healthfitnessnwellness

 Herbal medicines are increasingly used in Eastern countries and though they are not evidence-based, they have somehow also managed to find their way into the Western world. But they are not devoid of side-effects and liver damage and gut problems are most common of these. Morbidities and mortalities  are associated with the use of these natural remedies and such cases are now occurring in significant numbers of users.  Liver damage and natural products There is an ongoing craze for natural products especially herbal medicines. People start using them if they had problems with regular treatments. Some just use it after they get brainwashed into it during their oriental trips. But one cannot overlook the fact that these herbal drugs also contain phytochemicals that can harm the body especially the liver. Increasingly such hepatic damage cases are encountered in the users.  The damage can range from abnormal liver function tests without symptoms to death. It might come...

 Jackfruit is a tropical fruit. Most people eat its fleshy part which is delicious and nutritious. But did you know that the seeds of this fruit are equally good for the body and its immunity. It has zinc and can be cooked in a variety of ways. A synopsis below: Jackfruit Seeds and health The seeds of the jackfruit has a lot of zinc, fiber, and other vitamins. Zinc is essential for immunity and thus the seeds of jackfruit can be immune-boosting.  Read here: Does rice make you gain weight ?  The seeds can be cooked in a variety of ways. They add diversity to your diet and make it wholesome and more delicious. A new flavor walks in and one can relish it. After consumption of the fruit freshly, one can preserve the seeds away safely and use it to make another healthy dish later on.  Dishes one can make with jackfruit seeds The seeds can be steamed, cooked, or roasted. Their healthy ingredients are preserved in all methods of cooking. One can cut it and cook it into a dr...

 Rice is a staple food of many people in the world. Whenever any person has a higher weight than normal they are advised to stop rice intake. But is rice really fattening?  Rice and its parts The grain of rice has an outer layer called bran, a middle endosperm, and an inner germ. Bran is rich in fiber, minerals, and anti-oxidants. While germ has carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. But the endosperm is all carbohydrates. Just a small amount of proteins exist in the endosperm.  Parts of rice grain (Source: Pinterest)  Brown rice has all the three above components. Hence it is healthy and nutritious. But white rice is only endosperm. Hence it is devoid of healthy nutrients.  White rice can be sticky or non-sticky type. The sticky rice has higher amounts of amylopectin and causes a rapid rise in blood sugar compared to the non-sticky rice. The latter has more of amylose and hence has a lower glycemic index.  Rice and weight gain There is a mi...

 While fungus and black fungus both are increasingly seen in coronavirus patients in India. So much so that some states have asked the health authorities to declare it as an epidemic in their region.  Black fungus or mucormycosis  Increased incidences of black fungus or mucormycosis are observed in those who are coronavirus-positive in India. Gujrat is the worst-affected as regards the black fungus. The state doctors have requested it to be called an epidemic in their stare considering the magnitude of cases coming up in those who test posits for coronavirus.  The fungus appears in immunocompromised states of coronavirus. As if this was not enough, now white fungus cases in these patients are also on the rise. And the white fungus is more dangerous than the black fungus.  White fungus and coronavirus cases  Doctors from states such as Bihar have reported that they are finding an increasing number of cases of white fungus in those infected with coronavirus. ...

 Coronavirus is affecting a large number of people. And some of them are also long covid. The latter means having covid symptoms for a prolonged time. This may be for months and includes fatigue, mental fogging, and the like. People recovering from covid are eager to know what they should eat during and after the illness when recovery phase has set in. Here are the guidelines for it.  Covid infection  Coronavirus is like any other viral infection. It is a systemic infection and produces a catabolic phase in the body. Besides during the active phase of the disease appetite may be low. The net result is weakness and giddiness with blood pressure fluctuations and malnutrition.  Hence during the active symptomatic phase of the disease, one should take more fluids. Good hydration is important. Consume calories also in a liquid form if eating solids might be difficult. Prefer simple easy to digest foods that have a high content of water. Prefer to have warm water and foods...

 Vipassana came to India from Myanmar. It is a philosophy that was propagated here by SN Goenka. But the basics and fundamentals of this spiritual practice are wrong. There is no science it and nothing per se has been proven. In fact, it is disastrous for humankind and society because it is against the very human nature: the nature that all of us are born with.  Humans,  their nature, positive and negative feelings Humans are born with certain natural feelings and reactions. These are virtues or vices. They like to be in groups and have a sense of belonging. They want to share and communicate and socialize. As long as this helps society without creating friction it is good. This means one has to keep these activities under limits and not overdo it. One needs to balance it so that self and society is helped without harming self or anyone else.  Vipassana injurious to health (Source: Quora)  And as regards the vices, one needs to overcome and conquer these demons ...

 WHO has been criticized for not being prompt in declaring the coronavirus pandemic a global health emergency at the right time when spread could have been averted. It set up a panel of international experts in this field to look into and investigate the whole matter so that any further such eventuality could be averted. In their report, the panel also specified that WHO should have more power in accessing data from member countries about a disease. This would imply more transparency with member countries being forced to give up some of their powers. This might not be liked by them but has to be done for the sake of the good of the world.  Panel and criticism of world response  The international panel have blamed individual countries for their slow response in this matter of global interest. Many governments in the start were just watching with no action. This tardiness led to further spread and bad effect on citizens. The panel said that there was no proper global leader...

Coronavirus been infecting people and the air since the past year and a half. It is definitely a contaminant in the air and harmful to people. Can it be called a contaminant?  Definition of pollutant  A pollutant is "any solid, liquid, gaseous, or thermal irritant or contaminant, including smoke, vapor, soot fumes, acids, alkalis, asbestos, chemicals, petroleum, petroleum products and petroleum by-products, and waste...." So it is all inanimate things. But further be definition,  Pollutants include, but are not limited to, substances which are generally recognized in the industry or by the government to be harmful or toxic to persons, property or the environment regardless of whether injury or damage is caused directly or indirectly by a pollutant.  Is coronavirus a pollutant?   There are various views on this. Since coronavirus is a contaminant, it might over the course of time be put in the category pollutant. But some states since 2006 have excluded viruses f...

People are increasingly becoming weight-conscious for cosmetic and health reasons. People want to stay trim and fit. Hence, various diet regimes are present that target the excess fat of an individual. Ideal Protein Alternative Diet Plan is one such diet regimes to bring in weight loss and maintain it. It is a keto style regime that is high in proteins and low in carbs.  What is Ideal Protein Alternative Diet Plan? This is a type of modified keto style diet regime. It has brought success in many obese people. Strict adherence to the plan is essential. French doctor Tran Tien Chanh, MD, founded this plan in 2004. Anne Danahy, a dietitian says: " A true keto diet has only about 5 percent of calories from carbs, (which can be as low as 30 grams per day) and about 75 to 80 percent from fats," 4 phases of the plan This plan has 4 phases: 1. Initial Weight Loss 2. Transition 3. Pre-Stabilization 4. Maintenance Phase 1 PTSD and social media In this, the doctor decides how much weigh...

 Since leather is made from animal hide, many companies have invented and started making vegan leather that is completely animal-free. But for that look of a leather, plastic-derived materials are required. But there is some great news on that front. There is a vegan leather called Desserto that is made from cactus. It is from Mexico and has shaken up the industry and made people go for it.  Desserto, what is it?  Desserto is a type of leather that is completely cruelty-free. There is no killing of animals involved since it is derived only from nopal cactus leaves. Hence it is natural and organic. It is the first if it's kind of leather made from cactus. It has the Caputo make this vegan leather industry more sustainable.  Inventors of Desserto (Source: Green Matters)  Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez from. Mexico had shown their product to the world in in Milan in 2019 at the International Leather Fair Lineapelle 2019. Their company Adriano Di Marti manuf...

Wheatgrass is, as the name implies, a grass of the wheat family. But it is edible. It is supposed to be nutrient-rich and help in a healthy life. Its juice can be had fresh and it is also marketed in freeze dried form as liquids, tablets, capsules and powders for supplemental therapy. What are the other ways that wheatgrass can be consumed?  Wheatgrass Wheatgrass is freshly sprouted leaves of the wheat plant also called as Triticum aestivum.  Many people grow it at home and juice it for their daily needs. Additionally, juice of wheatgrass is also available in juice bars. It is sold as oral forms and also as massage lotions, sprays, gels and in cream forms. The juice is extracted before the seed formation and hence is gluten free. Wheatgrass (Source: Wikipedia)  It is used in Persia and reached the Western world in the 1930s and 1940s. The plant can be cultivated both indoors as well as outdoors. Trays are usually used and a potting mix serves as the soil. The harvesting o...

 Have you ever heard of the term Peter Pan syndrome? This is a term used for men who repeatedly display emotionally immature behaviours. How did this term start to be used for such men? What are the implications? Peter Pan syndrome This term was first used by psychologist Dan Kiley in his book named "The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up." that was released in 1983. But this term is not a scientific term for such people. It is not mentioned in the medical books and neither in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). WHO too does not recognize this name for such men.  What is Morton’s toe?  One very often sees around us such men who have pledged to never grow up. These could be one of our family member or classmate or colleague or a friend. Though commonly used for men, it could also be extrapolated for women.  Peter Pan syndrome (Source: Pinterest)  Characteristics of Peter Man syndrome When the mental, emotional, and soci...

 Often, one notices that the second toe of some people is longer than the great toe. People say different things for it. Many of them say that it implies that the owner of such a longer second toe is a dominant, creative, energetic person in real life and very ambitious and peace and happiness-loving. But no one has tried to understand the reason, science, medicine and problems of having such a toe. It is called as Morton’s toe or Greek foot.  What is a Greek foot? Many people in the world have a longer second toe of the foot. Such feature may be on one side or in both the feet. It is called Morton’s toe or Greek foot. The other names for it are Morton’s foot or royal toe. But the reason is not the second toe is longer but the fact is that the first metatarsal below the great toe is shorter. Thus it is not due to the faulty phalanges but due to the difference in height of the metatarsals. Since the second metatarsal is relatively longer than the first metatarsal, the joint at ...

Gud vich umba or Gudumba is a sweet recipe of Punjab. It is a traditional dish made in that fertile state of five rivers. It is easy and simple to make and one can easily do it at home. The mango season is in and raw mangoes are now available in the market. If you have some mango trees in public places in your neighborhood, you can also pluck the mangoes from there. Some would be reminded of their childhood days while doing it. In rural areas, children use long sticks or stones to make the raw mangoes fall to the ground or climb up the tree and pluck it.  Gud vich umba or gudumba (Source: Self) For this dish you need: Raw mangoes, washed from outside Jaggery Water If you take 500 gms of mangoes, you will require around 300 gms of jaggery (Gud in local language). You can increase or decrease the amount of jaggery depending upon whether you want the dish to be more or less sweet.  Read here: Easy pani puri or Gol gappa recipe with jaljeera powder Recipe: Place the raw mangoes in...

Most of the people have heard or read about The Lancet journal. It is the most reputed international medical journal. In its recent editorial piece, there is an article on the grim situation that India is in now: The Covid crisis. Its analysis also clearly shows what the intellectuals of the land and expert scientists are telling since long: The fault is of the current central government of India and its chief, Modi.  The Lancet and its editorial on the current covid crisis of India  The Lancet's recent issue has an editorial on the severe covid cases in India. There are daily 3-4 lakh cases coming positive for covid and the deaths daily due to the virus touches 4000. And the government is mum. No personal or social media appearances of Modi!  Where is he hiding?  The article states that the covid situation in India is self-inflicted and the government owes an apology to its people. It adds that Modi's refusal to own up his mistakes is only complicating matters and m...

What's up with people using WhatsApp?  WhatsApp is so easy and hence very addictive that people of all age group tend to get hooked to it. It makes them overuse it. The young are especially always on it. But this type of overuse is also a misuse of technology and could lead to health ill-consequences on the users. Let us check on these adverse effects of Whatsapping excessively.  Whatsapping and orthopedic issues Children and mobile phones (Source: Today's parents)  Orthopedic doctors have warned that increasingly they are seeing in their outpatient clinics young adults who have finger and wrist joint pains and even inflammation and arthritis of the hand joints. There are rising cases of repetitive stress injuries and fractures involving the hand, arms, and back. Dr Raju Vaishya, President of Arthritis Care Foundation (AFC), New Delhi remarked: " These days, young people are excessively addicted to social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. They are constantly usi...

 A mysterious brain disease has gripped Canada. It involves the brain and symptoms are similar to the rare degenerative fatal disease of the brain called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. But the tests return negative for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Then what is this new disease? The new brain disease in Canada A rare but increasing new brain disease is gripping Canadians residing in and around the New Brunswick's bucolic Acadian peninsula. There are seuzures, delusions, hallucinations, weight loss, aggression, repetitive speech. The son of one of the patient narrated: " At one point he couldn't even walk. So in the span of three months we were being brought to a hospital to tell us they believed he was dying - but no one knew why." The symptoms start with behavioural changes like anxiety, depression and irritability, and there is unexplained pain, muscle aches and spasms. There is no premorbid conditions. Difficulties in sleeping - severe insomnia or hypersomnia - and memory...

 Are you repeatedly and for long hours watching gruesome images and videos on social media and youtube. Beware! You could end up with mental health problems. This could vary in severity and type and the vulnerable groups are likely to be more affected. This could take the form of PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder that was earlier picked up in war veterans. This is called second-hand or vicarious PTSD. What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a form of health problem seen in combat veterans after they have faced violent fights on the battle-field. There could be flashbacks, avoidance, sleep pattern disturbances and mood changes in the person. This occurs after the gory and violence observed and linger on for a month after the traumatic event.  PTSD (Source: Verywell mind) Online violent videos can cause something similar. But since it is not first-hand trauma, it is called second-hand or vicarious PTSD. Walter Busuttil of veterans' mental health charity Comb...

 People are hooked to whatsapp and Facebook these days. It appears that they cannot live without it. It has become like air, food and water for them: so essential. People are crazy about it and tend to overuse it. But with every technology that is introduced come also its good and bad points. Let us go through them. Good points of whatsapp Everyday there are 12 billion messages sent to and fro on whatsapp. People share news, information, photos, class-notes, and discuss on whatsapp. They keep in touch via this media. It has become a major platform to share world news with each other. 51% of people in Malaysia in one survey said that they use it for news sharing. Documents and images go through easily on whatsapp and also instantly. The notification ring alerts one to a new incoming message and it can be read within a few seconds of landing on one's cellphone.  The voice and video calls have made the world small for family and friends and they can easily talk with their loved o...

  Many people are of the opinion that regular sexual activity leads to weight maintenance and can avoid a weight gain. They believe that if they due to any reason are unable to have sex, they may end up gaining some weight. Others feel that makes them gain weight. But observations and surveys have not proven these thinking types to be true. People with regular sexual activity have been seen to also gain weight and those with cessation of sexual activity due to any reason lose weight. But the other way round has been noticed. Thus, the relation between sex and weight is a complex factor. A person’s weight is determined by several other factors that might impact the ultimate weight of an individual. Sex and weight (Source: Lybrate) Also, read here on Valneva vaccine: the new claimed variantproof vaccine from France!   Sex as a moderate exercise Sexual activity is considered as a moderate grade exercise. The mean energy expenditure during this act has been found to be approxi...

 French company,  Valneva is making a coronavirus vaccine that is in phase 3 clinical trials now. It claims that it is variantproof and will get against all mutant strains of the covid vaccine. This news is heartening and need of the hour. Because mutant variants of the deadly virus have emerged and could pose a threat of creating more trouble for the world. Since December 2019, the infection originated in Wuhan in China and has spread to the world like a wild fire causing a lot of morbidities and mortality. If a vaccine acts also against the new variant forms of the vaccine, it is a welcome step towards control of the virus.  Valneva vaccine (Source: The Conversation)  Also read on Failures of Modi government!   Covid pandemic and its wrath  The coronavirus that was first reported from Wuhan in China took the world by storm. It spread via the air and land route and no country was spared by it. The first wave seemed to subside but the second wave was bad. P...