Hepatitis B- The Silent Liver Killer. Know the facts!

Hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is infectious. It affects the liver and causes it to swell up. In this blog let us discuss about the symptoms of hepatitis B and also learn about its effective treatment. Hepatitis B can be classified as 1) Acute Hepatitis and 2) Chronic Hepatitis.

1.       Acute Hepatitis B- This type of hepatitis usually gets treated by the immune system and it takes approximately six months to recover from it. In few cases acute hepatitis B can lead to chronic hepatitis B infection.

2.       Chronic Hepatitis- If the immune system is unable to cure acute hepatitis B, then it develops into chronic hepatitis B. This infection may take more than six months to be cured.

A person with Hepatitis B may show the following symptoms;

1.       Dark coloured urine

2.       Frequent headaches

3.       Loss of appetite

4.       Vomiting or nausea

5.       Pain in the joints

6.       Yellow skin and eyes

 Treatment of Hepatitis B

Depending on the severity of the disease, the treatment would vary. However, it is recommended that the infected person have a balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids and avoid smoking and drinking, Chronic Hepatitis B is treated with antiviral medicines.

If you experience any of the above symptoms then consult a general physician at Kharghar Medicity Hospital today!

Want to gain weight?

Yes , you heard that right! Gain weight. We come across several people who wish to lose weight and will go to any length to achieve this. But, there are others who wish to gain weight. This blog is dedicated to all those people who wish to gain weight in a healthy way.

It is always believed that obese or overweight people are prone to several diseases, it is the same with underweight people too. Therefore, it is advisable that people maintain a healthy BMI and are neither overweight nor underweight. A person is said to be underweight if his/her BMI is less than 18. Several causes such as hypothyroidism, cancer, diabetes, stress, excessive exercise etc could lead to being underweight.

Treatment

Kharghar Medicity Hospital has listed a few ways which will help an underweight person to put on weight in a healthy way.

1.       Increase the intake of calories- It is recommended that an underweight person increase his calcium levels. Include almonds, cheese , sunflower seeds in your diet.

2.       Eat more often- Eat atleast 6 meals in a day instead of 3. This is needed because underweight people feel full faster.

3.       Eat foods loaded with nutrients- Consume foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins help in building up muscles. Include whole grains and brown rice in your diet.

4.       Include Milk shakes and smoothies- Include milk shakes and smoothies sprinkled with flax seed powder. Avoid coffee, diet soda and junk food.

5.       Healthy diet- Include healthy foods like salmon, eggs, peanut butter, butter, cheese, tuna, whole wheat and dried fruits to increase the nutrients.

6.       Exercise- Include aerobic exercise, yoga and weight lifting to help in building up of muscles.

Follow the above tips religiously and you are sure to put on weight in a healthy way.

Symptoms of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis also known as MTB or TB, is widespread and may be fatal in few cases. It is infectious disease caused mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB normally affects the lungs but it can affect other parts of the body. If you have a cough lasting for more than 3 weeks with a nagging pain in the chest, it could possibly be TB!

Symptoms of Tuberculosis are;

·         Cough lasting for more than 3 weeks

·         Cough with yellow or green mucus

·          Blood in mucus while coughing

·         Extreme fatigue

·         Sudden weight loss

·         Fever

·         Sweating at night

·         Chills

·         Shortness of breath

·         Chest pain

·         Pain in the kidneys

Tuberculosis infection is spread through air when people having active TB infection sneeze or cough. Most infections do not show symptoms and is known as latent tuberculosis. However, one in ten latent infections turn into active TB .If left untreated can lead to death.

According to a study by WHO in 2013,out of the 9 million people affected  by Tuberculosis , 1.5 million people died.

It is highly recommended that a person showing any of the symptoms get himself examined at the earliest. Tuberculosis , if left untreated can lead to liver problems, heart disorders , spinal damage and joint damage. In few cases it can cause swelling of the membranes that cover our brain.

Myths on heart diseases you always thought were true

 In this www world, it is easy to be misguided by information posted all over the internet. In this blog we have listed a few facts on heart disease which were not known to many. Read on to know about the ‘silent killer’.

Myth 1: Heart disease happen to older people

Fact: The fact is that heart disease can affect people of all age groups. It can affect anyone having high levels of cholesterol and high blood pressure. In addition to this, eating junk food, smoking , drinking and unhealthy lifestyle can increase the risk of developing heart diseases.

Myth 2: Heart attacks do not occur in physically fit people.

Fact: On the contrary, it  can affect physically fit people. Factors such as hereditary, smoking , drinking contribute to heart diseases. Although obese people are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases, thin people can also be affected by clogged arteries due to high cholesterol. 

 Myth 3:  Heart attack symptoms are easy to recognize.

Fact:As a matter of fact it is very difficult to recognize symptoms of heart attack. Several symptoms together make up for a heart attack.

 Myth 4: Only men get heart attack

Fact: On the contrary, heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in women .According to a study, it is six times more harmful than breast cancer. However, women are less likely to suffer from heart attack during their reproductive years. Factors like smoking, drinking, unhealthy lifestyle and contraceptive pills, increase the risk of developing heart diseases.

Myth 5: Stopping intake of fatty foods is good.

Fact: Our body does need some amount of fat. Saturated and trans fat must be avoided while unsaturated fat must be consumed. Include fish, nuts and avocados in your diet.

Myth 6: Stop exercising after a heart disease

Fact: Stopping all forms exercise totally will do more harm than good. Instead exercise moderately to recover from a heart disease under the guidance of your cardiologist.

One should be well informed about the heart diseases and its symptoms so as to avoid any further complications.However, one must take care to ensure that he gets only accurate information and not misguided by false information. If you show symptoms of tiredness, fatigue , chest pain etc , consult the cardiologist at Kharghar Medicity Hospital and get yourself examined.

Myths and Facts about healthy food

Many of us eat or do not eat certain food because somebody else has recommended us to do so. But ,it is not so. In this blog we have busted a few myths that surround certain foods. Next time, get your facts right before you ditch some food just because somebody else told you.Read on to know the facts …

Myth 1: Eggs aren’t good for our heart

Fact: It is believed that eggs contain cholesterol and hence it is bad for our heart. In reality, our body absorbs only 25% of cholesterol from food that we eat while 75% of it is manufactured by our liver! Heart diseases are caused by saturated and trans fats. On the other hand, eggs contain relatively small amount of saturated fats and are packed with vitamins and minerals. So, enjoy your eggs for breakfast!

Myth 2: Carbohydrates aids in putting on weight

Fact: Carbohydrates found in foods such as whole grains, fruits , vegetables and beans are good carbohydrates which provide fiber and other nutrients to the body. While carbohydrates from refined food such as bread, pasta , doughnuts etc must be avoided as they increase heart diseases and diabetes.

Myth 3: Eating raw food is more beneficial

Fact: Eating only raw foods can bring down your body’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels! In fact, cooking helps in breaking down certain fibers thereby making it more digestible by the body.

Myth 4: Sugar and fat free foods are healthy

Fact: On the contrary these foods contain certain chemicals that can cause cramps, diarrhea, gas etc. Do not get attracted to “FAT FREE” and “SUGAR FREE” labels in the market!

Myth 5: Drinking coffee is bad

Fact: In fact, coffee contains antioxidants and phyto-chemicals that help in reducing type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. To get good health benefits from coffee, avoid adding cream , sugar and flavoured syrups to it and stick to maximum of 3 cups a day.

Myth 6: Nuts contain fats

Fact: Nuts contain healthy fats !Nuts when had as a snack help you feel fuller for a longer period of time thus helps in reducing your weight. Nuts are a rich source of magnesium, folate and copper.

Eat wisely and not just because somebody has told you to do so. Consult a dietitian or a nutritionist before including any food in your diet. Eat healthy, think positive and stay happy!

GI Endoscopy.What is it?

Trouble is swallowing? Experiencing pain in the upper abdomen? It may be due to problems in your stomach , esophagus and upper small intestine. Endoscopy is a non surgical method by which the doctor can examine a patient’s digestive tract. A flexible tube known as endoscope with a light and camera is attached to it is used to view the pictures of the digestive tract on a TV. GI endoscopy is the procedure to examine the patient’s gastrointestinal system.

Who needs a GI Endoscopy?

 A surgeon would recommend GI Endoscopy when a person shows the following symptoms;

1. Symptoms like pain in the abdomen, vomiting ,trouble in swallowing or sudden weight loss.

2.Inflamed or a narrow esophagus.

3.Inflammation in the stomach

4.Swollen veins in the esophagus and stomach

5.Ulcers

6.Cancer

7. Vomitting out blood.

A GI endoscopy is also recommended after a stomach surgery or to remove growths from the esophagus, stomach or small intestine.In some cases, if the surgeon has to remove some tissue samples for biopsy, a GI endoscopy would be recommended.

A patient may face the following problems after the GI surgery.

A patient may experience some of the below symptoms. In such cases he is advised to report to the laparoscopic surgeon immediately.

·         Fever

·         Difficulty in swallowing

·         Shortness of breath

·         Chest pain

·         Vomiting

·         Pain in the  abdomen

·         Dark colored stool

Secondhand smoke- Very harmful!

It is a well known fact that smoking is injurious to health.But did you know that second hand smoke is equally injurious? Inhaling the smoke involuntarily, from the person who is smoking is known as secondhand smoke.Second hand smoke sources could be cigarettes,cigars etc.Secondhand smoke puts you at a higher risk of several diseases.

Second hand smoke can cause your blood to thicken and develop blood clots.Apart from blood thickening, it may also cause the tissues in the nose to thicken.Babies may suddenly develop infant death syndrome( SIDS). Young children may develop asthma or ear infection or eye irritation. Pregnant women are at an increased risk of delivering premature or underweight babies. Read on to know about the ill effects of second hand smoke

Health risks

It is believed that secondhand smoke consists of around 250 harmful chemicals, a few of which are cancer causing.Harmful chemicals like vinyl chloride,benzene ,cadmium, ethylene oxide etc are found in secondhand smoke.

Experts at Kharghar Medicity Hospital have listed a few harmful diseases caused due to secondhand smoke.

1.       Lung diseases- chest congestion, cough, decreased lung functions are all caused to secondhand smoke. Infants, if exposed to secondhand smoke , may develop pneumonia and bronchitis.

2.       Lung Cancer- inhaling secondhand smoke puts you at a higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who are not exposed to second hand smoke.

3.       Cardiovascular diseases- secondhand smoke increases the risk of coronary heart diseases.Oxygen in the blood gets replaced with carbon monoxide present in the second hand smoke and causes permanent damage to the heart and its tissues.

4.       Sinusitis- secondhand smoke causes thickening of tissues in the nose thereby slowing down the flow of mucus.Harmful bacteria starts building up causing sinusitis.

5.       Breast Cancer- Secondhand smoke puts non-smokers at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

A pulmologist is the best person to consult and know more about the ill effects of secondhand smoke. Visit Kharghar Medicity Hospital and avail the medical services for a better and a healthier you!