Health

Stress is the New Killer Not Jason Bourne

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on November 8, 2017 20

I am a fan of Matt Damon and the Bourne series.Both the books and the movie series are gripping , edge of the seat thrilling.

Unfortunately just like Bourne suffers amnesia you are at risk of every disease under the sun related to lifestyle if you have work or personal stress.

Stress is a silent killer and it not painless.Chronic and acute stress both are equally bad.While acute stress can help you adapt or get you killed.Chronic stress can cause all lifestyle diseases including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, insomnia, depression and more.I am a doctor and I started blogging in 2014 .Stress was one of the reasons I took to writing.

During acute stress, the flight or fight response helps us survive.It kick starts the Sympathetic pathways in our body.Your cortisol hormone level stays high.It helps you cope .

While peaceful conditions stimulate parasympathetic pathway.

A little excitement feels good.This is momentary stimulation of your sympathetic response.That’s how you feel when fall in love!

But when this response is chronic (as in chronic stress at work or home)you suffer palpitations and anxiety attacks.Stress hormones are released during stressful situations and these are responsible for the long term and short term ill effects of high level of stress

What are these stress hormones?

Cortisol : The effects of high levels of cortisol is many folds. Cortisol influences a lot of the other endocrine glands too.Circulating cortisol and psychological stress have a direct correlation with childhood obesity, adult obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Catecholamines increase makes your heart overworked.

Insulin decreases: This causes there to be a hyperglycaemic state and there is a high risk of Diabetes Mellitus.

TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone decreases.This can precipitate hyperthyroidism(more thyroid hormones in the blood).This has an effect on the heart and almost all systems of our body.

How do they affect you?

Chronic stress is first in the brain.

It makes you eat more, smoke more chance of addictive behavior, poor quality of sleep and low happiness quotient.Altogether these affect your lifestyle an long-term personal and professional life.

What should you do?

I wrote about 32 ways to beat chronic stress a long time back .but every day I try to do the following 5 things to feel good and relax.

I cuddle my baby a lot
I water my plants and stare at them.
I walk every day on the treadmill at least for 60 minutes.
I read
I write

At the end of the day a life well lived should make you happy .If your health is not your best friend ,you cant be happy!What are you doing to be healthy, happy and stress-free?

Comment below to let me know.

References:

Mama Earth Baby Product India:Review

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 25, 2017 54

Mama Earth!Such a pretty name. Did you know Mama Earth is the first and only MADE SAFE certified brand in India? That’s what attracted me to review this product in the first place. Below is the list of product I am reviewing today.

Mama Earth Baby Product India: Review

Mama Earth Moisturizing Daily lotion
Deeply nourishing body wash
Soothing massage oil for babies
Gentle Cleansing Shampoo for babies

Disclaimer: I received the product for use free. I am writing an honest review to help moms compare the best products for their babies. Any use of products on babies should be started after proper skin testing and consultation with a pediatrician.

Read about other mama earth baby products here .

5 Best Wipes for Baby: Everything you want to Know!

6 Best Baby Oil for Baby massage in India

10 Best Natural Baby Lotion for Babies in India

Best Baby Laundry detergent

Baby face creams I love

Baby bottle cleaners

Being a mom and a doctor I have become a speed reader of product labels. I had almost given up on finding a baby-friendly and human skin, hair-friendly product, which is affordable.

I really wanted something which could stand testing, by international laboratories. Not just make random unsubstantiated claims about purity.

Another scare tactic is to talk about our ancient heritage and peddle anything as natural and Ayurvedic.

Mama Earth is screened for:

Behavioral toxins
Carcinogens
Endocrine disruptor
Fire retardants
GMOs
Heavy metals
Neurotoxin
High-risk pesticides
Reproductive toxins
Toxic solvents
Harmful VOCs

This is truly a complete list. I received four products.

All the products are free of:

Parabéns
Sulfates
Phthalate
Mineral oil petroleum,
Synthetic fragrance
Dyes

Mama Earth Moisturizing Daily lotion

Very easily absorbed. It contains Shea butter, Aloe vera, Calendula extract, Almond oil, Jojoba oil.

Deeply nourishing body wash

It has coconut-based cleansers, Aloe Vera, and orange essential oils. Very pleasant smelling.

Only con: I felt a little dryness in my skin after washing. But that’s much less than what other baby products do.

Soothing massage oil for babies

This one was my favorite product.

It has cold pressed Sesame oil, coconut oil, Olive oil, Sweet Almond and Jojoba oils. It spreads and absorbs easily. The beautiful smell lasts for a long time and makes the skin soft and supple.

Mama Earth Products in India are exactly what you want for your baby.It's MADE SAFE certified, hypoallergenic, organic and made in ecofriendly manner — Mama Earth Products in India are exactly what you want for your baby. It’s MADE SAFE certified, hypoallergenic, organic and made in an ecofriendly manner

Gentle Cleansing Shampoo for babies

Amazingly soft on the hair having coconut-based cleansers and conditioners which never dry the scalp. This product has Lavender essential oil so kindly consult your doctor before using it.I have used all this product’s first. Then on a small area on my baby’s wrist to check any possible allergic reaction. It’s a hypoallergenic product but sometimes the little angels may be sensitive to essential oils in the product.

It is recommended you always do an allergy test before trying any new skin or hair care products.

Who can use these products?

It’s great when you don’t have to buy different products, for baby and mommy. In fact, everyone can use these.

Where will you find Mother Earth products?

They are available on Amazon and thats where I buy . If you are traveling with your baby, the Baby travel kit with essentials is a big help. Click the picture below to know what it contains.

[wp-review id=”109184″]

The best part is Mama Earth products are very affordable and makes great baby products available to all. Have you heard of Mama Earth? What’s your opinion? Comment below to let me know.

(Updated: On September 2019)

Protected: Hypothyroidism Prevention Diet:Choices for a healthy thyroid

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 23, 2017 27

Child Developement Clinic India:Why we need it

By Dr.Abhijit Misra (MBBS,MD) on October 20, 2017 23

In recent times, there has been a surge of developmental problems like autism, learning disability and behavioral problems in children other than the so-called global developmental delay and cerebral palsy.
With the advent of PICU(pediatric intensive care unit) and NICU(Neonatal Intensive care unit) better healthcare facilities and better survival of sick and small neonates, there has been an increase in childhood disability. At present 10% of the population has some form of disability, it is much higher in high-risk babies graduating from NICU and PICU.

It is important to screen our children for development from time to time, as it not only helps to document their development track but also aids in early detection of any significant lags and addresses them timely with appropriate measures.
Child Development Clinic is an early intervention and pediatric rehabilitation center which works exclusively for High Risks Infants and children with special needs

So why we need a CDC?

1] Disabilities are not always visible: Doctors along with parents, play a key role in monitoring child’s development and identifying any signs of delays or challenges.
2] Early intervention is important:.The first three years of a child’s development are the most crucial. Intervention at this stage before any formal diagnosis is essential.Early intervention can be remedial or preventive in nature i.e remediation of existing developmental problems or preventing their occurrence.
3] Burden is huge:.As per official data, approximately 52 million children in India have symptoms of developmental disabilities.
4] Social stigmata: to break the stigmata that these children with special needs are not a burden to the society.We believe that all such children can be included in society and reach their maximum potential if given the chance. And we the apparently normal people have a lot to gain from them.

Child Developement Clinic India-Why we need it — Child Development Clinic India-Why we need it

Who will help you in a Child development clinic

Pediatrician
Psychiatrist
Clinical psychologist
Physiotherapist
Occupational therapist
Speech Pathologist
Special supportive medical team like Orthopedician, ENT surgeon, Eye surgeon)

Check this site out for more information about child development.

What will they be checking?

They will monitor hearing, sight, motor skills, language and speech, intelligence, social skills and overall development.

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Problogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge .Have you joined?

12 Eye Care Tips from Lessons Learned: Doc Who Wears Specs

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 16, 2017 37

I started wearing specs from just before my 12 th board exams.Whether it was my book reading habit or my food habits it was a surprise.As you can guess the first pair of corrective glasses were a full cover, perfect prescription glasses, which didn’t care about style.I was worried.Could I be a doctor?Could I be a surgeon?

I have good news. Yes is the answer to both.Your eyes are an important part of how happy and healthy you are .They are a mirror to your soul and also to your health.Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stress, poor diet all can dim your lovely eyes .

These are my 12 eye care tips for keeping your lovely sparkling eyes sparkling forever.The lessons which I learned from med school and life!

#1 Be careful of your screen time.

#2 If you use spectacles or contact lenses get your eyes checked regularly on time.

#3 Contact lens care should be diligently followed.Avoid going into the pool with your contact lens on.Its better to wear specs if you are planning on bursting crackers.Smoke and particulate matter can make an eye wearing contact lens have serious problems.Keep your hands clean while putting on and taking of contact lens.Avoid touching them while traveling and with unwashed hands.Never sleep with your contact lens on.Always blink often when you wear contact lens.Use the best type suitable for your eyes and condition.I prefer disposable ones.

#4 Avoid expired makeup for your eyes.It can cause serious problems.

#5While using your computer follow these tips to avoid computer strain.It affects a lot of other things not just your eyes.

#6 Follow Lifestyle rules to prevent avoidable blindness.Diabetes is a major cause of avoidable blindness.It can spoil not only your eyes but every part of your body.

#7 Stop smoking.This helps in slowing down the age-related eye changes.

#8 Maintain the right body weight.Did you know obesity can change your refractive error?Children have changing refraction due to growing age, but this gets worse with fluctuating body weight and childhood obesity.Adults with the problem of obesity may be at risk for diabetes and have a higher risk of fluctuating eyesight.

#9 Have food rich in eye-friendly nutrients.Eat right and keep your sight right!

There is research backed scientific evidence to show that antioxidants in diet will help to reduce risk of age-related eye diseases

Nutrients for eye #BuildingBlocksofNutrition

Most important are vitamins C and E, β-carotene, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.

Download my book which tells you which fruits have the best vitamins.Its free today!

Egg yolk and maize (corn) have highest mole percentage (% of total) of lutein and zeaxanthin (more than 85% of the total carotenoids). Maize is the vegetable with the highest quantity of lutein (60% of total) and orange pepper is the vegetable with the highest amount of zeaxanthin (37% of total). Significant amount of lutein and zeaxanthin (30-50%) were also present in kiwi fruit, grapes, spinach, orange juice, zucchini (or vegetable marrow), and different types of squash

The best idea is to include different colored fruits and vegetables consumed to increase dietary lutein and zeaxanthin.This article is very helpful.

A balanced healthy diet includes a variety of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, pulses, lean meats(organic and grass fed is best), fish, nuts and plenty of water.

These are the sources of the many vitamins and minerals your body needs to fight against age-related eye problems, lifestyle diseases cancer and cardiovascular disease.

12 Eye Care Tips from Lessons Learned Doc Who Wears Specs

#10 The backstory about your family’s eye health can help your doctor understand your problem better.Some eye conditions are hereditary.So you need to know the conditions which you are at higher risk for.This helps in modifying lifestyle accordingly.An important lifestyle condition like diabetes has serious eye conditions associated with it.If your family has a history of diabetes, take care to eat right, exercise and get health check-ups regularly which includes eye tests.

#11 Buy those pretty shades: Your sunglasses are not only your style statement but also helps protect your eyes against harmful ultraviolet rays.Look for ones that block 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV B ultaraviolet rays.They are necessary expenses to keep your eyes healthy and strong.

#12 Rest those beautiful eyes.Look at green plants, meditate, splash water and don’t forget to breathe deep.Avoid stress to your eyes .Theres a lot more to see!

References:

1) Clin Interv Aging. 2013; 8: 741–748.
Published online 2013 Jun 19. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S45399 Pubmed

2)Nutrients for the aging eye
Helen M Rasmussen1 and Elizabeth J Johnson2 Pubmed

3)Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin: the macular pigment in human eyes
O. Sommerburg, J. Keunen, A. Bird, and F. J G M van Kuijk Pubmed

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Problogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge .Have you joined?

#writebravely #writetribeproblogger

Childhood Hearing Loss: Act Now Here is How!

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 13, 2017 34

Does Your Child Have a Hearing Problem?

Unlikely right?Not really. Hearing problem is the top cause of the sensory deficit. It also ranks as the second commonest disability in India. Four in every 1000 children are suffering from severe to profound hearing loss. That’s, not a good number. That’s also only half the story.

Also, that’s only half the story.

There are unfortunately few government centers for teaching the hearing challenged and rehabilitation. The even bigger problem the awareness level for early detection and treatment is woefully lacking.

Top post on IndiBlogger, the biggest community of Indian Bloggers

When the child hears, the sound signal is carried to the brain via nerves. The brain on receiving the sound makes it understandable and coordinates with the speech centres for the needful.If the brain receives no or low sound, speech is difficult and may be impossible. Even if the speech mechanism is working fine, they never speak.t

The brain doesn’t know what to speak! It has never heard you see! We learn languages by hearing and understanding.For a hearing challenged brain, it simphealthwealthbridge.com/cochlear-implantwhat-you-need-to-know-part1ly doesn’t know.

WHO survey about causes of hearing loss

Ear wax: reversible hearing loss.
Middle ear infections
Genetic causes, of congenital hearing loss: About 50% of all cases of congenital hearing loss are due to environmental factors, congenital hyperbilirubinemia, ototoxic medication exposure, neonatal hypoxia, viral infections, and meningitis. Rest 50% are genetic causes.

Children having birth trauma, maternal TORCH infection(Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes can all cause severe congenital hearing loss)

3 Things you should know about hearing loss in children

Early detection is very important.

If a child suffers from severe neonatal jaundice, with Neonatal intensive care unit admission, meningitis , and other traumatic birth events, are all risk factors for hearing loss.

The family history of the similar problem, in parents or in another sibling to be ruled out.Consanguinity is also an important factor to be kept in mind . Especially for hereditary and genetic causes.

How is early detection possible?

At the hospital during NICU admission for meningitis etc.
At the high-risk baby clinic
Child development clinic
At home with a high level of suspicion

It may be done with the screening bedside Otoacoustic emission testing.If this shows abnormality a BERA test (brain stem evoke audiometry ) is done. Both these tests are non-invasive with no discomfort to the child and help to identify whether sound waves are reaching the brain.

At home, parents need to be aware: How can you know?

Does she startle on hearing a loud sound?
Does the doorbell wake her up?
Whether baby turns head toward your voice(at 8 to 12 weeks)

BERA test: Studies recommend at least six months as the earliest age when results will help us . By 9 months we can be sure that there’s a problem.

Treatment options for hearing loss

Childhood Hearing Loss -Act Now Here is How!

The isolated hearing loss in children has excellent chances of rehabilitation.Cochlear Implant can restore the gift of sound, to both congenital hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss due to other causes.

Hearing loss due to middle ear infections will need ear surgeries for removing ear infections. Hearing rehabilitation in these cases can be through surgery or a hearing aid. A cochlear implant in these cases is also considered.Ear wax is easily cleaned using ear drops as prescribed by your ENT specialist.

A hearing aid helps in augmenting hearing in children. This is important. If the hearing is not augmented, the remaining hearing may suffer untimely damage. Disuse atrophy for nerves is a real danger.So never delay. The magic is in the timing of intervention.I wrote about who needs a cochlear implant here. You can learn about the need for careful selection to help more people, on time.

Do not delay and avoid indigenous experiments. This only serves to delay the process.

The brain has maximal plasticity for 2 years to 1000 days. To some extent, up to 7 years of age. The quicker we diagnose and rehabilitate, the better it is. Rehabilitation needs a lot of patience. It’s not magic, but prayers always help.

Some problems which make this a challenge:

Parents find out too late. The child is already around 2 to 3 years when parents start worrying about speech delay. The best way to avoid the loss of golden time is universal screening at birth. That’s the best way to catch the problem early and help them.

Cochlear implant :What you need to know Part 1

Cochlear implant: Who needs it?

Childhood Hearing Loss: Act Now Here is How!

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Stress is the New Killer Not Jason Bourne