Osteoporosis

With the progression of age, growing responsibilities, stress, family needs and other household chores, we women often tend to ignore the problems such as backache, stooped posture and pain in wrist or hips until we meet with a fracture or face the severe pain. The Pain that might worsen with time and completely shuts off our activities, compelling us to take rest or visit a doctor. This is the time when we get acquainted with the term OSTEOPOROSIS.

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that is experienced more by females in their 50s as compared to male. Although women are at greater risk especially after menopause but the disease does not differentiate between males and females. Children and teenagers may also suffer from this disease known as juvenile osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is an age related disorder which means ‘porous bones’ that is characterised by reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mass. The risk associated with osteoporosis is immobility, pain and fracture. At severe cases the fracture can happen with mild bending or coughing. Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by conventional radiography or by measuring the bone mineral density.

A low calcium intake diminishes the bone density and risk of fractures. People those who generally have a sedentary lifestyle, lack exercise, who suffer from anorexia or have poor appetite are at the risk of developing the diseases. Hormonal imbalances in men and women can weaken the bone. Osteoporosis is also associated with steroids and other medication used to combat cancer, seizures, transplant etc.

A balanced diet, rich in calcium, adequate vitamin D and exercise are the three basic mantras to promote healthy bones and ward off osteoporosis. A dietary supplement at young age also helps in preventing the onset of the disease.

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Ostranil Gel –A Remarkable Product

What is the benefit of Ostranil Gel over any other commercially available pain management gel? Ostranil gel is a herbal product manufactured by Salveo Life Sciences for relieving pain. It is indicated for Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Musculoskeletal pain and Peripheral neuralgia.

Generally all pain relieving gels available commercially contain Diclofenac diethylamine which has an analgesic effect and reduces pain by inhibiting COX2 (Cyclo oxygenase enzyme). The main side-effect of this compound is the gradual destruction of gastric epithelium or gastric corrosion. The inhibition of COX2 enzyme decreases the prostaglandins in the epithelium of the stomach, making it more sensitive to corrosion by gastric acid. These gel chemically also produce methyl salicylate by esterification of salicylic acid with methanol. Chemically synthesized methyl salicylate may have adverse effect on stomach and kidney.

Ostranil gel has anti-inflammatory and imunomodulatory action due to the beneficial action of herb Boswellia serrata (Shallaki). The principle ingredients of this herb are Boswellic acids.

Boswellic acids enhance the catabolism of GAG (glycosaminoglycan) and exhibits a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti arthritic activity.GAG is the principal macromolecule of the extracellular matrix , it aids in repair and regeneration of articular cartilage. Gandhpura oil is the natural source Methyl salicylate   and produces rubefacient action that causes dilation of the capillaries and increases blood circulation. In addition Eucalyptus also has an analgesic and anti-neuralgic action and a rich source of antioxidants that supplies free radicals.

There is no contraindication for use of this gel and just a gram of gel is enough to give relief in acute pain.

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X-Diaba Controls Blood Sugar Naturally

Diabetes ranks third in the list of fatal diseases. It is the leading cause of blindness, end stage kidney failure, amputation of toes and feet. It is also one of the risk factors for onset of heart disease and stroke. 
                            
Diabetes in simple terms is a metabolic disorder that can be very upsetting. It occurs when the body does not produce or properly utilize insulin. Insulin plays critical role in making the proper utilization of energy from glucose or also known as blood glucose. It is a hormone –a chemical messenger made in pancreas .In addition insulin plays a vital role in burning and storage of glucose and conversion of the additional or extra glucose in form of glycogen. 
  
Diabetes influences all the vital organs of the body such as kidney, liver, heart and retina. Thus keeping the sugar under control is of prime importance to keep a sound  health.

X-diaba is a natural approach in diabetes management .It acts as an as adjuvant due to the presence of  natural ingredients . X-diaba stimulates β cells of pancreas and minimizes long term complication of diabetes mellitus. It also provides strength and acts as a restorative agent.

Each capsule of X-Diaba contains Basant kusumakar ras, shilajeet, giloy extract and gurmar extract.   Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia ) is known to exhibit hypoglycemic activities and works as antioxidant. Gurmar extract is an useful therapeutic agent for the stimulation of insulin secretion in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Despite the fact it has been found to be safe in clinical trials and offers exceptional results , nevertheless it should be taken strictly under medical supervision .The presence of bhasma in the polyherbal formulation can generate certain sideffects.

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Tuswas-Tough on Cough

Do you need a product which can safely and effectively handle both dry and productive cough without making you feel sleepy?

The answer is TUSWAS .It is a natural formulation, which has antibacterial activity against respiratory tract pathogens. The respiratory tract infections generally include the common cold and influenza that has typical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, scratchy throat, cough and irritability.

Coughing is a process of keeping the throat and airways clear, however excessive coughing is very annoying .Several types of cough syrups are available over the counter. Anti tussives cough syrups are syrups recommended for dry cough - one which does not produce any mucus and expectorants and suppressants are for wet cough (produces mucus). The medications that are effective in cough include anti-histamines that induce drowsiness.

Tuswas contains the principle herbs - Tulsi, Madhu (Meldespumatum), Adhathoda vasica that exerts therapeutic benefits by simply their antitussive, mucolytic, anti-allergic, bronchodialatory and anti-inflammatory activities.

In addition to antibacterial activity, Madhu also acts as a soothing agent in dry cough. Adhathoda vasica has an action comparable to that of codeine and Glycyrrhiza glabra is a potent inhibitor of 11-beta hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, which is beneficial in steroid dependent asthma and causes bronchodialatory action.

At night time the cough gets worse as the mucus from nose drains down the throat and triggers an irritating sensation disturbing sleep. This is the time when kids can be safely this particular medicine due to its non alcoholic and non sedative formulation to get rid of the irritating cough.

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Take This Quiz To Check Your Knowledge About Pain And Arthritis!

1.    All joint pain is Arthritis                                          

        A. Myth                B. Fact

2.    Who is at risk of Osteoarthritis   
                        
       A.  18 yrs old     B.  70 yrs old

3.     Every pound gain in body weight, how much extra pressure it puts on the hips?

       A.   Twice as much    B. Six times as much

4.    Pain is associated with part of aging  
                
       A.   Myth           B. Fact        

5.    Exercise can aggravate joint pain                           

      A.   Myth         B. Fact 

6.   There is no natural remedy for joint pain  
         
        A.    Myth    B.   Fact

7.     Lifting heavy objects in a improper way is bad for your back   

        A. Yes    B. No

8.     Once you have pain, you have to live with it lifelong 

        A. Myth     B.    Fact

       Answers:

       1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
      A    B    B    A    A    A    A    A


Your Score:
 
If you are not able to answer at least 6 of the questions correctly then you must update your knowledge on pain and arthritis.

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Love Your Kidneys

Located against the back muscle in the upper abdomen just below the ribcage, unbelievable how these small bean shaped organ act as the natural filters and filters about 200l of blood every day to eliminate the waste from the body?

Kidney plays an important role in urinary system and regulating blood pressure. But when there is a loss of kidney function or gradual loss over a period of time, it is known as chronic   kidney disease (CKD). There are five stages of CKD, stage 1 is the mildest and stage 5 is the chronic kidney failure.

According to 2010 global burden of disease, chronic kidney disease rank 18th and the most common cause of death in patient with CKD is heart and cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
.

Role of kidney:

•    Elimination of salts.
•    Produces hormones like calcitriol, erythropoietin and enzyme rennin
•    Removes waste
•    Removes drugs
•    Balances body fluids

Two test to simply check your kidney:
•    Albuminia to creatine ratio(ACR)
•    Glomular filteration rate(GFR)
•    Blood urea nitrogen test (BUN)

 Signs and symptoms of kidney diseases:

•    Nausea
•    Vomiting
•    Loss of appetite Fatigue and weakness
•    Increased BP

The Signs and symptoms of kidney diseases are often non specific because kidneys are highly adaptable and easily able to reverse the lost function.

Kidney failure risk if:
•    Increased blood pressure
•    Family history
•    Diabetes

Prevention:
•    Quit smoking
•    Alcohol
•    Loose weight
•    Follow healthy diet
•    Decrease salt in diet
•    Exercise

For Healthy kidney:
•    Drink more water
•    Consume less sodium diet
•    Cut down on eating fast food
•    Eat more of whole grains
•    Eat lot of fresh fruits and vegetables
•    Avoid over the counter medicines

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Spices : A Healthy And Tasty Way To Living

Spices are quintessential part of Indian cuisine. Long before the medicines were used for curing the ailments, the spices had already made their special place not only in Indian kitchen but also to maintain good health. Indian spices are known worldwide for their therapeutic benefits. They take a lead role in improving the digestive system by stimulating the secretion of saliva and gastric juices. Some of the spices have carminative value that is they help in easing bloating. For ages fennel seeds have been playing an important role in improving the appetite.

In addition spices such as clove has shown inhibitory action against Aspergillus sp, Candida sp, Staphylococcus sp and Pediococcus sp. Other spices have pain alleviating properties due to which it is widely used in the herbal preparation for curing pain. Research studies have indicated the effectiveness of turmeric in healing wound and infections and fenugreek seeds, ginger and garlic doing wonders in naturally giving relief in diabetes and cancer.

Due to an increase in antibiotic resistance, more than 80% of population are going for natural cure for health issues, since herbal medications are safe and effective on a long run. And today when the world is inclining more towards herbal remedies for various kinds of ailments, our efforts should be directed not to switch over from a healthy spicy diet to bland diet but to use the spices judiciously in our food and lead a healthy life.

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Antibiotic Resistance – A Threat To Therapeutic World

Antibiotic resistance has now emerged as the biggest cause of concern for medical fraternity worldwide.

Antibiotic or drug resistance is caused due to resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial agents which were once effective in treating the disease. The reason behind this threat is the rampant use and in many cases misuse of antimicrobial substances which not only prevents in treating even the most common diseases leading to death or disability but also results in reducing efficacy of drugs. As a result, managing infections in case of communicable diseases as well is becoming an even bigger challenge.

A global report on surveillance 2014 on antimicrobial resistance has highlighted that there is a gap between information on bacteria and issues of major public health importance. The invention of antibiotics was akin to magic bullet. Because all major antibiotics are safe, low cost and effective at low doses, of all the medicines they are misused the most.

Rational use of the antibiotics is therefore the need of the hour. A global action plan has to be drawn up to make people aware of the optimal use of the antibiotics to strengthen knowledge more and reduce incidences of infection. It has to be kept in mind that rampant misuse leads to antibiotic resistance which in turn adds to the healthcare cost burden.

Resistance is a natural phenomenon but with added cases antimicrobial resistance, the frequency of resistance is increasing in numbers. Poor adherence to dosage regimen is one of the factors for antimicrobial resistance. Physicians should decide whether there is a need for prescribing these antibiotics to patients, whether it will actually translate to benefit for the patients.

It is well said that if no action is taken today; no cure will be available tomorrow.

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