Healthy Heart and Healthy Life

An estimated, more than 17 million people die of CVDs (cardiovascular disease) every year worldwide - World Health Organization (WHO)

Celebrate World Heart Day on 29-Sep-12

Do you know why the number is so high and also increasing every year? It’s just because of your lifestyle and eating habits. Physical inactivity and unhealthy diet increases the risk of heart disease. You are inviting the heart disease if you are consuming tobacco or smoking.

Aim of World Heart Day :

World Heart Day is celebrated every year to aware people about CVD prevention methods. It is organized by the World Heart Federation to help realize the people that heart disease can be prevented. World Heart Day celebration aims to spread information on the risk factors of heart disease, so that people can work on it to reduce the chances of CVD. 80% of premature deaths due to heart disease can be avoided by controlling the risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet.

World Heart Day 2012 :

In 2012, the theme for celebrating World Heart Day is “One World, One Home, One Heart”. It will be celebrated on 29th September. Through the campaign, World Heart Federation will urge the people to become proactive for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Efforts are made to aware people about the life-threatening complications of heart disease and prevent them by controlling the main risk factors including

• Smoking
• Tobacco
• Unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity 

People are suggested to prefer for healthy dietary choices and avoiding tobacco and smoking. They are asked to exercise for at least 30 minutes to burn the calories and avoid stressful situations to reduce the risk of heart problems.

Medecure supports the celebrations of World Heart Day and join hands to educate people to reduce the chances of life-threatening CVDs and stroke.

Facts you should know about Rabies

Rabies is a global disease and every year around 55000 deaths of humans and animals are reported worldwide.

• The virus of rabies affects the central nervous system, causes swelling of the brain and if untreated could result in convulsions and respiratory failure and eventually death
• The virus enters the body through the bite of infected animals. Lyssavirus rabies is the virus responsible for rabies spread
• Saliva of infected animal also increases the risk for contracting rabies
• Though dogs are the main carrier of the deadly disease other animals like bats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, wolves might transfer the virus as well
• High risk groups are veterinarians, animal caretakers, and to some extent laboratory workers working or researching on rabies. Travellers visiting areas for extended periods where rabies is prevalent are also at high risk. It is advisable that they get rabies shot before visiting such areas.
• Some common symptoms and signs in humans are : itching or pin like pricking feeling in the infected area followed with fever, headache, anxiety, drooling, delirium, convulsions, hallucinations, insomnia, muscle spasms, swallowing difficulty, numbness or tingling in the infected area
• Some common symptoms in animals: full or partial paralysis, strange behaviour, eating non food items, experience loss of appetite, change in voice, restless or aggressive
• 12 to 48 hours ; this should be the ideal treatment time for a person exposed to rabies for best outcome
• Treatment for rabies involves vaccination and administration for rabies immune globulin.
• After receiving the first vaccine shot, the next should be give on third, seven, and 14 and if required after 28 days of getting the first shot.
• Though completely preventable, if one does not receive complete or incomplete treatment, he would surely die because of the failure of the central nervous system
• Rabies could be prevented with timely government run animal vaccination and by avoiding contact with rabid animals

Medecure urges you all to take these facts seriously and take every step to educate and make people aware about this deadly disease.

Common problems of Digestive System

Have you experienced any kind of problem associated with digestive system? Consult the gastroenterologists. They are specialized in treating and diagnosing the several types of digestive disorders. Some people ignore the symptoms of disorders and problems of digestive tract, as the symptoms come and go. But if the signs and symptoms occur more frequently, take it seriously and consult the digestive system specialists.

Gastroenterology physician have received special training in dealing with diseases and disorders related to organs of digestive system including pancreas, liver, gallbladder, stomach, and oesophagus. They focus on the treatment of the health problems such as -

Oesophageal disease

• Barrett’s oesophagus – The condition occurs when lining of the oesophagus is damaged and leads to inflammation of oesophagus.
• GERD – A condition in which stomach content leak back or reflux into the oesophagus because muscles at the end of oesophagus does not close properly. As the content is composed of strong acids, it can irritate the oesophagus and can damage it.
• Dysphagia – It is a swallowing disorder, in which patient has difficulty in swallowing. It is caused when muscles of throat and oesophagus get squeezed.

Stomach diseases

• Ulcer – It refers to an abrasion in the lining of the stomach.
• Cyclic vomiting syndrome – This medical condition leads to bout of severe nausea and vomiting, which can last for days. Medications are prescribed by the digestive system specialists (gastroenterologists) to treat the problem. Healthcare Specialists may suggest to get hospitalized for intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration.

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders

• Diarrhea – Frequent bowel movement or uncontrolled bowl movement is diarrhea. Visit the digestive system specialist as diarrhea can cause dehydration, which if left untreated can be fatal. Rush to gastroenterologist to prevent any complications.
• Gas – Indigestion results in formation of too much gas. Consult the gastroenterologists if you are passing gas too many times.
• Motility disorders – Motility refers contraction of muscles to allow food to travel through digestive tract. When this contraction is abnormal, it is known as motility disorder.

Bowel disorders

• Crohn’s disease – It is caused due to inflammation in lining of the digestive tract.
• Irritable bowel syndrome – It is a disorder that affects the large intestine (colon). Some uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, constipation are developed in irritable bowel syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis – It is an inflammatory bowel disease causing inflammation in part of a digestive tract. Gastroenterology physician prescribes the medication to reduce the inflammation, but if the condition is severe, surgery may be required.
• Nutritional disorder – Such type of disorder is developed when body cannot digest nutrients.

If you experience any of the symptoms of digestive system disorders and disease, do not take it lightly. Consult gastroenterology physician for the treatment.

Say Yes to Life and No to Suicide!

Medecure since its inception has been a firm believer that this world is meant to be lived and that too without any illness or disease. Every year 10th September is celebrated worldwide as World Suicide Prevention day. But here one thing comes to my mind that what is the need for celebrating such a day? Is the suicide figures so alarming? To my and your surprise suicide is the 13th leading cause of deaths worldwide. As per WHO reports, every year around 3000 people commit suicide which comes to a suicide every 40 seconds. The statistics is indeed shocking!!!

What we believe is that everyone loves life then what happens that people end up their lives. Depression, suffering from any deadly disease or disorder, repeated failure in love or career, a feeling of guilt is believed to be some of the reasons. A person who decides to end up his lives develops a feeling that he is a burden on others and if he ends up his life; he would free those loved ones from sufferings and pain. But what he fails to understand that his loved ones love him, they care for him and it would do more harm than good if he ends up his life abruptly.

Medecure calls upon to shun all such beliefs and ideas and love this life. When you do not have any control over giving life then who gives you the authority to end it up on your own. Come this 10th September and take a pledge that we would say yes to life and no to suicide!!!