If I ever needed evidence to support the claim that "mother knows best", I certainly got it this week. Having suffered from a lingering sore throat and unsuccessfully self-medicated a cold for the past 10 days - it was somewhat fortuitous that I should be commissioned to write a piece about alternative flu remedies.
Interviewee after interviewee extolled the virtues of herbal medicine, an organic diet and plenty of exercise for a long and healthy life. They also claimed an abstinence from antibiotics ensured their swift recovery from illness and maintained a robust immune system.
I remained a sceptic, struggling to rationalise how a gnarled root of ginger and diced onion were able to trump the mighty force of Amoxycillin. Nevertheless, in the name of research, I gave it a go and duly stocked up on honey, herbal teas, probiotics, local veggies and an entire alphabet of supplements.
With my regime underway and my morning kick-started with a mug of hot water and lemon, the dots started to connect. Long have female members of my family been drinking this breakfast brew and raising eyebrows in restaurants by ordering fresh mint tea rather than coffee after a meal. Could there really be something in it?
More pennies dropped throughout the week as updating my food diary became something of a 20km run down memory lane. And tucking into a packets of nuts and dried fruit (instead of my habitual afternoon chocolate bar) suddenly took me back to prep-school.
Lunch time was never something I looked forward to as a child, for I knew only too well what my bright yellow tuck box contained. Precisely no tuck at all.
Lentils, rice and brown bread sandwiches made up the weekly menu and, "as a treat", sachets of sunflower seed and raisins would often be hiding inside a piece of kitchen roll. Far from taste being the problem, it was the giggles from my fellow diners who chomped merrily on Cheesy Wotsits and ruler-long Curly Wurly bars that made my cheeks flush.
How I longed for an additive-packed box of Um Bungo juice or a humble Proustian madeleine. But alas, it was not to be. Now, of course, I think my mother was light years ahead of her time and I can't thank her enough for force feeding me all the goodness the health-food chain Holland & Barrett had to offer. She's rarely ill so I guess there's a lot to be said for feeding your body the right fuel. Shame it took me 30 years to come around to her way of thinking. So look out for me in the organic section of your local supermarket. I'll be the flu-free evangelist eager to compare notes on the perfect sprouted adzuki-bean and kale salad. Sounds delicious, doesn't it?
2012年1月18日星期三
2012年1月10日星期二
Respiratory tract infections on a rise, thanks to cold, smog
All of 10 years, little Asma Kabir is learning to use the asthma spacer — the add-on device used to increase the ease of administering aerosolised medication from an inhaler. She was prescribed the inhaler this December, as excessive cold and cough left her panting for breath. “Asma was down with acute cold, combined with sore throat. When none of the regular cough medicines and gargles helped, doctors suggested that we switched her to inhaler,” said Protima Kabir, her mother.
With respiratory infections on a rise in the Capital, more and more doctors are prescribing inhalers and nebulisers to ease breathing and lung congestion.
Rukmini Sachdev, 31, was asked to take the nebuliser to ease the lung congestion after she complained of heavy wheezing. “I thought I had asthma when doctor asked me to use the nebuliser and inhaler. But the doctor assured me this was the only way to fight the respiratory stress,” she said.
Doctors say cases of asthma and bronchitis rise during winters. “Moreover, staying indoors and in front of heaters, people are more exposed to dry heat and allergens which aggravates the problems,” said Dr Randeep Guleria, head, department of respiratory medicine, AIIMS.
“We are prescribing inhalers to patients of broncho-spasma and bronchitis. Kids, who are unable to take inhalers, are being advised nebulisers,” he said, adding that there has been a significant rise of 15- 20% in respiratory stress cases.
“At the start of winters, the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections increases. A lot of patients come to us with pharyngitis, rhinitis and sinusitis,” said Dr KK Handa, senior ENT specialist at Medanta, the Medicity in Gurgaon.
“Patients must seek medical help at the outset otherwise these can progress to laryngitis and lower respiratory tract infections,” he warned.
Doctors say the respiratory syncytial virus breeds in the cold. “Pollutants don’t rise high up in the atmosphere as the air is heavy, leading to breathing difficulty,” said a senior paediatrician at Lok Nayak hospital.
“The use of nebulisers is the best way to help children ease lung congestion as medicine from nebulisers goes directly to the lungs,” he said.
With respiratory infections on a rise in the Capital, more and more doctors are prescribing inhalers and nebulisers to ease breathing and lung congestion.
Rukmini Sachdev, 31, was asked to take the nebuliser to ease the lung congestion after she complained of heavy wheezing. “I thought I had asthma when doctor asked me to use the nebuliser and inhaler. But the doctor assured me this was the only way to fight the respiratory stress,” she said.
Doctors say cases of asthma and bronchitis rise during winters. “Moreover, staying indoors and in front of heaters, people are more exposed to dry heat and allergens which aggravates the problems,” said Dr Randeep Guleria, head, department of respiratory medicine, AIIMS.
“We are prescribing inhalers to patients of broncho-spasma and bronchitis. Kids, who are unable to take inhalers, are being advised nebulisers,” he said, adding that there has been a significant rise of 15- 20% in respiratory stress cases.
“At the start of winters, the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections increases. A lot of patients come to us with pharyngitis, rhinitis and sinusitis,” said Dr KK Handa, senior ENT specialist at Medanta, the Medicity in Gurgaon.
“Patients must seek medical help at the outset otherwise these can progress to laryngitis and lower respiratory tract infections,” he warned.
Doctors say the respiratory syncytial virus breeds in the cold. “Pollutants don’t rise high up in the atmosphere as the air is heavy, leading to breathing difficulty,” said a senior paediatrician at Lok Nayak hospital.
“The use of nebulisers is the best way to help children ease lung congestion as medicine from nebulisers goes directly to the lungs,” he said.
2011年9月13日星期二
Staying healthy while traveling on business
Three road warriors sat across from me on a recent plane trip. They were hunched over working on their laptops, probably being very productive. Yet one was sneezing and another was coughing.
Research shows that frequent business travel takes a toll. According to a study by Andrew G. Ruedle and Catherine A. Richards of Columbia University's School of Public Health in New York, "people who travel for business two weeks or more a month are fatter and report worse health than employees who don't travel."
So what do you do if you must travel for your job? Here are a few tips.
Before you go: Be prepared. Build up your immune system in advance with rest, exercise, a good diet and vitamins, including vitamin C and zinc.
Check your health-insurance coverage: Most companies cover you if you travel domestically, but what about foreign travel?
Pack a first-aid kit: Your schedule will be so packed with meetings, business meals and entertaining that getting to a drugstore may not be possible. Include any prescriptions you take, asthma inhalers or other devices you use regularly, headache remedies, anti-diarrhea medicines, cold and sore-throat treatments, bandages, antibiotic creams and anything else you may need.
If you have a chronic or pre-existing condition: Take a letter from your doctor explaining your situation and your needs. It will help if you need medical attention in a strange city or country.
Need a doctor? Call your company's representative or check at the hotel desk. They can assist you.
While you're traveling: Forget the airplane food. Bring your own healthy snacks like dried fruit, fresh apples and bananas, nuts, healthy power bars and even a few pieces of dark chocolate (for antioxidants). Or bring a healthy sandwich or wrap from an airport vendor. Cut down on the caffeine intake. Too much can make you restless, disrupt your sleep and make you nervous. Good substitutes are water and vegetable and fruit juices.
Where to stay: If possible, choose a hotel that has a decent restaurant. You'll have convenient healthy meals and room service if you need it. Hotels with exercise facilities, pools and whirlpools are also very popular with business travelers.
Research shows that frequent business travel takes a toll. According to a study by Andrew G. Ruedle and Catherine A. Richards of Columbia University's School of Public Health in New York, "people who travel for business two weeks or more a month are fatter and report worse health than employees who don't travel."
So what do you do if you must travel for your job? Here are a few tips.
Before you go: Be prepared. Build up your immune system in advance with rest, exercise, a good diet and vitamins, including vitamin C and zinc.
Check your health-insurance coverage: Most companies cover you if you travel domestically, but what about foreign travel?
Pack a first-aid kit: Your schedule will be so packed with meetings, business meals and entertaining that getting to a drugstore may not be possible. Include any prescriptions you take, asthma inhalers or other devices you use regularly, headache remedies, anti-diarrhea medicines, cold and sore-throat treatments, bandages, antibiotic creams and anything else you may need.
If you have a chronic or pre-existing condition: Take a letter from your doctor explaining your situation and your needs. It will help if you need medical attention in a strange city or country.
Need a doctor? Call your company's representative or check at the hotel desk. They can assist you.
While you're traveling: Forget the airplane food. Bring your own healthy snacks like dried fruit, fresh apples and bananas, nuts, healthy power bars and even a few pieces of dark chocolate (for antioxidants). Or bring a healthy sandwich or wrap from an airport vendor. Cut down on the caffeine intake. Too much can make you restless, disrupt your sleep and make you nervous. Good substitutes are water and vegetable and fruit juices.
Where to stay: If possible, choose a hotel that has a decent restaurant. You'll have convenient healthy meals and room service if you need it. Hotels with exercise facilities, pools and whirlpools are also very popular with business travelers.
2011年7月25日星期一
Are Dental Appliances a Source for Bad Breath?
According to Colgate, there are approximately 3 million Americans and Canadians who wear dental braces and twice as many who wear mouth guards and retainers.
Then, according to the Dental Economics approximately 37 million Americans wear dentures.
These data automatically reflect that orthodontics is a very important dental medical field, but it also means that there might be a few millions out there who struggle with the bad breath issue.
Halitosis or bad breath can definitely be caused by all these types of dental appliances. The bacteria in the human mouth find themselves more free surfaces where they can reside, if a patient wears any kind of dental appliance, be it a mouth guard or a denture. The food particles are being trapped by the devices, so the microbes can feed on these particles.
According to several recent researches in the field, the oral appliances that patients wear are in a direct connection with the bad breath formation. The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics has published a report according to which people who wear braces or other dental appliances develop halitosis just as people who do not wear braces develop the condition.
Throughout the study, the level of oral odor of the patients has been measured. Findings have shown that the level of the odor has been the strongest after 4 weeks from having these braces cemented to the teeth.
However, oral appliances are very important for the health, and people should not restrain from wearing them.
There are plenty of breath freshening products available on the market that will help neutralize these bacteria, and keep away the formation of halitosis. Patients with dental appliances who struggle with bad breath are encouraged to seek the perfect product for their individual case.
The products that do not contain lauryl sulfate are extremely efficient especially for people with braces, because this way they will avoid the formation of cold sores.
Then, according to the Dental Economics approximately 37 million Americans wear dentures.
These data automatically reflect that orthodontics is a very important dental medical field, but it also means that there might be a few millions out there who struggle with the bad breath issue.
Halitosis or bad breath can definitely be caused by all these types of dental appliances. The bacteria in the human mouth find themselves more free surfaces where they can reside, if a patient wears any kind of dental appliance, be it a mouth guard or a denture. The food particles are being trapped by the devices, so the microbes can feed on these particles.
According to several recent researches in the field, the oral appliances that patients wear are in a direct connection with the bad breath formation. The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics has published a report according to which people who wear braces or other dental appliances develop halitosis just as people who do not wear braces develop the condition.
Throughout the study, the level of oral odor of the patients has been measured. Findings have shown that the level of the odor has been the strongest after 4 weeks from having these braces cemented to the teeth.
However, oral appliances are very important for the health, and people should not restrain from wearing them.
There are plenty of breath freshening products available on the market that will help neutralize these bacteria, and keep away the formation of halitosis. Patients with dental appliances who struggle with bad breath are encouraged to seek the perfect product for their individual case.
The products that do not contain lauryl sulfate are extremely efficient especially for people with braces, because this way they will avoid the formation of cold sores.
2011年6月19日星期日
Battling the beast
Glenn Chenell has run every day for the last 2,342 days.
He is a marathon runner, but does not consider himself fast enough to be a marathon racer.
"My best days are long gone. It's all about finishing for me," he says.
But that is something he excels at.
Sunday he was one of 73 marathon runners to complete the Johnny Miles Marathon. While his time was far from near the top, he said he had a tough opponent to beat. It's the same adversary he faces every morning when he crawls out of bed and every time he decides whether to lace up his sneakers or not - the beast in his head.
"You have to beat yourself mentally to do this because the little guy in here says stay in the house, watch TV," he says, pointing to his head. "And that is the person you have to beat in the marathon, the same guy, and he's nasty. He can be nasty after 23 miles."
It's the same beast he battles whether he runs 10 miles or 100 miles.
"The beast in your head can beat you, but you've got to use the one in your heart to counteract it," he says. "If you don't beat it you quit."
The beast in his head came with the cramps and sore muscles around the 15th mile for him Sunday. It came with the heat of the sun and the cold of the rain that came with some parts of this year's race. Chenell knew going into the race he had under trained, but he didn't stop, just like he hasn't stopped since he first competed at the Johnny Miles event in 1983.
Slowly he made his way to the finish line to claim the prize he wanted - one more finish. Chenell has now completed 86 full marathons including 15 ultra marathons. His goal is to make it to 100.
Along the way he hopes that maybe he can inspire some others.
"People will come out to cheer the runners on and some will question the whole deal when a runner hobbles by in obvious pain, body wracked with cramps, under trained on the final loop hours after the winner has accepted his trophy - but that runner is beating the toughest foe he will ever face - himself."
He is a marathon runner, but does not consider himself fast enough to be a marathon racer.
"My best days are long gone. It's all about finishing for me," he says.
But that is something he excels at.
Sunday he was one of 73 marathon runners to complete the Johnny Miles Marathon. While his time was far from near the top, he said he had a tough opponent to beat. It's the same adversary he faces every morning when he crawls out of bed and every time he decides whether to lace up his sneakers or not - the beast in his head.
"You have to beat yourself mentally to do this because the little guy in here says stay in the house, watch TV," he says, pointing to his head. "And that is the person you have to beat in the marathon, the same guy, and he's nasty. He can be nasty after 23 miles."
It's the same beast he battles whether he runs 10 miles or 100 miles.
"The beast in your head can beat you, but you've got to use the one in your heart to counteract it," he says. "If you don't beat it you quit."
The beast in his head came with the cramps and sore muscles around the 15th mile for him Sunday. It came with the heat of the sun and the cold of the rain that came with some parts of this year's race. Chenell knew going into the race he had under trained, but he didn't stop, just like he hasn't stopped since he first competed at the Johnny Miles event in 1983.
Slowly he made his way to the finish line to claim the prize he wanted - one more finish. Chenell has now completed 86 full marathons including 15 ultra marathons. His goal is to make it to 100.
Along the way he hopes that maybe he can inspire some others.
"People will come out to cheer the runners on and some will question the whole deal when a runner hobbles by in obvious pain, body wracked with cramps, under trained on the final loop hours after the winner has accepted his trophy - but that runner is beating the toughest foe he will ever face - himself."
2011年3月30日星期三
Many kinds of mouth ulcers
"Comprehensive dental examinations that include a screening for oral cancer will save
lives," says Dr. Louis Amendola, D.D.S., Chief Dental Director at the California-
based dental HMO.
Screenings for oral cancer are a routine part of dental exams at the company, which
has 250 company-managed offices in California, Arizona and Nevada.
The exam takes less than five minutes and involves a careful visual inspection of
your lips, cheeks, gums, tongue and throat. The dentist will check for swelling or
any changes in the color or texture of mouth tissues, says Dr. Amendola. The dentist
also will feel the floor of the mouth, the tongue and areas beneath the jaw bone to
check for growths or other abnormalities, he says.
"Many kinds of mouth ulcers, minor injuries or sores can resemble an early state of
cancer," says Dr. Amendola. "But if what you think is a cold sore or an injury from
biting your cheek doesn't heal in two weeks, have it examined by a dentist who can
determine the next steps," he says. "Typically, we'll refer any potentially
suspicious case to a specialist who may order a biopsy."
"Annual oral cancer screenings are one of the best methods we have to help control
the rate of the disease," says Samuel H. Gruenbaum, Western Dental President and
Chief Executive Officer. "It's a fast and painless exam that aims to discover any
health issues while they're minor and easily treatable," he says.
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancers that are detected in their
early stages offer a survival rate of 80 to 90 percent.
lives," says Dr. Louis Amendola, D.D.S., Chief Dental Director at the California-
based dental HMO.
Screenings for oral cancer are a routine part of dental exams at the company, which
has 250 company-managed offices in California, Arizona and Nevada.
The exam takes less than five minutes and involves a careful visual inspection of
your lips, cheeks, gums, tongue and throat. The dentist will check for swelling or
any changes in the color or texture of mouth tissues, says Dr. Amendola. The dentist
also will feel the floor of the mouth, the tongue and areas beneath the jaw bone to
check for growths or other abnormalities, he says.
"Many kinds of mouth ulcers, minor injuries or sores can resemble an early state of
cancer," says Dr. Amendola. "But if what you think is a cold sore or an injury from
biting your cheek doesn't heal in two weeks, have it examined by a dentist who can
determine the next steps," he says. "Typically, we'll refer any potentially
suspicious case to a specialist who may order a biopsy."
"Annual oral cancer screenings are one of the best methods we have to help control
the rate of the disease," says Samuel H. Gruenbaum, Western Dental President and
Chief Executive Officer. "It's a fast and painless exam that aims to discover any
health issues while they're minor and easily treatable," he says.
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancers that are detected in their
early stages offer a survival rate of 80 to 90 percent.
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