Awareness

Preventing dementia with this #WorldAlzheimersDay

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on September 22, 2020 4

One of the scary diseases is dementia. Alzheimer’s is the most scary one.

When you forget a few things it’s okay.When you start forgetting whole load of stuff,that’s worrying.The problem is dementia makes you forget your self and your life.It’s heartbreaking for care givers too.

But if old age and dementia go together how can you beat it?If advancing age and dementia go hand in hand ,can you prevent it?The answer is simpler than you think.

The topic for today is content that delivers.This post I hope, will get you started with brain health the right way.

Some special diet?

Magic pill?

Prayers?

A workout routine?

The answer is all this and a little more.

A heart friendly diet is also brain friendly. So you know about eating plenty of green vegetables, eating a rainbow,diet low on red meat ,plenty of water ,fish protein and nuts in the right amount .But did you know about Lycopene in tomatoes B vitamins ,Spinach are all found to be good for your brain too.

For all fans of recreational drugs, remember smoking,alcohol abuse,drug abuse are not your brain’s friend.The damage adds up quicker ,than you think.

The brain needs glucose as its main fuel.So the popular fad diets are brain-cruel too.

But just like the daily diet ,what you are making your brain do everyday,is important too.

The more challenging the task is ,the more likely you will give dementia a fight.

Your brain loves learning.The more you learn more synaptic connections happen and your brain becomes a little sharper and you shake off the cobwebs .

It’s not just maths,science and Sudoku.But music,arts,writing,anything which makes your brain think hard.

When your work gets too easy ,your brain gets rid of the extra neurons you never use and together with it the synaptic connections.Those brain cells are precious.

Me fighting for Brain health:This is what I did!

Learning new skills is a way to build up cognitive reserve.That’s a good way to protect your brain. Education is not only helpful for your bank balance but also helps you fight dementia, if you are a life long learner.

As a writer,you are already working your brain everyday to find new stories to right.

Want to make it really difficult?

Start writing in another language.Its a recipe for a good headache. But it’s also a brain exercise.

You have never started a garden?Living in a rental?Explore how you can start one.That will keep those neurons agile.

Aging is a part of life .But we can do it while having fun.Learning new stuff is the most fun you will have.Especially when you are an adult.

Because guess what? No ones giving you a grade and you can learn anything you want to.

I did some super difficult things for me in 2020

I wrote fiction the Krishna Mishra Mystery series .It was a challenge and brain exercise .

The Childhood Obesity Book in the Nutrition Secrets series needed some serious research .Making it digestible was work.

I started a Hindi Podcast also on the Khabri App.Hindi is not my mother tongue.But I was invited and thought, why not?

I started a Regional language website .That’s going to be a whole different story and a slow learning curve. I am also beta testing the hosting platform.

I starting baking bread.

Home made bread :Baking bread

I am also playing a version of tennis at home.

If that wasn’t fun enough,my husband started his website and I am trying not to force feed him all that I have learned .

My daughter is having a good time teaching me how to doodle and I am taking more photos.All this doesn’t happen at the same time and rarely on the same day .The other parts of my life have a different set of rules .

Doodling for Brain health?

Who knows what will happen tomorrow. It’s best to take care of the Big boss of our body right?

Expert Advice about being a Misfit!

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on September 17, 2020 5

Today’s cornerstone content is about expert advice.My blog is full of expert advice,about health wellness,studying right and creating a creative life.

But today I will tell you about something which makes me a different kind of expert .

I am a misfit expert.

When I was growing up and kids were playing,I read story books.When I was a teenager,I read story book tucked inside my text book.But luckily I did read the text book first.

A little older I got into a troubled group trying to fit in.End result- a life crisis I never forgot.A curve ball and I decide I will stop trying to fit in.It wasn’t working and it created crazy situations.That stage lasted for three years.

When I became a medical student ,I realized the importance of faking the fitting in part.I was very good at it.Too good infact. I could almost believe I the story I told myself.

Second year microbiology exam and a horrible exam situation and I totally ditched fitting in or faking it forever.

Life became better.I made lifelong friends ,fell in love and the rest they say is a story for another day.

But if that was in my teens and tweens,I managed several goof ups as a mommy too.

I seemed to suffer barriers to social skills.

It was so irritating sometimes, that I even asked my Pediatrician husband, whether I had some undiagnosed personality disorder and whether it was becoming glaringly real .

He continued to be supportive and insisted, I was exactly the same as before .Was that a good thing he was saying?I wondered .

He said ,

Amrita you just need to stop your expectations from other people.

Yes I had that problem.Expectations about being accepted.I was afraid of not being liked ,I was also afraid of being liked.It was crazy.

It seems the only thing that looks good on me is being me.

I decided I would just stop trying to ‘fit in’.

Life was busy and the entire 2020, I seem to be blogging about things I had no plans to blog about.

So if you are a Misfit remember this from a fellow Misfit .

You are a Unicorn, embrace that.

Dont try to fit in too hard.Just try sliding in.If that works ,great.If not God has other plans.

There’s a reason you are the way you are.Its okay if no one understands. You must understand though!

If you need help ask for it.You will.also find it.

People who love you ,will accept you the way you are.People who don’t love you ,won’t and they dont matter either.

The world needs the out -of- the- box thinkers .You are one of them.Keep that close to your heart

If God wanted us to be the same, he would have made us all the same.

Stay unique ,because the world needs rainbows, not just one colour!

From an Expert misfit to another .

How to avoid complications from Pain medicine?

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on July 21, 2020 29

Living life happily and pain-free, that’s what everyone wants. Pain is the most common reason people visit the doctor’s clinic. It is a primitive warning signal and is your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong.

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Everyone has felt pain at one point or another. Pain occurs due to an injury, infection, inflammation, trauma, and many other causes. When in pain, you don’t care to think of anything except being pain-free. Pain management ladder involves using different pain medicines, in a stepwise manner to reduce pain. Most commonly, we advise hot fomentation, then Paracetamol. Additional medications are added then according to the response.

What are the different kinds of painkillers?

For all practical purposes Over the counter (OTC) drugs and prescription pain killers are the two kinds.

Non-prescription pain killers – Most common OTC is Acetaminophen or Paracetamol . It gives relief in headache, toothache, muscle pain. NSAIDs are another group of OTC painkillers, including Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Aceclofenac, and others.

Prescription pain medicines include Opioids medicines like Codeine, morphine Oxycodone.

How to avoid complications from Pain meds

Complications of Pain medicines

Acetaminophen or Paracetamol

It is one of the safest pain medications and the first choice of analgesic for doctors. It is safer than Aspirin and other NSAIDS concerning side effects. Paracetamol is present in many fever medications, cold medicines, and cough syrups. This is the reason complications from overdosing can arise.

Side effect of Paracetamol

It is a safe and well-tolerated drug. The problem is, pain killers are highly misused. Nausea, vomiting, rash, and liver damage in overdosing are side effects in rare cases. Avoid this drug in case of liver disease and alcoholism.

NSAIDs or Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

You need to take an acid suppressant like pantoprazole at least twenty minutes before taking an NSAID for safe use. Peptic ulcer disease and kidney damage are potentially severe complications.

Black tarry poop, vomit with blood, severe abdominal pain, and peptic perforation are life-threatening. If any such symptoms occur, you must visit the ER of any Government hospital nearest to you. Don’t use NSAIDs in chronic liver disease, Dengue, and related viral infections, and if you are on blood thinners.

Danger signs of Salicylism due to Aspirin overdose- Dizziness, ringing sound in the ear(tinnitus), reversible hearing loss.

Reye’s syndrome-It is a rare type of hepatic encephalopathy occurring in children with viral infections like flu and chickenpox.

Opioids

A group of drugs used strictly under a Physicians monitoring. These drugs alter how the brain feels pain. This is used as a pain medication only in case of severe pain, unrelieved by other painkillers. Constipation is the most common side effect. Others being nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, excessive sweating, itchiness, depression, sedation, tolerance and addiction, respiratory center depression.

How to avoid complications of pain meds — COMPLICATIONS OF PAIN MEDS

How can you prevent complications from pain killers?

1)Avoid self-medication

2) Have as little as possible only when necessary and never for more than a few days. If pain increases or doesn’t improve, consult a doctor, or visit a Government hospital.

3)Read the package inserts to know what is the active ingredient. A similar active ingredient may be present in a drug for headaches, cold and cough, and prescription drugs.

4)) Read the label every time you use a medicine. Check the expiry date and dosage instructions.

5) If you have any medical conditions like a liver problem, kidney problem, cardiorespiratory problem, or alcohol or drug abuse – avoid self-medicating

6) Don’t ever mix OTC painkillers, with prescription pain killers, recreational drugs, sedatives, or alcohol.

7)Avoid taking multiple medicines at the same time. This helps in avoiding accidental drug overdosing and adverse drug interactions. Strictly avoid using medications that you have had an allergic reaction too. Keep a strict record of drug allergy and a list of all your current medicines.

8) NSAIDs need to be taken after a meal and with an acid suppressant like Proton pump inhibitor to avoid potential peptic ulcers.

9)Infant pain formula and Children pain formula have different concentrations of medicines. Please don’t mix them up.

Takeaway

Pain killers may reduce pain, but they will not cure the cause. It helps to localize, detect, and identify the tissue-damaging process, which causes pain. When you take pain medicines without knowing the reason, you delay getting better. Paracetamol is the most common and safe pain killer. Persistent pain means you must consult a doctor. Live healthy live pain-free.

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