On good health – and why achieving it is no rocket science. A short thread …
(1) Myriad factors affect health. Genetics is one of the most important. All of us know that one person who has won the gene lottery–can eat all without weight gain, can smoke 3 packs a day. And still glow with health. However, for most, that’s not the case. So what should one do
(2) Food first. Principles are simple. Eat less than you think you should. DO NOT eat unless hungry. The need for the mandatory 2/3/4 meals based on the time of the day is a myth. Trust your body, not the clock. NEVER eat to your fill. Try not eating anything for 12-18 hours.
(3) NEVER snack. Have dinner as early as you can. Ensure a minimum gap of 2 hours between your last meal and sleep. Now the do nots. Moderation is key. Avoid all excesses, esp. sugar. DO NOT smoke. If at all you choose to drink, do so in moderation.
(4) Exercise: Goal is to do some exercise which increase your heart rate consistently for half an hour a day. Walking is best. But do whatever floats your boat. In addition, lift some weights. Esp. if you are above 40. Take cold showers – nothing forces blood to the skin faster.
(5) Practise mindful breathing. Take deep breaths. As deep as you can. Learn holding your breath. Always breathe ONLY through your nose. Even while exercising. Esp. while exercising.
(6) Try and manage at least 6 hours of good quality sleep and you should be good to go. Anything more than 8 hours is a waste of time.
(7) And finally, understand that most times, we know the answer. An hour of Netflix or sleep? Hit the snooze or take a walk? Di I really need that 2nd slice? Am I really hungry? Should I smoke that cig? Fruit or a Pepsi? You get my drift... just do the right thing 🙂
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If this doesn't warm the cockles of your heart, i doubt anything else will. Providing Health care services in one of the remotest places in Odisha. A thread...
Setting: the interiors of Simlipal forest reserve. Miles and miles of dense jungles. No electricity. Scattered populace. Bang in the middle if this, stumbled upon this quaint health center at Gudgudua.
Managed in a PPP Mode by an NGO, SPAR. 24*7 Electricity generated by solar panels. Spic and span. No less than a corporate setup. Right in the heart of the jungle. Miles from civilization. Don't trust me? See these...
(1) Truly exciting news coming in on the efficacy of the indigenous Covaxin. If the trend holds, this can be a better vaccine than the famed Pfizer and Moderna ones with 90-95% efficacy? How? Read on...
(2) The Phase III protocol in a nutshell: The plan was to enroll 25,800 participants in the study. Divided in to a vaccinated and a placebo group of ~ 13,000 each. Test all to ensure Covid-ve at baseline. Give 2 doses a month apart (vaccine as well as placebo). And then wait..
(3) Wait till 130 patients are tested Covid +ve on rt-PCR. Then compare the positives in both groups to arrive at an efficacy %. With me so far? Grossly dumbed down. But that's the gist of it. So what happened next?
(1) Thanks all for the massive response on my thread on the menace of TB. This time around, let’s discuss the basics of (1) how do I know if I have symptoms of TB (2) what do I do if I have these symptoms and (3) what all facilities has the Govt made available for this?
(2) As discussed in my prev. thread, TB mostly (>70%) affects the lungs. Hence, the commonest symptom obviously is cough. Not just any cough though - cough that persists for at least 2 weeks. Sometimes tinged with blood (NOT the copious amounts of blood that we saw in old movies)
(3) In addition, it may be accompanied by fever (low grade, evening rise of temp), night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite and so on. For TB affecting organs other than lungs, the symptoms would be organ specific.
(1) Been working in Public Health, esp. in the field of Tuberculosis since almost 2 decades now. I continue to be surprised, almost on a daily basis, at the level of ignorance that persists in the community regarding this killer disease. Hence the thread - prepare to be shocked..
(2) First Things first – TB is caused by a bacteria. In India, it is estimated that every year ~27 lakh people fall ill with TB and ~4.5 lakh succumb. For perspective, so far, ~1.5 lakh deaths have been attributed to Covid – meaning, TB is thrice as deadly as Covid.
(3) Lesser known fact (1) TB is probably the only disease which can affect any living tissue of our body. Think of any body part or tissue and you can get TB there. However, it most commonly (70%) affects the Lungs (Pulmonary TB).
@bmcbbsr (1) Long thread warning..
Me and wife are Medical Doctors. My 68 years old mother, who is diabetic and hypertensive (on medication) was diagnosed with Covid. Harrowing experience so far. But this is neither the time nor the place to demoralise our Health Care workers ...
(2) So what I will do (instead of complaining) is give a few humble suggestions from my Public Health background as well as my personal experience of dealing with the system in place. Hope this is taken in the right spirit by the authorities. Here goes my two cents ...
(3) A. Carry out massive, concerted and continuous awareness drive on symptoms of Covid-19 and which Hospital to approach if there are any signs of the disease.
B. Introduce a system of online / telephonic appointments to fever clinics so as to avoid long waits and rush.