PatientsEngage General Community

India and South-east Asia has high incidence of anaemia. Family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai tells you all you need to know about this often-silent threat that can pose many complications.  What is anaemia? Anaemia (or Anemia) is a generic term for low haemoglobin in the blood from any cause. It is not a disease by itself. It can occur in different forms and be caused by many factors.  Anaemia is diagnosed when the haemoglobin value checked in the laboratory is…

1. There is no scientific data to demonstrate that millions of people have become allergic or intolerant to gluten (or to other wheat proteins). Patients have diagnosed themselves, relying on anecdotes and intuition, not data.  (The problem with bread is not the gluten, but the additives in industrial bread - like vital wheat gluten and other chemicals. In fact the amount of gluten used in factory made bread has increased many fold over the years) 2.…

“Stress clearly promotes higher levels of inflammation, which is thought to contribute to many diseases of aging. Inflammation has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, frailty, and functional decline,” says Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, a leading stress researcher at Ohio State University. She and other researchers have found that stress affects the body’s immune system, which then weakens your response to vaccines and impairs wound healing. Research has linked…

Sleep Disorders are associated with a growing number of health conditions - insulin resistance and diabetes, blood pressure, heart diseases, cancer, obesity, stroke  Sleeping less than 7-8 hours each night, irregular sleep schedules, poor sleep quality increase health risks. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/spotlight/fact-sheet/sleep-disorders-insufficient-sleep-improving-health-through-research

For some people, the smell of good food can trigger a feeding frenzy. But others find it much easier to resist such temptations. What’s the explanation? Is it willpower ? A recent study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry suggests the answer to what fuels susceptibility to food cues may be far more complex, related to subtle differences in brain chemistry. The PET scans showed that, compared to their leaner counterparts, obese individuals had more dopamine-triggered signaling activity in…

What happens when doctors and family members don’t agree and you don’t have a living will? Lawyer Lyn Boxall describes scenarios in the US, Singapore and the UK. What is a living will In the US and Singapore, a person can make a ‘living will’ – officially, an ‘advance medical directive’. In Singapore, it’s a document that a person signs and that applies when the person is terminally ill and unconscious or incapable of making a rational decision. It instructs their treating…

By nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju What are Chia Seeds ? They are a member of the mint family Why love them? • Chia seeds improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The soluble fibre in the seeds helps to stabilise blood glucose levels. When soaked in liquid, they develop a gelatinous texture. This gel formation phenomenon creates the barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes that ultimately slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into simple sugar.…

This touching and poignant documentary – “Portraits of Care” –  looks at the lives of four amazing Caregivers and gives a rare glimpse into the realities of long-term care in India. A husband as caregiver, a wife as caregiver, daughters as caregivers The caregivers share the issues with home care agencies, dealing with absent and interfering relatives, caregiver stress and the financial challenges How to take time out for yourself, how to deal with your anger and frustration…

Celiac disease is a relatively new health disorder in India and experts claim that only a handful of patients are diagnosed. Majority of patients are still undiagnosed. In its press statement, Department of Biotechnology (DoB) said almost one per cent of north Indian population is suffering from the disease in which the inner lining of the small intestine (where food is digested and absorbed) gets damaged and food is not absorbed properly. Non-absorption of food leads to weight loss, prolonged…

Here is a healthier, vegetarian version of the classic sizzler recipe. This is an interesting way to incorporate tofu, which is such a heart-friendly food. This recipe is also rich in antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and protein and has a low glycaemic index. Hence, recommended for diabetics too. Baiye tofu is dried bean curd, structured in the form of sheets. It's easily available.  But if you cannot get it, regular tofu will also do. You can play around with the ingredients and toss in…