Tips to Relieve Stress and Tension

• Take rest during work hours
• Relax by taking a load off
• Try to keep muscles relaxed
• Try to avoid 11th hour panic in meeting deadlines
• Keep on changing positions
• Rotate duties
• Avoid tobacco and unnecessary drugs
• In your daily diet, include the quantities of food containing mineral salts
• Drink lots of water
• Adopt a daily physical activity
• Get proper sleep
• Do some meditation daily

GREEN TEA Benefits

:

What the Research Says


MedlinePlus reports on green tea benefit studies found in the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. They rate effectiveness for various conditions based on scientific evidence on a scale including Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Likely Effective:
Genital warts. A specific green tea extract ointment (Veregen, Bradley Pharmaceuticals) is FDA-approved for treating genital warts.

SNORING

For people who frequently snore, the snoring sleep position greatly affects them. Sleeping on the side or sideways is quite effective to reduce it.
Snoring needs to be addressed because not only interfere with other people who listen, but also endanger the person’s concern.
Airway obstruction causing sleep apnea due to supply oxygen to the brain is not smooth, so the person does not wake up in a fresh condition.

Many experts suggest, people often snore while sleeping should not sleep in a lying position. The existence of gravitational forces cause the organs in the larynx down and narrow the airways, so that vibrate when air bypassed.

Lying on your side can reduce the effects of gravity so that the snoring will also be reduced. people can reduce snoring snoring simply by changing the sleep position from supine to be sideways or tilted.

TOO MUCH SODA DRINKING DURING TEEN YEARS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO CRIPPLING BONE DISEASE LATER IN LIFE

-Teen-age girls beware: your manic passion for soft drinks may catch up with you later in life.

Teen-age girls who consume soft drinks at the expense of milk and other calcium-rich products may increase their risk of osteoporosis, a painful, debilitating bone disease that affects millions of older women.

"Some teen-agers, boys and girls alike, are consuming up to five cans of soda every day," says Dr. Robert Keith, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System nutritionist. "And while sodas have calories, they have no other nutritional value."

Soda drinking wouldn't be as serious an issue if kids consumed a calcium-rich diet with plenty of dairy products and green leafy vegetables, Keith says. But the fact is they don't, and therein lies the problem.

For an increasing number of young people, soft drinksare being substituted for more nutritious beverages such as milk. And while it's still possible for youngsters to compensate for this by consuming other calcium-rich foods, most don't.

"If a teen is consuming roughly 2,000 calories a day, which includes five sodas, between 30 and 40 percent of their calories are coming from soft drinks," Keith says. "If they're not going to drink milk, the next best things are the dark, green leafy vegetables, such as turnip greens, romaine lettuce and broccoli."

Of course, given young people's historic disdain for these foods, he concedes it's very unlikely they will start now.

While many teen-agers likely will pay for these nutritional lapses later in life, Keith doubts many of them would change even if they were warned of the risks.

"It's just not a specific threat," Keith says. "Life after age 50 seems especially remote to these kids and so the issue isn't perceived as an immediate threat."

Complicating this is peer pressure: soft drinks after all, have been an integral part of the teen-age social scene for decades.

Even though age 50 seems far away to these girls, the spiraling effect that eventually leads to bone loss can begin as early as age 30, Keith says.

"Bone mass usually peaks round 30," he says. "After that, you either maintain what you have or you begin losing bone mass in minute degrees every year thereafter." The people who will pay most dearly with osteoporosis are those whose bone mass wasn't as high as it should have been upon reaching age 30, Keith says.

"A lot of bone mass is laid down in earlier adolescence," Keith says "So if kids miss their opportunities early in life by not consuming enough calcium-rich foods, they never catch up."

Women are especially vulnerable to osteoporosis because of estrogen loss at menopause.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Diabetes

First, certain diabetes risk factors like age, family history, and ethnicity cannot be changed. However, changing other diabetes risk factors by eating a healthier diet and increased physical activity -- with or without weight loss -- may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

In addition, if you have high blood pressure or are overweight, modifying your lifestyle habits may help in type 2 diabetes prevention. Your doctor can make specific recommendations that are right for you including diet changes and specific exercises. Medications to help you quit smoking, lower your cholesterol, and lower your blood pressure help reduce your risk of complications.

A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health and published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that being overweight and obese was the single most important risk factor that predicted who would develop type 2 diabetes. During a 16 year follow-up period, study results showed that regular exercise -- at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week -- and an improved diet that's low in fat and high in fiber significantly helped with type 2 diabetes prevention. The bottom line: type 2 diabetes prevention could be as easy as adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

In another study, the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group, researchers reviewed the effects of weight loss, diet, and exercise on type 2 diabetes prevention in more than 500 people who were overweight and also had pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes with an impaired oral glucose tolerance test. They concluded that with changes geared at weight loss and improving physical activity levels, people at high risk of developing diabetes could reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 50%.

What's the Benefit of Practicing Yoga?

Yoga Effectiveness Under Clinical Trials
A great number of studies have been done in order to check the benefits of yoga. There are currently more than 1,600 studies being conducted to check the benefits, most have shown that the effects have indeed been good.

Yoga has reportedly been able to increase blood circulation, increase the nutrients supply to the body, and give deep relaxation to its practitioner.
Heart and Blood Circulation
At Menninger Foundation, Kansas, researchers have found that yoga meditation affects the heart and improves blood circulation.


Asthma and Energy

Published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet (1990), a study has reported that yoga breathing has been able to reduce the frequency of asthma attack. At the same time, an Oxford study has found that yoga breathing is more effective in restoring energy than relaxation or visualizations.


Stress and Yoga

In a study, rats that were placed in head stands for 1 hour per day and subjected to shocks have been shown to be more adaptable to stressful conditions compared to other that do not. Human beings who practice postures like head stands have also been shown to be more "stress hardy."


Lower Anxiety

Another benefit of yoga is in making you less depressed and calmer. People who practiced yogic meditation have been showed to increase their skin resistance (i.e. felt less stress and strain) by 200 % within only 10 minutes they began to meditate. The anxiety level remained low for long period after the meditation session ended.

Blood and Cholesterol

Yoga has been shown to lower the blood pressure, diminish the accumulated carbon dioxide and relax the mind. At the same time, when used along with dietary change, has been able to reduce cholesterol level by 14 points in 3 weeks.


Arthritis

In British Journal of Rheumatology (1994), yoga has been reported to benefit patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.


Other Problems

Yoga has also been used successfully as an adjunctive therapy for asthma, migraine and cancer. A regular yoga practice has been able to improve the life of people suffering from diabetes by lowering their sugar level.


Psychologically

Because of its psychological benefit, yoga has also been used for drug treatment among prisoners, to help people to stop smoking and to improve job satisfaction.

Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health

Eating nuts helps your heart by reducing cholesterol.


Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can be good for your heart. Nuts, which contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients, are a great snack food, too. They're inexpensive, easy to store and easy to take with you to work or school.

The type of nut you eat isn't that important, although some nuts have more heart-healthy nutrients and fats than do others. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts — you name it — almost every type of nut has a lot of nutrition packed into a tiny package. If you have heart disease, eating nuts instead of a less healthy snack can help you more easily follow a heart-healthy diet.
Can eating nuts help your heart?

People who eat nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet can lower the LDL, low-density lipoprotein or "bad," cholesterol level in their blood. High LDL is one of the primary causes of heart disease.

Eating nuts reduces your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. Nuts also improve the health of the lining of your arteries. The evidence for the heart-healthy benefits of nuts isn't rock solid — the Food and Drug Administration only allows food companies to say evidence "suggests but does not prove" that eating nuts reduces heart disease risk.


What's in nuts that's thought to be heart healthy?

Although it varies by nut, most nuts contain at least some of these heart-healthy substances:


Unsaturated fats.

It's not entirely clear why, but it's thought that the "good" fats in nuts — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower bad cholesterol levels.


Omega-3 fatty acids.

Many nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a healthy form of fatty acids that seem to help your heart by, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in many kinds of fish, but nuts are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.


Fiber.

All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower your cholesterol. Fiber also makes you feel full, so you eat less. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes.


Vitamin E.

Vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in your arteries, which can narrow them. Plaque development in your arteries can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack.


Plant sterols.

Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower your cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products like margarine and orange juice for additional health benefits, but sterols occur naturally in nuts.


L-arginine.

Nuts are also a source of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.

Six Health Benefits of Eating Oatmeal

Eating a bowl of oatmeal each morning is the perfect way to start your day off right. This article will explain the six benefits of eating oatmeal and ways to make it taste delicious.

First off, the oatmeal discussed here is not the instant kind that comes in the different flavors — these are full of sugar. The real stuff is the plain oat flakes from Quaker Oats or a similar brand.

The benefits of oatmeal are due to the fact that it's made from oats and oats are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

According to the American Cancer Society:

1. Insoluble fiber's cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.

2. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.

3. Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch. This may be beneficial to diabetics because, when you slow down the digestion of starch, you avoid the sharp rises in your blood sugar level that usually occur following a meal.

4. It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.

5. The phytochemicals in oat may also have cancer-fighting properties.

6. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

Health Benefits of Mosambi Juice(sweet lime)

Mosambi juice is also known as sweet lemon juice and it boasts of numerous benefits. A key feature of mosambi juice is that it is very sweet and not acidic. It is also a good source of vitamin C, copper and iron. The following are other health benefits of consuming sweet lemon juice.

1. Prevents scurvy

This disease usually occurs in people with an inadequate amount of vitamin C in their diet s. Scurvy is characterized by swollen gums, frequent bouts of flu and colds as well as cracked lip corners. Mosambi juice can be used to cure scurvy since it has a high content of vitamin C.

2. Enhances digestion

The mosambi juice has a sweet fragrance that enhances the release of saliva, which assists to digest food quickly. The flavonoids present in lime enhance the digestive process through stimulating the secretion of bile, digestive juices and acids. Aside from that, the compounds in mosambi juice are also beneficial for the peristaltic motion.

3. Cures constipation



The acids present in the sweet lemon juice are great for doing away with toxins found in the bowel tracts. Mosambi juice is also beneficial for people with stomach upsets, dysentery, diarrhea and loose stools since it is rich in potassium. It helps avoid vomiting and nausea as a result of its tasty flavor.

4. Improves immune system

Regular intake of the mosambi juice has been known to improve the function of the heart, which ensures proper blood circulation. This action leads to a much healthier immune system.

5. Benefits the skin

Sweet lemon juice is good for the skin and it will assist to do away with pigmentation, spots and blemishes. It also provides a bright glow and shine on the face.

TOP 10 WAYS TO BE HAPPY AND BEAT DEPRESSION

 (Courtesy : Reader's digest)



Depression is a serious mental health disorder. However, people may experience the sad emotions associated with depression for reasons that can be prevented and corrected. No matter what your age, you can learn from these ten simple tips. Like many lists, these tips to get happy are easy to read. The real test is whether you w

ill implement these changes in your life to gain their benefits!
1. Floss Your Teeth

There are clear and consistent relationships between tooth loss and depression. It's not only that you look better when your teeth are in reasonably good shape but that you feel better emotionally and will have better health. My dentist, in reacting to this news, noted that most people don't think about their teeth as part of their bodies, so they don't fret when their teeth need to be removed the way they would if, Jack Bauer-style, someone tried to remove part of their fingers. They figure when it's time for them to go, then out they should go. Your teeth do matter, however, and as you get older they will matter even more to your overall health.

2. EXERCISE

Here's a new twist on a familiar topic: A large scale investigation of studies conducted on a total of almost 650 older adults showed beneficial effects of exercise treatment; this effect is found repeatedly in studies of young adults. Exercise gets the endorphins to kick in, raising your mood, and also helps you to feel better about your physical abilities. Ultimately the more physically competent you feel, the better your mood, and a positive cycle gets going. Exercise also keeps your brain working more efficiently, improving your cognitive functioning and making you a better thinker

3. Control You Diet

Lowering your intake of high calorie, high sodium, and high sugar foods (aka junk food) will reduce your chances of experiencing depressive symptoms no matter what your age. Over time, the benefits will continue to accumulate. Older adults with the condition known as "metabolic syndrome," essentially a combination of pre-diabetes, overweight, and high cholesterol, have higher rates of depressive symptoms. Not only does your body work more effectively on healthier fuel, but you will also be less likely to experience such depression-generating conditions as chronic lower back pain and arthritis. A recent study suggested that depressed people eat more chocolate perhaps as an effort to self-medicate. Keep reading to find out better ways to treat your mood that don't compromise your diet

4. Get Enough Sleep

We all know the frayed nerves and fatigue that go along with being sleep-deprived. Sleep disorders can certainly be a symptom of depression but depression can also emerge from chronic failure to put in a solid night of z-time. Researchers have found that treatment of insomnia can reduce and even prevent depression in adults of all ages. Proper sleep habits will also reduce other problems associated with depression, including many chronic health problems. Try to get 7 hours of sleep a night, at least.


5. Maintain Sufficient Vitamin Levels

Researchers have found that many older people are vitamin-D deprived. According to one study, vitamin D protects the brain from vascular injury and improves overall metabolic and cardiovascular functioning. Vitamin b complex got frm proper diet protects from mental disease.

6. Work on Your Relationships

Study after study shows that social support in the form of marital closeness, and good relations with children, friends, and grandchildren are important ways to protect yourself from depression. It's not only what you get from these relationships but also what you give. Being a mentor or support for someone else is a surefire route to fulfillment.

7. Turn Down the Volume

Hearing loss and depression have a long history of association. People with sensory impairments of all kinds are more likely to have less positive moods. Though some sensory losses are not preventable, hearing loss (for the most part) is. Turning up the volume of what goes into your headphones, or even wearing headphones at all, is a good way to kill off the tiny hair cells in your cochlea--the part of your ear containing the sensory receptors. So don't. Keep the volume low and minimize the time you do spend with the music piped into your eardrums.


8. Don't Let Aging Get You Down

My former doctoral student Mark Weinberger and I just completed a study in which we report on the relationship between people's views about aging and the experience of depressive symptoms. People who become preoccupied with their own physical symptoms are more likely to report a sad mood. It's true that depression can color your world negatively but it works both ways. Don't think too much about aging other than to take the steps to prevent what's preventable.

9. Watch for Falls

One of the great sources of depression if not death is hip fracture resulting from a fall. As we get older, our balance suffers unless we take active steps to maintain it. Practice simple exercises--such as standing on one leg--and although you may not become a trapeze artist as a result you will be more likely to stay on your feet if you trip over a stair, broken sidewalk, or some other obstruction. Maintaining your flexibility and keeping your muscles taut through such exercises as yoga, stretching, and resistance training are additional ways to avoid falling. You can start this no matter what your age and you'll start to see results right away.

10. Get Treatment If You Need It

Depression is a treatable condition that responds not only to medication but to newer forms of psychotherapy that have now become the staple of the psychologist's toolkit. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which works on fixing your thoughts and your behaviors (as the term implies) is highly effective as is interpersonal therapy, which adds social skill training into the mix. Older adults tend to be reluctant to seek psychotherapy. Many prefer to complain to a physician about their bodily complaints rather than to admit to feeling sad or anxious. If you're feeling the characteristic signs and symptoms, some of which you can read about here, seek help. No matter what your age, you can benefit from psychological treatment. With an improved outlook on life you'll be better able to take advantage of the other 9 tips you've just read about. Not only will you feel better but you'll live longer and get more out of the years you have.

Why u should eat more fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients (Plant derived micronutrients). They are absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but help body keep fit and healthy!

Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins which are essential fo

r optimizing our health.

Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.

Fruits contain many anti-oxidants like poly-phenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly, help body protect from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly, help body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant values which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or ORAC.
Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberries, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.

Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants which helps body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs in the human body. The overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite!
You are protecting yourself from minor problems like wrinkling of skin, hair fall, memory loss to major ailments like age related macular degeneration of retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)… and the list of fruit nutrition benefits never ends!

EARPHONE USERS BEWARE..IT MAY CAUSE HEARING LOSS

.
headphones (“earbuds”) like those sold with the iPod and other music players can increase the risk of hearing loss, according to a US audiologist .

Research undertaken by Dean Garstecki of Northwestern University has found that that an increasing number of young people were now experiencing the kind of hearing loss found in aging adults.

According to Garstecki, cheap earbud headphones were more likely to increase the risk of hearing loss than old-school ‘over the ear’ headphones like the Grado SR60.

Garstecki’s studies found that MP3 users often crank the volume up to 110 to 120 decibels – enough to cause hearing loss after about an hour of listening.

The problem is worse for earbud wearers because the sound source is placed directly into the ear, boosting the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels – the difference in intensity between the sound made by a vacuum cleaner and the sound of a motorcycle engine according to Garstecki.

Why do doctors wear green or blue scrubs?

Scrubs used to be white—the color of cleanliness. Then in the early twentieth century, one influential doctor switched to green because he thought it would be easier on a surgeon’s eyes, according to an article in a 1998 issue of Today’s Surgical Nurse. Although it is hard to confirm whether green scrubs became popular for this reason, green may be especial

ly well-suited to help doctors see better in the operating room because it is the opposite of red on the color wheel.

Green could help physicians see better for two reasons. First, looking at blue or green can refresh a doctor’s vision of red things, including the bloody innards of a patient during surgery. The brain interprets colors relative to each other. If a surgeon stares at something that’s red and pink, he becomes desensitized to it. The red signal in the brain actually fades, which could make it harder to see the nuances of the human body. Looking at something green from time to time can keep someone’s eyes more sensitive to variations in red, according to John Werner, a psychologist who studies vision at the University of California, Davis.

Second, such deep focus on red, red, red can lead to distracting green illusions on white surfaces. These funky green ghosts could appear if a doctor shifts his gaze from reddish body tissue to something white, like a surgical drape or an anesthesiologist’s alabaster outfit. A green illusion of the patient’s red insides may appear on the white background. (You can try out this “after effect” illusion yourself.) The distracting image would follow the surgeon’s gaze wherever he looks, similar to the floating spots we see after a camera flash.

The phenomenon occurs because white light contains all the colors of the rainbow, including both red and green. But the red pathway is still tired out, so the red versus green pathway in the brain signals “green.”

However, if a doctor looks at green or blue scrubs instead of white ones, these disturbing ghosts will blend right in and not become a distraction, according to Paola Bressan, who researches visual illusions at the University of Padova in Italy.

So, although doctors trot down the street these days in a rainbow of patterned and colored scrubs, green may be a doctor’s best bet.

What is cysticercosis?

Cysticercosis is a systemic parasitic infestation caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. The symptoms of this illness are caused by the development of characteristic cysts (cysticerci) which most often affect the central nervous system (neurocysticercosis), skeletal muscle, eyes, and skin. Many individuals with cysticercosis never experience any symptoms (asymptomatic). 

The tapeworm responsible for causing cysticercosis is endemic to many parts of the developing world, including Latin America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of adult-onset seizures worldwide.

Historically, the disease has been recognized since about 2000 B.C. by the Egyptians and later described in pigs by Aristotle. The disease was also recognized by Muslim physicians and is thought to be the reason for Islamic dietary prohibition of eating pork. In the 1850s, German investigators described the life cycle of T. solium.

What causes cysticercosis?


Cysticercosis is caused by the dissemination of the larval form of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. When the eggs of Taenia solium are ingested by humans, the tapeworm eggs hatch and the embryos penetrate the intestinal wall and reach the bloodstream. The formation of cysts in different body tissues leads to the development of symptoms, which will vary depending on the location and number of cysts.

How is cysticercosis transmitted?

Humans are the host for Taenia solium, and they may carry the tapeworm in their intestine, often without symptoms. The tapeworm eggs are periodically shed in the feces by the human reservoir, and typically pigs ingest the eggs in contaminated food or water. The pigs subsequently become infected and develop cysticerci in their body tissue. When humans eat infected raw or undercooked pork, the life cycle of the tapeworm is complete and the cycle continues.

Human cysticercosis, however, develops after humans ingest Taenia solium eggs. The eggs are typically spread via food, water, or surfaces contaminated with infected feces

Mycetoma

Mycetoma is a chronic subcutaneous infection caused by actinomycetales(60%) or fungi(40%). This infection results in a granulomatous inflammatory response in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue, which can extend to the underlying bone. Mycetoma is characterized by the formation of grains containing aggregates of the causative organisms that may be discharged onto the skin surface through multi

ple sinuses. Mycetoma was first described in the mid 1800s and initially named Madura foot, after the region of Madura in India where the disease was first identified.

Mycetoma caused by microaerophilic actinomycetales(Actinomadura,N​ocardia and Streptomyces spp.) is termed actinomycetoma, and mycetoma caused by true fungi(Madurella mycetomatis M.grisea,Leptrosphaera) is called eumycetoma.



Pathophysiology

The body parts affected most commonly in persons with mycetoma include the foot or lower leg, with infection of the dorsal aspect of the forefoot being typical. The hand is the next most common location; however, mycetoma lesions can occur anywhere on the body. Lesions on the chest and back are frequently caused by Nocardia species, whereas lesions on the head and neck are usually caused by Streptomyces somaliensis.

The causative organism enters through sites of local trauma (eg, cut on the hand, foot splinter, local trauma related to carrying soil-contaminated material). A neutrophilic response initially occurs, which may be followed by a granulomatous reaction. Spread occurs through skin facial planes and can involve the bone. Hematogenous or lymphatic spread is uncommon.

INVESTIGATIONS

Diagnosis is confirmed by demonstration of fungal grains in pus
Black grains r due to eumycetoma.
Red and yellow grains r due to actinomycetoma.
Histopathological examination of tissue.

TREATMENT
Eumycetoma treated with surgery + antifunal therapy(itroconazole and ketoconozole).
Actinomycetoma treated with cotrimoxazole.
Nocardia with dapsone+cotrimoxazole.

Measles

Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus.

It remains one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.

Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family. The measles virus normally grows in the cells that line the back of the throat and lungs. 

Signs and symptoms

The first sign of measles is usually a high fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus, and lasts four to seven days. A runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and small koplik spots(blushish white spots with red base) inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage(prodromal stage). After several days, a rash erupts,(eruptive phase) usually on the face and upper neck. Over about three days, the rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and feet. The rash lasts for five to six days, and then fades. On average, the rash occurs 14 days after exposure to the virus.

Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications associated with the disease. The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhoea and related dehydration, ear infections, or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia. As high as 10% of measles cases result in death among populations with high levels of malnutrition and a lack of adequate health care. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)is late complication.

People who recover from measles are immune for the rest of their lives.
Who is at risk?

Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications, including death. Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or previously recovered from the disease) can become infected.



Transmission

The highly contagious virus is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. It can be transmitted by an infected person from four days prior to the onset of the rash to five days after the rash erupts.

Measles outbreaks can result in epidemics that cause many deaths, especially among young, malnourished children.


Treatment

Severe complications from measles can be avoided though supportive care that ensures good nutrition, adequate fluid intake and treatment of dehydration with WHO-recommended oral rehydration solution. This solution replaces fluids and other essential elements that are lost through diarrhoea or vomiting. Antibiotics should be prescribed to treat eye and ear infections, and pneumonia.

All children in developing countries diagnosed with measles should receive two doses of vitamin A supplements, given 24 hours apart. This can help prevent eye damage and blindness. Vitamin A supplements have been shown to reduce the number of deaths from measles by 50%.
Prevention

Routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaigns in countries with high case and death rates, are key public health strategies to reduce global measles deaths.it is given at 9th month of age.

The measles vaccine is often incorporated with rubella and/or mumps vaccines in countries where these illnesses are problems. It is equally effective in the single or combined form.

Walnuts(akhrot)

 are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 fatty acids, in particular, alpha-linolenic acid ALA) that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Walnuts, indeed, have significantly 

higher amounts of ALA omega 3 fatty acids compared to other nuts.
Health Benefits of Walnuts


More than a decade of scientific evidence shows that incorporating walnuts in a healthy diet reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood vessel elasticity and plaque accumulation. Walnuts have also been shown to aid in the lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and the C-Reactive Protein (CRP). CRP was recently recognized as an independent marker and predictor of heart disease.
FDA Approved Health Claim for Walnuts

In 2003, the FDA recognized the benefits of nuts and their role in heart disease prevention by approving a health claim for 7 kinds of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts). These seven nuts were approved as they are the only kinds that contain less than 4 grams of saturated fats per 50 grams.

In response to a petition filed by the California Walnut Commission, the FDA further endorsed the health benefits of walnuts by approving the following health claim in March 2004.


"Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease."



Adding Walnuts in a Healthy Diet

Nuts in general are high in calories, so moderation is the key. The best approach is to reap the health benefits of eating walnuts but not add excessive calories to your daily intake. Therefore, instead of just adding walnuts to your current diet, eat them in replacement of foods that are high in saturated fats (such as cheese and meat) and limit your intake of these tasty treats to the recommended 1.5 oz per day. That is about 20 walnut halves.

Walnuts add a flavorful crunch to dishes. Here are some simple ideas to incorporate walnuts in your diet to reap their health benefits:
instead of snacking on cookies, crack some walnuts open and eat them as snacks

Colon, or colorectal, cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon).

Causes

colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the developed world. However, early diagnosis often leads to a complete cure.


There is no single cause of colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as noncancerous (benign) polyps, which slowly develop into cancer.

You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you:

Are older than 50
Are African American of eastern European descent
Eat a diet high in red or processed meats
A diet high in fat and low in fibre.
Have cancer elsewhere in the body
Have colorectal polyps
Have inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
Have a family history of colon cancer
Have a personal history of breast cancer

Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer. Two of the most common are:
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), also known as Lynch syndrome

What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a high-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies have found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so this link is not yet clear.

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are other risk factors for colorectal cancer.
Symptoms

Many cases of colon cancer have no symptoms. The following symptoms, however, may indicate colon cancer:

Abdominal pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
Blood in the stool
Diarrhea, constipation, or other change in bowel habits
Narrow stools
Weight loss with no known reason
Exams and Tests

With proper screening, colon cancer can be detected before symptoms develop, when it is most curable.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and press on your belly area. The physical exam rarely shows any problems, although the doctor may feel a lump (mass) in the abdomen. A rectal exam may reveal a mass in patients with rectal cancer, but not colon cancer.

A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) may detect small amounts of blood in the stool, which could suggest colon cancer. However, this test is often negative in patients with colon cancer. For this reason, a FOBT must be done along with colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. It is also important to note that a positive FOBT doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer.

Imaging tests to screen for and potentially diagnose colorectal cancer include:
Colonoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy

Note: Only colonoscopy can see the entire colon, and this is the best screening test for colon cancer.

Blood tests that may be done include:
Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia
Liver function tests

If your doctor learns that you do have colorectal cancer, more tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. CT or MRI scans of the abdomen, pelvic area, chest, or brain may be used to stage the cancer. Sometimes, PET scans are also used.




Treatment

Treatment depends partly on the stage of the cancer. In general, treatments may include:
Surgery (most often a colectomy) to remove cancer cells
Chemotherapy(5-fluorouracil and folinic acid) to kill cancer cells

How to reduce your risk of dengue infection

There is no vaccine available against dengue, and there are no specific medications to treat a dengue infection. This makes prevention the most important step, and prevention means avoiding mosquito(Aedes egypti) bites if you live in or travel to an endemic area.

The best way to reduce mosquitoes is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs,

 like artificial containers that hold water in and around the home. Outdoors, clean water containers like pet and animal watering containers, flower planter dishes or cover water storage barrels. Look for standing water indoors such as in vases with fresh flowers and clean at least once a week.

The adult mosquitoes like to bite inside as well as around homes, during the day and at night when the lights are on. To protect yourself, use repellent on your skin while indoors or out. When possible, wear long sleeves and pants for additional protection. Also, make sure window and door screens are secure and without holes. If available, use air-conditioning.

If someone in your house is ill with dengue, take extra precautions to prevent mosquitoes from biting the patient and going on to bite others in the household. Sleep under a mosquito bed net, eliminate mosquitoes you find indoors and wear repellent.

AMNESIA

What is it?


Amnesia is a Greek word which means forgetfulness or loss of memory. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to remember new facts.

Who gets it?

There are two types of things which can cause anterograde amnesia:

Drugs – No, not the ones that make you high. A group of drugs called benzodiazepines (which are usually used for anxiety or to induce sleep) can cause you to forget things. This can be seen in people receiving them before undergoing surgeries, who can’t recollect the minutes around taking the drug.
Physical damage to the brain – The damage can be the result of an injury (such as after an accident) or after a surgery to the brain. Such surgeries may be needed in some types of seizures, or when a tumor is in that part of the brain.

What causes it?

The area in our brain responsible for storing memories is called the hippocampus. Damage to the area of the hippocampus can cause a problem with learning new things and retaining them.