Oral cancer refers to the cancers that occur in the mouth, lips, tongue, cheeks, palate or throat and are among the most common forms of cancers in India. In fact, oral cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. India bears the largest burden of oral cancers in the world, with an incidence of around 11.28 percent in Indian men.
It is important to propagate that oral cancer is also a highly preventable and treatable disease if detected early. Incidentally, over 80% of all oral cancers can be attributed to tobacco usage.
By eliminating the use of tobacco and following healthy lifestyles, you can significantly reduce your risk of oral cancer.
According to, Aparna Dhar, Medical Geneticist and Genetic Counselor, CORE Diagnostics, here are 5 measures you must take:
-Quit tobacco in all its forms
More than 50 percent of oral cancers in India are attributable to smokeless tobacco products. Referred usually as gutka or khaini in India, smokeless tobacco increases the risk of oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer between 2-fold and 15-fold. Unfortunately, gutka products are being packaged and marketed as safer products today, with youngsters increasingly falling for them. Let not the packaging befool you, tobacco in any form is a ready form of cancerous poison.
-Quit or minimize use of alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is another risk factor for oral cancer. It is advisable to limit your alcohol intake to a minimal level. Not only will this prove to be good for your liver and heart, but it also reduces your risk of oral cancer. Do not drink more than one drink per day if you’re a woman or two drinks per day if you’re a man.
-Use skin protection
Excessive exposure to the sun is also linked to increased risk of cancer in the lip area. To reduce this risk, you must try to limit your exposure to sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This does not mean you must avoid the sun altogether. However, it is advisable to stay out of the sun particularly between10 am and 4 pm when sunlight is strongest. Also, use sun protection cream as well as lip balm with a minimum of SPF 30.
-Undergo preventive examinations
Early detection and regular preventive examination are key to surviving oral cancer. It is important to thoroughly examine your mouth regularly to be able to spot any abnormal growth or lesion. Also, make sure to undergo regular oral cancer screening by your dentist. Regular examinations by a dentist can help detect oral cavity cancer and some oropharyngeal cancers at an early stage. It is also important to maintain good oral hygiene as people with poor oral hygiene are at a higher risk of oral cavity cancer.
– Eat a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables
A diet rich in vitamins and minerals is a potent weapon against cancer as it contains antioxidants that keep the body healthy. A diet low in fruits and vegetables and a vitamin A deficiency is considered to increase the risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancers. It is therefore advisable to consume generous servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-31 18:30:552020-07-31 18:30:55Majority of oral cancers can be prevented! Here’s how
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Uncontrolled cases can cause blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and other serious conditions. Before diabetes is diagnosed, there is a period where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. This is known as prediabetes.
1. Cut on sugar and Refined carbs.
Eating sugary foods and refined carbs can put at-risk individuals on the fast track to developing diabetes. Your body rapidly breaks these foods down into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed into your bloodstream. The resulting rise in blood sugar stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps sugar get out of the bloodstream and into your body’s cells.
In people with prediabetes, the body’s cells are resistant to insulin’s action, so sugar remains high in the blood. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, attempting to bring blood sugar down to a healthy level. Over time, this can lead to progressively higher blood sugar and insulin levels, until the condition eventually turns into type 2 diabetes.
2. workout everyday
Performing physical activity on a regular basis may help prevent diabetes. Exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of your cells. So when you exercise, less insulin is required to keep your blood sugar levels under control. Working out more frequently seems to lead to improvements in insulin response and function. One study in people at risk of diabetes found that burning more than 2,000 calories weekly via exercise was required to achieve these benefits.
3. Drink water
What’s more, sticking with water most of the time helps you avoid beverages that are high in sugar, preservatives and other questionable ingredients. Sugary beverages like soda and punch have been linked to an increased risk of both type 2 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). Drinking water instead of other beverages may help control blood sugar and insulin levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes.
LADA is a form of type 1 diabetes that occurs in people over 18 years of age. Unlike the acute symptoms seen with type 1 diabetes in childhood, LADA develops slowly, requiring more treatment as the disease progresses.
4. Lose weight if you are over weight
Although not everyone who develops type 2 diabetes is overweight or obese, the majority are.What’s more, those with prediabetes tend to carry excess weight in their midsection and around abdominal organs like the liver. This is known as visceral fat. Excess visceral fat promotes inflammation and insulin resistance, which significantly increase the risk of diabetes
Carrying excess weight, particularly in the abdominal area, increases the likelihood of developing diabetes. Losing weight may significantly reduce the risk of diabetes.
5. Quit Smoking
Smoking has been shown to cause or contribute to many serious health conditions, including heart disease, emphysema and cancers of the lung, breast, prostate and digestive tract. There’s also research linking smoking and second-hand smoke exposure to type 2 diabetes
6. Eat high-fiber Diet
Studies in obese, elderly and prediabetic individuals have shown that it helps keep blood sugar and insulin levels low. Consuming a good fiber source at each meal can help prevent spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which may help reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
7. Optimize Vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D is important for blood sugar control. Indeed, studies have found that people who don’t get enough vitamin D, or whose blood levels are too low, have a greater risk of all types of diabetes. Good food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish and cod liver oil. In addition, sun exposure can increase vitamin D levels in the blood.
8. Minimum your intake of processed food
One clear step you can take to improve your health is to minimize your consumption of processed food. They’re linked to all sorts of health problems, including heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Studies suggest that cutting back on packaged foods that are high in vegetable oils, refined grains and additives may help reduce the risk of diabetes. Minimizing processed foods and focusing on whole foods with protective effects on health may help decrease the risk of diabetes.
9. Drink coffee or Tea
Although water should be your primary beverage, research suggests that including coffee or tea in your diet may help you avoid diabetes.
Studies have reported that drinking coffee on a daily basis reduced risk of diabetes type 2 by 8–54%, with the greatest effect generally seen in people with the highest consumption. Coffee and tea have antioxidants known as polyphenols that may help protect against diabetes In addition, green tea contains a unique antioxidant compound called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that has been shown to reduce blood sugar release from the liver and increase insulin sensitivity.
10. Life style change
Rather than viewing prediabetes as a stepping stone to diabetes, it may be helpful to see it as a motivator for making changes that can help reduce your risk. Eating the right foods and adopting other lifestyle behaviors that promote healthy blood sugar and insulin levels will give you the best chance at avoiding diabetes
Kidney stones, or renal calculi, are solid masses made of crystals. Kidney stones usually originate in your kidneys. However, they can develop anywhere along your urinary tract, which consists of these parts:
kidneys
ureters
bladder
urethra
Kidney stones are one of the most painful medical conditions. The causes of kidney stones vary according to the type of stone.
Types of kidney stones
Not all kidney stones are made up of the same crystals. The different types of kidney stones include:
Calcium
Calcium stones are the most common. They’re often made of calcium oxalate (though they can consist of calcium phosphate or maleate). Eating fewer oxalate-rich foods can reduce your risk of developing this type of stone. High-oxalate foods include:
potato chips
peanuts
chocolate
beets
spinach
However, even though some kidney stones are made of calcium, getting enough calcium in your diet can prevent stones from forming.
Uric acid
This type of kidney stone is more common in men than in women. They can occur in people with gout or those going through chemotherapy. This type of stone develops when urine is too acidic. A diet rich in purines can increase urine’s acidic level. Purine is a colorless substance in animal proteins, such as fish, shellfish, and meats.
Struvite
This type of stone is found mostly in women with urinary tract infections (UTIs). These stones can be large and cause urinary obstruction. They result from a kidney infection. Treating an underlying infection can prevent the development of struvite stones.
Cystine
Cystine stones are rare. They occur in both men and women who have the genetic disorder cystinuria. With this type of stone, cystine — an acid that occurs naturally in the body — leaks from the kidneys into the urine.
Risk factors for kidney stones
The greatest risk factor for kidney stones is making less than one liter of urine per day. This is why kidney stones are common in premature infants who have kidney problems. However, kidney stones are most likely to occur in people between the ages of 20 and 50.
Different factors can increase your risk of developing a stone. Typically, Caucasians are more likely to have kidney stones than those of African descent.
Sex also plays a role. More men than women develop kidney stones, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK).
A history of kidney stones can increase your risk. So does a family history of kidney stones.
Other risk factors include:
Dehydration
Obesity
a diet with high levels of protein, salt, or glucose
hyperparathyroid condition
gastric bypass surgery
inflammatory bowel diseases that increase calcium absorption
taking medications such as diuretics, antiseizure drugs, and calcium-based antacids
Recognizing the symptoms and signs of a kidney stone
Kidney stones are known to cause severe pain. Symptoms of kidney stones may not occur until the stone begins to move down the ureters. This severe pain is called renal colic. You may have pain on one side of your back or abdomen.
In men, pain may radiate to the groin area. The pain of renal colic comes and goes, but can be intense. People with renal colic tend to be restless.
Other symptoms of kidney stones can include:
blood in the urine(red, pink, or brown urine)
vomiting
nausea
discolored or foul-smelling urine
chills
fever
frequent need to urinate
urinating small amounts of urine
In the case of a small kidney stone, you may not have any pain or symptoms as the stone passes through your urinary tract.
Why kidney stones can be a problem
Stones don’t always stay in the kidney. Sometimes they pass from the kidney into the ureters. Ureters are small and delicate, and the stones may be too large to pass smoothly down the ureter to the bladder. Passage of stones down the ureter can cause spasms and irritation of the ureters as they pass. This causes blood to appear in the urine.
Sometimes stones block the flow of urine. This is called a urinary obstruction. Urinary obstructions can lead to kidney infection and kidney damage.
Testing for and diagnosing kidney stones
Diagnosis of kidney stones requires a complete health history assessment and a physical exam. Other tests include:
blood tests for calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and electrolytes
blood urea nitrogen (BUN)and creatinine to assess kidney functioning
Urinalysis to check for crystals, bacteria, blood, and white cells
examination of passed stones to determine their type
The following tests can rule out obstruction:
abdominal X-rays
intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
retrograde pyelogram
ultrasound of the kidney (the preferred study)
MRI scanof the abdomen and kidneys
abdominal CT scan
The contrast dye used in the CT scan and the IVP can affect kidney function. However, in people with normal kidney function, this isn’t a concern.
There are some medications that can increase the potential for kidney damage in conjunction with the dye. Make sure your radiologist knows about any medications you’re taking.
How kidney stones are treated
Treatment is tailored according to the type of stone. Urine can be strained and stones collected for evaluation.
Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day increases urine flow. People who are dehydrated or have severe nausea and vomiting may need intravenous fluids.
Other treatment options include:
Medication
Pain relief may require narcotic medications. The presence of infection requires treatment with antibiotics. Other medications include:
Allopurinol (Zyloprim) for uric acid stones
diuretics
sodium bicarbonate or sodium citrate
phosphorus solutions
ibuprofen (Advil)
acetaminophen (Tylenol)
naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Lithotripsy
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy uses sound waves to break up large stones so they can more easily pass down the ureters into your bladder. This procedure can be uncomfortable and may require light anesthesia. It can cause bruising on the abdomen and back and bleeding around the kidney and nearby organs.
Tunnel surgery (percutaneous nephrolithotomy)
Stones are removed through a small incision in your back. This procedure and may be needed when:
the stone causes obstruction and infection or is damaging the kidneys
the stone has grown too large to pass
pain can’t be controlled
Ureteroscopy
When a stone is stuck in the ureter or bladder, your doctor may use an instrument called a ureteroscope to remove it. A small wire with a camera attached is inserted into the urethra and passed into the bladder. The doctor then uses a small cage to snag the stone and remove it. The stone is then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
Kidney stone prevention
Proper hydration is a key preventive measure. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking enough water to pass about 2.6 quarts of urine each day. Increasing the amount of urine you pass helps flush the kidneys.
You can substitute ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, and fruit juice for water to help you increase your fluid intake. If the stones are related to low citrate levels, citrate juices could help prevent the formation of stones.
Eating oxalate-rich foods in moderation and reducing your intake of salt and animal proteins can also lower your risk of kidney stones.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to help prevent the formation of calcium and uric acid stones. If you’ve had a kidney stone or you’re at risk for a kidney stone, speak with your doctor and discuss the best methods of prevention.
You May Have Had a Heart Attack Without Realizing It
However, a new study indicates that thousands of Americans may have had a heart attack and not known it. In the study, published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, researchers analyzed the health records of nearly 9,500 middle-aged adults who were enrolled in a study focused on atherosclerosis, a condition that involves plaque build-up in the arteries. Researchers then looked at differences in heart attacks between several groups in the study, including men and women, and followed patients for nine years.
They found that 317 of them had silent heart attacks, while another 386 had heart attacks with obvious symptoms. By following patients for another 20 years, researchers found that silent heart attacks accounted for 45 percent of all heart attacks. These kinds of heart attacks also increased fatality rates. Those who had silent heart attacks were three times more likely to die from heart disease and were 34 percent more likely to die in general. Researchers also found another important distinction: women were more likely to die from silent heart attacks even though men were more likely to get them.
Why are silent heart attacks so deadly? Because if someone doesn’t realize they’ve had a heart attack they’re less likely to seek treatment for heart disease.
A heart attack is usually accompanied by symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, upper body pain in the arms, neck or jaw and nausea or lightheadedness. However, the symptoms of a silent heart attack are barely noticeable. According to the study’s authors, these heart attacks usually are detected later when patients get an electrocardiogram (EKG) to check their heart’s electrical activity.
Signs of a Silent Heart Attack Silent heart attacks should be treated because they indicate underlying heart disease. If you aren’t sure if you’ve had a silent heart attack, here are some signs and symptoms you should be aware of:
Fatigue: if you have unexplained tiredness, it could be a sign of cardiac issues. During a heart attack, there is reduced blood flow to the heart, which puts extra strain on the muscles and leads to fatigue. If you feel tired and have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, don’t hesitate to see a doctor.
Soreness in the Limbs: If you feel sore in your arms, back or chest, it could be a sign of a possible heart attack. When the arteries are blocked, blood flow to the muscles is reduced, which leads to soreness.
Heartburn: Unusual heartburn that doesn’t occur after eating may be a sign of a heart attack, especially if it is accompanied by intense chest pain.
Nausea: If you have a severely upset stomach accompanied by nausea or vomiting, it may be a symptom of a heart attack. If you haven’t eaten something to disturb your stomach, you may want to see a doctor just for peace of mind.
If you experience any of these symptoms and have other risk factors for heart disease, it’s best to get an EKG. Though silent heart attacks often go undetected, they should be treated in the same way as other heart attacks, which may reduce your risk of a future episode or potentially fatal heart attack.
But as we often say, prevention is key. Heart disease is largely preventable with healthy lifestyle choices, including regular physical activity and a balanced diet that’s low in saturated fat, salt and sugar and high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
A heart attack is life-altering — and potentially life-ending. So whether you’re at risk for a silent heart attack or not, take steps today to be more proactive about your health health.
What can cause a silent heart attack? Are the causes different for men than women? The causes of silent heart attacks are the same as those that cause heart attacks with symptoms. The most common cause of a heart attack is a blockage in a blood vessel that compromises blood supply to the portion of the heart that depends on that blood vessel. However, there are many different ways that blood flow to the heart can be compromised and women may be at higher risk for some of the less common mechanisms, which include:
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or SCAD (when a spontaneous tear forms in the wall of a blood vessel compromising blood flow) Coronary vasospasm (a temporary, sudden spasm of a coronary artery that can impair blood flow) Microvascular disease (disease of small blood vessels supplying the heart)
Because less is known about less common mechanisms, these causes are harder to identify and treat. There is still so much to learn about how to improve cardiovascular care in women, and this is a focus of Mass General’s Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program
Ways to prevent a silent heart attack:
Eating a healthy diet Walking 45 minutes a day Maintaining an active lifestyle Maintaining a healthy weight Not smoking Drink more water, one glass before sleep Physical Health check once a year.
Doctors can help people identify whether someone may be at higher risk for developing heart disease and can help treat some of these risk factors—like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Women with a history of pre-eclampsia may also be at increased risk for heart disease.
It is very important that patients who already have heart disease or have had a heart attack see a cardiologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the heart) regularly to care for their hearts. Patients who have had a heart attack are at particularly high risk for another heart attack, and a cardiologist can help patients reduce this risk.
Lung diseases need no introduction considering the air we breathe in. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a condition that damages the lung airways causes an array of symptoms like chest tightness, breathlessness, persistent cough and wheezing. It has become one of the leading causes of mortality in the country.
Lung diseases have certain symptoms that should be taken care of, especially at night. Considering our breathing changes during sleep due to general muscle relaxation increasing airway resistance, it is imperative to recognize the symptoms of possible consequences.Immediate effects of night-time symptoms may include fatigue and low productivity, while the long term consequences may involve lung function changes, increased exacerbation frequency, cognitive effects, depression, impaired quality of life and worsening of cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have suggested that night time-symptoms may be the marker for the emergence of severe condition with more risk for an exacerbation.
Your diet plays an important role in maintaining your health, especially respiratory system. Eat foods that will help strengthen your lungs and prevent any possible diseases. We list down some foods that may help strengthen your respiratory system-
1. Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps create a defense mechanism against injury to human tissues and further help in building a stronger immunity. Vitamin E may include dry fruits like almonds, fish and herbs including oregano, basil, parsley and cloves.
2. Beta-Carotene
Beta carotene is full of antioxidants and plays a key role in controlling inflammation. Foods like green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, spinach, carrots, radish, broccoli and coriander are rich in Beta-carotene.
3. Magnesium Rich Foods
Magnesium helps boost the natural defenses and relaxes your lungs from the excessive pressure. Some of the magnesium rich foods are nuts, seeds, legumes, spinach, yogurt, figs, avocado and figs among others.
4. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants that have the ability to repair and promote tissue growth. This vitamin is present throughout the body and eradicates the effects of free radicals. Foods like dark leafy vegetables, berries, bell peppers and tomatoes are rich in vitamin C.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-14 10:25:022020-07-14 10:25:02Know the Symptoms of Lung Diseases and Consume these Important Nutrients for Better Health
