Cardinal Gracias Memorial Hospital Trust

Love handles are the extra flab around your waistline and may not only make you reach out to the next size of clothing but also take a serious toll on your health. Also, it leads to a drastic decline in one's confidence. Love handles and belly fat tend to accumulate due to one’s eating habits as well as the lack of exercise. All this results in a slowdown of one’s metabolic rate, which triggers the fat accumulation in these areas. This also happens when one starts aging. There are many ways of dealing with such problems such as correct diet and exercise. But for a longer term and quicker treatment, one can resort to varied cosmetic treatments. Let us cast a glance on these surgical procedures.

1. Slim Lipo: With this method, one can remove the excess and unwanted fat that has accumulated in hips and abdomen area. This kind of procedure is a surgical one, where an incision is made with assisted laser therapy in order to remove the fat and contour the area.

2. Coolsculpting: This is a form of treatment that targets the belly fat and love handles so that excess fat may be removed in a non-invasive procedure. In this procedure, the laser fibre reaches the fat cells before destroying them and thus giving the hips and waist a better shape.

3. Fat Freezing: This is a widely used technique for removing the fat from the area where it has accumulated. This method reduces fat and is far more effective over a long term than mere weight loss. Besides reducing the fat that gives rise to love handles and belly fat, this kind of treatment can also be applied to other areas of the body including the chin and arms.

4. Contouring with Cosmetology: The various kinds of invasive and non-invasive procedures under cosmetology, use assisted laser as well as incisions in order to remove and burn the fat cells. This kind of targeted treatment usually has a uniform result for the entire body and creates a well-contoured look, which also tightens the skin and keeps it from sagging due to sudden fat loss. Apart from this, one can also make use of various liposuction and contouring treatments in order to remove the excess fat and give the body a better shape.

5. Other Measures: Other measures that will take a long time to show results include diet control as well as exercise. One can use the support of a trainer to target specific areas of the body so that excess fat is toned and weight gain is prevented. Also, consuming lesser calories and burning the same through sufficient exercise is one of the most well-proven methods for those who are experiencing the onset of love handles and belly fat.  

Getting pregnant can become an immensely frustrating experience for women with endometriosis or cyst with IVF treatment. Many women with endometriosis worry about whether they will be able to conceive and bear a child. This is because, in such a case, there is a collection of endometrial tissues outside the uterus that results in a painful inflammation along with the formation of blood-filled cysts in the ovary and bands of scar tissues.

How does PCOS or endometriosis affect the process of reproduction?
When a woman has any of these fertility issues, there could be endometrial growths of the tissue hindering the normal functioning of the reproductive organs. When the endometrial tissue formation involves the ovaries, there is a restriction on the release of eggs. On the other hand, when the fallopian tubes are affected, it would prevent the sperm from reaching the egg or it may also stop the fertilized egg from travelling to the uterus. Though each of these instances may sound challenging, experts suggest that IVF treatment can be helpful in offering desired results. It is estimated that about one-third of women suffering from endometriosis can conceive naturally without any treatment whatsoever. But for the rest of the women that suffer from endometriosis, IVF can be the best bet.

How can IVF help in getting pregnant in this scenario?
In order to make pregnancy possible for women with multiple adhesions, endometriosis or PCOS, the doctor would definitely begin with a comprehensive evaluation of hormones along with the presence of other chemicals in the body. Diagnostic tests such as hysteroscopy, hysterosalpingography, and laparoscopy can also be of great value in offering an insight into the individual patient’s condition.

When the IVF process has been successful, the embryo will get implanted in the uterus and cause the much-desired pregnancy. If there is any embryo remaining, it may be stored for use in future or donated to other couples. IVF is deemed successful for overcoming most of the female factor caused infertility including cyst, PCOS, and even endometriosis. There are 5 fundamental steps in IVF and they are:

1. Super-ovulation or the process of stimulating the reproductive organs of a woman for releasing numerous healthy eggs. This is the first point of contradiction between IVF and normal pregnancy where a single egg is released and ovulated.
2. The second step constitutes retrieval of eggs and sperm collection
3. Then there is insemination as well as fertilization of the eggs with the help of the sperm
4. Development of embryos and subsequent genetic evaluation when needed
5. Transfer of the embryo in the uterus of the woman

Since IVF allows a controlled interaction between the egg and the sperm, it offers a high rate of success even when the patient is affected by complex disorders such as endometriosis, PCOS or cyst. Hence, discuss with your doctor if it is a viable option for the given situation.

Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. In US, it is the second most common cancer to affect women, the first one being skin cancer. The disease has been such a dreadful one that the first thing which crops up on the minds of those diagnosed with the same, is whether they would survive. Nowadays, medical science has made such rapid progress in diagnosing the disease and then coming up with various treatment options, that ones who are diagnosed with cancer have high chances of survival as compared to those, who had to bear the brunt of the dreaded disease and lose their battles due to lack of advanced medical treatment.

Now, we take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions on breast cancer:
1. Which age group of women is most likely to get breast cancer?
Breast Cancer most often occurs in women who are above 40 years and risk tends to increase with age. There are certain risk factors, some of which can be controlled, which are related to lifestyle, environment, diet, while some factors cannot be controlled, top of which is age.

2. What are the signs and symptoms?
Outward signs of breast cancer are very rare. In case any outward sign does occur, the most probable ones include a lump, area around the nipple having a thickened feeling or skin around the nipple having rashes. Still, even if you come across these signs, they don’t always necessarily mean you have breast cancer, so it is always advisable to consult a doctor as and when you come across these signs.

3. Can breast cancer be prevented?
Unfortunately there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer but precautions on the part of women can definitely reduce the risk of getting engulfed by the disease. Lifestyle and environmental factors play huge role in influencing cancerous cells within a person’s body. So, maintaining healthy lifestyle and staying away from alcohol and fatty, spicy foods would go a long way in ensuring that you do not invite the risk of cancer.

4. How often should I do a breast self exam?
Breast Self Exam should be done at least once a month. You can look for any changes in the tissue, changes related to size, shape or a feeling of lump, inversion of nipple, reddish tinge on the breast skin.

5. Is breast cancer inherited?
All kinds of cancers involved changes in a person’s genes. If a woman’s mother, sister or daughter had suffered from cancer, then there is always a chance that the woman would also suffer from the same.

6. Is there a link between oral contraceptives and breast cancer?
Use of birth control pills for more than five years lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, though due to the low amount of hormones in pills nowadays, the risk is comparatively small.

7. What is preventive mastectomy?
Preventive Mastectomy refers to the removal of one or both breasts so that risk of getting breast cancer is reduced. Women who are at a high risk of breast cancer go for this option.

Vitamin D is a group of fat soluble nutrient that is an incredibly vital necessity for your body’s proper growth as it helps in the absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphate and for multiple other biological reactions of our body.

Now the major issue about Vitamin D is that our dietary sources are inefficient to fulfil the Vitamin D requirements of our body since foods do not contain much of it. Sunlight is the only major natural source of Vitamin D for a human being. Our skin synthesizes the vitamin through complex organic reactions with the help of the UVB radiation of the sunlight.

How is Vitamin D deficiency harmful to your body?
The most important function of Vitamin D is to help the body absorb various other nutrients from our diet and incorporate it into our bones and other necessary parts. Thus, due to Vitamin D deficiency bones become weak, soft and brittle, and results in conditions such as Rickets and Osteomalacia. Recent researches have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to prostate, breast and colon cancer. Reducing the inorganic mineral content of our body Vitamin D deficiency takes a severe toll on the body from childhood.

How to combat the deficiency among Indians?
Vitamin D deficiency is now an epidemic in the South Asian countries, and India is no exception. About 65-70% Indians are vitamin D deficient despite the abundant sunlight they receive. It is essential to understand the contributing factors that lead to this situation to remedy the problem.

Ignorance
The first and primary issue is that Indians are reluctant to go out into the sun. From households to professionals, everyone prefers to stay away from the only major source of Vitamin D, and even when they go out, they cover up themselves. Lack of knowledge and fear of getting their skin tone darker seem to be some of the nastiest causes that keep the everyone under the shade. Along with these problems, use of sunscreens and completely vegetarian diets are also responsible for the epidemic.

Melanin composition
A majority of Indians have a darker skin tone, which means the melanin content of their skin is comparatively much higher. Melanin prevents the formation of Vitamin D from sunlight. As a result, the Indians need much-extended exposure to sunlight which they do not get.

Obesity
Obesity in Indians is another primary issue that causes the excess fat in the body to soak up the necessary Vitamin D of the body, causing its deficiency.

Learning from the stated causes we see that the only ways to prevent this disease are, much more exposure to sunlight, consuming Vitamin D rich diets and obviously fighting obesity. In cases where the deficiency is observed doctors would prescribe supplements to ensure proper functioning of the body.

Breast reconstruction is the surgical procedure of creating a new breast shape. In some cases, it is done after the removal of the whole breast or part of the breast. In typical cases, breast reconstruction surgeries take place during or after mastectomy, which is the surgical procedure of removing a woman's breast. But it can be done even years after a mastectomy.

1. Factors to consider before opting for the surgery - Conditions like obesity, smoking, diabetes, cardiac dysfunctions and high blood pressure are few of the many points that should be considered before opting for reconstruction. The presence of these conditions may complicate cases and in some episodes may pose a significant threat to a patient's life.

Also, women diagnosed with breast cancer or at a high risk of developing such in the future may have to opt for mastectomy. In such cases, the doctor may suggest breast reconstruction after the process.

2. The process of the surgery - Typically, breast reconstruction surgeries are done using an implant. Implant breast reconstruction includes the restoration of the shape and volume of the breast. The newly formed breast will not droop with age and may appear higher than the other one.

Implant reconstruction is also useful for women with small and firm breasts as it avoids the need for other extensive surgeries. 

Another type of breast reconstruction would include a procedure where one's own tissue is used. Tissue from the abdomen, buttocks, and inside of the thigh is generally used to replace the existing breast tissue. Similar to this is the procedure where a patient's own fat is processed and used to create a breast. This is commonly known as fat injection.

3. Limitations of a breast reconstruction surgery - There are certain limitations present in the process of breast reconstruction. Reconstructed breasts will not look or feel exactly the same way as before. Several appointments and cosmetic treatments might be required to obtain the best results. In usual cases, reconstructed breasts do not have a nipple. But one can be created using surgery at a later date.

The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.

Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.

Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:

• Lower rate of growth for a given age
• Delayed developmental milestones
• Delayed onset of puberty
• Short stature/reduced height
• Younger looking compared to other children their age
• Fat deposition around the waist
• Delayed dental development

When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is

• Low energy levels, constant tiredness
• Decreased strength
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Decreased overall muscle mass
• Thin and dry skin
• Increased fat deposition and weight gain around the waist
• Changes in social behavior including alternate cycles of anxiety and depression
• Lack of motivation
• History of pituitary tumors
• High levels of fat and cholesterol

The diagnosis depends on the age of the person

• Blood tests are carried out to check the hormone levels in circulation
• In children, in addition to the hormone levels, x-rays to see the status of growth plates is very helpful.
• An insulin hypoglycemia test where insulin is given intravenously to see the levels of the growth hormone after 30 minutes.
• Total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride levels can be used to supplement the above tests.
• CT scan and/or MRI of the brain may be needed if tumors are suspected.

Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels.

Infertility practice including IVF and Laparoscopy is easily accessible to the common man today. Hysteroscopy procedures are used to treat infertility. It helps couples to complete their families. This is not a costly procedure as well.