PatientsEngage General Community

During National Nutrition week, we bring to you some common questions that you would like answers to. Content provided by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. 1.  Does excessive eating of salt increase blood pressure? Yes, in certain individuals who are salt sensitive, while this does not happen in those who are salt insensitive. 2.  What are the foods to be avoided by people with High Blood Pressure? Salted snacks e.g. Potato wafers Pickles and papads Ketchups Salted meat /…

Sangeeta is a blogger who instills rare insight into her role of a caregiver. She not only chronicles the various methods which work for her father, who has Parkinson's, Dementia and Diplopia, but she backs it up with profound logic and common sense. The best part of her blog is her all-pervading humour which gives such a bitter sweet taste to her snippets of caregiving. Here are her top tips for handling medical emergencies and hospital stays.  My father  Anna was in a hospital for…

Losing a loved one especially after a long period of caregiving can be distressing and leave you with a range of different and conflicting emotions. This article by PDMDS suggests six ways to deal with grief and loss.   Losing someone close to you is extremely distressing. That loss also signifies the end of your caregiver role which may create feelings of emptiness. How you cope with the demise of the person you cared for is a very personal thing. Remember, there is no right or wrong…

A person with any illness should be empowered to have a say in their treatment plans and choices. And mental health should not be any different. Dr. Ramesh Kumar of SCARF explains what a Psychiatry Advance Directive is and why it must be executed despite the concerns. Psychiatry advance directives (PADs) is a document which outlines the patients’ preference in his treatment. This is executed when the patient has capacity, so that these directions can guide his treatment at a later…

Give blood. Give now. Give often.  On World Blood Donor Day, Dr Nikhil Nasikkar, a frequent blood donor, points out the acute shortage of blood in our hospitals and implores potential donors to donate blood generously to save people who die every year due to its scarcity. Most middle and low income countries have low blood donation rates. I first donated blood on my 19th birthday. My friends were pestering me to cut a cake and throw a party. But I am not much into…

Donate Blood. Save Lives. Can you donate blood or platelets? How should you prepare before a blood or platelet donation and what care do you need after a blood donation. All in one place. Dr. Shital Patel explains.  Eligibilities for Blood Donation Must be currently in good health with no active infection. Donor must be between 18-60 years of age. Donor must be no less than 45 kgs in body weight. Donor’s haemoglobin level must be no less than 12.5g/dl for females and 13.0g/dl for males.…

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital and leading tobacco control advocate on the importance of the fight against tobacco and what more needs to be done.  1.  Why is the fight against tobacco important? Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death worldwide. It takes away the lives of 10 lac (100,000) Indians every year. There is a huge economic burden attributable to this (1.04 lac crores per year). It is also a cause for creating poverty. Hence, it…

Are you confused about all the labels used for persons with disabilities? Manisha Shastri and the PatientsEngage tea, explains why Person comes first, the origins of the word "handicapped" and what's wrong with other labels. And when in doubt, ASK  So, let me try and break this down for those who don’t understand why the term ‘persons with disability’ is politically correct and accepted, while all other terms are fairly offensive and exclusionary in nature. While addressing a person with…

Dr Sudhir Kumar, a consultant with specialisation in old age psychiatry and neuropsychiatric disorders discusses his views on the importance of Dementia Friendly Communities (DFCs) and how India needs to work more towards it Dementia-friendly communities help people with dementia feel included and supported in the day to day surrounding – the places they work, live and play  A dementia-friendly community focuses on spreading awareness about dementia and providing a safe and supportive…

Happy Mother's Day 2016 This Mother's Day we asked a few of our contributors, to share a Mother's Day wish. They shared poems, beautiful thoughts for their mothers who have been their caregivers and their stength in their journey. We look forward to hearing from each of you what you wish for your Mother or if you have a message for her, express yourself today. Read Smitha's entire poem here: To the World's Best Mother - My Mom Know more about Siddharth Jayakumar, Melissa Chan, Vedika and Smitha…