PatientsEngage General Community

Whether you are a beginner at yoga or may have been doing yoga practice for a while, these simple guidelines by Divyayog can help you gain more benefit from your yoga practice. As shared with Savita Narayan. Yoga is a complete mind-and-body discipline that has been practised in India for centuries. Over time a huge body of work has developed on the theory behind its practice. As with any much-studied science, the masters have enumerated certain methods for the yoga practitioner to follow in…

Each day, 46 people die in America after overdosing on prescription painkillers.  In 2012 alone, the CDC says 259 million prescriptions were written for painkillers, enough to supply every American adult with a bottle of pills. "Opioids are essential medicines for end-of-life care or when used short term for acute pain, but this vast overprescribing of opioids is mainly for conditions where use of opioids are probably not safe or effective, like low back pain with a normal spine,…

The development and widespread adoption of so-called “antibiotics”—drugs that kill bacteria and thereby reduce infection—has helped billions of people live longer, healthier lives. However, the more we rely on antibiotics, the more bacteria develop resistance to them, which makes treating infections that much more challenging. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overuse of antibiotics by humans—such as for the mistreatment of viral infections—means these…

From protein supplements to high-protein diets, nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju tells you all you need to know about choosing the right proteins. Plus, protein-rich food combos for vegetarians.  1. Protein makes up 17% of our body weight. It exists in muscle, skin, bone and organ tissues. Proteins are also part of enzymes, antibodies, lipoproteins, hormones, haemoglobin, albumin and our body cannot function without it.  2. What is protein? Protein is composed of 20…

The experimental drug, which was isolated from a sample of New Englanddirt, is called teixobactin. It hasn’t yet been tested in people, though it cured all mice infected with antibiotic-resistant staphylococci bacteria that usually kills 90 percent of the animals, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. Bacteria appear to have a particularly difficult time developing resistance to the drug, potentially overcoming a major problem with existing antibiotics…

According to the World Allergy Organization, almost 40% of the globe's population is genetically prone to severe allergic reactions. In an effort to understand the intensity of the allergy pattern in India, a clinical laboratory conducted a comprehensive study in 2014. 15.7% of people had allergy. While 43.93% of those tested positive suffered from dust allergy, 20.6% were allergic to pollens, 10.5 % to fungus and 10.3% to animal dander. "Such a high number clearly indicates that immunity…

Keeping up with the carb-bashing can be tough. One day they’re in, the next day they’re on the chopping block.  A diet that includes whole grains may help protect your heart, finds new research published Monday in JAMA InternalMedicine. Every 28 gram-per-day serving of whole grains was associated with a 9% lower rate of death from cardiovascular disease and a 5% lower rate of death from any cause.  It’s best to remember the simple mantra: eat real food. We need…

You've heard that using screens before bedtime can mess with your sleep, but new research suggests the problem is even more serious and can make you feel like a zombie the next day. The findings could impact anyone who uses an eReader, laptop, smartphone, or certain TVs before bed. "We know from previous work that light from screens in the evening alters sleepiness and alertness, and suppresses melatonin levels," Dr. Anne-Marie Chang, an associate neuroscientist in BWH’s Division of Sleep and…

Unnecessary surgery is not new in medicine. Stenting, knee replacements, hysterectomies are often found to be unnecessary on second opinion.  "We found that the discrepancy in opinions (between the patient's doctors and the second opinion-giver) was highest in heart problems at 55%," said Dr Shome. Knee replacements and hysterectomies were second at 48% while infertility was third on the list with 45% discrepancy in opinions. "We have doctors seeking opinions if they themselves are asked…

There’s no such thing as ‘detoxing’. In medical terms, it’s a nonsense. Diet and exercise is the only way to get healthy. But which of the latest fad regimes can really make a difference? This article looks at the facts. If toxins did build up in a way your body couldn’t excrete, you’d likely be dead or in need of serious medical intervention. “The healthy body has kidneys, a liver, skin, even lungs that are detoxifying as we speak,” he says. “There is no known way – certainly not through detox…