Friday, February 26, 2010

Bypass Surgeries

Heart Blockages develop because of risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, family history and food habits. Bypass surgery and Angioplasty are done for blockages, which are life threatening. Though bypass surgery can take care of blockages, it doesn't prevent development of future blocks. Similarly, if surgery is not done properly of if the vein graft from the leg is used, a person may need surgery again because of re-blockages. 

Second bypass surgery or redo bypass surgery is very complex and risky, because after the first surgery, the heart and lungs stick to the breast bone. Heart arteries become difficult to identify and there is a high risk of injuring the heart and major arteries during opening the chest. Beating heart surgery reduces the high risk of redo bypass. 

In the traditional form of surgery, the heart is topped and connected to the heart lung machine. however, in a beating heart surgery, the heart is not connected to the heart lung machine and the surgery is done while the heart is still beating. The advantage is a quicker recovery and fewer complications.


Source : 
Dr.Ramakant Panda,
Asian Heart Institute & TOI

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Don't get defeated by obesity. Just fight it away !

Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20 per cent or more above normal weight. By preventing obesity, you are also preventing medical conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease.


Practical Tips :

  • Recognize that obesity is a disease. While most epidemics can be defeated with a pill or vaccine, obesity requires people to change the way they eat and live.
  • Eat, healthy. Include fruits, green vegetables, cereals and whole grain foods in your daily diet. Avoid sweets, fried, junk packaged and refined foods. Eat small meals.

  • Set aside at least 30 minutes every day for cardiovascular exercise. Walking, jogging, running, cycling and swimming are great for weight loss.

  • Ignore popular quick-fix weight loss methods unless they are medically supervised. This category includes fad diets, weight loss pills and powders and fat burning machines.
  • Become a non-smoker.
  • Avoid drinking. Most forms of alcohol contain a high percentage of fat.
  • Reverse the clock. Discouraging as this state of health might be, remember that you are not a lost cause. Give life a second chance. There are effective solutions; from lifestyle modification, diet and exercise on one end of the spectrum to bariatric surgery on the other.


Source : Times Wellness


Inputs : Dr.Muffazal Lakdawala, Bariatric Surgeon, Mumbai, India.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Aloe Vera - The Proven Benefits

Proven Benefits of Aloe Vera


1.   Aloe Vera juices help improve the immune system.


2.   The juice benefits include prevention as well as fighting diseases like Cancer.


3.   One of the most important and common use is to control the stomach acids and maintain balance in the stomach.


4.   It helps keep your stomach cool.


5.   Aloe Vera stimulates tissue regeneration and brings great results for the skin.


6.   It also aides in absorption of nutrients and neutralises toxic and bad elements.


7.   Proves very helpful for diabetic patients.


8.   It acts as an eye wrinkle remover, helps in treating acne and pimples.


9.   It can also be used as an underarm odour remover, removing pregnancy stretch marks, dandruff and help scalp nourishment and hair growth.




Source : Times Wellness

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Home Remedies for Reducing Cholestrol

REDUCING CHOLESTEROL

High cholesterol is one of the most dreaded health disorders. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced by the liver and is essential for every cell in the body. It even enters the body through the saturated fats present in certain foods. Moreover, there are two types of cholesterol, one of which is considered "good" the other "bad."  High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or ‘good cholesterol is the one that scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is considered normal, when it is anywhere between 40 and 60 mg/dL.

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is termed as bad cholesterol. As the name suggests, LDL is bad for the human body and need to be eliminated, because its high content can clog the arteries, resulting in mild to severe heart attacks. There are a number of other health problems as well, which are associated with high levels of cholesterol, such as heart diseases or stroke. The situation can worsen if you are suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, or overweight. Thus, to have a long and healthy life, it is important to keep the cholesterol levels low. In this article, we will help you know how to lower cholesterol.

Home Remedies for Reducing Cholesterol

To reduce blood cholesterol levels in your body, you can try some of the home remedies given below. 
  • Drink lots of water everyday. This would keep your body hydrated as well as help in the reduction of bad cholesterol.
  • Mudpack on the abdomen improves digestion, liver and kidney functioning, thus helping lower cholesterol.
  • Yoga exercises are also beneficial for lowering blood cholesterol. However, it is advisable to consult a yoga guru, regarding the same.
  • Exercise regularly, for improving the level of good cholesterol and combating the bad cholesterol.
  • Consume foods that are rich in fiber, as they will help you reduce bad cholesterol. This would include green leafy vegetables as well.
  • Boil 10 pieces of cinnamon sticks in 5 teacups of water. Now, add a tablespoon of honey and mix well. Let it cool down a bit and then drink. Do this twice daily, to stay away from the problem of high blood cholesterol.
  • Use olive oil as the cooking medium. It is highly beneficial for heart and promotes proper functioning of the body system.
  • You may include green leafy salads, coated with a very thin layer of olive oil, in your diet.
  • High cholesterol level can be reduced by consuming raw onion and the juice extracted from it, in moderation.
  • Consuming garlic clove everyday helps in reducing cholesterol level in the body. 

Foods That Lower Cholesterol

To keep your cholesterol level low, you can consume certain foods as well. Given below is a list of such foods 
  • Almonds and Walnuts
  • Fish, not fried
  • Green vegetables and fruits
  • Oat bran
  • Onion juice
  • Soy products and compounds
  • Soybeans
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Unpasteurized milk
  • Wheat germ
  • Whole grain Cereals
  • Yeasts 
Note :
Foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats, such as eggs, organ meats, cheese, butter, beef and whole milk, should be consumed less.



Warning : The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.