The world is in the middle of a health crisis and many countries’ economies have been hit by Novel Coronavirus. Educational institutions have closed temporarily and offices have moved all their work online. With a huge number of cases being reported every 24 hours, things are going to take a while before they start getting better. India has crossed the 11 lakh mark and is increasing by thousands every day. Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai are the cities that are badly affected, with Mumbai having reported the highest number of cases in the country. 55% of the cases in India have been reported in Mumbai. However, the real question isn’t when things are going to get better but how to flatten the curve? To know more keep reading.

So, everyone has been following the basic safety measures that were announced at the beginning of this pandemic by WHO. Everyone is washing and sanitizing their hands frequently, wearing a mask whenever they step out and following social distancing, but these safety measures are clearly not enough to flatten the curve.

However, it has been noticed that towns and countries that followed a strict lockdown (that is restricted the movement of their citizens) were successful in stopping the spread of the virus. China, for example, where the Novel Coronavirus originated. There was a strict and complete lockdown that was enforced to restrict the movement of people which successfully helped in flattening the curve in the country. People were not at all allowed to step out of their houses. Food and other essentials were delivered to them. While the other countries were still dealing with the virus, China was free of it for a while until they lifted the lockdown once they were no more cases reported in the country for some time.

Likewise, a small town in Rajasthan, India, Bhilwara was successful in stopping the spread of the COVID-19 virus. What did they do differently? They enforced a total lockdown. City and district borders were immediately sealed. Neighbouring districts were asked to seal their borders with the town. A complete ban on goods and private vehicles. Containment and buffer zones were declared as NO MOVEMENT areas. They also conducted cluster mapping and daily disinfection protocol for all containment and buffer zones. A total strict NO MOVEMENT protocol helped the town curb the spread of the virus.

Now coming to the movement within the country. With people travelling from one city to another it is further increasing the count of other states. There should be a stop put to domestic as well as international flights to prevent the virus from spreading across the world. This seems to be one of the reasons for the increased number of cases in certain cities that had a relatively low number of COVID cases a couple of months ago.

When COVID-19 cases were reported during the beginning of this year, there was a nationwide lockdown imposed to restrict the movement of people to prevent the spread of the virus. And to an extent, the lockdown proved to be beneficial for the country. But with the states opening up malls, restaurants, cafes and offices the situation is just getting worse. If India enforces a strict nationwide lockdown again it could help in flattening the curve. We will have to wait and watch if a nationwide lockdown will take place, again. Until then, you take care of your loved ones and yourself. Stay at home, order all your essentials online and step out only if it is absolutely necessary. Stay Safe!

The COVID-19 has brought a catena of challenges to our lifestyle in too many ways. It has often been opined that the norms of social distancing and indoor-working are going to be the new normal. One of the inevitable outcomes of the lockdown has been the trend of work from home. Almost every company has switched to work from a home model and this trend is here to stay for at least six months now.

Work From Home And The Malady Of Back Pain

While working from the comfort of the home has its own virtues, there is a lacuna of challenges that this phenomenon may pose to our health. Working for hours while sitting on the chair and the bed may have a severe effect on the spine. This may, as a result, create a lot of ailments related to the spine in the future as well. But worry not for there are easy ways in which you may take care of your Back and avoid problems related to Spine while working from home!

Use Ergonomic Chairs

Most of us tend to shift to the cot with our laptops and trust us, this lies at the root of the problem. You must make sure that you work always while sitting on an ergonomic chair. These chairs have lumbar support, head support, and have deep seats. These features will ensure that your spine remains in good shape and provides a great level of protection.

Improve Your Sitting Posture

This is something that all of us should inculcate as a matter of habit. Maintaining a good posture while sitting will keep the ailments related to the spine at bay.  While this may not be an easy thing to attain the perfect posture from Day One, you should keep yourself motivated to improve it gradually.

Do Yoga Regularly

It’s true that hitting the gym and going for long morning walks don’t feature amongst the viable options anymore. However, you can still do yoga and take adequate care of your spine. Suryanamaskar accompanied by some of the asanas like the Naavaasana,  Garudaasana, and Vajraasana may prove to be the panacea for all your spine-related woes.

These are some of the easy and effective changes that you should inculcate in your lifestyle to keep your spine in good shape. These small changes will surely keep you fit and healthy in the long run.

Hair fall is a very common issue faced by people irrespective of gender and age. Hair loss or Alopecia happens due to several reasons ranging from inheritance to hormonal changes. For some people, hair loss affects only the scalp of the head whereas for others it can affect the entire body too. There is a difference between normal hair loss from breakage of hair and hair loss due to decreased hair growth. Lose of 100-150 hair strands a day is considered normal. In most of the cases, the new hair replaces the lost hair without much delay. However, sometimes it fails to happen. Hair loss can occur all of a sudden or gradually. It can be temporary as well as permanent. Seeking medical assistance for the same might help you gain insight into the real problem behind the hair loss. Dermatologists/medical experts can also help you with the process of hair growth.

Causes

Below are the most common causes of hair loss:

• Hereditary
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Menopause
• Poor nutrition
• Medical conditions
• Certain medications and treatments.
• Sudden weight loss
• Some hair-care products
• Hairstyles
• Stress

 

Prevention

Hereditary hair loss is inevitable in most cases. However, hair loss can be prevented to an extent with a good hair care regime. Always be gentle with your hair. Avoid overuse of rollers, curlers, straighteners, or anything that treats your hair harshly. It is better to avoid wearing tight buns, braids, ponytails, or any hairstyles that put too much pressure on the hair as in the long run it will damage the hair follicles. A diet rich in protein and iron contributes to the growth of hair. Avoid using harsh shampoos and conditioners, excessive washing of hair, and rubbing of hair to prevent hair loss.

Treatments

Hair loss, like any other medical problem, can be consulted with the doctor. Hair loss can be turned into hair growth with the right kind of treatment in some cases. Certain hair loss problems can be treated with medications while in some cases it is treated with surgeries like hair transplantation surgery and scalp reduction surgeries. Low-level laser device treatment is also seen as an effective solution for hair loss as some studies claim that it can even increase the hair density.

Hair loss is a common issue faced by many people. Although hereditary hair loss doesn’t have any permanent cure, it can be controlled to a large extent with medical assistance and some lifestyle changes. Good hair hygiene, use of mild hair-care products like baby shampoos, a protein-rich diet, and undergoing treatments for the underlying causes of hair loss like hormonal imbalance, thyroid, etc. are also helpful while dealing with hair loss and hair growth.

Staying indoors should not become an excuse not to exercise. It’s important to stay active and to take care of your physical and mental health more than ever during these uncertain times. Regular exercise is good for both our physical and mental health. Exercise can help in reducing stress and anxiety; make our immune system stronger and less susceptible to infections, which is important during these challenging times.

Working out at home is not as hard as you might think. You don’t need any fancy equipment or weights. All you need is yourself and a little motivation to get moving. We will tell you some very simple and fun ways of exercising so that you not only enjoy your physical activities, but you’ll keep coming back for more.

Use your own bodyweight

To do a quality, full body workout at home all you need is yourself. Body weight exercises such as press-ups, sit-ups and planks are incredibly effective. Take up a 30-day plank challenge, in which you’ll learn a new twist on the classic plank daily. Switching things up will not only help keep you from getting bored, but it will also strengthen your core.

Explore the power of yoga

Taking calming deep breaths, and stretching your muscles with some gentle yoga can help maintain a healthy and happy body and mind. You can join a virtual yoga class to keep up a solid exercise regime from the comfort of your home.

Dance like no one’s watching

Dancing is an excellent way to swap your usual workout for something more fun and enjoyable. You can join a virtual dance group or just simply dance on your own at home with no rules and inhibitions. Dancing has huge health benefits. From lowering our levels of stress hormones to protecting the heart, dancing gets a huge tick of approval from the experts.

Gardening improves fitness and health

Gardening is an enjoyable activity that improves endurance and strength, reduces stress levels and keeps you moving. Gardening means you are kneeling, reaching, bending, digging, planting seeds and taking cuttings – which is a strenuous workout in itself. And for those who live in small spaces, there is nothing to worry. Gardening is also a great way to relax, providing opportunities to still the mind and relax the senses. They can grow small plants in their balconies or terrace and feed their mind and spirit. 

Just do some exercise!

Some other useful exercises that you can easily do at home without the need for any special equipment include burpees, squats, on-the-spot running, star jumps, sit ups and push ups. These exercises are extremely useful in staying active and keeping in shape. You can also weight train at home, if you don’t have any weights, make your own with filled water bottles, cans or jars. Using the stairs is another extremely time-efficient way to maintain fitness. These are just a few ideas to help you kickstart a healthy lifestyle while sitting at home. You will find plenty of free exercise videos on the internet and a large choice of home workout apps to find more inspiration. It’s only about getting started and making the first move.

Surgeries are not a desired medical procedure. At times due to certain complications, you might need to go through one. It has also been observed that sometimes it is the surgeon’s choice of treatment and not the patient’s need. So, decide for yourself if you need to go through the procedure. As the name suggests it is not an emergency, so it can be planned properly. As you will have sufficient time before you get the surgery performed, here are a few things you should know before considering elective surgery:

Research about the effectiveness

Be definitive of the results you are expecting out of the surgery. Ask your doctor if the procedure would completely free you of your ailment. Do this so that you need not have to continue on medication even after going through surgery for the same ailment.

Do the Background Research

Inquire about all the possible side effects you may experience after the surgery and also the cure. You should not end up getting rid of one problem just to attract another. You should also make sure you disclose all the relevant information about your other health conditions. There might be a possibility that surgery is not a suitable option then.

Be Prepared: Physically and Mentally

•Get yourself pre-optimized for the surgery. It will help doctors understand whether your body will be able to take the procedure and if not then you can get your body in the condition.

•Work on yourself, you get healthier. Do exercise, yoga or meditation it will help you relax and will also help you to avoid some risks during the surgery. For example, Aerobics will help your lungs to function better. Not necessarily but there is a slight risk of them collapsing after anesthesia.

•Plan a proper diet. Eat healthy food and avoid junk. This will help you to function more efficiently before surgery and also help your body to heal better after surgery

• Talk to doctors about the medication that you are taking and if you should continue taking them or not. The effect of that drug might not be favorable for the surgery.

• Ask for pre-surgery directions and follow them properly.

•After your surgery, you should make sure that you follow all the directions given by your doctor. Pro-active care should be taken.

Elective surgery can be medically required or optional in any of the cases if you are planning on going for it, these are some general things that you should keep in mind. The particulars may vary based on the type of surgery. Hope you get well soon.

IVF or In-Vitro Fertilization is an ART-Assisted Reproductive technology that refers to fertilization happening outside the human body. The eggs are taken from the ovaries of a woman and are fertilized with the sperm of a man. The person from whom the eggs and sperms are retrieved vary according to the situation.

Case 1: Eggs from the mother and sperms from the father

Case 2: Eggs from a donor and sperms from a donor

Case 3: Eggs from the mother and sperm from a donor

Case 4: Eggs from a donor and sperms from the father

Case 5: Donor Embryos

Case 6: Place the embryos formed from any of the above cases in another human body

In a nutshell, IVF involves removing eggs from a woman’s ovary, fertilising it in a lab, and placing it back in the womb once it starts growing into embryos. But it is not as simple as it sounds when it comes to the process. The entire process can be intimidating to the couples. It can be very tiring, both mentally and physically. So here are a few things you must know about IVF before you start your journey of conceiving which will help you to prepare yourself and to make your IVF days easier.

1.Time-Consuming

There is a long process associated with IVF starting from suppressing the normal menstrual cycle to constant monitoring even after getting conceived. Normally a full course of IVF can take from four weeks to 2 months or even more, depending on several factors.

2.Be ready to deal with a lot of stress and mood swings

The process is stressful for the mother as well as for the father. Experiencing mood swings are also common while going through it. It can make the mother moody and she might experience a drastic hormonal fluctuation because of the daily dose of hormonal injections. Although everything is normal, these concerns should be addressed and the couples must consult a counselor, if necessary.

3. No Guarantee

Some couples might not get pregnant after the first course of IVF. They might have to repeat the procedure. On the other hand, some couples get pregnant on their first attempt. Sadly, there are cases where IVF has failed too. The success rate of IVF depends on several factors like age, health, etc. of the parents. So there is no 100% guarantee for the process.

4. Care must be taken even after conceiving.

Utmost care must be taken till the child’s birth. There is no relaxing after a positive pregnancy result.

5. Not your last hope

Many times, couples become successful in conceiving after multiple cycles of IVF. However, even if your chances of conceiving through IVF are low, there are several other options to consider including the scope of donor eggs, donor sperms, or even donor embryos.

Throughout the process, the couples must seek emotional support from each other. It is also important to talk to your doctor before enrolling yourselves for IVF as you need to understand the process before you make a final decision. Meditating while you go through the stress, consulting a therapist as a couple and individually, taking care of yourselves, talking to friends and family, etc. is also as much as important as the process.

Monsoons are ready to reward you with a refreshing dip. For many, it is the most awaited and wonderful time of the year, but it can also expose you to potentially serious health risks. Wet weather has its own challenges. No, it does not mean you won’t enjoy monsoon, you can still have an awesome time. All you have to do is to be a little cautious about your well-being.

Here are a few of our tips to take care of your well-being while you enjoy the rainy season:

Protect yourself from mosquitoes

Everyone is familiar with names like malaria, dengue and chikungunya and the fact that how serious the bite of infected mosquitoes can be. There are many measures you can take to avoid being bitten, including: using mosquito repellent, wearing light coloured, long-sleeved clothes when you’re outdoors and using a mosquito net at night-time.

Think about what you eat and drink

Foodborne illnesses are a major cause of diarrhoea and sometimes can lead to serious illness like hepatitis A or cholera. Being careful about what you eat and drink is very important. For starters, avoid eating outside food. While it’s tempting to reach for comfort food when it’s raining outside, but street food that has been left exposed to flies or food that is being prepared in poor hygienic can contain pathogenic bacteria or viruses.

Boost your immunity

Focus on strengthening your immune system to give it the best chance to fight off against disease-causing microorganisms. Some of the healthy ways of boosting your immune system include, eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep.

Maintain monsoon hygiene

One of the most effective ways to protect others and yourself from illness is maintaining cleanliness and personal hygiene. Make sure your surroundings are clean and there is no stagnant water. Stagnant water can become an active breeding ground for mosquitoes and other nuisance insects. Furthermore adhering to basic standards of personal hygiene like taking bath, washing hands frequently will also help diminish the spread of disease-carrying bacteria and viruses.

Wearing a mask is the new normal, because of COVID-19. The virus has completely changed the way people function on a daily basis. Not only are the people confined to their houses, but stepping out of the house has become a challenge as well. Everyone has to be extra vigilant and cautious of their surroundings all the time, especially when they are out. As COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people via respiratory droplets and contact routes. But then, how does one protect themselves from contracting the virus? The answer to this is, essentially by wearing a mask whenever stepping out. This is exceptionally important not just for yourself, but for the safety of others as well. If you are wondering how is a mask going to prevent the spread of the virus, continue reading to understand the effectiveness of wearing a mask.

To understand how effective masks are at stopping the spread of the virus, first, let’s understand how this virus is transmitted among people. As mentioned before, the virus is primarily transmitted between people via respiratory droplets. So, when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, droplets are produced. Some of these droplets fall on the surrounding surfaces, while others stay in the air for hours. When another person comes in contact with these surfaces and then touch their face or if they breathe the same infected air they could contract the virus. However, the chances of contracting COVID in an enclosed area is even higher. Furthermore, the symptoms take up to 14 days to surface, in the meantime the person would have interacted with other people. Thus, leads to an increased number of cases.

This is why the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention encourages everyone to use a mask whenever stepping out. A few studies have shown that the use of masks has relatively helped in reducing the spread of COVID-19. As they serve as a barrier when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Furthermore, it is necessary that the mask used covers your nose and mouth properly to prevent the droplets from escaping through any gap. It is very essential to ensure the mask used isn’t lose and fits well. Nonetheless, along with wearing masks, following social distancing and regularly hand washing/sanitizing is a must to keep the virus at bay.

Now that you understand the effectiveness of wearing a mask, it is important to know which mask is best suited in preventing the virus, as they are a few options available in the market and can get a bit confusing.

1. Surgical Mask

The surgical mask also known as the Medical Mask is a loosely fitted mask that covers the nose and mouth. It is a disposable mask and is not meant to be worn more than once. It successfully prevents a person from droplets, splashes and sprays.

2. N95 or Respiratory Mask

This mask is a more tightly fitted mask and offers more protection than a surgical mask. It can filter out 95% of droplets, splashes and sprays. Including any kind of virus and infectious agents.

3. Cloth Mask

Cloth Mask is widely used today because the health workers and caregivers are falling short of Surgical and Respiratory Masks. As these masks give maximum protection it is necessary for the health workers and caregivers to use them by all means. On the other hand, since cloth mask can easily be found in the market, made at home and washed regularly it is a highly recommended option to the public. Also, it prevents one from the virus or any infection as much as the other masks. It absolutely acts as a barrier when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Therefore, stopping the spread of the virus.

Now that you know the effectiveness of wearing a mask and the types of mask you can opt for, neither you nor your loved ones should step out without wearing a mask. Let’s stop the spread of COVID-19 together.

The change in season affects everyone’s skin. With the sudden drop or rise in temperature, humidity, wind and UV exposure our skin reacts respectively. The same goes for the Monsoon Season. The rainy season surely brings joy to everyone, as it relieves us from the scorching heat of the Summer months. However, the monsoon season is not good news for a lot of people as their skin begins to get dry during this season. Know more about dry skin during the monsoon season below.

This damp and humid weather brings with itself a range of problems for everyone. Apart from dangerous diseases, it also brings along skin problems. Usually, the skin tends to get more oily than normal during this season. However, it is not the same for everyone. People who normally have dry skin, the monsoons just make it worse for them. Causing their skin to act out in different ways such as invisible pores, flaky and patchy skin. Furthermore, it is also noticed that taking hot water showers irritate the skin more. Making the skin extremely dry and having to moisturise your body every now and then. Another common mistake people do is they tend to exfoliate their skin more than required in a week. Using a scrub more than twice a week is not required. Excessive scrubbing tends to remove the natural oils leaving the skin dry and flaky.

Given that people with dry skin face a lot of issues during the monsoon season, it is vital for them to take more care of their skin. Here are a few tips that could help you get past your skin issues during this season.

Stay Hydrated: While it goes without saying that no matter what the season it is, drinking enough of water is extremely important. Nevertheless, people with dry skin should pay more attention to what goes into their body. The increase in humidity tends to make people sweat causing dehydration, which shows on your skin as well. Drink plenty of water and other fluids to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. The best of dermatologists recommend everyone to drink plenty of water for healthy and glowing skin.

Avoid Hot Showers: This one is a big NO-NO! Take a note of the temperature of the water you are taking a shower with. Absolutely hot and steamy showers are not at all recommended as it drys and damages your skin, further weakening your skin capillaries.

Avoid Using Alcohol-Based Products: Toners or any product that has alcohol as one of its ingredients should be avoided. While alcohol in products are used as preservatives or to fight bacteria, it also rips the skin out of its moisture. The alcohol in your skincare products drys your skin even more. Hence, they are best avoided. You can switch to plant-based or more natural products when it comes to applying them on your skin.

Exfoliate Gently: You don’t have to skip this step, just don’t overdo it. Exfoliating is good for your skin, but a certain amount of times. Once or twice a week is good, but more than that just rips your skin of all its moisture. Furthermore, exfoliating is an important step for people with dry and flaky skin. The AHAs are effective for this skin type and the glycolic acid will help remove the dead cells on the surface of your skin. Doing this once in a while will help you get that healthy-looking skin.

The Monsoon Season is refreshing in many ways for sure, but it has its set of setbacks as well. So, while you enjoy the season, ensure you take care of your skin closely. Have a routine for your skin, know which products suit you and moisturise your skin generously.

Interest in cosmetic surgery is booming. Men and women alike are going under the knife to fix sagging jowls, crow’s feet, even cottage cheese thighs. Finding an experienced, credentialed surgeon is your first, most important step, but it’s not the only one.

 

Below are few important points to before a  potential cosmetic-surgery:

 

1. Have realistic expectations. While plastic surgery can enhance your appearance and boost your confidence, it won’t get you a better relationship, a higher-paying job or a more satisfying life. But if your goal is to correct a hooked nose, tighten a loose chin or lift post-nursing breasts, chances are you’ll be satisfied with the results, provided you do your homework first.

2. Check surgeons’ qualifications. A growing number of OB/GYNs, internal medicine doctors, even cardiologists are performing cosmetic procedures. If your selected surgeon isn’t board-certified in plastic surgery, or in the procedure you want to have performed, keep searching. Plastic surgeons must complete 50 hours of continuing medical education each year to ensure they’re up to date, and take regular performance examinations, as well as record patient outcomes, to maintain their certification.

3. Evaluate the facility. In addition to checking your doctor’s credentials, make sure the procedure is performed in an accredited facility, such as a hospital or medical center. A strip mall, office building or a private home (such as at a cosmetic-surgery house party) is not equipped to adequately address potential complications.

4. Consider the timing. Unless you’re having a facial procedure (such as a rhinoplasty, or nose job), consider waiting to have surgery until you’ve completed your family. Having babies—and nursing them!—dramatically changes your body. For the best results, wait until after you’ve finished breastfeeding your last baby to nip, tuck and lift parts that droop and pooch during pregnancy.

5. Save for the expense. Elective plastic surgery has a price and it’s not covered by insurance. Unless you purchase a separate policy, health insurance typically doesn’t cover complications that may arise from cosmetic procedures either. You can’t even use flexible spending dollars to fund the operation. But it’s not an area where you can cut corners or search for bargain-basement prices—even if it requires waiting another year or two to save the money you need for surgery.

6. Don’t minimize risk. While plastic surgery is an elective procedure, it isn’t without risks. Whether your procedure requires general anesthesia (a combination of drugs and gases that put you to sleep), or local sedation, that step comes with its own risks, which you’ll discuss with your doctor beforehand. Surgical complications are possible, too, including infection, wound separation, and the failure to achieve your desired result.

7. Be patient with recovery. Don’t expect to look model-ready after surgery. Be patient with your results. It takes time for swelling and bruising to go away, and it can take weeks or months for the skin to adapt to a new shape. You should also make accommodations for time away from work and family responsibilities, if necessary, too. Talk with your surgeon about post-procedure expectations.

8. Consider nonsurgical options. Although noninvasive procedures also carry some risks, you may want to consider a temporary fix before opting for a permanent solution. However, temporary options (the classic example is fillers) can be more expensive in the long run than one trip to the operating room..

9. Think ahead. Our bodies are constantly changing, so it’s reasonable to assume that you may want additional procedures five or 10 years down the road. That said, you don’t want to get caught in a cycle of trying to look “perfect.”

 

More important than almost any other factor is your comfort level with your selected surgeon. Cosmetic surgery is an art not a science and it requires that patient and doctor work together to achieve the desired outcome.