Viral Infection, Diabetes, Muscle Pain _Flu & Telemedicine

In last one week our doctors have either by home visit or tele consultation helped diabetics with viral infection.  We found some common misconceptions and risks which we want to highlight by this post.

1. In two instances both husband and wife were suffering from fever, body pain and dry cough. This was because of viral infection which was given by one partner to other. Viral infection is contagious and the most simple way it spreads is through handshake. Please wash your hands and disinfect the common objects which are handled like door handles, utensils.
2. Antibiotics do not help in viral infection and other way round may cause more harm. Many a times we have seen patients taking Azithral (azithromycin) without doctor prescription. Abuse of antibiotics can lead to obesity, diarrhoea and antibiotic resistance.
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4. Diabetics who are taking Insulin or other oral hypoglycaemic agents need to be careful in taking the medication without adequate food intake. We have seen hypoglycaemic  episodes in such patients. Please keep a sugar monitor at home and ensure that you are taking adequate food. HYPOGLYCAEMIA IS MORE HARMFUL THAN HYPERGLYCAEMIA IN SHORT RUN. Hyperglycaemia for couple of days is not harmful. Please consult doctor.
5. Dehydration is also a major cause of weakness and complications. Elderly people with fever are more prone to dehydration. Ensure adequate hydration. Plain water and as per sugar levels ORS can be given to ensure good hydration.
6. Body ache, muscle pain can be there during viral infection. Long standing diabetics can have borderline kidney function. It is important to ensure that they do not take pain killers indiscriminately. Paracetamol is fine but other over the counter pain killers must be avoided. Again drinking plenty of water is important.  
   

CDC recommendation here- 

Get in touch with us to know more , you can call on +91 8892505557, reach@rightcare.in  , Prana Healthcare

What Is Healthy Diet? Start With A Breakfast

We are often left wondering what is healthy living and to be healthy what should we eat. We come across conflicting news each day and amidst all that we succumb to the lures of fast food.

Let us try to deconstruct what is healthy eating. And today we touch healthy "Breakfast" 

Before we start with what you can eat and what you cannot eat, two thumb rules to guide you.

1. Eating at the right time is very important and adds significantly to your health when you eat right. Let us repeat- EATING AT THE RIGHT TIME!!

2. Middle path- Everything under the sun is poison, the quantity and quality matters. So eating in moderation has always been found to be beneficial. 

What can we eat? 

Our traditional food habits have been designed with a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. So eating right when you are healthy allows you to stay healthy. 

1. Eating Idli , Vada, Sambhar and Chatni! - In this you have the right mix of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and essential nutrients. So taking two idlis, one vada should serve as a good breakfast for most people. 

2. Omelette with bread toast and butter- This has protein, carbohydrate and fat.

3. Dosa with smabhar and chatni- This may fall short of protein and you may want to add a boiled egg or a dal vada with it.

4. Poha - This has carbohydrate and if peanuts are there a bit of protein but you can supplement this with an egg or glass of milk.

5. Bowl of fruits with and egg.

6. Upma- if it has vegetables and ghee added to it,  becomes a more wholesome food. Check different types of Upma here.

What we are saying with above examples is that most breakfast are tailored to be healthy. You eat them at the right time, that is within 2 hours of waking up before 9 am and lo behold, you have ensured an healthy start. 

What we will not recommend for eating at breakfast-

1. Biscuits- very bad choice. Processed food with mostly carbohydrates. 

2. Only bread- again only carbohydrates.

3. Only milk- a good source of protein but will not give you the carbohydrates and fats required to start your day.

4. Only Juice- It will mostly be carbohydrates for you and in juice form the absorption of fructose/glucose is faster creating a slump soon. Eating fruits is much better. But the bowl of fruits need to be accompanied by milk or eggs. 

Share with us your favourite breakfasts. Or the kind of breakfast you have. 

Want to know more, write to us, tweet, or post a comment.

#StayHealthy

World Day Cancer Day 2018

Cancer is a dreaded disease. Even doctors get confused, distressed and lost when they hear the diagnosis of cancer.

All cancers are not equal.

The risk factors for all cancers is not the same.

The tests required to diagnose cancer varies from site to site. However few things do remain common like biopsy and imaging (CT scan, MRI or PET CT). But again which scan to be used done when and how frequently? 

After diagnosis is done, comes the treatment part. What is the best way to treat? Where to get the treatment? Whether to approach a Medical Oncologist, Surgical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist or Hemato-Oncologist? Who will guide me through this maze?  Will the cure rate be better if I go to a particular hospital?

And what about Ayurvedic treatment?

On this #WorldCancerDay, we understand that it is not easy to navigate the world of cancer.

This whole month we will take your questions about cancer.

You can reach us through Twitter, Facebook, mail us at pranaenablers@gmail.com

#StayHealthy

Ah, yes, Cancer is curable if treated early.

Cancer is preventable for most of them.

You can read more here 

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/

Preventing Falls In The Elderly

If you have an elderly father, mother, grandfather, grandmother or aunt, you will have come across them losing balance and falling.

Image Credit: maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

For people who are above age of 65, falls are a common problem which can lead to loss of independence and can also be fatal enough to cause death.

There are many reasons for falls in the elderly.

1. Long standing diabetes. This causes peripheral neuropathy and loss of sensation in legs.

2. Parkinson's disease- in this disease the muscles and nerves are less active leading to loss of balance, tremors and falls.

3. Postural hypotension, that is, the blood pressure falls when a person stand leading to lack of blood supply to the brain when a person gets up suddenly from bed or chair.

4. Poor eyesight or improper glasses.

5. Poor lighting in the house.

6. Slippery floors.

7. Few medications can make them dizzy.

There are many ways to prevent falls. Some of them are self explanatory in the reasons given above.

Also having a caregiver who is there to support the elderly can reduce the incidence of falls by 98%.

Get in touch with us to know how you can better take care of an elderly loved one.

What Makes Smart People Ignore Their Health?

Health is like air, you rarely notice it when it is around!

You realise that you have a back only when you have a back ache!

Are you guilty of having neglected your health?

A well wisher of us who is educated and well traveled puts us in a quandary.

He recently reached out to us to get his sugars tested. We advised him to get glycosylated hemoglobin which is called HbA1C also.

Below are his reports.

As you will notice his sugars are way of the mark! We did a teleconsultation and asked him to see a Diabetologist at the earliest.

He avoided the consultation for three days at a stretch and after that he has flown out of the country!

We are left wondering how do we best educate the people about paying attention to their health?

We will like to hear from you regarding how you take care of your health or how you have neglected your health!

You can post comments or write to us at reach@rightcare.in

Happy Independence Day

We celebrate 71 st Independence Day. It is a proud moment that we have made progress in the last 70 years.

But we have miles to go before we accomplish the below things

1: We need Freedom from Mosquitoes- Dengue, Malaria and Japanese Encephalitis

2. We need Freedom From Pot Holes

3. We need Freedom From Garbage

4. We need Freedom From Diseases

5. We need Freedom to Think Freely! An environment to think constructively, independently for the health and prosperity of all.

6. Independence from air, noise and water pollution.


What can we do?

1. Keep our surroundings clean the way we keep our homes clean.

2. Be mindful of our carbon foot print. Walk, cycle, use public transport at every opportunity. Turn of lights, fan and air condition when not in use.

3. Raise voice whenever you see something wrong. It is time we stopped tolerating the bad roads and poor infrastructure.

4. Promote health by education and practising  healthy habits.

5. Whenever we forward information take enough precaution to verify the authenticity,  truthfulness of the information. And more importantly will it benefit the person to whom we are sending. In digital era it is very easy for us to get manipulated by false information and images. These are responsible for loss of independent thinking, hostility and mental diseases.


Wish you all health!

World Hypertension Day-What You Need To Know

Hypertension is the other name for high blood pressure.

Why is high blood pressure harmful?

One can have high blood pressure for many years without having any symptoms. Having family history of high blood pressure increases one's risk for same. Since there are no symptoms in the early stage it is advisable to get your blood pressure checked once a year.

What is normal blood pressure- It is a range. Once can have it between 110/70 mm of Hg to 140/80 mm of Hg and the higher range is considered acceptable for elderly. In general 120/80 mm of Hg is considered normal blood pressure.

When are you diagnosed having high blood pressure?

Single reading is never diagnostic. 3-5 readings are taken over a week's time to come to conclusion about high blood pressure.

What is the damage when high blood pressure is not controlled?

1. Stroke- that is blood vessels in the brain can get ruptured leading to paralysis. This is a serious complication limiting persons quality of life and earning capacity.

2. Kidney damage

3. Heart enlargement and heart failure.

Suffice to say that having blood pressure under control is one of the best ways to avoid chronic diseases. 

Prevention is better than cure! You can read more about blood pressure here

http://pranahealthcareenablers.blogspot.in/2016/05/know-about-blood-pressure.html

Take care of yourself and your loved ones. As a special offer we will come to your home and check your blood pressure for just 199 Rs.

Call us or write to us to book an appointment. Limited period offer. Available only in Bangalore.

Get Blood Pressure checked.