of alerting you that you may have developed serious medical conditions such as diabetes or endocrine disorders. Unwanted and severe weight loss, in many cases, is also a common sign of cancer.
2. Frequent headaches: If you suffer from headache frequently, that won't go away easily it might mean a burst blood vessel or an aneurysm in the brain, which requires immediate medical attention. Sometimes, such headaches can also be a sign of shingles or meningitis.
3. Chest pain: Chest pain is probably one of the most prominent signs of trouble in the body that one should never delay in seeking medical attention for. Feelings of lingering tightness in the chest area or severe pain may indicate that either there's a presence of a blood clot or a heart disease.
4. Pain in the abdomen: A pain centralizing the area around the belly button that is unexpected as well as quite sharp should not be ignored as a mild effect of overeating or gas. It can be a sign of something more serious such as an aortic aneurysm or the perforation of the intestine or stomach due to an ulcer, or intestinal ischemia. When the abdominal pain is accompanied by vomiting and nausea, it is likely to be a sign of gallstones.
5. Constant fatigue: Do you often feel extremely exhausted and severely fatigued, even when you have not  performed any hectic physical activities? Then, it may be a symptom of anemia or gastrointestinal cancer or depression. Some amount of tiredness is normal for everyone, but even after having a good sleep feeling severely drained out of all your energies is an alarming sign of the body.

Remember, the signs mentioned above are some of the ways of the body telling you that you should visit a doctor right away and there may be something serious going on inside. To stay healthy and fit, it is not only essential to lead a healthy lifestyle, but it is also crucial to make it a point to pay heed to the signs to avoid complications.

Your habits have created who you really are. If you look at your habits, you can see how they act as building blocks that construct your true life. Many of you are unaware of the actions and thoughts you habitually commit each day. Scientific research suggests that the average person is only 5-20% consciously aware of the actions and habits they embrace each day. This means 80% or more of what we do is unconscious.

Most of the things you do in your daily life, you have no idea why you are doing them. Your habits eventually create something. The habits you embrace cause the effects you see. 

• The goal is to catch yourself.
• The goal is to be awake and be aware of where you are spending your energy.
• The goal is to create new habits that can build a new you.

If you are willing to take a conscious approach to creating new habits, you effortlessly transform your lives. Let’s release the old, toxic, unproductive habits and embrace new, empowering and positive ones for a better tomorrow. Having said that, given below are 3 powerful habits that can change your life for the better:

1. Positive mental attitude: It is the most important habit that you can cultivate within yourself as it helps you to develop other life-changing habits in your life. While positive thinking will not make you instantly successful, it can help you gain the mental fortitude that you need to work hard and succeed. You must try to eliminate negative thoughts from your mind and focus on the positives in your life instead. It is one of the most valuable skills one can have. 
   • How to do it: Keep a journal and maintain a log of negative thoughts that come to your mind and a positive thought with which you can replace it. Writing the positive thought will help you reinforce the message to yourself. 

2. Exercise: A healthy mind is not possible without a healthy lifestyle. You need to focus on your physical fitness and health to be able to keep a positive mindset. Developing a habit of exercising as frequently as possible is an awesome idea and to start small is the best way to go about it. Exercising and being fit allows you to be more confident about yourself, relieves stress. It also releases serotonin, which keeps you happy and positive. 
   • How to do it: Prepare a schedule for yourself and allocate your free time judiciously to exercising.
3. Be goal oriented: We all have goals that we need to achieve but running headstrong into all of them at the same time is actually bad for your progress. It is essential to focus only on one goal at a time to be able to achieve them fully. No matter how great of a multi-tasker you may be, focusing on multiple goals divides your energy, focus and makes you less effective than you could be.
   • How to do it: If you have set big goals for yourself, try to break them down into smaller manageable chunks and try to achieve them one at a time. Keep track of your progress at all times to know how far you have come and what you need to do to achieve your goals.

Remember, do not be disheartened if things do not work out for you initially. Instead of giving up, simply take a step back and re-evaluate what went wrong before going forward again. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Body fat has often been regarded as the biggest culprit in spoiling that perfect shape of the body. The impact of extra fat is not just restricted to shape but is also a health hazard as it paves the way for various chronic diseases. Over 40% people suffer from the problem of extra body fat and the problem is more prevalent among the young generation. Excess body fat can be attributed to the sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and the type of diet being consumed. Body fat distribution has two main patterns, android and gynoid.

Android pattern is more common in males while gynoid is more common in females. On the basis of fat storage position, body fat can be of 6 types, the causes and treatment method varies for all 6.

1. Upper body fat (android)
   • Causes: Inactivity, eating food rich in calories, consuming more fat than being burned on a daily basis.
   • How to get rid of it: 
     • ​Avoid fast food, sweets, carbonated drinks and alcohol.
     • Drink plenty of water and consume more vegetables and fruits.
     • Also start exercising regularly for atleast 35 - 40 minutes a day.
2. Lower abdomen fat (gynoid)
   • Causes: The main sufferers of this condition are women who suffer from stress, anxiety and depression.
   • How to get rid of it:
     • Cardio exercises and along with lower abdomen resistance exercises work well.
     • Try to take a sound night sleep.
     • Meditate well and do yoga in order to relax the body and mind.
     • Green tea works well for this condition.
3. Lower body fat (gynoid)
   • Causes: The main cause of bulging thighs is the excess of gluten in the diet.
   • How to get rid of it:
     • Exercises such as squats, burpees, cycling and crunches produce desired results.
     • Cut down gluten consumption in the diet.
     • Have a healthy breakfast and a glass of lime water early morning, empty stomach.
4. Stomach centered fat (android)
   • Causes: Consumption of excess alcohol, especially beer is the greatest cause of this condition.
   • How to get rid of it: 
     • Cut down alcohol consumption
     • Take small portion of meals at regular intervals as this will boost your metabolism and help get rid of belly fat.
5. Lower legs fat (gynoid)
   • Causes: This is most common in women during the time of pregnancy when legs tend to swell. Leg vein problem is another cause of this disease.
   • How to get rid of it: 
     • Avoid salty food, as salt helps in fluid retention.
     • Water aerobics and regular walking help reduce fats stored in lower legs.
6. Upper back fat with large stomach
   • Causes: Physical inactivity is the major cause of this condition.
   • How to get rid of it:
     • Reduce the level of blood sugar and cut down on meal size.
     • Consume fiber rich food to improve metabolism and have a sound sleep to relax body and mind.

Gynoid and android pattern fat distribution are observed mainly in men and women respectively, but it may be present the other way round as well. The key to a healthy body is a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and proper rest.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The stomach produces strong hydrochloric acid which plays a major role in the digestive process. This acid is contained within the stomach by the closing of a valve in the lower oesophagus. A higher-than-normal concentration of the acid is quite common and it could be due to various reasons that cause acidity, some common ones being obesity, eating large meals, certain acidic foods like citrus fruits, alcohol, smoking, pregnancy and aerated beverages.

The symptoms of acidity include heartburn, a bloated feeling in the stomach, burping, hiccups, nausea and weight loss. An important thing to notice is that acidity is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying disease. Unless there are serious structural issues, most cases of acidity can be managed with dietary and lifestyle changes. Some of the best, yet simple and effective ways to deal with acidity are listed below.

1. Habit of eating smaller, but frequent meals. Eating one large meal is one of the main causes of acidity. Eating smaller frequent meals gives the stomach time to digest the food and also avoid acidity.
2. Avoid eating close to bedtime. When you go to bed with a stomach full of food, you are sure to end up with acidity. A minimum of 3 hours should lapse between the last meal and the bedtime. This gives sufficient time for the stomach to clear the contents.
3. Sleep with the head of the bed slightly elevated. Raising the head of the bed ensures there is no regurgitation of food, thereby preventing acidity.
4. Daytime nappers with acidity issues can try to sleep in a recliner or on a chair to prevent acidity attacks.
5. Manage weight through weight loss measures including diet and exercise. Obesity is one of the main reasons for acidity, and managing weight can help control acidity.
6. Smoking is a major cause of acidity. The negative pressure created during smoking helps regurgitation of acid, causing heartburn. Quitting smoking can help relieve long-term acidity symptoms.
7. Alcohol is another substance that aggravates acidity, and reducing or quitting can help in relieving acidity.
8. Baking soda, aloe juice, banana, chewing gum, mustard, almonds, and chamomile are some natural remedies to relieve acidity.
9. Most people have certain foods which are the triggers for acidity. Identifying these and avoiding these can also be a good way to manage acidity.
10. Acidity is a major concern during pregnancy. The bloated feeling is worsened by the acidity and the developing baby.
11. Clothes which have tight belts or are tight around the waist can be another reason for acidity.

While acidity is a common issue, it also is something that can be easily managed. Try the above measures and see your heartburn reduce.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The immune system is extremely important in an individual's system. A strong immune system helps to combat the invasion of foreign particles and consequently resists the diseases.  Vaccination in such a context becomes imperative as it strengthens an individual's immunity. In vaccination, antigens or germs are given in very small doses. They stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies to fight against that particular infection. Vaccinations are provided to both children and adults to protect them from a number of diseases.  However, different vaccinations are provided in different ages according to the susceptibility to diseases.

Some of the vaccinations that are provided to newborns are:

1. Hepatitis B vaccine: This vaccination is given in order to prevent the child from having Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a liver disease that if persists can lead to liver failure or even liver cancer. This vaccine must be injected immediately after the birth of the baby. The first dose must be followed by administering a second dose within a span of a month or two. 

2. Rotavirus Vaccine (RV): This vaccine, taken orally, prevents the infant from Rotavirus. This virus causes vomiting and diarrhea in children that often leads to severe dehydration. This vaccine is administered within two to four months of the baby's birth. Sometimes, on doctor's prescription a second dose may be necessary in the sixth month. 

3. Acellular Pertussis Vaccine and Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids: This is a combination of various vaccines that protects the child from tetanus and diphtheria. Newborns are extremely prone to diphtheria that causes fatal illness and sometimes even deaths in children. This vaccination thereby, is extremely important and must be administered within two or four months and must be followed up with secondary doses later under the doctor's supervision. Vaccinations do not end with childhood. In many cases adults too need to be vaccinated against certain diseases. Some of them are:

• Hepatitis A Vaccine: You can get this vaccination if there is any risk of you suffering from Hepatitis A. Much like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A too is an acute liver disease. This is extremely fatal and is seldom accompanied by any symptoms. 
• Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: This is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical dysplasia in women and men.  The apt age for both men and women for this vaccination differs. Women who are twenty six years of age or younger and men below or at the age of twenty one are most suitable for this vaccination. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

We often fear change in our daily routines, it makes us anxious and jittery. But sometimes change is often required to shake up your life and inculcate better and healthier daily habits. We are creatures of habit and linearity, and like to keep it so. Soon these new habits will be a part and parcel of your life in no time. But it is important to push yourself and be disciplined and not slack off when your body refuses to comply.

Exercise daily: This habit can never be stressed upon enough. It gets your body up and running first thing in the morning, and helps to make you feel good about your body. When exercising daily, your body is fit and healthy, decreasing the risk of lifestyle diseases. The kind and level of exercises that you do is completely dependent upon your goals.

Eat right: What you eat everyday by way of habit, makes more impact than you think. Stick to well-balanced meals that supply your body with just the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, etc. Food also has an impact on your moods and it is important that you understand what each food does to different kinds of moods. Make sure you eat a power-packed breakfast for it is the only meal of the day that gives you enough energy to get through to the next meal.

Limit your online time: Social media has become so much a part of our lives. But being online and making your social media presence felt all the time isn't all that 'cool', but a rather unhealthy habit. Checking your phone constantly for those incessant notifications, hearing ghost rings, can make you have extremely jumpy nerves. Limit the number of times you check your phone in a day, and have phases where you don't touch it at all, especially just before you go to bed. The glare of your smartphone can not only ruin your sleeping patterns but also your eyesight.

Stay hydrated: You should drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, to wash out all the toxins that have accumulated overnight. This helps to boost your metabolism and raises your energy levels. Drink enough water the rest of the day to keep up this cleansing effect.

Meditate: In a world that is now so virtual, it is integral that you take out time for yourself and yourself only. Meditation is a way by which you can find inner peace and clear your mind of all unnecessary thoughts. It helps you to focus on yourself, your goals and wants. Starting your day peacefully with intent and focus is the way to go.

It's all about trying and being disciplined enough to keep at it and succeed. It is for your betterment and will go a long way to keep you healthy mentally, physically and emotionally.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Some of the advantages of exercising regularly are known to all and these include weight loss and better blood circulation. However, the benefits of exercise aren’t just limited to the obvious. A few other not so obvious as well as a few surprising reasons are mentioned as follows.

1. Corrects your posture: Having a good posture is much more than just aesthetics. A good or bad posture determines your overall health in many ways. Having bad posture may result in localized problems, such as spinal deformities and vertigo among others and may also lead to muscles loss over a prolonged period. Exercising helps in improving your posture by strengthening bones and muscles in your back as well as the spine.

2. Improves memory: One of the not so obvious benefits of exercising is that it improves your memory. The connection may not seem so obvious, but exercising also improves blood circulation and supply of oxygen to all the body parts including the brain, which results in better memory.

3. Helps maintain and improve the immune system: The immune system within your body helps fight all the intruders and toxins that may cause an infection or illness. Exercising not only helps to maintain it, but boost it as well. As a result, you will fall sick less often and your immunity will stay strong even as you age.

4. Ensures your bones remain strong: Bone loss and other related disorders are a fact of life and become more pronounced as you age. However, exercising can curb the rate of decay and help in making your bones stronger. It is important to know that bone strengthening exercises are not the same for all ages and they need to be adapted as per the requirement.

5. Helps you have better sex: Exercising will help improve your blood circulation, muscle mass, mood and will keep you active. The endocrine glands are forced to work harder to produce hormones to maintain muscle mass and this also contributes to better sexual functioning. Exercising will help keep your sex drive high and help you have better sex by keeping you fit.

6. Ensures better sleep: Many of the sleep related disorders caused in the body are due to inactivity and lack of physical exertion. Once you start exercising, the physical exertion will help you get to sleep and also regulate your circadian rhythm or daily sleep and wake cycles.

7. Reduces stress and anxiety: Exercising releases endorphins which help improve your mood and help in reducing stress and anxiety. This in turn can help reduce hypertension and blood pressure, thus helping in controlling other related disorders.

8. Builds confidence: Exercising will improve your overall appearance and thus, help you have more confidence due to a better body image. However, it also helps by making you feel accomplished as you incrementally push your physical limits while exercising. This will spill over into every aspect of your life and help you be successful or deal with failure better. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

You know how it feels when you are in the middle of an important presentation or a meeting and just can't keep your eyes open. You will often come across people who feel sleepy and drowsy throughout the day. Have you ever wondered why do you feel sleepy all the time? There must be some factors or health conditions that trigger this drowsiness. The condition is a serious matter that requires a thorough investigation.

What causes the drowsiness throughout the day?

1. Sleep deprivation: One of the major and obvious reasons for feeling sleepy throughout the day can be a lack of sound sleep at night. The trigger could be insomnia or sleep apnea. You wake up feeling tired, sleepy and exhausted throughout the day.
2. Depression: Depression, stress (personal as well as professional), anxiety can leave you physically as well as mentally exhausted. As a result, throughout the day you will feel tired and sleepy.
3. Chronic Fatigue: This is a condition that can affect people even without them realizing it. A person with chronic fatigue will feel lethargic all the time. In addition to this, there will be muscular and joint ache, headache, lack of concentration. What is even worse, the exact trigger for this condition is not known.

You can also feel sleepy all the time due to certain disorders and medical conditions such as

1. Anemia: Anemia, often resulting from an iron or vitamin deficiency can leave you feeling tired. In anemia, the RBCs will be present in reduced amount. The RBC's are responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the cells and tissues of the body. In the case of anemia, your hemoglobin level will be low causing weakness and drowsiness.
2. Diabetes: The harmful effects of diabetes are not new. In diabetes, especially type-2, the body is unable to use the glucose (the concentration shoots up in the blood). In the absence of glucose which is the major source of energy, you will feel sleepy and exhausted.
3. Thyroid problems: For your body to function properly, the thyroid hormones should be present in the recommended amount. Any deviation from the normal range can wreak havoc. In the case of the thyroid hormones produced below the normal range, medically termed as Hypothyroidism, the overall metabolic processes in the body slow down. As a result, you end up feeling drowsy and fatigued.

In some cases, dehydration and lack of physical activities can also make you sleepy all day.

How to deal with the situation?

1. Lethargy and drowsiness can be effectively managed if you know the underlying factors responsible for the condition. In addition to the medical assistance and treatments,
2. Follow a healthy sleep routine (Sleep early and wake up early). Make sure you sleep for 6-8 hours daily.
3. Keep your body well hydrated. Drink water and fluids at short intervals.
4. Maintain a healthy body weight.
5. Avoid getting over stressed. Meditate and exercise regularly without fail.
6. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

• Cut down on processed food ,sugar, salt and saturated fat.
• Eat more fruits and veggies.