Mediterranean diet for Endometrial cancer

Yes. You heard that right! A recent study has shown that Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer affects women in their 50’s and it is caused due to the  growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the uterus. It is also known as uterine cancer.

The food choices that a woman makes can affect her health directly.It also affects her uterus. It is recommended that for a woman to stay healthy, she must eat a balanced diet, exercise moderately and avoid smoking and drinking. 

A typical Mediterranean diet consists of

1) Brinjals

2)Tomatoes

3) Hazelnuts

4)Shrimps

5)Chickpeas

6)Olive oil

The diet also includes intake of a small amount of meat,fish  and dairy products.

The study has revealed that women who included nine components of the Mediterranean diet were 57% less likely to develop uterine cancer when compared to those who included only seven components of the diet. Women who followed only five components of Mediterranean diet were only 34% less likely to develop endometrial cancer. Less than five components showed that women were at a higher risk of developing uterine cancer.

It is however, noteworthy that cancer may develop due to our genes and age. Leading  a healthy lifestyle helps in lowering the risks of cancer and at times prevent it . 

Eat healthy, stay healthy !

Causes and Symptoms of Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a medical condition in which a person experiences pain while swallowing. It may be a sensation that causes difficulty in the passage of food from the mouth to the stomach.

Dysphagia is of two types

1.Esophageal dysphagia: In this type of dysphagia a person may feel that the food is hung up at the base of the throat. Esophageal dysphagia is caused when food or foreign particles block the esophagus or due to gastroesophageal reflex disease where in the acids from the stomach moves up to the esophagus. Another major cause could be presence of esophageal tumours in the esophagus.

2.Oropharyngeal dysphagia: In this type of dysphagia, the throat muscles become weak, making swallowing a difficult task. Oropharyngeal dysphagia may occur if the person is suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment for it. Neurological disorders like sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injury many all lead to oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Symptoms of dysphagia

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Pain in the throat
• Pain in chest
• Coughing /Choking
• Heartburn
• Unexplained weight loss
• Hoarseness
• Foods move to the mouth after swallowing

Complications involved in dysphagia are;

1.       Dysphagia may make swallowing of food difficult which will lead to weight loss and dehydration.

2.       Dysphagia may also lead to respiratory problems like pneumonia and upper respiratory infections in case the food enters his airway.

A speech pathology physician is the best doctor to consult with in case you are suffering from dysphagia. Get it treated at the right time to avoid complications.

Diplopia- Know its causes and symptoms.

Diplopia is also known as double vision. It is a serious condition of the eyes and it must not go untreated. In diplopia , a person views two images of  a single object. Treating it at the right time. Frequent headaches and pain in the eyes while moving  may be early signs of diplopia

Causes of Diplopia

There are several causes that may cause diplopia. We have listed a few;

1. Infections in the cornea such as herpes zoster, shingles, and dryness can cause the light entering the eyes to be distorted which causes diplopia.

2. Cataracts may also be responsible for double images

3. Muscle problems of the eyes such as myasthenia gravis and graves’ disease can develop into diplopia.

4. Multiple sclerosis, Guillan –Barre syndrome and diabetes cause damage to the nerves thereby affecting the vision.

5. Problems associated with the brain such as strokes, migranes ,brain tumours or aneurysms may also cause double vision.

Symptoms of Diplopia

1.       Eyes appearing to be “cross” or a misalignment of one or both the eyes

2.       Pain around in the temples or eyebrows

3.       Pain during movement of the eyes

4.       Headaches

5.       Nausea

6.       Droopy eyelids

Treatment

To reduce double vision, the patient may be advised to wear an eye patch or prism glasses.

It is highly recommended that one consult an ophthalmologist immediately if he/she develops any of the above symptoms and get it treated at the earliest.

Leukemia and its treatment

What is Leukemia?

Leukemia is the cancer of blood cells. When the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells and when they multiply rapidly it causes leukemia. The rapid multiplication of WBC’s surrounds normal blood cells and causes anemia and bleeding.  Mutations in the DNA are the main cause of leukemia. Factors like genes and environmental factors may also trigger leukemia. Some early symptoms of leukemia include a lump in the neck, groin or armpit and sudden weight loss.

Treatment of Leukemia

Depending on your age, health and few other factors, the physician will decide the most suitable treatment. Any one of the following treatments may be advised to the patient.

1.Chemo Therapy: This therapy kills the leukemia cells.

2.Targeted Therapy: This therapy makes use of special drugs that target specific cells within the cancer causing cells.

3. Biological Therapy: This therapy enables the immune system identify and fight leukemia cells.

4.Radiation Therapy: In this therapy, X-rays or high energy beams are used to stop the growth of leukemia cells and kill them. This therapy may target either the whole body or a specific area in the body.

5.Stem cell Therapy: To undergo this therapy a patient will first have to be treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.This destroys the leukemia cells in the bone marrow. Next,stem cells are made use of to rebuild the bone marrow.The stem cells could either be your own or obtained from a donor.

In case you have doubts regarding leukemia, it is advisable that you visit a  hematologist at Kharghar Medicity Hospital and get yourself examined and get all your doubts cleared.

Dental Myths busted!

So many myths have surrounded dental problems. It is high time we bust these myths and get the facts right! The main cause of such myths to surface is fear in people to visit a dentist. Do not be misguided by false information. Read on to know about the facts.

Myth 1:  Teeth must not be bleached

Fact: If teeth are bleached under proper guidance, it will whiten the teeth. Over bleaching may cause the teeth to turn translucent but no damage would be done to the enamel.

Myth 2: One must avoid brushing his teeth when gums bleed

Fact: On the contrary, bleeding gums need to be brushed as it indicates plaque and accumulation of food.Ideal way to brush is to keep the brush at 45 degrees pointing towards the gums. Flossing along the curve of the tooth is also beneficial.

 Myth 3:  Bad breath indicates poor brushing

Fact:If you brush and floss your teeth regularly ,one can get rid of bad breath. Certain foods like garlic and onions and some diseases may also be responsible for causing bad breath.

Myth 4: Sugar is bad for the teeth

Fact: Consuming foods rich in sugar does not cause tooth decay. It is the amount of time the sugar stays in the mouth that causes damage to the tooth enamel.

Myth 5: You will know when you develop cavity

Fact: As a matter of fact, tooth decay has no symptoms. One will know about the tooth decay only after it has advanced to certain level.

Myth 6: Kids below 5 years need not brush

Fact: On the contrary it is important to brush the milk teeth and maintain proper dental hygiene. This will ensure proper dental hygiene in the long run.

Myth 7: Sensitivity in teeth indicates tooth decay

Fact:  Sensitivity in teeth occurs due to several reasons such as broken tooth, hypersensitive teeth etc. It is not necessarily an indication of tooth decay.

It is highly recommended that you visit a dentist immediately in case you face tooth ache or any other tooth or gum problem.

Stress related diseases

Today life is full of frustrations, hassles, demands and stress. Stress has become a part of our lives today.

Nervousness, anger and grinding of teeth are some common symptoms of stress. One needs to learn to manage the stress in his life as it could otherwise lead to diseases like heart problems, diabetes, depression  and even death.

What is stress?

Stress is our body’s response to events that make us feel threatened or lose our balance in some way.

Symptoms of stress

A person suffering from stress may show the following symptoms;

·         Easily Angered

·         Loneliness

·         Mood swings

·         Frustration

·         Nervousness

·         Dry mouth

·         Sleeplessness

·         Nausea

·         Diarrhea

·         Constipation

·         Low sexual desire

 Diseases caused by stress

If a person is stressed over long duration of time, he may develop any one or all of the following diseases

1.       Heart disease: Stress is believed to cause an increase in the heart rate and blood flow causing the body to release cholesterol and trigycerides. This causes high blood pressure and heart diseases.

2.       Asthma: Stress can cause shortness in breath and cause asthma attacks.

3.       Obesity: High levels of stress cause fat to be deposited in the stomach area giving rise to obesity.

4.       Diabetes:Skipping meals and eating junk food may lead to increase in the glucose levels thereby inducing diabetes.

5.       Depression: People in stressful situations most of the time are prone to depression.

6.        Aging: Stress can lead to shortening of length of each DNA strand causing the cells to lose their ability to divide further. This leads to faster aging.

7.       Alzheimer’s disease: Stress increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

8.       Gastrointestinal problems: Stress worsens ulcers in the stomach and may cause chronic heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome.

9.       Death: Stress can affect one severely and may eventually cause death

Consult a general physician at Kharghar Medicity Hospital if you show any of the above symptoms or have any query regarding stress related diseases.