Topics

31

Faculty Sections / 6 Iron-rich food combos — no meat required

« on: January 30, 2017, 02:18:02 PM »

If you have been considering cutting out or cutting back on red meat, you may be wondering if you will wind up depriving your body of iron. Sure, plant-based foods also contain this mineral, but it is not as readily absorbed. Only 2% to 20% of the iron in plants (called non-heme) makes its way from your digestive system to your blood, compared to 15% to 35% of the iron in animal foods (called heme).

But fortunately, there is a simple solution: Just add some vitamin C to your meal. It boosts the amount of non-heme iron your body absorbs by as much as six fold.

Below are six iron-rich plant foods, each paired with a fruit or veggie loaded with vitamin C. But there's no need to stick with these specific pairs — feel free to mix and match.

1. Spinach (iron) + red bell peppers (Vit. C)

2. Broccoli (iron) + tomatoes (Vit. C)

3. Black beans (iron) + cabbage (Vit. C)

4. Kale (iron) + oranges (Vit. C)

5. Lentils (iron) + Brussels sprout (Vit. C)

6. Dark chocolate (iron) with strawberries (Vit. C)

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Teaching & Research Forum / Take care of your knees

« on: January 30, 2017, 11:00:45 AM »

Knees are important joints of our body because they bear whole body weight during standing, walking and running. Furthermore, squatting puts pressure on knees which allows us to perform religious prayer like namaz. Healthy knee is always crucial for our daily living.

Along with some bones, knee got a lot of muscle, ligaments and meniscuses. It can move easily on directions, thanks to the lubricant like synovial fluid.

Causes of knee pain: a person who reaches his forty can expect degenerative changes in the bones of knee joint. Synovial fluid might lost its natural viscosity and inflammation could catch the ligaments, meniscus or muscles. One the other hand, body overweight or sports injury could induce knee pain at any age.

Symptoms and signs: patient might feel pain in squatting, starring or even walking and running. There might be some swelling with high temperature. Some patients cannot perform namaz or feel difficulties during sitting on a pan. Thus normal activities become limited.

Solution: infiltration of sodium hyaluronate has the ability to enhance natural viscosity of synovial fluid and could improve knee mobility. Electrotherapy is marvelous for reducing intense pain and inflammation. Therapeutic exercise for knee muscle could increase power and provide stability. However, all are the ingredients of integrated pain management (IPM).

Advice: Ignoring knee pain could make you disable. If you want to move in a perfect way, you must have to take care of your knee.

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Faculty Sections / Bad habits that can hurt your brain

« on: January 30, 2017, 10:52:58 AM »

Sleep loss, junk food, inactivity — these things and more can take a toll on your brain health. Here are some issues to pay attention if you would like to keep your brain healthy.

You miss out on sleep

You do a few things you know you should not — we all do. But some of those bad habits can take a toll on your brain. For example, lack of sleep may be a cause of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It is best to have regular sleeping hours. If you have trouble with sleep, avoid alcohol, caffeine, and electronics in the evening, and start a soothing bedtime ritual.

You have too much alone time

Humans are wired for social contact. It is not about how many Facebook friends you have — what matters is a real sense of connection. People who have that with even just a few close friends are happier and more productive. They are also less likely to suffer from brain decline and Alzheimer’s. If you feel alone, call some friends or start something new — salsa dancing, tennis, bridge — that involves other people.

You eat too much junk food

Parts of the brain linked to learning, memory, and mental health are smaller in people who have lots of hamburgers, fries, potato chips, and soft drinks in their diet. Berries, whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables, on the other hand, preserve brain function and slow mental decline. So next time you start to reach for a bag of chips, grab a handful of nuts instead.

You blast your headphones

With your earbuds at full volume, you can permanently damage your hearing in only 30 minutes. But it is not just your ears: Hearing loss in older adults is linked to brain problems, such as Alzheimer’s and loss of brain tissue. This may be because your brain has to work so hard to understand what’s being said around you that it cannot store what you have heard into memory. So turn it down — no louder than 60% of your device’s maximum volume — and try not to listen for more than a couple of hours at a time.

You do not move enough

The longer you go without regular exercise, the more likely you are to have dementia. You are also more likely to get diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure — all of which may be linked to Alzheimer’s. You don’t have to start running marathons — a half-hour in the garden or a brisk walk around the neighborhood will work. The important thing is to do it at least 3 days a week.

You still smoke

It can shrink your brain — and that is not a good thing. It makes your memory worse and makes you twice as likely to get dementia, including Alzheimer’s. It also causes heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.

You overeat

If you eat too much food — even the right kind of food — your brain may not be able to build the strong network of connections that help you think and remember. Overeat for too long and you may get dangerously overweight, which can cause heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure — all linked to brain problems and Alzheimer’s.

You stay in the dark too much

If you do not get enough natural light, you may get depressed, and that can slow your brain. Research also shows that sunlight helps keep your brain working well.

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Faculty Sections / Smoking and its harmful impact among students

« on: January 30, 2017, 10:51:37 AM »

The prevalence of smoking especially among the students of the private universities in Bangladesh is alarming. On a recent survey of students of two top ranking private universities, it was found that there is a high prevalence of smoking among students. However there is also a great movement among these students towards quitting smoking.

According to a survey conducted in both the universities, the highest number of smokers are aged between 18 to 22 and the next age group falls in the range between 22 to 26. The average number of smokers is above 26 and onwards and they are all students of both the universities.

Now this may sound as if no one wants to quit as they are just addicted, a general perception about youth addiction in our society. However the reasons are quite the opposite of what is perceived in general by the adults in our society.

The reasons arise from the extremely delicate emotional state and vulnerability of the youth. Boys who were 90% of the respondents are extremely gullible and react strongly to emotional incidents.

Most of the respondents said that they were very concerned about quitting smoking. The question is why they don’t. A fairly large percentage said they tried quitting but were already addicted or are compelled by the mad rush for CGPAs as well as the availability of street vendors rushing to the students as they exit their campuses with cigarettes.

First hand smoking by now must have been established as the main culprit, however second hand smoking especially in university washrooms despite authorities imposing bans and warnings in their campuses is a far worse culprit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), second-hand smoke contains carcinogens, toxic metals and poisonous gases. While all of these substances obviously have adverse effects on human health, they also affect our environment as well. Second-hand smoke goes into our atmosphere and degrades air quality. The CDC also reports that a collection of experiments demonstrated that levels of respirable suspended particulates (RSPs) decreased by up to 96% in public spaces that banned smoking.

The smoking among the young population as a whole is alarming. This should be addressed properly to create awareness among them and proper measures should be taken to prevent smoking among young population.

A concentrated effort is needed by the universities, schools and colleges as well as our local authorities to increase counselling to address student problems.

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Faculty Sections / Controlling our temper

« on: January 30, 2017, 10:50:40 AM »

Healthy life begins with physical consciousness and calm temper, and at the heart of this dynamic is emotional maturity. Today, world’s number one enemy is stress. Lots of survey have already proven that. In addition the holiday/marriage season can bring with an emotional and financial stressors; that can negatively impact both physical and mental health. And in this stressed world, chronically angry people endanger their health, their jobs and their personal relationships.

The latest discoveries in neuroscience show the significance of joyful relationships to the development of a strong identity that produces flexibility for dealing with life’s challenges. Today we are so busy that we do not have time to ask ourselves — ‘What is happiness? What makes it so important? What helps it grow? What blocks it? And is there a difference between patience with kindness and happiness? Or how dangerous is short temper or anger?’ Recent research demonstrates that kindness benefits our physical and mental health, and that recognising kindness in others increases a person's happiness and satisfaction.

Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist in Washington and an expert on depression and anger, says drivers who are trying to pressure the cars in front to move faster or get out of the way, “are always sitting on their arteries,” which constrict in response to stress hormones that spew forth from their adrenal glands. “These people live on a razor's edge,” he continued, “always vigilant and tense, angry because they want to get some place quicker and think that they can somehow clear the highway.”

So, let’s start giving some extra time, when we are angry. We can calm down inside. This means not just controlling our outward behavior, but also controlling our internal responses, taking steps to lower our heart rate, calm ourselves down, and let the feelings subside. And follow The 80 – 20 Rule. What is that? 20% of life are things that happen to us. We have no control over these events. And 80% of our life depends on how we react to the things that happen to us.

So, we can have total control over our choice of reaction to the things that happen to us. Well, if you are skeptical, then the first step would be to look at the mirror. In reducing unfriendly tendencies — let’s try our best to recognize how hostile we may be and the one-sided thoughts and beliefs that give rise to angry outbursts.

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Faculty Sections / Life begins at 60, it’s the new 40

« on: January 30, 2017, 10:12:33 AM »

The concept of “golden years” is now changing. 50 and above are not what they used to be — they are getting even better. Now, a new research has found that life begins at 60.

Life’s activities don’t end at 60 — actually at this age people are matured both physically and emotionally. As we grow older, there might be a temptation to think that our life’s best effort is behind us.

According to a new report by Cigna Insurance Services (UK), life really begins at 60.  Previously it was said that ‘‘life begins at 40”; this first came from American psychologist Walter B Pitkin in 1932. Pitkin argued with some valid points and established that people could look forward to many more enjoyable, prosperous years after their 30s were over. But researchers are now saying that it is never too late to learn something new; and top of that ‘knowledge and experience’ have no alternate. And to develop experiences you need to become a little bit older, bolder and wiser.

Life has so much richness to offer every single day. But you need to be more careful about your physical and mental health also as it is more important than ever to keep your bones, belly, and brain in tip-top shape.

And what would be your first step? Well, it varies from person to person. Try to watch out for most common signs and symptoms you have, so you can take steps to prevent or treat them. Adapt yourself with new lifestyle and correct nutrition. Lastly, embrace your age gladly and start contributing your experiences as ‘experiences never gets old’.

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Faculty Sections / Broken heart syndrome

« on: January 30, 2017, 10:07:26 AM »

Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition that is often brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. The condition can also be triggered by a serious physical illness or surgery. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they are having a heart attack.

In broken heart syndrome, there is a temporary disruption of normal pumping function in one area of the heart. The remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions. Broken heart syndrome may be caused by the heart's reaction to a surge of stress hormones.

The symptoms of broken heart syndrome are treatable, and the condition usually reverses itself in days or weeks.

Symptoms

Common symptoms include:

•             Chest pain

•             Shortness of breath

Any long-lasting or persistent chest pain could be sign of a heart attack, so it is important to take it seriously. If you are having any chest pain, a very rapid or irregular heartbeat, or shortness of breath after a stressful event, you need  medical assistance, immediately rush to the hospital.

Causes

The exact cause of broken heart syndrome is unclear. It is thought that a surge of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, might temporarily damage the hearts of some people.

Broken heart syndrome is often preceded by an intense physical or emotional event. Some potential triggers of broken heart syndrome are:

•             News of an unexpected death of a loved one

•             A frightening medical diagnosis

•             Domestic abuse

•             Losing — or even winning — a lot of money

•             Strong arguments

•             A surprise party

•             Having to perform publicly

•             Job loss

•             Divorce

•             Physical stressors, such as an asthma attack, a car accident or major surgery

It is also possible that some drugs, rarely, may cause broken heart syndrome by causing a surge of stress hormones.

How is broken heart syndrome different from a heart attack?

Heart attacks are generally caused by a complete or near complete blockage of a heart artery. This blockage is due to a blood clot forming at the site of narrowing from fatty buildup (atherosclerosis) in the wall of the artery. In broken heart syndrome, the heart arteries are not blocked, although blood flow in the arteries of the heart may be reduced.

Diagnosis

Because broken heart syndrome often mimics the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, a coronary angiogram may be done quickly to rule out a heart attack. People with broken heart syndrome often don't have any blockages in the blood vessels, while people who've had a heart attack usually have a blockage that is visible on an angiogram.

Once it is clear that you are not having a heart attack, your doctor will check to see if your signs and symptoms were caused by broken heart syndrome.

Treatment

There is no standard treatment for broken heart syndrome. Treatment is similar to that of a heart attack until the diagnosis is clear.

Many patients make a full recovery within a month or so. Ask your doctor how long you will need to continue taking these medications once you recover, as most can be stopped within three to six months.

Prevention

There is a small chance that broken heart syndrome can happen again after the first episode. There is no proven therapy to prevent additional episodes.
Many doctors recommend long-term treatment with some medications that block the potentially damaging effects of stress hormones on the heart. Recognizing and managing stress in your life may also be important in helping to prevent broken heart syndrome, though there's currently no evidence to prove this.
The writer is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Z H Sikder Women's Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka.

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Faculty Forum / Homeopathy doesn’t work :o

« on: January 25, 2017, 02:29:25 PM »

A major Australian study analyzing over 1,800 papers has shown that homeopathy, the alternative treatment that relies on super-diluted substances and the principle of “like cures like” is completely ineffective, according to a report on smithsonian.com.

After assessing more than 1,800 studies on homeopathy, Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council was only able to find 225 that were rigorous enough to analyze. And a systematic review of these studies revealed “no good quality evidence to support the claim that homeopathy is effective in treating health conditions.”

The Australian study, which is the first position statement relying on such an extensive review of medical literature, strikes the latest blow at a 200-year-old alternative treatment developed by a German physician with “no interest in detailed pathology, and none in conventional diagnosis and treatment.” The Washington Post reports that the study’s authors are concerned that people who continue to choose homeopathic remedies over proven medicine face real health risks—including the nearly 4 million Americans who use homeopathic “medicines”, says the report on smithsonian.com.

The head of the National Health and Medical Research Council told the Guardian that he hopes the findings will lead to changes in Australia’s health insurance and pharmacy systems. But he also said that “there will be a tail of people who won’t respond to this report, and who will say it’s all a conspiracy of the establishment.”

News of the Australian study comes on the heels of newly released National Health Interview Survey data showing a “small but significant” increase in the use of homeopathy during 2012. And recently, a Canadian homeopathic college came under fire for taking an anti-vaccination stance and promoting homeopathic “nosodes” as an alternative to vaccines, according to the report on smithsonian.com.

But will the not-so-new news that homeopathy is ineffective keep consumers from wasting their money on the complementary therapy? If the growing homeopathic industry is any indication, the answer is probably no, says the report on smithsonian.com.

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Faculty Forum / Why blood sugar rises and falls

« on: January 25, 2017, 01:56:17 PM »

Many common foods (including some sugar-free ones) or even a bad cold can raise your blood sugar levels. Here are some culprits to watch for.

Upswing: Caffeine

Your blood sugar can rise after you have coffee — even black coffee with no calories. The same goes for black tea, green tea, and energy drinks. Ironically, other compounds in coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes in healthy people.

Upswing: Sugar-free foods

Many of these will raise your blood sugar levels. Why? They can still have plenty of carbs from starches. Check the total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts label before you dig in.

Upswing: Chinese foods

When you dig into a plate of sesame beef or sweet and sour chicken, it is not just the white rice that can cause a problem. High-fat foods can make your blood sugar stay up for longer. The same is true for pizza, french fries, and other goodies that have a lot of carbs and fat.

Upswing: A bad cold

Your blood sugar rises as your body works to fight off an illness. Drink water and other fluids to stay hydrated. Call your doctor if you have had diarrhoea or vomiting for more than 2 hours or if you have been sick for 2 days and are not getting better.

Upswing: Job stress

Overwhelmed or unhappy at work? It takes a toll. When you are under stress, your body releases hormones that can make your blood sugar rise. It is more common for people with type 2 diabetes. Learn to relax with deep breathing and exercise.

Upswing: Sports drinks

They are made to help you replenish fluids quickly, but some of them have as much sugar as soda. Plain water is probably all you need for a moderate workout of less than an hour.

Lower: Yogurt

Foods that have healthy bacteria, such as many types of yogurt, are called probiotic. They can improve digestion and also may help you control your blood sugar. Some yogurts have added sugar and fruit, so be careful to count the carbs. Your best choice is plain or light yogurt without extra sugar.

Lower: Vegan diet

One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who switched to a vegan diet had better blood sugar control and needed less insulin. A boost in fiber from whole grains and beans might play a role, by slowing down the digestion of carbs.

Promising: Cinnamon

A sprinkle of this spice can add flavour without adding salt, carbs, or calories. Some studies suggest it also can help the body use insulin better and may lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Caution: Sleep

Blood sugar can dip dangerously low during shut-eye for some people with diabetes, especially if they take insulin. It is best to check your levels at bedtime and when you wake up. A snack before bed may help. For some people, blood sugar can rise in the morning — even before breakfast — due to changes in hormones or a drop in insulin. Regular testing is important.

Roller coaster: Heat

You will be safer inside with the AC when it is hot outdoors. Heat makes your blood sugar harder to control. You should test it often and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. High temps can affect your medications, glucose meter, and test strips, too. Don't leave them in a hot car.

Roller coaster: Female hormones

When a woman's hormones change, so does her blood sugar. Keep a monthly record of your levels to get a better idea of how your menstrual cycle affects you. Hormone changes during menopause may make blood sugar even harder to control.

Is sugar bad for you?

If you love sweets, don't despair. You don't have to give them up forever. Sugar will raise your blood sugar levels more quickly than other carbs, but diabetes experts now say the total amount of carbs is most important. So keep your serving sizes small and take into account the total carbs and calories.

What about the glycemic index?

Your daily carb total, spread steadily across the day, is one key to good blood sugar control. Some people also use the glycemic index (GI), a rating of how individual foods raise blood sugar levels. Beans and whole-grain breads and cereals have a lower GI than white bread or regular pasta. Juice has a higher GI than whole fruit. Craving a high-GI food? Eat it along with a lower-GI choice to help control your levels.

 

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Faculty Forum / What to eat when you have a cold

« on: January 25, 2017, 12:11:27 PM »

Is chicken soup really a cold remedy? What about citrus? Here is what to eat and what to avoid when you are trying to beat a cold.

Chicken soup: You should have some, and not just because Mom says so. Studies show it clears nasal passages and congestion better than other hot liquids. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect that may help your cold symptoms.

Citrus: To avoid colds, get plenty of vitamin C. Truth is, it won’t keep most of us from catching one. But if you get a lot of it right before you notice symptoms, it may make you feel better and help you get rid of a cold faster.

Germ fighters: Kale, broccoli, cranberries, green tea, red onions, blueberries — all have an antioxidant called quercetin that may help you fight the common cold.

Ginger: A cup of fresh, hot ginger tea may seem just the thing when you are nursing a cold. But you don't have to wait until you have one to drink it. Some studies show this spicy root may prevent the common cold by blocking the virus.

Dairy: Dairy gets a bad rap. Common wisdom says to avoid it when you are stuffy or runny because you will make more mucus. But there is little evidence to support this. So if you crave ice cream to soothe that sore throat, go ahead and indulge.

Garlic: Scientists think garlic has some things in it that may fight the common cold. They are still figuring out how exactly, but early studies are promising.

Caffeine and alcohol: You are better off avoiding these. You need lots of liquids when you have a cold, but caffeine and alcohol are no-nos because they can dry you out. Of course, if you get a raging withdrawal headache without your morning coffee, by all means, try a little caffeinated tea instead.

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Faculty Forum / What would be the treatment?

« on: January 25, 2017, 12:10:40 PM »

In most of the cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are ineffective. Surgery is not recommended here. But integrated pain management (IPM) is very effective here.

IPM includes proper diagnosis. There are number of muscles in shoulder girdle. A specialist must diagnose the exact muscle which is tight and posing threat to the movement. Dry needling could release trigger fascia. Electrotherapy has great effect in pain relief but doctor should choose appropriate one for different cases.

Additionally, manipulation and therapeutic exercise can mitigate pain and increase shoulder movement. It might take several weeks or even months to eradicate pain and get full swing of shoulder joint movement. Intra-articular infiltration might be very helpful in the case of non-diabetic patients. But in the case of diabetic patient, doctor should take care before infiltration of the joint. Sometimes infiltration is ineffective in frozen shoulder caused by diabetes.

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Faculty Forum / What are the causes of frozen shoulder?

« on: January 25, 2017, 12:10:16 PM »

No doubt, in most cases, frozen shoulder is a disease of diabetic patients. It could be a complication of diabetes mellitus. Most of the time, this condition start with amiable character and mild to moderate pain without any significant threat and seems it might resolve naturally. But it progress with time and gradually limit patient’s activity of daily living (ADL).

After 3-4 months of its start, the condition reaches its highest point. Patients cannot take their affected hand to back, could not be able to wear clothes or even feel pain during toilet.

However, this condition might catch the patient without diabetes. It also could be a major complication of cervical spondylosis, shoulder dislocation or other untreated shoulder injury. In all case, indeed, pain would start mildly and progress slow but steadily.

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Faculty Forum / Painful winter!

« on: January 25, 2017, 12:09:53 PM »

Winter could not be a season of enjoyment for the patient who got musculoskeletal pain. Cold weather might exacerbate neck, back, knee or elbow pain.

Among the all physical pain, shoulder pain is egregious. This condition not only makes the patient’s life hell, but also steals their sleep. Patient might feel thunder bold spark when s/he turns to the affected side and suddenly awakes from deep sleep. It would not be possible to stop that pain by using pain killer or other modalities like heat or cold at midnight.

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Faculty Sections / “Medication Really Works” for anxiety and depression

« on: January 25, 2017, 11:26:55 AM »

Dr Waziul firmly warns that without taking the history of suicidal thoughts no history of a patient of depression is complete. “So the moment we see or notice any suicidal thoughts or tendencies in the patient it means it’s the severe stage. Nothing but medication and ECT can help him survive.” And he adds, “medication really works. Through medication and regular follow-up we can cure depression in just three months.”

So, we have to be aware and keep a cautious eye on our loved ones for depressive tendencies and suicidal thoughts. As they may not be aware that it is an illness which makes them want to quit life. Or it may simply not matter to them at all.

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Faculty Sections / To find Your Happy Things

« on: January 25, 2017, 11:26:07 AM »

“Many things can give you good feelings. Wear nice dresses, visit new and good places, listen to music, mix with people with a positive attitude, create a positive vibe around yourself or go to a lively environment. And most importantly encourage others to do what they like to do. Such changes can decrease the depressive tendencies a lot or even can prevent it at the first place.

“But there are many families who do not recognize this fact. They force their own perception, likes and dislikes upon their children. This can be dangerous. You should respect others in your family and recognize their likes and dislikes. ”

This is how the doctor suggests the depressives and the society as a whole on how finding out and doing little things of happiness can give us pure joy and why we should respect each other’s choices and preferences.