Health solutions
Mindful Living: Art of a More Productive Life
Are you Multitasking?
The hectic pace of modern living would have made ancient men tired?You take our multitasking so seriously, that not doing a million things before breakfast, makes you feel guilty. I am a multi thinker.Multitasking is a natural progression.All women, especially mothers have to try multitasking, to be able to manage it all.
But how healthy is this Habit?
Is Multitasking good for you? Not ย Really! As we increasingly multitask our ability to truly concentrate dwindles.The moreย technology dependant youย are the biggerย is it a challenge to concentrate.ย I am a doctor, mother, wife of a child specialist, teacher in a medical college and a blogger.I really love all that I am blessed to be doing.
But the regular grind of household chores is a real job.Keeping the house clutter free, managing my home and workload keeps me, breathless…literally. For the last few months, I was having shortness of breath, palpitations and had started to worry about a multitude of things. On top of that, we experienced the aftershocks of the ย Earthquake that leftย Nepal with thousands dead and injured.
The Nepal Earthquake was devastating..mindfulness meditation helped me calm down
Alone at home with my 3-year-old, I did what any mommy would do.Grabbed the water bottle, and rushed out in the open grounds with the baby in my lap. We suffered 2 more vibrations over the next 3 days but none was as bad. The news about Nepal kept coming. The total devastation there as made me take stock. Gratitude for the life we have here now is uppermost. Before the earthquake hit Nepal, I had read a bookย ย Love the home you haveย by Melissa of The Inspired Room.
The overall tone of the book has a lot to do with living in the present and being thankful for all the blessings you have now. Tomorrow is a dream, the past has gone, but today well lived will make our life here on this earth worth it.
A lot of my friends, relatives, and patients complained of a feeling of panic and light-headedness in the days after the quake. ย Since I too was suffering from similar complaints related to Post-traumatic stress disorder, a ย solution was ย urgently needed.
I tried the many relaxation and mindfulness techniques for calming an anxious mind. ย Some worked well and others not so much.
Then ย I discovered mindfulness!
So what exactly is mindfulness?
The word literally means being aware of one’s own mind.
The formal definition of mindfulness:
Intentional acceptance and non-judgemental focus of one’s attention on emotions, thoughts, sensations occurring in the present.This can be achieved by training in meditation practices. Mindfulness is a concept having its root deep in Hinduism. The Sanskrit term Smriti and Buddhist term sati mean to remember….not the past but a conscious remembrance of the present.That’s where mindfulness comes from.
Mindfulness signifies the presence of mind and being attentive to the present.The mind which does not fritter between thoughts, but concentrates on one thought at a time! A clear, conscious, focused mind is what mindfulness aims to make. Seriously this was easier to write, than do.
As with most things in life which are worth doing, the going for this too was definitely not easy. Whenever I ย started to concentrate on this post, 10 ย different things that needed doing, rush throughย ย my mind.
All of us mothers have to manage so many stuff that we forget,to really focus! Life rushes by. I ย have tried to give you some ideas about the methods which worked.As I get more mindful I will be adding them here to really become mindfully yours. So here goes.
5 Best ways to be ย mindful for your inner wellness(absolutely essential ย for ย sanity)
1) Stop and breathe slowly every morning: 5 minutes to 25 minutes (according to time you have) close your eyes and focus on your breathing.While doing this initially you will find your mind wandering.Just catch hold of the wandering thought and refocus. Just imagine your brain is a naughty child always in search of new stuff, but you have to be strict ! Close your eyes and visualize a black dot in front of you and concentrate.
ย
2)ย Stop multitasking.Easier said than done. It takes at least 15 minutes for us to concentrate deeply.Multitasking often decreases your capacity to really give your best to a job. Refocus scattered thoughts.So the Pomodoro technique of working in blocks of 20 minutes work.
- Do one thing at a time
- Do it deliberately, concentrating on it ย and complete it
Read this article If you want to know who is likely to try multitask
3)Take time out. When doing any job, if you find your mind wandering too many times..take a break and try.Often it’s some other chore nagging you from your subconscious brain. You can either do that chore first ย then get on with the new job with full attention. The other way is to ย write down whatever that needs to be done so that you are not distracted by trying to keep remembering. Have a daily ritualย ย for
- Housework…mindfully, Love the ย home you have (Thanks Melissa
- Cook..mindfully.Will definitely taste better
- Exercise
- What you ย do when ย you ย get ย up ย in ย the ย morning
- What ย you do ย just ย before going ย to ย bed
- What ย you ย do just ย before/after ย exercising
- Being ย grateful
- Be happy
The art of mindful living.Image @Healthwealthbridge
4) Eat well mindfully. Up to 75 % ย of overeating is emotional eating. Mind-body disconnect ย during eating causes excessive eating and binges. Savoring each morsel of food helps in decreasing cravings and improve satiety.Mindful eating is great for your mind and awesome for your Body! We see and ย smell ย the ย appetising food, taste the ย true flavorsย , eating is ย a ย truly sensory experience.
5) When interactingย with others be mindful. You become the good company ย and ย a ย better judge of character. While researching this mindfulness practice I came upon this article where videos help you become more conscious of your inner self. Often in the race of life, you forget to breathe deeply. Health benefits of mindfulness are many most significant is its effect on stress hormones.
Mindfulness-based meditation therapy has been ย found to decrease stress hormones[3].
Chronic stress is responsibleย for many ofย ย your health problems and mindfulnessย can help you. But if you are reading this post you must have already realized that you are blessed to have this life.Living in the present and really appreciating every moment is mindful living.
Mindfulness has been described as โpaying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.โ(2)
Traditional cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT) ย targets dysfunctional ย thoughts. Mindfulness-based CBT ย helps individuals learn, ย to become aware of their own ย thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations ย in the present.Awareness and acceptance ย are more important than taking ย action.1 ย I know it’s easier to say than do.Believe me I struggle with this every moment of every day. When I cuddle my baby I wish I could bottle up these golden moments.But forever is only in our minds.So I cherish every moment I spend with loved ones …always.
That’s a start to walking the mindful path. Are you Mindful? Have you ever participated in a mindfulness session? Write to me and tell me about your mindfulness efforts. Live well mindfully.
REFERENCE:
1)Biologic effects of mindfulness meditation: growing insights into neurobiological aspects of the prevention of depression.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2011 Mar; 36(2): 75โ77.
2)Kabat-Zinn J.ย Wherever you go, there you are: mindfulness meditation in everyday life.ย New York (NY): Hyperion; 1994.
3)Matousek RH, Dobkin PL, Pruessner J.ย Cortisol as a marker for improvement in mindfulness-based stress reduction.Complement Ther Clin Pract.ย 2010;16:13โ9.[PubMed]ย [Ref list]
4) ย Chronic stress:32 Relaxationย Techniques ย Dr. Amrita Basuย Healthwealthbridge
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Ultimate Nutrition tips to fight Flu and Improve immunity
Modern medicine as well as alternative medicine ย both agree when it comes to the role of dietย to improve immunity.
Rest and medicine plays a big role,but the role of a well balanced diet cannot be stressed enough.
ย Food has been a large part of nature’s arsenal to fight various disease from ancient times.
Improving ย your overall nutrition is a way to fight all the pesky viruses and bacterias which lurk around like villains , waiting for your natural ย defences to become weakened.
The micronutrients(essential nutrients in your diet which are ย required in micrograms for normal metabolic functions of your body), in your diet like vitamins ,minerals , can help to improve our body’s defence mechanism.
They help ย prevent ย disease as well as heal your body when you fall ill.
Deficiencies of vitamins, minerals ย and other micronutrients, not only make you susceptible to infections, but also increases the chance of complications.
Micronutrients are critical for your immunity.They help you fight against the microbes and produce ย an effective immune response.
How ย nutrients in the flu diet help?
- ย Interferon production and improves action of phagocytic cells.
- ย Anti-microbial barriers ย of ย skin, mucus membranes, tears, saliva, gastric juice.
- Antibody response and optimized cell-mediated immunity.
- Micronutrients such as vitamin C, A, B-5, B-6, B-12, and folic acid trace elements such as iron, zinc, selenium, copper and others are essential for optimizing white blood cell production and immune function.
Infections in turn make the deficiencies worse ย by ย decreasing absorption,assimilation and increasing losses .
So does this mean you will never fall ill if you are having vitamin supplements?
The answer now becomes tricky.
It has been seen that children with malnutrition, often suffer ย recurrent ย episodes of cold,stomach problems .They seem to be specially susceptible to all germs that affect people in their immediate environment. Contagious diseases are often spread by touch ,respiratory droplets.In order for our body to fight invasion by germs, the body’s defence mechanism should be sufficiently primed to fight an assault.But when everyday functioning of the body is compromised by nutritional deficiencies ,it becomes difficult to cope during infections. Since prevention in a holistic manner is the goal of modern medicine. A well balanced diet comprising ย of all the super powerful anti-inflammatory food groups ,will definitely ย help keep you healthy even during the dreaded flu season.
ย
Top 10 food to fight flu and improve ย immunity
- Fruits and vegetables, truly these are miracle food.Read my post ,ย Fruits and vegetables..nature’s multivitaminsย ย for a quick idea about how they are helping you everyday
- Green Tea or its active ingredient, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), are natural anti-inflammatory molecules,affecting both innate and adaptive immunity
- Walnuts,Almonds:Rich in omega 3 fatty acids,they help in increase the good fat (HDL) in our body and decrease inflammation
- Other sources of omega 3 fatty acids:chia seeds,flaxseed,fish
- Drink plenty of water about 4 to ย 6 litres in warm climates.Water helps to flush the toxins from our system,and is essential for most bodily functions.
- Ginger :popular for its medicinal properties offers relief from congested nose and throat when added to tea, soups etc.
- Onion
- Garlic:The pungent odour of these helps to clear blocked nose.Add crushed garlic cloves chopped onions in soups,dal for a soothing mouthful when you have a cold.
- Spices from the Indian kitchen like turmeric helps to bolster your immunity.Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa),having ย anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin has ย a potent immunomodulatory agent and can modulate the activation of our innate and adaptive immune functions.
- Chicken soup for the cold:old’s wives tale,but true!Chicken soup with crushed garlic, chopped onion and ginger, with black pepper to garnish.Chicken is a popular source of the ย semi-essential amino acid Cysteine.Cysteine has powerful antioxidant properties.It is a major constituent of ย glutathione ,the body’s natural antioxidant enzyme ย ,helping to fight the oxidative damage ย from diseased condition.
ย
What else can you do to improve immunity
- Boost up your immunity with multivitamin supplements(after consultation with your doctor),when you are feeling low.
- Get plenty of sleep
- Avoid stress
- Think positive
- Pray..the power of prayer is the secret ingredient which makes the doctors work easier.
Take care and stay fit.
Also, read
ย ย Reference
Featured post
How is the Health of the Nation: The report is an eye-opener!
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Aeroplane Ear :How to prevent it
Do you fly a lot? Does ย your ย ear ย pain in ย the aeroplane ย ? Do ย you have severe ear painย even after Flying? Can you prevent It?
The Good news:
Yes ย you ย can ย prevent ย it.
When my little girl was 1 year old we traveled to Jaipur by plane. Among many travel worries, I was especially thinking about ways to keep her awake and ear pain-free while traveling. I knew all the basics but it was still a ย challenge. So that’s when I decided to write a post forย all of you mommies who travel by plane with children. I think when we know why things happen we are much more effective at preventing unwanted events and prevention of airplane ear runs top of my list during air travel.
- What you will find here
What is this condition? - Why do your ears get blocked in an Aeroplane?
- Who is more likely to get Aeroplane Ear?
- What can ย you do during the flight to prevent blocked ear?
- How can you prevent very young children from getting airplane ear?
- How can you unblock your ears after the Flight?
- When should ย you ย visit ย a ย Doctor?
What is Aeroplane Ear?
Pain in the ear, popping ear, blocked ear during air travel is ย the most common medical ย problem faced by flyers. Airplane ear is the better-known name for Barotitis media or ย Aerotitis media. Airplane ear or Barotitis media is the condition where there occurs damage to the ear due to difficulty in adjustment of the air pressure between Middle ear and External ear.
Why do your ears get blocked in an Aeroplane?
I have to go into aย bit of physics for a proper explanation. Please excuse the science Lecture! As ย you know according ย to Boyle’s ย Lawย : The pressure and the ย volume of ย an ย enclosed mass ย o ย gas are ย inversely ย proportional. When ย the ย plane ย rises in the ย air, there ย is ย a ย progressive ย decrease ย in ย ย air/atmospheric ย pressure. Basically at ย 18,000 ย ft ย above ย sea ย level, ย the ย air ย pressure ย is ย half ย that ย at ย sea ย level.During ย the rise through ย the ย atmosphere , as the ย pressure ย falls ,a particular mass of ย air in an ย elastic ย structure ย expands .Similarly during ย descent, the air contracts and the volume of ย cash decreases.
So what happens in the ear during Flying?
Imagine yourย ear ย is ย made up of ย 3 rooms.The outermost ย part of ย the ear which connects the entryway with the other rooms is the ย external ear.This is the part involving ย your ย ear ย canal. The ย ear drum separates ย your ย external ย ear ย from ย the ย middle ear, where the small bones (malleus, incus, stapes), which ย help transmit sound ย live.The ย ear drum ย is somewhat flexible ย and ย can ย move ย with ย change in volume ย of ย air ย in ย the ย middle ย ear. Two ย windows ย oval ย window (covered ย by stapes ย footplate) and ย round window (covered ย by ย round window ย membrane) connect ย your middle ear and the inner ear.
The ย inner ย ear has ย yourย ย hearing and balance apparatus It’s called ย the labyrinth. ย A tube connects your middle ear with the part of your oral cavity behind the nose (nasopharynx) .It’s called the Eustachian tube.Easily the most important structure ย which helps keep up the normal air volume inside ย your middle ear. It’s through your Eustachian tube that air enters or exits to equalise air pressure between outside atmosphere and your middle ear.
What happens during Ascent?
Air pressure outside falls. Middle ear pressure falls. Air in your middle ear expands (following Boyle law) This excess air pushes the tympanic membrane outwards to its natural limit.This is normally followed by escape of air through your Eustachian tube. Movement of the ear drum may be restricted due to scarring (previous infection).This may cause ear pain during ascent.
What happens during Descent?
Air pressure outside rises. Middle ear pressure rises. Air in your middle contracts and volume decreases (Boyle law). The ear drum moves inwards. (retraction). The opening of your Eustachian tube must be opened to allow air from the nasopharynx to enter and adjust the volume.The Eustachian tube will open with swallowing movement. If this mechanism fails (if you fall asleep, or have a cold), or is delayed, the increasing pressure difference closes the naspharyngeal end of Eustachian tube.When the pressure difference is more than 90 mm,Hg, your tubal dilator muscles are unable to open the Eustachian tube and it stays locked.The ear then feels blocked.
Barotrauma occurs during flying due to:
Very rapid air pressure changes.Sudden ascent/descent. 2) Blocked Eustachian tube.
It may also occur in:
- Divers
- Hyperbaric oxygen chamber
- Decompression and compression chambers
Who is more likely to get Aeroplane Ear?
Anybody who has some nasal or Nasopharyngeal problem which blocks the Eustachian tube.
Acute infection in the nose.
Chronic infection in the nose
Rhinosinusitis
Nasal allergy
Vasomotor Rhinitis
Malformation of nose
Nasopharyngeal tumour.
Sleeping during ascent or descent
Small narrow Eustachian tube; infants toddlers.
How will you know whether youย are developing airplane ear?
Symptoms ( most common)
Discomfort in the ear
Ear pain
Muffled hearing
Blocked ear/fullness of ear
Severe complaints
Excruciating pain in ear
Severely blocked ear
Ringing, buzzing sound in ear (Tinnitus)
Severe Hearing loss
Spinning sensation (Vertigo)
Bleeding from ear
When to see a doctor?
Aeroplane ear:when to see a doctor.Image courtesy David Castillo Dominic @freedigitalphotos.net
If you have any of the severe problems.Or if the symptoms persist even after …..hours “check..
What will your doctor See?
An ENT surgeon may do an otoscopic examinations to see your ear drum.
Signs on otoscopy:
- Invaginated/retracted ear drum
- Congested ear drum
- Solitary or multiple blood filled blisters on your ear drum
- Haemotympanum
- Signs of serous otitis media
- Ruptured ear drum, with blood clot.
Otoendoscopy may also be done where you will also be able to see these findings along with your doctor.
Are there any long term complications ?
Rarely the ringing sound in ear or tinnitus may be permanent.
If inner ear barotrauma occurs hearing loss may not improve
What other tests can ย you ย do?
Pure tone audiometry:ย to check your hearing and rule out inner ear barotrauma ย Tympanometry:To check the air pressure in the middle ear.and find out if there is any fluid.
ย Aeroplane ear:How to prevent it during flights
- Don’t fall asleep during flying, specially during ascent or descent.
- Avoid flying if you are having a severe cold.If emergency then use a Nasal decongestant spray just before takeoff and landing.Also take a decongestant orally, before getting on the ย .Dont use over the counter sprays .They may cause even more problem in the long run.
- Take plenty of chewing gum so that you can actively help in Eustachian tube opening during flight.The chewing and swallowing movement helps to open Eustachian tube.
- Try Valsalva ย maneuvre.This is a pressure equalizing ย technique which helps to pop the ear.You can try this if repeated swallowing and yawning doesn’t help.
- Pinch your nostril, take a mouthful of air,close your mouth and try to gently ย direct the air into the back of your nose.Imagine you are trying to blow ย your nose gently. You should feel ย a ย pressure buildup.But do not let the air out.If ย you hear a pop you will know ย the ear is ย unblocked.You can also close your nose and mouth and try swallowing .Donot try toย do all this if you feel pain in ear.
What can young children do ย to prevent aeroplane ear?
Very young children have difficulty during fflying.Often you will find them irritable crabby , pulling at their ears and may also cry incessantly. This is because the Eustachian tube in infants and very young children are not mature enough to handle the extreme change in pressure.
How to prevent Aeroplane ear in young children.Image courtesy Jeffrey Betts at MMT
- But you can help them ย too.
- Dont let them fall asleep.
- Play with them.
- Carry ย a few pacifiers so that the suck ย and swallow reflex constantly works.
- Talk to your baby doctor whether a decongestant oral medicine is advice able for your child.
- A plain saline nasal drop given just before take off and landing helps to increase the swallowing movement and equalise pressure effectively.
What can you do to unblock the ear post flight?
Continue the Valsalva maneuvre/pressure equalizing technique
Normally it’s self healing and gets better within a few hours to few days.
If symptoms are uncomfortable and persists ย , or the ear doesn’t pop you should visit a doctor specialised in ย ear ย diseases
If your nose is blocked , avoid forceful nose blowing and take steam through your nose.This helps to relieve nasal congestion and open up the Eustachian tube.
What your doctor may advice?
- Nasal spray; decongestants/steroids
- Oral decongestants
- Oral antihistamines
- Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs for relieving pain
- Once medication have improved Eustachian tube function Valsalva maneuver helps to force open the blocked tube.Surgery is rarely needed.
If fluid in the middle ear persists even after 3 months myringotomy (incision in the ear drum) is done to drain the fluid.
If the perforation in ear drum does not improve after 3 months tympanoplastyย to repair the eardrum may be needed. ย I hope next time you are flying you will be ย carrying some chewing gum or hard candyย with you.
Write to me at dramrita@healthwealthbridge.com or comment below to let me know how your ears fared this time.
Ear problems, solutions, videos
EAR PROBLEMS : Health ย query
FAQ OTOSCLEROSIS: What you need to know
Cochlear implant (part1): what you need to know
Cochlear ย implant (part 2): who needs it
Effect of alcohol ย on hearing
Want to consult me professionally?
Disclaimer:The purpose of this article is for educational purpose and should not be taken as professional medical advice.When in doubt always visit your doctor.
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Lead Poisoning : What you can do
The ย problem.… Lead is ย a ย naturally ย occurring element ย ofย the earth.It ย is not biodegradable. It goes on ย accumulating, wherever it is ย deposited . ย ย
LEAD POISONING :protect your children
This post is a bit long you can go through this content list and jump to ย any ย section. ย
Management of toxic effect of lead poisoning
Action plan: ย what ย you ย can do
Lead can stay, in the soil, air, water your homes for years. It ย can ย enter ย your ย body through food , water, air..it ย can even ย be ย absorbed through your ย skin. ย Lead ย has ย zero ย need in ย the body.
There is no known level ย of lead that is needed by your ย body and ย studies ย show ย that ย any ย amount ย of ย lead ย is ย potentially Dangerous! Lead ย is ย a known ย xenobiotic element. ย
Continuously accumulating lead ย ย over ย years can poison generations of children and adults. All ย social economic and ย geographical boundaries are crossed by the poisoning ย effects ย of ย lead.
ย Due ย to its widespread ย usage ย in ย various industries , chronic lead poisoning is ย a very ย real ย public ย health ย hazard, specially ย in developing ย countries ย like our motherland. ย Lead ย is ย still widely ย used ย in ย most house ย paints ย ย used ย in ย India and ย is one ย of ย the ย very ย important source ย of ย exposure . ย
Pregnant ย women ย and children are ย at ย most ย risk ย from ย exposure to ย this ย metal. ย ย The ย ย controversy ย regarding ย high proportion ย of ย lead ย in ย Maggi noodles has ย brought ย into ย focus the the ย need ย for ย more ย awareness ย and stricter ย regulatory ย measures. Nestle,and ย it’s ย counterpart in India are ย world renowned companies, with long ย history ย of quality ย products.
If ย they , can’t ย keep ย a ย check ย on ย their products, I wonder about the ย quality ย of any packaged ย food ย ! ย There are ย more ย than ย enough, environmental sources ย of ย lead ย exposure ย without ย food ย items contributing to the ย chronic ย poisoning.
Individual , government and the corporate sector all need ย to work together to stop poisoning ourselves… because ย nobody’s ย safe. ย In the ย meantime ย educating ย yourself ย to keep ย you ย and ย your ย family ย healthy shouldn’t ย be delayed! ย
Shocking Statistics
According to ย CDC ย data , there are 4 million households ย in ย USA ,where children are ย being exposed ย to ย high levels of ย lead . Lead ย poisoning ย is the ย number one environmental ย disease affecting ย children in ย developing countries. ย
ย Lead Poisoning Sources
How do ย you ย get ย lead Poisoning?
- Leaded petrol
The ย majority of the ย countries have banned the sale & use of leaded petrol . Afghanistan, Myanmar, North Korea, Algeria , Yemen and Iran, 6 countries were still using ย leaded petrol as late as 2011(The LEAD group data).
Algeria and Iraq have promised to phase out its use of ย leaded petrol by ย 2015. Canada and USA were one ย of ย the first ย few ย countries to take up the difficult task of going against the petrol companies. Unfortunately India was one ย of those who still allowed leaded petrol ย till 2000, ย when good sense ย prevailed.
Tetra ethyl lead is an organic lead ย compound ย in petrol which ย has unimaginable notoriety and ย was responsible for ย decreased IQ ย and ย development of antisocial ย behaviour traits ย in children. It’s a blessing that the ย world ย woke ย up and ย stopped the ย use of ย this poison. ย
- Lead smelting
- coal combustion
- Lead paints
Paint ย companies unfortunately have questionable standards in self ย regulation of ย lead ย levels ย in paint. In ย countries were strict legislation is ย absent in this ย matter we ย find ย shockingly ย high lead levels ย in paint. ย USA &UK have ย banned lead ย usage in paints for ย painting homes.
But many countries including India, still ย don’t have adequate ย legal infrastructure to ย check & control lead ย levels ย in house paints. The ย major culprits are often small ย and ย medium ย sized paint companies of ย the ย unorganised sector. Yellow,green, red ย and white paints generally have ย lead pigments. ย
- Lead ย containing ย pipes,
- Lead ย based ย solder in ย water ย pipes
- Batteries
- Ceramics ; improperly ย glazed
- Plastics
- Food ย can ย soldering
- Drinking water systems
- Cosmetic and folk ย remedies
lead poisoning sources
Environmental exposure to paint, demolition of lead painted houses, bridges, stained glass, contaminated ย herbal ย remedies, candies, are ย some ย of the ย very ย common sources of chronic ย lead ย exposure. Top ย
Industries ย with high ย level
ย of ย lead ย usage include:
- Automobile
- Paint
- Ceramics
- Plastic
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How is Lead metabolised?
Absorption:
Ingestion Inhalation Dermally (organic lead)
Distribution of lead
in the ย body
Blood:
95% to 99% of lead may ย be ย stored in the ย red ย blood ย cells. You ย really ย need ย to ย measure ย your blood ย level ย of ย lead ย ( not ย serum) which ย helps ย to ย find ย out ย recent ย exposure . ย
Soft tissue:
Extensive ย storage with ย half ย life of ย 30 ย days. ย
Bone storage:
Upto ย 15% ย of ย exposure ย dose ย may ย be ย stored in ย the ย bones. An astounding ย 20 ย years is ย the ย half life ย of ย lead in bones.Bone ย lead ย levels ย showsย the cumulative exposure ย of ย this ubiquitous element ย over ย several ย years. ย
Excretion:
Mainly ย in ย urine May ย also ย appear ย in ย other ย bodily fluids ย including ย breast milk. ย
Systemic Effects of Lead
Effects ย of lead ย poisoning ย in ย humans are manifold All ย the ย imp ย systems ย of ย the ย body may ย be ย affected.
Most ย seriously ย affected systems are:
Nervous ย system Hematopoietic ย system(Blood) Renal ย system(Kidneys) Hepatic system(liver) ย
What are the Symptoms?
Children ย are the ย most ย affected as their developing nervous ย system absorbs a ย larger ย amount ย of lead.
Children
Common nonspecific symptoms
Children appear inattentive, hyperactive or decreased ย activity, temperamental, irritable delayed developmental ย milestones, language delay.
Studies ย done ย by ย CDC ย have ย shown that ย even with ย low blood ย levels ย ( 3-4 microgram per decilitre) ย of ย lead the ย long term ย effect ย on ย cognition, learning abilities of ย children , is significant. ย
Symptoms ย needing ย urgent ย attention
- Loss of ย appetite,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain
- Sleepiness,
- ethargy,
- ataxia,
- headache,
- stupor ,coma. ย
Adults
Nonspecific
- Mood swings,
- irritability,
- Sleep ย disorders
- Altered sex drive,
- headache,
- depression,
- even constipation
Though ย all ย these ย have ย a ย multitude of ย causes , chronic ย lead poisoning may have to ย be ย ruled ย out.
Acute high ย dose exposure symptoms include:
- wrist drop,
- Foot drop,
- delirium
- , hallucinations, ย
Both ย children ย and ย adults may ย present with ย neuropsychiatric ย problems,impaired cognition, learning ย difficulties, and ย antisocial ย behaviour. Top
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Management
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Public health education and awareness
Treatment;
What blood levels of ย lead need ย Treatment?
Whole ย blood lead levels (BLL) needs to be checked. CDC has some ย guidelines for ย treatment ย of ย lead exposure.
More ย than 70 microgram per decilitre of ย BLL is ย ย a ย medical ย emergency, even without ย neurological ย symptoms. ย
BLL ย greater than ย or ย equal ย to 45 micrograms per decilitreย needs ย treatment. ย New ย guidelines ย of CDCย indicate all children ย with ย blood lead levels greater than 5micrograms per decilitre need ย evaluation and ย active ย management.
Dietary guidelines
Lead is ย responsible ย for ย oxidative ย stress in ย the body.There ย occurs ย increased generation ย of ย free radicals ย due ย to oxidation of ย cellular proteins,DNA, RNA, which ย may even ย cause ย cancer. Antioxidants ย in the ย diet can ย help prevent ย lead toxicity ย (Garcia ย and Gonzalez 2008)
- Flavonoids , the natural ย polyphenols: present
in fruits, vegetables , tea.
- Vitamins B, C, E : ย Important ย to ย fight
the ย toxic ย effects ย of ย lead.The ย dietary sources of these antioxidants can ย be found here
- Alphalipoic acids : synthesised by the
body in ย small ย amounts, present in carrots, spinach,beet, potatoes, red ย meat are ย an ย important group of ย dietary ย antioxidant.
- Garlicย ย : ย Allicinย is ย its ย active ย agent
which ย is ย responsible ย for ย the ย odour and medicinal property (Sharma et Al 2010).The ย disease ย fighting property of ย garlic ย is ย well ย known.
- Curcumin : ย This is ย the ย principal ย active
component of ย turmeric with anti -inflammatory ย and ย antioxidant property.Along ย with ย chelating agents like ย DMSA, Curcumin ย has ย shown promise, regarding ย treatment ย of lead ย induced ย oxidative stress in rats( Saxena &Flora ย 2006) ย
Medicines
Symptomatic, ย highly ย exposed people :
Mainstay ย of ย treatment ย is chelation. The ย sulfhydryl ย group ย in ย chelating ย agents, bind ย the ย free ย lead ย in ย the ย blood ย and ย help in removing ย it ย from ย our ย body ย through ย the kidneys and ย liver. ย
As ย the ย blood ย levels ย of ย lead ย decreases the ย body ย stores ย of ย lead like ย in ย the ย bones become ย mobilised ย and ย there ย may ย occur rise ย in blood ย lead ย levels ย with ย toxicity including ย encephalopathy ย . ย
Chelation ย is ย to ย be ย done ย , definitely ย under a doctor’s ย supervision.
Oral ย agents ย ย include: DMSA (Succimer), and ย oral ย penicillamine. If ย acutely ย toxic, hospitalization with intravenous or ย intramuscular ย chelation with edentate ย calcium ย disodium (CaEDTA) may ย be ย needed. Dimercaprol ย is added ย to ย prevent encephalopathy.ย
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Action Plan:What you can do?
1) Stop ย the ย exposure: The ย most ย important ย thing ย about heavy ย metal ย poisoning ย is ย to ย stop the ย chronic ย exposure ย through ย various sources. ย
2) Get ย tested A ย simple ย blood ย test ย will ย help ย you decide ย regarding ย treatment. Definitely ย check ย whether the ย lab,can test ย for ย low ย blood ย levels ย of ย lead. ย
3) Decrease ย dietary ย fat. A ย high ย fat ย diet ย increases ย the ย rate of ย absorption ย of ย lead. ย
4)Increase ย dietary ย fibres This ย helps ย to ย decrease ย absorption of ย lead. ย
5) Correct ย dietary ย deficiency of ย iron
ย 6)Prevent and ย treat ย osteoporosis. Correct ย dietary deficiency ย of ย calcium ย ย Osteoporosis causes ย mobilization of ย bone ย stores ย of ย lead ย and ย may precipitate ย acute symptoms. 600 IU vitamin D3 is ย adequate ย for ย prevention. We ย need ย a ย minimum ย of 1000mg of ย calcium as daily ย requirement ย for ย our ย nutritional needs. Treatment of ย osteoporosis needs much ย higher ย doses, of ย both vitamin D and ย calcium.
ย 7) Increase ย dietary ย sources of ย Vitamin B,ย Vitamin Cย , ย Vitamin E and other dietary antioxidants Vitamin ย C ย is ย a ย naturally ย occurring weak ย chelating ย agent. Upto 1000mg ย of ย Vitamin C may ย be ย taken ย per day.
ย 8) Avoid flaking paint ย in ย the house.
ย 9) Regularly ย clean ย surfaces ย and children’s ย play ย area ย . Children’s typical ย hand ย to ย mouth ย habits are ย responsible ย for ย a ย large percentage of ย environmental ย exposure to lead from lead contaminated dust. ย
10) Avoid ย using ย lead ย containing cosmetics. Many ย leading ย brands ย have ย high ย amount of ย lead ย in ย their products ย and ย price ย has little ย to ย do ย with ย it.Research ย the ย product ย well before ย buying ย and ย definitely ย never ย forget to ย remove ย makeup at night ย
11) Open ย shoes ย outside ย the ย front ย door. If ย this ย not ย possible ย keep ย your ย shoe rack, mudroom ย close ย to ย the ย entryway ย to ย prevent mud ย tracking ย indoors. Outdoor ย soil ย is ย a ย very common ย source ย of ย lead ย indoors. ย
12) Choose ย lead ย free paint ย to ย paint ย your home. Nerolac in ย India ย offers ย lead ย free paint ย options.
13) In India ย you can contact InSLAR ย ,for ย testing ย a product ย for ย lead in ย their ย lab .
Indian Society for Lead Awareness & Research – InSLAR
inslar.org/
14)cOnly buy idols painted ย with ย Lead ย free ย paint ย or better ย yet ย buy
ย brass/silver ย idols.
Along with ย treatment and ย prevention certain Public health strategies may be ย able ย to ย influence ย a ย larger ย population more ย effectively.
Public health strategies
Guidotti and Ragain (2007):
2 important strategies
1) Prohibition of setting up industries with lead ย close to ย habitable areas
2) Complete ย banning ย use ย of ย lead, where appropriate ย replacement is ย available. ย Top
Take home message
1)Get your blood ย tested ย for ย lead
2)Stop ย the ย exposure
3)Diet ย rich ย in ย vitamin,B,C,D,E, Calcium,iron,natural antioxidants 4)Make ย your ย home ย lead ย free
5)Use unleaded gasoline ย ย .
Children are ย the ย future.Unfortunately ย they ย are also ย most ย at ย risk.Make ย your ย homes safe, practice ย good ย housekeeping ย and above ย all ย educate ย yourself ,your ย family, your ย neighbours … anybody ย who ย will listen!
Your awareness ย will go ย a ย long way ย in making the ย authorities ย make ย the much needed ย changes.
Do ย you ย suffer from ย any ย of ย the effects of Lead poisoning? Have you ever tested your blood ย lead levels?
Write to ย me at dramrita@healthwealthbridge.com
(Disclaimer: this article is ย meant to ย educate and cannot be ย a ย replacement for a ย doctor’s consultation.
Reference:
1)Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine 2)CDC ย lead poisoning 3)The ย George Foundation 4)Toxicity of lead: A review with recent updatesย Gagan Flora,
Deepesh Gupta, and Archana Tiwari
Interdiscip Toxicol. 2012 Jun; 5(2): 47โ58.
Published online 2012 Jun.
ย
5)Determination of free ฮฑ-lipoic acid in foodstuffs
Durrani AI, Schwartz H, Nagl M, Sontag G.
by HPLC coupled with CEAD and
ESI-MS. Fd Chem. 2010;120:1143โ1148.
ย
6) Environmental occurrence, health effects
and management of lead
poisoning.
Flora SJS, Flora G, Saxena G
ย
In: Josรฉ S. C, Josรฉ S, editors. Lead. Amsterdam:
Elsevier Science B.V.; 2006. pp. 158โ228.
ย
7)ย Protecting children from toxic
exposure: three strategies.
Guidotti TL, Ragain L.
ย
Pediatr Clin North Am.2007;54:227โ235.
ย
ย
8)Can antioxidants be beneficial in the treatment of lead poisoning? Gurer H, Ercal N Free Radic Biol Med. 2000;29:927โ945.
9)ย The effect of oral administration of Allium sativum extracts on lead nitrate induced toxicity in male mice. Sharma V, Sharma A, Kansal L. Fd Chem Toxicol. 2010;48:928โ936.
10). Changes in brain biogenic amines and haem biosynthesis and their response to combined administration of succimers and Centella asiatica in lead poisoned rats. Saxena G, Flora SJ J Pharm Pharmacol.2006;58:547โ559.
11)ย Nutritional antioxidants mechanisms of action, analyses of activities and medical applications.Vaya J, Aviram M. Curr Med Chem-Immunol Endo Metabolic Agents. 2000;1:99โ117.
12) ย Toxic effects of perinatal lead exposure on the brain of rats: Involvement of oxidative stress and the beneficial role of antioxidants. Garcia MTA, Gonzalez ELM. Fd Chem Toxicol. 2008;46:2089โ2093.
13) Fruits and vegetables:Nature’s multivitamins
14 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15764522/
15)Why Lead Poisoning May be Causing Your Health Problems ย
16 90% of paint samples tested contain lead above permissible limits in India: Study
17 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23414139_Lead_content_in_household_paints_in_India
19ย Evaluation of blood lead among painters of buildings and cars
Sharing is good Karma!
What should I feed my Child?
What should I feed my Child? This is
a question troubling all ย moms.
From the time child starts to have complementary feeds, the battle starts.The terrible twos make you wish there was a magic ย wand for making your baby eat the green!
What are your worries about your child’s Diet?
Is your child developing health food habits?
What they eat ย not only helps them grow but also makes it ย easier fir them to learn.
What you teach now will help them their entire lives.
Childhood malnutrition and obesity both have a long term effect.
The good news is both are preventable.
Let me know your queries, at dramrita@healthwealthbridge.com
