Dr. Pravin Patel

Diabetes is a serious disorder which happens when your body has an unreasonably high level of blood sugar, which further leads to harmful effects. Diabetes has a wide variety of complications associated with it, and they start to build up slowly and gradually. Some of the common complications are:

• Retinopathy - In simple words, diabetes leads to eye damage by making the eye exposed and prone to severe eye disorders like cataracts and glaucoma. If you have retinopathy, then you may also have face the consequence loss of vision or permanent blindness.
• Skin conditions - During diabetes, your skin health is bound to degrade to a large extent. Your skin will become thin in texture and more prone to cuts and breakages due to internal skin cell damage. Thus, the skin gets more exposed to the bacterial and viral infections and its healing process also slows down as the cell division takes longer than usual.
• Nephropathy - Nephropathy refers to kidney damage which is caused due to diabetes. The kidneys act as a filter system to the body and they filter out waste materials from the blood. Diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels of the kidneys which may further result in serious kidney disorders and may increase the risks of a sudden kidney failure.
• Cardiovascular diseases - This means that if you are having excessive diabetes, then you are at a risk of having a major heart attack or a heart stroke. Additionally, increased blood sugar levels also lead to other heart-related diseases like chest pain, narrowing of arteries etc.
• Neuropathy - It is a complication related to the nervous system of your body. The complication generally occurs in the legs as there is a numbness, burning or tingling sensation in the legs. This happens due to the extra sugar in the body, which damages the walls of the blood vessels. In the worst case scenario, you can lose sensation in the legs.

However, it is always desirable that you go and visit a doctor if the conditions persist for a longer time. Additionally, you can also depend upon some domestic care measures to bring your blood sugar levels under control.

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

Skin is one of the most obvious parts of our body which ages with an increase in the number of candles on our birthday cakes. As you age, joints tend to become stiffer and less flexible. The body does not recover from bumps and bruises as easily as it did before, and it becomes difficult to stand for extended time intervals. This is caused mostly by a breakdown of cartilage and inflammation of the synovium.

What is cartilage?
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue. It connects the ends of two bones in a joint. It is softer than bone tissue but less flexible than muscle tissue. Cartilage is responsible for the smooth movement of joints. 
With age, cartilage begins to degenerate. As the cartilage gets thinner, movement becomes more and more difficult. If left untreated, the cartilage may completely wear off leaving no buffer between the bones. This is one of the leading causes of knee replacement surgery. 

What is synovium?
Synovium is a membrane responsible for keeping the cartilage healthy. It produces a thick fluid that keeps the cartilage and joint lubricated. In cases of osteoarthritis, this membrane can swell up and produce excess fluid. This in turn causes the joint to swell as well. 
Along with age, factors like being overweight, genetics, gender and lifestyle also play a role in the condition of your joints. Being obese points towards a sedentary lifestyle and puts extra pressure on joints, leading to the thinning of cartilage. While men have higher chances of becoming osteoarthritis patients before 45, women have higher chances of developing this disease after 50. A healthy lifestyle is the easiest way to ensure that your joints work well even when you're old and grey. 

Exercise
Movement of the joints keeps the fluid in them moving. It also prevents the cartilage from shrinking and stiffening up. Exercise also makes the bones stronger, and slows the rate of bone tissue deterioration. Stretching exercises are also a good way to maintain the flexibility of joints. 

Healthy diet

Foods that are known as natural anti histamines, antioxidants and foods that fight inflammation promote healthy joints. Some of these are:
-  Green tea: It prevents the breakdown of collagen and cartilage
-  Nuts and seeds: These are rich in omega 3 fats that are essential for good bone health
-  Ginger: It relieves pain and joint swelling
-  Yogurt: It helps soothe tender joints and fights inflammation
-  Pomegranate: It protects the cartilage against damage

Hot and cold therapy can also help relieve joint pain and reduce inflammation. As you get older, avoid putting too much pressure on your joints and give them adequate rest. Lastly, avoid smoking, as people who smoke have an increased risk of cartilage loss.

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

Fever is not a disease! It's a known fact that normal human body temperature is 98.6 F (37 C). If temperature goes beyond that, then it's called fever. But one must not worry every time if there is a rise in the temperature. 

Why?
The reason is that immune system is designed to raise temperature as a defence mechanism if there is any attack by a foreign body (such as bacteria). So body temperature may fluctuate between 97 and 100.4. But there is no need to worry.

When to Consider Checking?
Routine check up is unnecessary. You may consider to check when:

• You feel the warmth while you touch
• You feel very tired, dizzy and lose appetite
• You feel nauseated, see rashes on the body, experience loose motion, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, etc.

Is it Time to Worry?
Normally, fever is not dangerous. However, if you see the following conditions, then it's time to worry and call a doctor. 

• If the body temperature is more than 103 F 
• If fever lasts for more than five days
• If you feel difficulty in breathing
• If there is severe vomiting or diarrhoea
• If you feel stiffness in the neck and have headache
• If you feel excessively sleepy and lethargic
• If you see redness in skin, rashes or blood in stool.

If the condition worsens, it is time to rush to a hospital. There could be following:

1. Meningitis: It's life-threatening and highly transmissible in case of bacterial infection. A combination of a fever, extreme headache and stiffness in the neck is an indication that you must rush to the emergency department of a hospital near you.
2. Difficulty in breathing or chest pain along with fever should prompt you to call for emergency medical assistance.
3. If someone has fever along with blood in stool, urine or mucus, it's one of the reasons to seek for emergency medical help.
4. If one has fever and is quite disturbed or puzzled unnecessarily, then the person should be taken to the emergency department.
5. A person with low immune responses (such as one who is suffering from cancer or AIDS) needs doctor's help in case of fever development.
6. Hyperthermia: It's a condition of very high fever, i.e., more than 104 F. The person seems to be confused and may not respond to verbal stimuli or commands. It's time for medical emergency.

What should You Do?
For mild fever, even home remedy can help. Aspirin shouldn't be the first choice and an absolute no for individuals less than 18 years. Other drugs that people usually tend to consume are ibuprofen or acetaminophen. One should also drink plenty of water. In case of a heat stroke, body needs to be cooled.

Other severe causes such as viral infection should lead you to a doctor.

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

The trouble with recovering from most illnesses is that we begin to treat the illness too late. Although you cannot expect your body to announce the arrival of a virus, recognizing the signs of falling sick can help treat it earlier. For example, if you can't stop sneezing and can feel the onset of the flu, getting some extra sleep may make you feel better. Here are a few signs that can predict an illness

1. Reduced appetite - A slight decrease in appetite during the summer is normal but if the sight of food makes you nauseous or you stop enjoying your food, it may be a sign of an oncoming illness. These illnesses could range from a simple cold to gastroenteritis or strep throat. A diminishing diet can be a result of the production of cytokines by the body as part of its inflammatory response to infections. Lesser food takes lesser time to digest thereby using lesser calories and diverting energy towards fighting the infection.
2. Swollen neck glands - Feel your neck glands, just below the jawbone to check for infections. Swollen neck glands are the body's way of letting you know that you may be falling ill. These are usually a sign of ear infections, cold, dental problems or skin infections. Neck glands are storehouses for white blood cells. When these are activated into fighting infections, the collection of dead cells, bacteria etc result in swollen neck glands.
3. Fatigue - There's a difference between being tired at the end of a long day and being exhausted throughout the day. The latter is a way your body is telling you to slow down and conserve energy to fight an oncoming illness.
4. Muscle aches - Aching muscles can also be a sign of the oncoming flu. One of the main reasons for this is the body's production of antibodies that release histamines and cytokines in the bloodstream. When these travel to various muscles, they can trigger pain receptors leading to body aches.
5. Low fever - The ideal body temperature is 98.7 degrees. If you have a higher temperature that persists for a few days, you may be coming down with an infection. Fever is your body's way of fighting infection by raising its internal temperature. A low fever is a sign of colds, allergies, and even stomach infections.

There is a fine line between being a hypochondriac and recognizing signs of falling sick. To differentiate between the two, pay attention to the type, duration, and intensity of symptoms. If you feel like you're on the verge of falling sick, rest your body and take some multivitamins. If you experience a sudden or severe change in symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.

There are many myths surrounding fat and weight loss today. From fad diets to exercises that promise to burn fat in no time at all, the Internet is flooded with material and information that can confuse people. So here is our list of facts and myths regarding fat loss.

1. Starving: This one is a big myth! Do not starve as this will only make your body store fat from whatever little you may be ingesting. Also, such habits will chisel away at your bone and muscle strength in the long run.
2. Snacking: Avoiding snacks for fat loss is a myth. You need to divide your meals into smaller portions for faster fat loss, which means one or two of those meals could actually be snacks. But a snack which comes in the form of a bag of chips is bad news. So get a salad or almonds for a snack instead.
3. Carbs: If you have come to believe that all carbs are bad, then you need a reality check. This one is a major myth. The body requires nourishment above all else, and this includes some amount of carbs. While having a cheese burger is a big no no, having a potato salad minus the heavy cream dressing is actually a good idea and will give your body plenty of energy. Get the drift?
4. Calories: While you may have been led to believe that certain kinds of food can burn calories, this is actually a myth. The reality is that there are different kinds of calories and you must choose food that is high in fibre so that the metabolic system gets a boost. Food like oats which come with high dietary fibre can actually help in pushing the food out of your digestive system, faster and more effectively.
5. Eating Right and Exercising: Many people believe that eating right and exercising is the best way to banish fat from your life - forever. This is a myth. After a certain age, the metabolism does slow down. Eating right and exercising as a matter of routine helps in avoiding a sudden and massive weight gain. Above all, your diet and exercise should be flexible so that you can accommodate a slowdown without piling on fat.

The fat loss journey is one that is based on a consistent system of eating right and staying within a routine. So avoid myths and get yourself a well nourished, active and well rested body.

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

Most of us today live a hectic life be it pressing deadlines or tiring social engagements, but in all this hustle and bustle we tend to often neglect our health. Do we know that today for all of us there is a great need for preventive care, especially in today's world where the threats are magnified. This also includes being able to get the proper guidance to imbibe a healthier lifestyle with regular tests and health checkups that will help us in knowing our present state of health and will help is in identifying risks and threats well in advance.

• Did you know, that almost seven out of ten fatalities or deaths are caused due to chronic disease and that half these cases do not recognise the early symptoms and risks with proper screening and regular
• check ups. Sounds familiar, are you also one of those who have never cared for preventive healthcare check ups?
• These preventive health checkups are actually life saving, as they update you on how fit and healthy you are. Preventive health care basically deals with the prevention of diseases and conditions that may be caused due to environmental factors, genetic predisposition of the patient, lifestyle choices as well as disease agents. In this field, constant check ups and preventive action equips people to deal with and ward off these causes so as to prevent the onset of a number of disease and ailments. Here is everything you need to know about preventive healthcare.
• In today's time it is very simple to get a preventive health check up done, all it takes is a simple blood and urine test at a lab and you will be able to know all you need to know about your health. Further, if there has been an outbreak of an epidemic where you live, then preventive health care will help in getting the right tests done at the right time so as to ensure that you get the proper vaccinations. With preventive healthcare, you can also get genetic testing done on a regular basis so as to learn more about preventing diseases like asthma, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and many others that one might inherit genetically.
• It is time that we take care of ourselves by booking a full body check up today and live a healthy and stress free life.

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

For most of us, our smartphone is the first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we check before going to bed. But, is it a right practise? Well, it is not. As per a recent study published by the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, using a smartphone right before bedtime actually reduces the overall quality of sleep. 

Here's how:

• Difficulty in falling asleep - We feel sleepy when our brain releases a hormone called melatonin, which is determined by the body's circadian rhythm. The blue light emitted by the screen of the smartphone interferes with this rhythm and the secretion of melatonin, which makes it difficult for us to fall asleep, even after we keep our phone aside. 
• Poor quality of sleep - Using a smartphone before going to bed also hampers the overall quality of sleep because, when we check an office email or a text message as the last thing before we sleep, it gets difficult for our brain to relax, due to which we are unable to sleep peacefully.
• Decreased attention span - Our productivity suffers during the day, due to lack of proper sleep at night. Also, not getting enough sleep is known to hamper our decision-making skills, impair our long & short-term memory, which leads to unnecessary stress and anxiety.
• Increased risk of weight gain - Our body is more likely to feel hungry when we don't get our due share of sleep, as sleep deprivation slows down our metabolism. Thus, use of smartphone right before bedtime can induce cravings, which lead to snacking and weight gain.
• Weak immune system - While we are asleep our immune system produces antibodies that help fight infections, it also releases a protein known as cytokines. This protein not only promotes sleep but also fights inflammation and other problems caused by stress. Lack of sound sleep decreases the production of cytokines and increases the risk of falling sick, it also slows down our recovery cycle. Further, long-term sleep deprivation can raise the risk of diseases, such as diabetes, heart problems and obesity. 
• Skin damage - Sleeping late at night and not getting enough sleep can lead to dark circles, puffy eyes and fine lines across our face. The blue light emitted by our smartphones triggers the secretion of cortisol, which can damage our skin's smoothness and elasticity.

Thus, even if we are spending only some time on our smartphone before going to bed, it affects our overall mental and physical well-being. Want to know more about the problems sleep deprivation can cause or solutions that can help, consult our expert & get answers to questions!

The lifestyle we lead plays an important role. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important to overcome many diseases as it helps in bringing the blood pressure to normal and in turn reduce the risks of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Factors like smoking, diet, stress and sedentary lifestyle can lead to hypertension and diabetes. Hypertension is known as silent killer as it is symptomless.

There are various traditional medicines known to lower the blood pressure. Also, there are certain herbs that help in controlling blood pressure and preventing other diseases.

Some of these herbs are:

1. Basil: This herb has a strong aroma and can be used in the preparation of many foods. It also helps in lowering the blood pressure, though for a brief time. Adding freshly chopped or torn basil to soups, salads, pastas and casseroles not only enhance the taste but are also beneficial for health.
2. Cinnamon: This herb requires some effort to add in the diet but is helpful in maintain the blood pressure. Diabetic people should have cinnamon everyday in some or the other way. Cinnamon can be included by sprinkling over cereals, oats, coffee, stews and curries.
3. Cardamom: Cardamom if consumed daily can be helpful in bringing down blood pressure and in turn controlling hypertension and diabetes. Cardamom is very popular in South Asia, the seeds can be powdered and used in stews, soups or baking. It not only has an enhanced flavor but is also packed with numerous health benefits.
4. Flaxseed: This is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are believed to lower the blood pressure and also protect the body against atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. They are known for reducing cholesterol levels, and improving glucose tolerance thus acting as antioxidant. Flaxseeds can be added in smoothies and soups or baked goods.
5. Garlic: Garlic often synonymous with bad breath and pungent seasoning has immense health benefits. It dilates and relaxes the blood vessels allowing the blood to flow freely and in turn reduces the blood pressure. 
6. Ginger: Adding ginger to the diet helps to control the blood pressure. It relaxes the blood vessels and improves the circulation of the blood. Ginger can be used in sweets, savories and beverages and is very common in Asian food.
7. Celery Seed: This is a diuretic and in China it is used to treat hypertension. This can be used to flavor stews, soups, savory dishes and casseroles. Both the seeds and the plant have various benefits and uses of their own.
8. Hawthorn: This herb is used to treat high blood pressure in China. Decoctions of the herb have health benefits such as reduction of blood pressure, controlling hypertension and blood circulation. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

If getting quality sleep is something that you may not be experiencing regularly, you need to take steps to correct it. Sleep improves your health and revitalizes your body allowing your body to be refreshed and energetic.

In today's world, getting quality sleep has become a luxury due to various factors like excessive work and the internet. There are certain tips, which you may follow to improve the quality of your sleep. Some of them are:

1. Limit caffeine intake: Drinking too much coffee stimulates the body making you energized and thus hampering your ability to fall asleep. Aim to avoid coffee at least 5-6 hours before you go to sleep.

2. Follow a sleep schedule: You should make it a habit to go to bed and wake up at the same time on a regular basis. This will allow you to fall asleep easily as the body's internal sleep cycle is reinforced, thus facilitating better sleep.

3. Try to create a comfortable environment: Comfort is an important factor when it comes to sleep. A proper environment with comfortable clothing allows you to relax and experience better sleep. Make sure the room is dark, cool and quiet to help you fall asleep faster.

4. Pre-sleep routine: You may follow a ritual before you go to sleep on a regular basis as this may help in preparing the body for sleep. Taking a bath or engaging in mediation for a few minutes are wonderful practices to follow before you sleep.

5. Exercise on a regular basis: You should exercise on a regular basis as this will allow you to sleep better. Exercises also releases endorphins that improves your overall wellbeing.

6. Reduce stress: Aim to reduce stress as this will allow you to sleep better. Stress may cause anxiety and insomnia which may impair your sleep.

7. Eat light meals for dinner: Eating carbohydrates laden meals for dinner may hamper your digestion and cause problems in your sleep. So eat light meals and preferably two hours before you go to bed.

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