the good medicine

THE GOOD MEDICINE Vol. 1 Issue.8 August 2011

NEW

SMARTPHONE

APP CAN

DIAGNOSE

CONCUSSIONS

UNDERSTANDING

BIPOLAR DISORDER

A Visual Guide

to

Heart Disease

Rs.10/-

INSIDE

Health Scan .............................. 2

Inside Out .................................. 4

LifeStyle...................................... 9

Salon............................................ 13

Mom & Me................................. 11

Healthy Cooking.....................14

SPOT LIGHT :

Hit your head?......................................2

Cell phones linked to cancer........3

A visual guide to heart

disease......................................................4

Understanding bipolar disor-der.............................................................9

Disclaimer: The views and opinions ex-

pressed by authors of articles published

in this journal are not necessarily those of

the publisher. Subject to the jurisdiction

of Chennai.

EDITORIAL NOTE:

Correspondence:

The Good MedicineNo 4, JT Durairaj nagar, MMDA water tank road,Aminjikarai, Chennai-29 Mobile: 9962007700Email id: [email protected]

Welcome to the August issue. “A visual guide to heart disease” is one of the spotlights of this is-sue which will give you in depth information about heart diseases and how we can detect it earlier. Bipolar disorder a term is often used or heard but we hardly know much about this disorder. Here is the chance to know more about Bipolar disorder in the lifestyle section of this issue. I thank all the writers who have contributed excellent articles for this issue and I am looking forward for their support in the future. Hope you enjoy this enjoy this magazine as much as we enjoyed putting it together. All those who are inter-ested in publishing their articles in this magazine kindly send their articles in word format with their photo and contact details to the following Email id: [email protected]

Editor & Publisher:Dr.B.Nishant

ManagerMrs.Harini Nishant

Advisory Board: Dr.LM.JosephDr.J.Joice Thilagam Dr.Allen SamuelDr. Sherlin SheebaDr.Shahsi Mohan SharmaDr.ThamizhvananDr.Shantha KumarDr.GunasekaranDr. Selvaraj Printed at: Mass Typography5A, Poes Road, Teynampet,Chennai-18

Published & owned by : Dr.B.NishantNo 4, JT Durairaj Nagar MMDA Water Tank Road AminjikaraiChennai –29

Dr.B.Nishant

THE GOOD MEDICINE /AUGUST 2011 / 1

THE GOOD MEDICINE Vol: 1 Issue: 8 August 2011

Bill Griffin, of the National Athletic Train-ers’ Association, said: ‘The documentation of immediate symptoms is very important, from, “How did they get hurt?” to the mech-anism of injury through those initial signs and symptoms, to “How did they progress over time?”‘It’s not only what happens at the time of the injury, but how things change.’The cooperative consists of coaches, doctors, equipment manufacturers and parents, and the group was formed in March to study concussions and brain trauma injuries in an attempt to make sports safer.Souce: dailymail.co.uk

OBESE CHILDREN PERFORM

POORLY IN EXAMS COMPARED

TO THOSE WHO EAT HEALTHY

FOODS

Obese children eating unhealthy food are more likely to have poor exam results, an ex-periment has revealed.Researchers found that school children eat-ing good food at lunchtime are four times more likely to concentrate in the afternoon. Nearly 4,000 schools took part in the Food For Life Partnership (FFLP).The research, which was carried out by a team from the University of the West of England, also revealed that pupils’ interest in healthy foods had an effect on their eating habits at home and their parents’ shopping habits.It found that serving fresh food instead of harmful fats found in biscuits, burgers and cakes had a quick effect on pupils’ academic achievement and behaviour. Very quickly they found that serving a child good food at lunchtime makes them four times more likely to concentrate in the afternoon. Many of the schools involved in the project set up their own gardens. THE GOOD MEDICINE /AUGUST 2011 / 2

HEALTH SCAN

Hit your head?

New smartphone app can

diagnose concussions

It promises to put parents’ minds at rest the world over.A new smartphone app that can determine whether or not someone has suffered a con-cussion is being developed.Should it confirm that a head-trauma has taken place, an email will automatically be sent to the patient’s doctor.The application, which currently has no name as it is still being tested, has poten-tially life-saving implications, particularly for young children and sportsmen.It works by asking a series of questions and then determines the likelihood of a concus-sion based on the user’s answers.It is the brainchild of Dr Jason Mihalik, of University of North Carolina’s brain injury research centre, and Dr Justin Smith, of the U.S. Children’s National Medical Center.The core aim behind the project is how to most effectively bridge the communication gap between team doctors and the team athletic trainers, who are often the first to act when players suffer concussion-like symptoms.


And it was discovered that children would enjoy eating vegetables they had grown themselves - despite normally turning their noses up at them.Ian Nurser, headteacher of St Peter’s Church of England School in Wem, Shropshire, said results at his school had been boosted since the schoolchildren started eating healthier meals each day. ‘They are very proud of knowing what they should be eating

and take a great inter-est in putting together a healthy meal each day.‘They all learn about links to local produce and really think about things. Our results have steadily im-proved since we start-ed this project.‘What pupils are learn-ing in the garden and how to cook to a high level are life skills not available to most young people, with 12

per cent of value added in terms of boosted results.’Libby Grundy, FFLP director, said that despite being pleased with the results of the ex-periment, she was concerned that cuts to local authority school meal budgets could see more unhealthy ready meals in schools.

yy

HEALTH SCAN

CELL PHONES LINKED TO

CANCER

That buzzing, clicking, hissing or popping sound during a mobile phone call may cause brain cancer.The World Health Organisation research institute says receiving calls on your mobile over a prolonged period could lead to a form of brain cancer known as Glioma.

Lead researcher Dr Jonathan Samet of the University of Southern California said there was evidence linking ra-dio frequency fields on phones and their base stations to brain cancer.

The research was based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant brain cancer associated with wireless phone


use.“The conclusion means there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk,” said Dr Samet.Over the years, scientists have released new find-ings periodically, sparking debate for and against the gadgets, but the current research by WHO could af-fect the lifestyle of five bil-lion subscribers globally. The global health body ad-vised consumers to switch to text messaging and use of the hands-free option to reduce exposure.

Past studies that suggest a risk have indicated that tumours tend to occur on the same side of the head where the patient typically holds the phone.Over the years, WHO is on record for dismissing stud-ies linking radio frequency to cancer, saying they are inconclusive and do not support the hypothesis that exposure causes or in-fluences cancer.

However, it has acknowl-edged particular findings that have linked mobile phone use to altered brain and body activity, includ-ing risks like leukaemia and brain tumours and has outlined a number of safe-

ty measures.The WHO/International Agency for Research on Can-cer classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields as pos-sible cancer-causing agents and classified it as Group 2B.

A glioma is a type of tu-mour that starts in the brain or spine. A brain glioma can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting, seizures and cra-nial nerve disorders as a re-sult of increased intracranial pressure.

The WHO research is corrob-orated by a survey early last month by the US National In-stitute of Health that found that less than an hour of cell phone use can speed up brain activity in the area closest to the phone antenna and this, they say, may cause health problems.The study, published last month in The Journal of the American Medical Asso-ciation, says the weak radio-frequency signals from cell phones have the potential to alter brain and body activity.

The researchers, led by Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, established consider-able changes in brain activ-ity among 47 individuals in-volved in the study through brain scan.Source: thecitizen.co.tz

A

Visual Guide

to Heart

DiseaseDr.Rajkumar MD.,DM

CardiologistKerala

What Is Heart Disease?

Bring up heart disease, and most people think of a heart attack. But there are many conditions that can under-mine the heart’s ability to do its job. These include coro-nary artery disease, cardio-myopathy, arrhythmia, and heart failure. Keep reading to find out what these disorders do to the body and how to recognize the warning signs.

What Is a Heart Attack?

Heart attack is a sudden in-terruption in the heart’s blood supply. This happens when there is a blockage in the coronary arteries, the ves-sels that carry blood to the heart muscle. When blood flow is blocked, heart muscle can be damaged very quickly and die. Prompt emergency treatments have reduced the number of deaths from heart attacks in recent years.Heart Attack SymptomsA heart attack is an emergen-

INSIDE OUT

A VISUAL GUIDE TO HEART DISEASE INSIDE OUT


cy even when symptoms are mild. Warning signs include:• Pain or pressure in the chest.• Discomfort spreading to the back, jaw, throat, or arm.• Nausea, indigestion, or heartburn.• Weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath.• Rapid or irregular heartbeats.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

Women don’t always feel chest pain with a heart attack. Women are more likely than men to have heartburn, loss of appetite, tiredness or weakness, coughing, and heart flutters. These symptoms should not be ig-nored. The longer you postpone treatment, the more damage the heart may sustain.

Signs of Coronary Artery Disease

A precursor to a heart attack, coronary artery disease or CAD occurs when sticky plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. This narrows the arteries, making it more dif-ficult for blood to flow through. Many peo-ple don’t know they have CAD until a heart attack strikes. But there are warning signs, such as recurring chest pain caused by the restricted blood flow. This pain is known as angina.

Inside a Heart Attack

The plaque deposited in your arteries is hard on the outside and soft and mushy on the in-side. Sometimes the hard outer shell cracks. When this happens, a blood clot forms around the plaque. If the clot completely blocks the artery, it cuts off the blood supply to a por-tion of the heart. Without immediate treat-ment, that part of the heart muscle could be damaged or destroyed.

Sudden Cardiac Death

SCD occurs when the heart’s electrical system

goes haywire, causing it to beat irregularly and dangerously fast. The heart’s pumping chambers may quiver instead of pumping blood out to the body. Without CPR and res-toration of a regular heart rhythm, death can occur in minutes.

Arrhythmia: Erratic Heart Beat

Regular electrical impulses cause your heart to beat. But sometimes those impulses be-come erratic. The heart may race, slow down, or quiver. Arrhythmias are often harmless variations in rhythm that pass quickly. But some types make your heart less effective at pumping blood, and that can take a seri-ous toll on the body. Let your doctor know if you’ve noticed your heart beating abnor-mally.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease involving changes in the heart muscle. These changes may interfere with the heart’s ability to pump effectively, which can lead to a chronic con-dition called heart failure. Cardiomyopathy is sometimes associated with other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart valve disease.

Heart Failure

Heart failure doesn’t mean your heart stops working. It means the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Over time, the heart gets bigger to hold more blood, it pumps faster to increase the amount of blood moving out of it, and the blood vessels narrow. The heart muscle may also weaken, reducing the blood supply even more. Most cases of heart failure are the re-sult of coronary artery disease and heart at-tacks.

Congenital Heart Defect

A congenital heart defect is one that’s pre-


sent at birth. The prob-lem could be a leaky heart valve, malformations in the walls that separate the heart chambers, or other heart problems. Some de-fects are not found until a person becomes an adult. Some need no treatment. Others require medicine or surgery. People with congenital heart defects may have a higher risk of developing complications such as arrhythmias, heart failure, and heart valve in-fection, but there are ways to reduce this risk.

Testing:

Electrocardiogram (EKG)An EKG (also ECG) is a painless test that uses electrodes placed on the skin to record the heart’s electrical activity. The test provides information about your heart rhythm and damage to the heart muscle. An EKG can help your doctor diagnose a heart attack and evaluate abnormalities such as an enlarged heart. The results can be compared to future EKGs to track changes in the condition of your heart.Testing: Stress TestThe stress test measures how your heart responds to exertion. If you have an ex-ercise stress test, you’ll ei-ther walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike while

the level of difficulty increas-es. At the same time, your EKG, heart rate, and blood pressure will be monitored as your heart works harder. Doctors use a stress test to evaluate whether there is an adequate supply of blood to the heart muscle.Testing: Holter Monitor

A Holter monitor is a porta-ble heart rhythm recorder. If your doctor suspects a heart rhythm problem, she may ask you to wear one for 1 or 2 days. It records the heart’s continuous electrical activ-ity day and night, compared with an EKG, which is a snap-shot in time. The doctor will probably also ask you to keep a log of your activities and to note any symptoms and when they occur.

Testing: Chest X-rayA chest X-ray is a picture of your heart, lungs, and chest bones that’s made by using a very small amount radiation. Chest X-rays can be used to look for heart and lung ab-normalities.

In this image, the bulge seen on the right side is an enlarged left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping cham-ber.Testing: Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram uses sound waves (ultrasound) to generate moving images of the heart. The test can as-sess the chambers and valves of your heart and how well your heart muscle and heart valves are working. It’s useful in diagnosing and evaluating several types of heart disease, as well as evaluating the ef-fectiveness of treatments.

Testing: Cardiac CT

Cardiac computerized to-mography (known as cardiac CT) takes detailed images of the heart and its blood ves-sels. A computer stacks the images to create a 3-D picture of heart. A cardiac CT can be used to look for plaque or cal-cium buildup in the coronary arteries, heart valve prob-lems, and other types of heart disease.

Testing: Cardiac Catheteriza-

tion

Cardiac catheterization helps diagnose and treat some heart conditions. The doctor guides a narrow tube, called a catheter, through a blood ves-sel in your arm or leg until it reaches the coronary arteries. Dye is injected into each cor-onary artery, making them

INSIDE OUT


easy to see with an X-ray. This reveals the extent and severity of any blockages. Treat-ments such as angioplasty or stenting can be done during this procedure.

Living With Heart Disease

Most forms of heart disease are chronic. In the beginning, symptoms may be too mild to affect everyday life. And in many cases, long-term treatment can keep symptoms un-der control. But if the heart begins to fail, patients may develop shortness of breath, fa-tigue, or swelling in ankles, feet, legs, and abdomen. Heart failure can be managed with medication, lifestyle changes, surgery, and in certain cases, a heart transplant.

Treatment: Medicines

Medications play a huge role in treating heart disease. Some drugs help lower blood pres-sure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels. Oth-ers can keep abnormal heart rhythms under control or prevent clotting. For patients who already have some heart damage, there are medications to improve the pumping ability of an injured heart.

Treatment: Angioplasty

Angioplasty is used to open a blocked heart artery and improve blood flow to the heart. The doctor inserts a thin catheter with a bal-loon on the end into the artery. When the balloon reaches the blockage, it is expanded, opening up the artery and improving blood flow. The doctor may also insert a small mesh tube, called a stent, to help keep the artery open after angioplasty.

Treatment: Bypass Surgery

Bypass surgery is another way to improve the heart’s blood flow. It gives blood a new path-way when the coronary arteries have become too narrow or blocked. During the surgery, a blood vessel is first moved from one area of

the body -- such as the chest, legs, or arms -- and attached to the blocked artery, allowing it to bypass the blocked part.

Who’s at Risk for Heart Disease?

Men have a higher risk of having a heart at-tack than women, and at an earlier age. But it’s important to note that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, too. People with a family history of heart ailments also have a higher risk of heart trouble.

Risk Factors You Can Control

High cholesterol and high blood pressure are major risk factors for heart disease. Be-ing overweight, obese, or physically inactive all increase your risk. So does diabetes, espe-cially if your glucose levels are not well con-trolled. Discuss your risks with your doctor and develop a strategy for managing them. There are many steps you can take to protect your heart.

Smoking and Your Heart

If you smoke, your risk of heart disease is 2 to 4 times greater than a nonsmoker’s. And if you smoke around loved ones, you’re in-creasing their risk with secondhand smoke. Within 24 hours of quitting, your heart at-tack risk begins to fall.

Life After a Heart Attack

It is possible to regain your health after a heart attack. By avoiding cigarettes, becom-ing more active, and watching what you eat, you can give your heart and overall health a big boost. One of the best ways to learn how to make these changes is to take part in a cardiac rehab program. Ask your doctor for recommendations.

Heart Disease Prevention

The key to preventing heart disease is a healthy lifestyle. This includes a nutritious


diet, at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, not smoking, and controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation – no more than one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men. Ask your friends and family for help in making these changes. They’ll benefit, too.

What’s Your ALP

levels?

Dr.Nishant MD (Hom) Homeopath Chennai

What is ALP? The alkaline phosphatase test (ALP) is used to help detect liver disease or bone disorders. In conditions affecting the liver, damaged liver cells release increased amounts of ALP into the blood. This test is often used to detect blocked bile ducts because ALP is especially high in the edges of cells that join to form bile ducts. If one or more of them are obstructed, for example by a tumor, then blood levels of ALP will often be high. Any condition that affects bone growth or causes increased activity of bone cells can affect ALP levels in the blood. An ALP test may be used, for example, to detect cancers that have spread to the bone. This test may also some-times be used to monitor treatment of Paget’s disease or other bone conditions, such as vita-min D deficiency.

When is it ordered?

ALP may be ordered as part of a routine lab testing profile, often with a group of other tests called a liver panel. It is also usually ordered along with several other tests when a person has symptoms of a liver or bone disorder.

Signs and symptoms of liver involve-ment may include:• Weakness, fatigue• Loss of appetite• Nausea, vomiting• Abdominal swelling and/or pain• Jaundice• Dark urine, light coloured stool• Itching (pruritus)

Some examples of the signs and symp-toms suggesting a bone disorder in-clude:• Bone and/or joint pain• Increased frequency of fractures• Deformed bones

What does the test result mean?

High ALP usually means that either the liver has been damaged or a condi-tion causing increased bone cell activi-ty is present. If other liver tests such as bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), or alanine aminotransfere (ALT) are also high, usually the ALP is coming from the liver. If calcium and phosphorus measurements are abnormal, usually the ALP is coming from bone. If a GGT or 5’-nucleotidase is also increased, then the high ALP is likely due to liver disease. If either of these two tests is normal, then the high ALP is likely due to a bone condi-tion. If it is not clear from signs and symp-toms or from other routine tests whether the high ALP is due to liver or bone, then a test for ALP isoenzymes may be necessary to distinguish be-tween bone and liver ALP.Is there anything else I should know?Pregnancy can increase ALP levels.

LIFESTYLE


Temporary elevations are also seen with healing fractures. Children and adolescents normally have higher ALP levels than adults because their bones are growing, and ALP is often very high during a growth spurt, which occurs at different ages in boys and girls.Some drugs may affect ALP levels. For example, oral contraceptives may decrease levels while anti-epileptics may increase levels.

UNDERSTANDING

BIPOLAR DISORDER

Dr.Rajesh Verma MDPsychiatrist Mumbai

Bipolar Disorder: What Is It?

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, is a disorienting condition that causes extreme shifts in mood. Like riding a slow-motion roller coaster, pa-tients may spend weeks feel-ing like they’re on top of the world before plunging into a relentless depression. The length of each high and low varies greatly from person to person. Depressive Phase SymptomsWithout treatment, a person with bipo-lar disorder may experience intense episodes of depression. Symptoms include sadness, anxiety, loss of energy, hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating. Patients may lose interest in activities that were once pleasur-able. They may gain or lose weight, sleep too much or too little, and contemplate suicide.Manic Phase SymptomsDuring a manic phase, patients tend to feel

euphoric and may believe they can accom-plish anything. This can result in inflated self-esteem, agitation, reduced need for sleep, being more talkative, being easily distracted, and a sense of racing thoughts. Reckless behaviors, including spending sprees, sexual indiscretions, fast driving, and substance abuse, are common. Having three or more of these symptoms nearly every day for a week may indicate a manic episode.

Bipolar I vs. Bipolar IIPeople with bipolar I dis-

order have manic episodes or

mixed epi-

sodes and of-

ten have one or

more de-pressive epi-

sodes. People with bipolar II

have major de-pressive episodes

with less severe mania; they expe-

ri- ence hypomania, a condition that is less intense than mania or lasting less than a week. Pa-tients may seem like the “life of the party” -- full of charm and humor. They may feel and function fine, even if family and friends can see the mood swing. However, hypomania can lead to mania or depres-


sion.

Mixed Episode

People with mixed episode experience depression and mania at the same time. This leads to unpredictable behavior, such as sadness while doing a favorite ac-tivity or feeling very ener-getic. It’s more common in people who develop bipolar disorder at a young age, particularly during adoles-cence. But some estimates suggest up to 70% of bi-polar patients experience mixed episodes.Causes of Bipolar DisorderDoctors aren’t exactly sure what causes bipolar dis-order. A leading theory is that brain chemicals fluc-tuate abnormally. When levels of certain chemi-cals become too high, the patient develops mania. When levels drop too low, depression may result.

Bipolar Disorder: Who’s at

Risk?

Bipolar disorder affects males and females equally. In most cases, the onset of symptoms is between 15 and 30 years old. Peo-ple are at higher risk if a family member has been diagnosed, especially if it’s a first degree relative, but doctors don’t think the disorder kicks in based on

genetics alone. A stressful event, drug abuse, or other unknown factor may trigger the cycle of ups and downs.Bipolar Disorder and Daily LifeBipolar disorder can disrupt your goals at work and at home. In one survey, 88% of patients said the illness took a toll on their careers. The unpredictable mood swings can drive a wedge between patients and their co-workers or loved ones. In particular, the manic phase may scare off friends and family. People with bipolar disorder also have a higher risk of devel-oping anxiety disorders.Bipolar Disorder and Sub-stance AbuseAbout 60% of people with bipolar disorder have trou-ble with drugs or alcohol. Patients may drink or abuse drugs to relieve the uncom-fortable symptoms of their mood swings. This is espe-cially common during the reckless manic phase.Bipolar Disorder and SuicidePeople with bipolar disorder are 10 to 20 times more like-ly to commit suicide than people without the illness. Warning signs include talk-ing about suicide, putting affairs in order, and inviting death with risky behavior. Anyone who appears suicidal should be taken very seri-ously.

Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder

A crucial step in diagnosing bipolar disorder is to rule out other possible causes of extreme mood swings. These may include brain infection or other neurological disor-ders, substance abuse, thy-roid problem, HIV, ADHD, side effects of certain medi-cations, or other psychiatric disorders. There is no lab test for bipolar disorder. A psy-chiatrist usually makes the diagnosis based on a careful history and evaluation of the patient’s mood and other symptoms.

Medications for Bipolar Dis-

order

Medications are key in help-ing people with bipolar dis-order live stable, productive lives. Mood stabilizers can smooth out the cycle of ups and downs. Patients may also be prescribed antipsychotic drugs and anticonvulsant drugs. Between acute states of mania or depression, pa-tients typically stay on main-tenance medication to avoid a relapse.

Talk Therapy for Bipolar

Disorder

Talk therapy can help pa-tients stay on medication and cope with their disorder’s im-pact on work and family life. Cognitive behavioral therapy

UNDERSTANDING BIPOLAR DISORDER


focuses on changing thoughts and behav-iors that accompany mood swings. Interper-sonal therapy aims to ease the strain bipolar disorder may place on personal relation-ships. Social rhythm therapy helps patients develop and maintain daily routines.

Lifestyle Tips for Bipolar Disorder

Establishing firm routines can help manage bipolar disorder. Routines should include sufficient sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Because alcohol and recreational drugs can worsen the symptoms, these should be avoided. Patients should also learn to iden-tify their personal early warning signs of mania and depression. This will allow them to get help before an episode spins out of control.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy can help some people with bipolar disorder. ECT uses an electric current to cause a seizure in the brain. It is one of the fastest ways to ease se-vere symptoms. ECT is usually a last resort when a patient does not improve with medi-cation or psychotherapy.

Educating Friends and Family

Friends and family may not understand bipolar disorder at first. They may become frustrated with the depressive episodes and frightened by the manic states. If patients make the effort to explain the illness and how it affects them, loved ones may become more compassionate. Having a solid sup-port system can help people with bipolar disorder feel less isolated and more moti-vated to manage their condition.

BABIES GIVEN

ANTI-OBESITY DRUGS

IN THE WOMB

Babies to be given diet drug in the womb to stop them being born overweight in trial de-scribed as ‘disturbing’ by weight loss groups. One hundred obese mums-to-be will be giv-en Metformin as part of a three-year study to tackle obesity rates and reduce the num-ber of difficult births.Patients at Liverpool Women’s Hospital will be given the drug to reduce the food supply to their unborn babies, although it will not help the mums themselves to lose weight.Leading the trial, senior lecturer in obstet-rics, Dr Andrew Weeks, said: “It is about try-ing to improve outcomes in pregnancy for women who are overweight.“The problem is babies tend to be larger and many of the downsides of being overweight during pregnancy relate to the birth.”Metformin reduces blood sugar levels which are passed onto babies in the womb, and is already regularly used to treat diabetic mums-to-be, as well as diabetics in general.During the study, half of the patients will take Metformin pills up to three times a day from 12 weeks gestation, while the other half will be given placebo drugs.Doctors hope it will prevent the birth of oversized babies, thereby reducing the need

MOM AND ME


for caesarean sections.Instances of pre-eclampsia, the potentially fatal com-plication in pregnancy common to overweight mothers, are also hoped to be reduced.The trial will run as a joint study between hospitals in Liverpool, Coventry and Edinburgh and will moni-tor over 400 women in to-tal.Dr Weeks added: “The diffi-culty comes when you have been living in a particular way for years that is not healthy.“To suddenly change to a different lifestyle is not easy to do.“Lifestyle change takes time and we would always encourage this as well but the use of Metformin gives us another option when the other is not realistic.”However, a leading expert behind the UK’s fastest growing weight loss organi-sation has voiced concerns over giving pregnant wom-en drugs to prevent them having obese babies.CEO of All About Weight, Alison Wetton, said: “Wom-en rightfully feel uneasy - no mother-to-be likes to take medication.“The fact that the widely-used diabetes pill, Met-formin, is being trialled to prevent obese babies being born to overweight moth-

ers is disturbing to me, and I am sure most other women as well.”Will Williams, scientific ad-visor for All About Weight, added that, although there were “reasonable grounds” for the trial, it was “a shame that it is needed at all”.He said: “We know Metform-in is safe in pregnancy and has no negative effects on the child up to 2 years, but there is a lack of studies on older children.“Women wanting to conceive could instead lose weight by following a healthy weight loss plan, including diet and exercise.“This would achieve all the things that the Metformin trial is hoping to do, without the risks or costs of adding a drug with uncertain long term effects.“This would be far preferable to popping a pill that may help pregnancy outcomes.“It is unlikely to break the cy-cle of an unhealthy lifestyle leading to overweight chil-dren and the continuing rise of obesity and diabetes in the general population.”However, Jane Norman, Pro-fessor of Maternal and Foetal Health at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the University of Edinburgh, believes the benefits of the trial will out-weigh the risks.Prof Norman, a representa-tive of leading pregnancy

charity Tommy’s, said: “Re-search has shown that babies born to obese mothers are at increased risk of complica-tions in later life.“Obese pregnant women have high levels of glucose and Metformin is proven to reduce glucose.“We have to be careful with the use of drugs in pregnancy but we already know that it is safe to give expectant moth-ers.“It is likely that Metformin will prevent babies from get-ting too big and, putting all these factors together, I am confident that the benefits will outweigh the risks.”Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

S I L I C O N E

BREAST

I M P L A N T S

DON’T LAST A

LIFETIMEA new report from the FDA shows that 20% of women who get silicone gel implants to increase the size of their breasts, and half of all women who get them for breast re-construction, will have those implants removed within a decade, often because of com-plications like breast harden-ing or rupture.The most common complica-tions reported in studies that

MOM AND ME


are tracking the long-term health of women who get silicone breast implants are contracture, or hardening of the breast, re-operation, and implant removal. Other common complications include rupture, wrinkling, asymmetry, scarring, pain, and in-fection.

Complications of Silicone Breast ImplantsThe FDA report shows that complications, when they do hap-pen, tend to be confined to the area around the breast.The studies, which are following tens of thousands of women, found no evidence that silicone breast implants cause connec-tive tissue diseases, autoimmune diseases, or cancer.The FDA’s safety update on silicone breast implants comes on the heels of a new report from the American Society of Plas-tic Surgeons showing breast augmentation and reconstructive surgeries are on the rise.Nearly 300,000 women opted to boost their breast size with implants in 2010, making it the most popular cosmetic procedure in the U.S. Over the last decade, the number of breast implants performed in this country has increased 40%.Breast reconstruction, which is typically done with implants, was the fifth most common reconstructive procedure in 2010, with an increase of 18% over the last decade.Experts say they believe women know what they’re getting into when they select a silicone implant.Younger women who get them are more likely to also need to have them replaced, simply because they may live longer than a woman who gets them in her 70s.“Public Citizen continues to oppose the FDA’s 2006 decision to return silicone breast im-plants to the market for cosmetic use in women for augmentation,” says Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, in a news release.He points to the FDA’s January warning that women with breast implants, either saline or silicone, may be at higher risk of an extremely rare kind of cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma.“The agency’s newer information about the risk of implant-associated lymphoma and the previously known risks are serious enough to warrant advising women against having these implanted,” says Wolfe.Advice to Women With Silicone ImplantsFor now, the FDA advises women who have silicone breast implants to schedule regular follow-up appointments with their doctors and plastic surgeons to check on the health of their implants.Women should be getting an initial MRI scan three years after implantation and every two years thereafter to check for silent ruptures.But many women don’t get these scans because they aren’t covered by insurance.Additionally, women with silicone breast implants should pay attention to changes in their breasts, including pain, swelling, hardness, or asymmetry.These changes should be reported to both the FDA and a woman’s doctors.Source: WebMD

SALON


BANANA PEEL SABZI

Banana peel sabzi is mommy dearest’s recipe. Whenever I feel like cooking this sabzi, we eat the banana and collect its peel in a plate. When there are 3-4 peels collected, it is time to turn it into subzi. Please note this recipe uses peel of ripe banana. This subzi is very nutri-tious and good source of dietary fiber.

Recipe of banana peel sabzi

Ingredients:3-4 peels (chilke) of ripe banana1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)A pinch of asafoetida (hing)1/2 tsp turmeric powder1/2 tsp coriander powderSalt to taste1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)1 tbsp oil

Method:1. Trim the ends of banana peels. Chop them into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces. 2. Boil 2 cups of water in a pan and add pieces of kele ke chilke or banana peel. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain.3. Heat oil in a pan or a wok. Add ajwain and when it splutters, add hing. Add peel pieces. Add salt, turmeric and coriander powders. Mix well and lower heat. Cook till done, stirring occasionally. Increase heat and roast till subzi becomes dry and crisp.4. Add amchoor and mix well. Serve hot with phulkas.

HEALTHY COOKING

MS.MATHANGICONTENT WRITER


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