Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) can lead to several serious medical problems, including pulmonary embolism (which may be fatal)

Symptons of DVT

Sudden or gradual swelling in one leg or arm.

Pain or tenderness in the affected leg, calf or thigh & feeling of craping or soreness.

The skin may appear red or bluish depending on skin tone.

Even there could be abnormal leg pain due to walking for a long time though part of routine.

If blood clots break & travels to the lung, symptons includeshort of breath, chest pain etc.

Blockage in artery

This leads to restrict in blood flow, chest pain, shortage of breath & some times may cause 

heart attack or stroke depending on which artery is affected.

Causes of blockage

A mixture of fats, cholesterol & other substances build up a plaque on the artery walls.

If a plaque ruptures, blood clot can form & block an artery.

Treatment

Medication can help to manage risk of high cholesterol & blood pressure thereby reducing risk of futher blockages.

Angioplasty & stenting can help to open blocked arteries by using a balloon to widen the vessel & stent to keep it open.

In some cases bypass surgery may be required to reroute the blood flow near blocked artery.

Effect of Diabetes on Kidneys

How diabetes damages kidneys 

High blood sugar from diabetes damages blood vessels and nephrons, the tiny filters in the kidneys.

High blood pressure, which is common in people with diabetes, can also damage the kidneys.

Risk factors for diabetic kidney disease 

Having diabetes for a long time

High blood sugar

High blood pressure

Smoking

Not following your diabetes eating plan

Eating foods high in salt

Symptoms

In early stages, diabetic kidney disease usually doesn't have any symptoms. The only way to know if you have diabetic kidney disease is to get your kidneys checked. 

Treatment

Treatment options for kidney failure are dialysis or a kidney transplant. 

Prevention

Early treatment may prevent or slow diabetic kidney disease and lower the chance of complications. 

Glaucoma - SYmptons, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Understanding Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. 

But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.

Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. 

That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.

There are two major types of glaucoma.

1) Open-angle glaucoma

This is the most common type of glaucoma. It happens gradually, where the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should (like a clogged drain). 

As a result, eye pressure builds and starts to damage the optic nerve. 

This type of glaucoma is painless and causes no vision changes at first.

Some people can have optic nerves that are sensitive to normal eye pressure. 

This means their risk of getting glaucoma is higher than normal. Regular eye exams are important to find early signs of damage to their optic nerve.

2) Angle closure glaucoma (also called “closed-angle glaucoma” or “narrow-angle glaucoma”)

This type happens when someone’s iris is very close to the drainage angle in their eye. 

The iris can end up blocking the drainage angle. You can think of it like a piece of paper sliding over a sink drain. When the drainage angle gets completely blocked, eye pressure rises very quickly. This is called an acute attack. It is a true eye emergency, and you should call your ophthalmologist right away or you might go blind.

Here are the signs of an acute angle-closure glaucoma attack:

Your vision is suddenly blurry

You have severe eye pain

You have a headache

You feel sick to your stomach (nausea)

You throw up (vomit)

You see rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights

Many people with angle-closure glaucoma develop it slowly. This is called chronic angle-closure glaucoma. There are no symptoms at first, so they don’t know they have it until the damage is severe or they have an attack.

Angle-closure glaucoma can cause blindness if not treated right away.

Effect of Diabetes on Eye sight

Diabetes can significantly affect eyesight by damaging the blood vessels in the retina, leading to a condition called diabetic retinopathy, 

which causes blurred vision and even vision loss if left untreated; 

Key points about how diabetes affects eyesight:

Diabetic retinopathy:

This is the primary eye complication of diabetes, where high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, causing them to leak 

fluid and potentially leading to vision loss. 

Macular edema:

Swelling of the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp vision, is a common complication of diabetic retinopathy and can cause blurred or distorted vision. 

Cataracts:

People with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts, a clouding of the eye lens, at a younger age than those without diabetes. 

Glaucoma:

Diabetes can increase the risk of developing glaucoma, a condition that damages the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss if not treated. 

Blurred vision:

Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can cause temporary blurred vision due to changes in fluid within the eye. 

Diabetes Prevention - 5 Tips to Control

Lifestyle changes can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Prevention is especially important if you're at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes weith issue, high cholesterol or a family history of diabetes.

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, llifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of disease.

Making a few changes in your lifestyle may help you avoid the serious complications arising due to diabetes in the future, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage. It's never too late to start.

1. Lose extra weight

Losing weight reduces the risk of diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with prediabetes lose at least 7% to 10% of their body weight to prevent disease progression. More weight loss will translate into even greater benefits.

2. Be more physically active

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you.                                       

Lose weight

Lower your blood sugar

Boost your sensitivity to insulin which helps keep your blood sugar in control

Aerobic exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, swimming, biking or running.

Resistance exercise. Resistance exercise at least 2 to 3 times a week increases your strength, balance and ability to maintain an active life. Resistance training includes weightlifting, yoga and calisthenics.

Limited inactivity. Breaking up long bouts of inactivity, such as sitting at the computer, can help control blood sugar levels. Take a few minutes to stand, walk around or do some light activity every 30 minutes.

3. Eat healthy plant foods

Plants provide vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates in your diet. Carbohydrates include sugars and starches, the energy sources for your body and fiber. 

Fiber-rich foods promote weight loss and lower the risk of diabetes. Eat a variety of healthy, fiber-rich foods, which include: Fruits, such as tomatoes, 

peppers and fruit from trees. Nonstarchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower.

Legumes, such as beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Whole grains, such as whole-wheat pasta and bread, whole grain rice, whole oats.

4. Eat healthy fats

5. Skip fad diets and make healthier choices

Physical fitness

Exercise

Regular physical activity can promote health 

Cardiovascular endurance can improve cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease 

Flexibility can improve performance in physical activities and reduce the risk of injuries 

Mental health 

Mental health is an essential part of health

It's determined by a range of socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors

Lifestyle choices 

Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and being physically active can help prevent some chronic diseases and some types of cancer

Regular health screenings can help detect chronic conditions and cancers early

Body composition 

Body composition is how your body is made up, including fat, muscle, bone, and other structures

Learning about your body composition can give you an idea of your overall health

Other health-related factors 

Adequate sleep

Avoiding excessive stress

Nutrition

Genetics

Income and education level

Relationships with friends and family

Health

The World Health Organization provides the advice and evidence needed for people to lead healthy lives. Good health requires the commitment of many, from lawmakers to lunch makers. And there are steps each of us can take to promote and protect health. These include being more active, eating healthy, and avoiding tobacco and harmful use of alcohol.

Physical activity

Being physically active helps all people, no matter their age, lead healthier lives.

Some physical activity is better than doing none. By being more active throughout the day in relatively simple ways, people can quite easily achieve the recommended activity levels. Below are the levels of physical activity WHO recommends people of different ages undertake.

Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years

·         Should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

·         Physical activity of amounts more than 60 minutes daily provides additional health benefits.

·         Should include activities that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 times per week.

Adults aged 18–64 years

·         Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.

·         For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.

·         Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.

Adults aged 65 years and above

·         Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.

·         For additional health benefits, they should increase moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.

·         Those with poor mobility should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls, 3 or more days per week.

·         Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups, 2 or more days a week.

Digital health

      The use and scale up of digital health solutions can revolutionize how people worldwide achieve higher standards of health, and access services to promote and protect their health and well-being. Digital health provides opportunities to accelerate our progress in attaining health and well-being related Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), especially SDG 3, and achieving our triple billion targets for 2023 as articulated in its Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13).

Healthy dietA healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition.

      It protects you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats, are essential for healthy diet. A healthy diet comprises a combination of different foods. These include:

o    Staples like cereals (wheat, barley, rye, maize or rice) or starchy tubers or roots (potato, yam, taro or cassava).

o    Legumes (lentils and beans).

o    Fruit and vegetables.

o    Foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs and milk).

         Here is some useful information, based on WHO recommendations, to follow a healthy diet, and the benefits of doing so.

·         Breastfeed babies and young children.

o    A healthy diet starts early in life - breastfeeding fosters healthy growth, and may have longer-term health benefits, like reducing the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing noncommunicable diseases later in life.

o    Feeding babies exclusively with breast milk from birth to 6 months of life is important for a healthy diet. It is also important to introduce a variety of safe and nutritious complementary foods at 6 months of age, while continuing to breastfeed until your child is two years old and beyond.

·         Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.

o    They are important sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, plant protein and antioxidants.

o    People with diets rich in vegetables and fruit have a significantly lower risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

·         Eat less fat.

o    Fats and oils and concentrated sources of energy. Eating too much, particularly the wrong kinds of fat, like saturated and industrially-produced trans-fat, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

o    Using unsaturated vegetable oils (olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil) rather than animal fats or oils high in saturated fats (butter, ghee, lard, coconut and palm oil) will help consume healthier fats.

o    To avoid unhealthy weight gain, consumption of total fat should not exceed 30% of a person's overall energy intake.

·         Limit intake of sugars.

o    For a healthy diet, sugars should represent less than 10% of your total energy intake. Reducing even further to under 5% has additional health benefits.

o    Choosing fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as cookies, cakes and chocolate helps reduce consumption of sugars.

o    Limiting intake of soft drinks, soda and other drinks high in sugars (fruit juices, cordials and syrups, flavoured milks and yogurt drinks) also helps reduce intake of sugars.

·         Reduce salt intake.

o    Keeping your salt intake to less than 5h per day helps prevent hypertension and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke in the adult population.

o    Limiting the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (soy sauce and fish sauce) when cooking and preparing foods helps reduce salt intake.

No tobacco

      Avoiding tobacco, or taking proven measures to quit, are among the surest ways for people to avoid many illnesses and, instead, take the road to good health.Avoiding tobacco or taking proven measures to quit, are among the surest ways for people to avoid many illnesses and, instead, take the road to good health.

In fact, there are immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting for all tobacco users, including lower blood pressure.

Here are some key points on avoiding the harms of tobacco use.

·         Most tobacco users who are aware of the dangers of tobacco want to quit. Counselling and medication more than doubles the chance that someone who uses tobacco and tries to quit will succeed.

·         If you are a tobacco user wanting to quit, it is essential to understand the importance of doing so for your own health and your family.

·         Then, you must be confident that you can quit - many people have done so.

·         If needed, seek support from health professionals to quit. There are a range of things people can do, from calling a quit line and accessing online material to attending a cessation clinic.

·         Practical tips to help tobacco users deal with tobacco cravings include delay, drinking water, deep breathing and physical activity.