Category: Health

Dementia in elderly people

Senior citizens face various issues in their day-to-day life. With the growing age, a weak body and weak cognition make almost every task difficult for them to perform. Getting older is not just about wrinkles and greying hair. Physical illness is not just the issue of the elderly, but also mental illness. Depression and dementia are the most common psychological diseases.

Dementia is a syndrome that deteriorates the cognition and ability to perform everyday tasks of an individual. Dementia is not itself a disease, but a collective term used to describe symptoms of impairment in thinking, memory, and communication.

Although dementia mostly affects older people it is not a normal part of aging. Possible symptoms of dementia are-

  • Recent memory loss- A person asking the same question might repeatedly be a sign.
  • Forgetfulness- The person may be forgetting where he/she kept his/her everyday items.
  • Mood swings- Sudden or unexplained change in mood.
  • Bewilderment- Getting lost or confused in familiar places.
  • A problem in speech- difficulty with familiar language, forgetting words, or using wrong words in place of some other word.
  • Loss in interest- Showing less or no interest in doing something that they earlier enjoyed or going somewhere.

With these symptoms, dementia is acting as a major reason for the abuse of the elderly. The elderly suffering from dementia is easily negligible for some people as the sufferer is not capable of saying anything or raising any questions to them. The old aged people with dementia are often abandoned o the streets by their own families and children so that they don’t have to give any special care to them and also they know that the patient is not in a condition to report these incidents.

Abandonment is not the only abuse an elderly with dementia has to face. There are more abuses that they have to face like:

  • Negligence- The elderly with dementia suffers from forgetfulness and may not remember to take meals, bath or medicine on time and the caregiver may keep neglecting the patient there is no to rebuke
  • Sexual abuse- as a sufferer of dementia and a weak body the elderly is easy prey for the abusers and are hence, forced into sexual acts without their consent.
  • Financial abuse- old aged people are often tricked into handing over all their property to their family, by their family members, either by forcing or by forging the signature of the property holder.

People often use the words ‘Dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’ interchangeably, but the two diseases are different. Alzheimer is itself a disease, whereas dementia is a collective term.

Aging affects differently on different people but it has a common way of handling it- love and care. The person who nurtured us yesterday needs some care and affection today. And love is deserved by every being and so by the elderly. Elderly suffering from dementia is not an opportunity for abandoning and abusing them, rather a human being to be taken care of.  

Why Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is not getting approval in highly regulated countries

India made COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research  is been used extensively in most of the countries. However, the regulatory body of USA, USFDA has still not given the approval of usage of Covaxin on their citizens. It is believed that their regulatory body wants further clarification on the clinical trials conducted for Covaxin by Bharat Biotech.

What is the reason behind USFDA’s unapproval?

USFDA has asked Bharat Biotech to submit the clinical trial data of Covaxin so as to get the vaccine approval in United States. But after the submission of partial data of clinical trials of Covaxin, the regulatory body of USA rejected the approval and has asked Ocugen( Hyderabad based pharma company which is also Bharat Biotech’s US partner) to submit the additional trial data. Covaxin is therefore rejected for emergency use due to lack of scientific data according to US regulators. However,  if they get the complete trial data from Bharat Biotech they can file a Biologics License Application(BLA) seeking a full approval instead.

Recently, USFDA has revised their guidelines for emergency use authorization and stated that they won’t be entertaining further requests. After all this, Occugen remains hopeful for a good news.

Bharat Biotech’s delay to share Phase- 3 clinical trial data

Bharat Biotech has not yet shared the clinical trial data of phase 3 trials and are expected to share it on next month. Following which, the company will start applying for a full licensure of Covaxin. “Once data from the final analysis of phase III studies are available, Bharat Biotech will apply for full licensure for Covaxin,” Bharat Biotech told the news channels.

Further they added, they have already taken the data of Phase-4 clinical trials which is the post- marketing surveillance to check the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Hurdles of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin

COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech has been facing enormous hurdles in front of them pertaining to it’s approval. The wait of Phase 3 clinical trial data is taking long and that is the reason it is still not being validated by World Health Organization(WHO). Without which they are unable to export their vaccine and make an entry into the Covid 19  passport.   

Different countries has different regulations and also some of the them have stingent  regulations. Due to which COVID- 19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech, Covaxin remains unapproved in all those countries without their Phase 3 clinical trial data.  This is the reason why, foreign universities are also not considering students who has been vaccinated with Covaxin. They are considering them as “un-vaccinated” in this regard.

Now it remains to be seen how soon they can procure the clinical trial data of phase 3 and then they can get the approval from foreign countries for emergency use. Also, the approval from WHO is required to get into the coveted COVID-19 vaccine passport. “We are aware that Bharat Biotech has sought the WHO emergency-use listing for Covaxin. We hope that the process of getting this approval is completed at an early date,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi on this issue.

Yoga- An Ancient Legacy

‘Yoga’ is performed to channelize the energies of body and mind in one direction. Yoga is often misconceptualized by people as mere asanas(postures). But actually, it is a holistic health approach with the harmonization of body and mind with nature, with an essence of spirituality. It is the awakening of conscience with the realization of one’s oneness with the universe.

‘Yoga’ derives its meaning from the Indian classical language of ‘Sanskrit’, which means “union” or “to yoke or join”. ‘Yoga’ has its roots grown around 5000 years ago, long before any belief system started budding. It is believed as an ‘immortal cultural product’ of the Indus Saraswati Valley Civilization- dating back to 2700 B.C. Fossil remains with figures performing Yoga Sadhana indicate the presence of yoga in ancient India.
Yoga practices are also mentioned in the ancient literature like- Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, teachings of Buddhism, Jainism, Panini, Epics, Puranas, and more. The existence of yoga in ancient India can also be marked by the presence of yoga shlokas in ‘Bhagwat Geeta’, like- Yujuate arena it yoga; meaning “yoga is that which joins”. Yoga joins the individual self with the universal self.

June 21 marks the International Day of Yoga. Every year since 2015, the government of India organizes mega yoga events on this day across the country. Yoga is not only an ancient Indian culture but also a tourist attraction from abroad. The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, in New Delhi has students from parts of India and abroad.
In today’s time where everyone is a sufferer of work pressure and stress, yoga is a great escape. It provides calmness and relaxation to the mind and body. Especially the students can benefit a lot as yoga is said to improve IQ and memory.

The harmony between the body, mind, and soul is what yoga aims at, for a better life experience. It soothes the mind and heals the body. Increases physical flexibility and strength and increases concentration and mental stability, helping you create a calm environment for yourself that shields you from the chaotic and stressful life of today.
In today’s time, more people have become conscious about their physic and physical strength. More people tend to exercise. Many people opt for gyms to exercise than doing yoga at home, without the need for any complex and expensive equipment.

Many people from abroad come here to India to learn and practice yoga. In fact, in this pandemic Americans started online yoga classes to keep people healthy and stress-free. The people there responded enthusiastically to the initiative.

Over the years, yoga has gained international recognition. Especially in this time of pandemic where it is advised to stay indoors, yoga is the best way to stay physically as well as mentally healthy. It is easy as well convenient to perform yoga inside the boundaries of your home, without any load on your pockets to buy any expensive equipment.
Simple breathing techniques contribute a lot to your health. However, it is advised to consult your doctor before performing any yogasnas if you have any underlying health conditions such as asthma, hypertension, or hypotension.

Breathe in Peace and Exhale the Stress

‘Stress’ is a word so often used these days. People often tend to say they are ‘stressed’. It might be because of some work pressure or any personal issues. But do we really know what stress actually means?

Stress is the adaptive response of the body and mind against an external situation, when an individual is unable to meet the demands of the opportunity or the situation, and the outcome of it is crucial and uncertain at the same time.

Stress is evident when there is physical, psychological and/or behavioral change in an individual. However, stress is not always negative or adverse. Heart attacks are very common in people with high stress levels.

Stress is actually a neutral word. It can be either negative or positive. The stress becomes negative when it is developed because of an undesirable events or situations, known as ‘distress’. On the flip side, when stress is developed because of some desirable events or situations with successful effects, it is called as ‘eustress’.

Distress has a negative impact on the physical, psychological and/or behavioral aspects of an individual which results in degradation of performance and/or routine work that he/she might otherwise would have done efficiently. The decision-making ability becomes inefficient and ineffective, sleep cycle is hindered resulting in insomnia or oversleep, and health deteriorates.

 Any sort of personal or organizational loss can result in distress. Death of a dear one, loss of job, divorce, all such events leave a negative impact and sense of grief and sadness in an individual. When this feeling of grief and sadness takes over an individual and gets out of his coping abilities, it contributes to distress.

Eustress on the other hand, positively impacts an individual. It is the healthy and developmental stress resulting in improved performance levels, when the level of stress is at optimum level. It ignites a feeling of excitement and keeps an individual motivated to perform his best. The stress for submitting your project within the given deadline or stress for performing your best at your job pushes you to perform the best you can. As there is a sense of competition and will to earn appreciation. You work hard and put all your efforts to achieve the desired result. This is how eustress works. However, this is only possible when the stress level is optimum and under control of the individual. Otherwise, if the stress level is high it might result in distress because of breakdown of the individual, hampering the performance negatively.

How Can You Deal with Stress?

Every individual is unique and has differing stress coping levels. An event that is making a person uncomfortable or anxious might be exciting for another person. A person may be hesitant to speak in public, but another person might love to speak in public. This is how diverse people are. When people are so diverse, how can there be a common solution for stress? There is no “one size fits all” concept in coping with stress.

Often people start to seclude themselves when stress levels are high, as they think no one would understand them. This might be an effect of their experiences where they might have talked about their feelings, but people would have mocked them for it or just ignored, not understanding the seriousness of the issue. But talking about your feelings with someone actually relieves and decreases the burden inside you. Bottling up your feelings actually acts as a ticking time bomb which would explode at some point. Talk to anyone you like to or is close to you.

Indulge yourself into activities you like. It might be listening to music, reading books, sketching, stitching or anything you like. It would help you keep your mind busy, not letting you think of any unnecessary or hyper thoughts. This would help your mind stay peaceful and gradually decrease the stress level.

Yoga and meditation are of immense benefit to heal yourself of stress. It helps you maintain a harmony between your mind and body, increasing your focus and concentration levels, and lowering your stress levels.

Use affirmations for yourself. Stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself “I can do it”, “I have the power to overcome my fears”. This is important because people with stress often give up and think they can’t do anything in the situation prevailing or anything in general. Such affirmations provide a sense of positivity to deal with the stress.

Sometimes stress in not self-curable. It needs medical help at times. When nothing works for you seek foe medical help. Contact a certified psychiatrist or therapist.

However, it is crucial to have proper details about the psychiatrist or therapist so that any wrong treatment doesn’t contribute further scaring to their mental health.

The Concept of Well-Being: Simplified

The concepts of general health and wellbeing of human beings have been used interchangeably in recent times. Though some variances exist, they deserve attention altogether.
Health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health itself has some key determinants which include social, economic, and physical environments coupled with race, belief, economic or social condition.
Wellbeing or wellness on the other hand, refers to an optimal state of health expressed as a positive approach to living. It places emphasis on the constant search for good health as an utmost goal.
Health and wellbeing are a constant and dynamic process of change and growth in an effort to meet one’s pinnacle of potential and overall wellness.

Paying attention to health translates into wellbeing, and wellbeing itself comprises eight key dimensions, these are;

Emotional Wellbeing; proper understanding of your feelings and coping effectively with stress is addressed here. Importance should be paid to self-care, stress maintenance, relaxation and growth from experiences.

Environmental Wellbeing; having a lifestyle that is beneficial and respectful to the surroundings. Earth protection is key as being environmentally conscious by raising awareness should be prioritized.

Financial Wellbeing; this refers to learning how to successfully manage financial expenses. Money plays a cardinal role in our lives and the absence of it impacts health alongside overall performance.

Intellectual Wellbeing; new ideas and continuous lifelong learning find a resting place in an open mind. Expansion of knowledge is encouraged through scholastic or community activities.

Occupational Wellbeing; enjoying what you do for a living and appreciating your contributions. This angle of wellbeing encourages personal satisfaction and improves one’s life worth through work.

Physical Wellbeing; this deals with being responsible for your heart and seeking care when the need arises. Exercising, eating and sleeping well, and paying attention to signs of illness are crucial to physical wellbeing.

Social Wellbeing; Creation of a support network and actively engaging in social roles effectively. Development of valuable relationships with peers and intimate relationships with partners is encouraged here.

Spiritual Well Being; meaning and purpose are the main focus, and spiritual fulfilment can be achieved through relaxation or religion. Someone who is spiritually well knows which resources to use to cope with life’s everyday issues.

Fugu: The forbidden fish

Everyone knows that its human nature to want a thing that is forbidden to them. This is what drives many people in Japan and even foreigners who visit Japan, to try the infamous fugu fish. Found in the Pacific Ocean, this fish is a pufferfish and looks rather innocuous, in terms of being poisonous. However, it’s the perfect example of the phase, “looks can be deceiving” as the fish is said to be 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. The fish is so poisonous that a slight error in its preparation can cause instant fatality. However, its still one of the most expensive and revered delicacies of Japan.

Described as a fish whose taste is “indescribable”, Fugu is only affordable to the high-end part of our society. The taste of this fish is said to be like no other food anyone would have ever tasted, so utterly delicious that people are willing to risk their lives for it. The liver is famously known as the tastiest part of the fish, but its also the most deadliest part, along with the ovaries, and the eyes. Fugu is deadly because of the poison tetrodotoxin. The poison, a blocker of sodium channels, paralyses the muscles while the victim is completely aware, then the poisoned person cannot respire and dies from suffocation. This takes roughly about 10 mins. Now, with so much advancement in science, there has got to be an antidote to this poison which has been killing people for more than 2,300 years, which is the time during which fugu consumption dates back to. Unfortunately and surprisingly, there is no cure once you ingest this toxin. The normal therapy is to help the respiration and circulation of the person until the toxin is digested and removed through the victim’s body. Researchers found that a fugu’s tetrodotoxin arises from eating other tetrodotoxin-loaded animals that the fish develop insensitivity to over time. So, an effort has been made to cultivate these fishes in toxin free environment.

Now the question looms that if the fish is so poisonous, how are people consuming it? Well, no one is consuming it with a 100% surety that they wont die. However, due to its popularity, high demand and income, there are specialized chefs who prepare fugu. These chefs train in fugu preparation from anywhere between 4-10 years. A license is then assigned to them, specifically for the preparation of fugu. Only then, under controlled restaurant conditions, can they prepare fugu. The fugu is then served in an arrangement representing chrysanthemum petals.

A paradox has appeared in Japan where some activists are proposing a ban on the selling and consumption of fugu, while some are even requesting the government to legalise the consumption of the liver of fugu. Fugu has been the leading cause of food poisoning in Japan and most of the people who have died from it were fishermen who tried to cook fugu domestically. There is no doubt that fugu is highly lethal, however consumption of this delicious delicacy in restaurants with controlled environment and skilled chefs is reasonable. What do you think? Given a chance, would you ever try out this dangerous but indescribably tasty delicacy?

COVID-19 vaccination.

As the new coronavirus continues to spread around the world, the vaccine is seen as the best way to stop it. Everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1. Anyone who has an allergy to any component of the vaccine, should not take it. While COVID-19 vaccine supplies are limited, health workers at high risk of exposure and older people should be prioritized for vaccination.

Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine which means that it is made up of killed coronaviruses, making it safe to be injected into the body.Bharat Biotech, a 24-year-old vaccine maker with a portfolio of 16 vaccines and exports to 123 countries, used a sample of the coronavirus, isolated by India’s National Institute of Virology.The two doses are given four weeks apart. The vaccine can be stored at 2C to 8C.Some mild symptoms AEFIs may occur like injection site pain, headache, fatigue, fever, body ache, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, dizziness-giddiness, tremor, sweating, cold, cough and injection site swelling. No other vaccine-related serious adverse effects have been reported.It is your choice to receive or not receive COVAXIN . other vaccines. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not get the vaccine as the effect of the vaccine has not been studied in pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Covishild is a recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein. Following administration, the genetic material of part of corona virus is expressed which stimulates an immune response.People aged 65 and older are less likely to experience common side effects.

More than 1 in 10 people may experience:

feeling tired
tenderness, bruising, pain or itching in the arm where you had the vaccine injection
headache
muscle pain
joint pain
nausea
fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above)

Sputnik V Covid-19 Vaccine: Sputnik V is a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine, which has an efficacy of over 91 per cent, according to a publication in scientific journal The Lancet.Made by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Sputnik V is a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine using a similar platform to Covishield — the most widely used vaccine in India since the government’s immunisation programme began in January. So far, DRL has only received 150,000 doses of this vaccine from Russia. The company expects more doses soon. According to its agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been in charge of signing agreements for supply of this vaccine across the world, India is expected to get at least 250 million doses, which will be sufficient to inoculate 125 million people. However, it is unclear by when these doses will be supplied and distributed in India.The imported vaccine has been priced at Rs 948 per dose. However, including 5 per cent Goods and Services Tax, the price of this vaccine goes up to Rs 995.40 per dose.the most common side effects were: flu-likeillness, headache, fatigue, injection-site reactions.

Covid-19 in Tamilnadu

COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.Tamil Nadu reported 486 Covid-19 deaths and 30,016 fresh infections on Saturday. After 31,579 people recovered, the state was left with 3.1 lakh people under treatment for the viral infection. Cases in hotspot Coimbatore dropped from 3,937 on Friday to 3,692 on Saturday, and in Chennai from 2,762 to 2,705. Three other districts in western Tamil Nadu —- Erode (1,743), Tirupur (1,697) and Salem (1,472) —- reported more than 1,000 cases as did Chengalpet (1,314), Trichy(1,099) and Tiruvallur (1,072).

As the number of COVID-19 cases being reported from Coimbatore district surpassed that of even the capital city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited COVID-19 patients admitted at Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur hospitals on Sunday afternoon. Stalin visited COVID-19 patients at Government Erode Medical College Hospital on Sunday morning and inspected the 300 newly setup oxygen beds at the hospital.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Minister for Housing and Urban Development S Muthusamy accompanied the CM during the inspections. Following the inspection, CM visited Tirupur Government Hospital and inaugurated 100 new oxygen beds. The Chief Minister reportedly interacted with the patients and enquired about their health and facilities at the hospital.Subsequently, CM Stalin visited Government ESI Medical College and Hospital in Coimbatore on Sunday afternoon, where he proceeded with the inspections. CM also launched 50 car ambulances for COVID-19 patients to be brought into the hospitals without any delay.

After interacting with the patients and inspecting the COVID-19 treatment and facilities at the hospital, CM held a review meeting regarding measures to contain COVID-19 spread. As per official data, Coimbatore district on May 26 recorded 4,268 new COVID-19 cases, highest in the state, whereas Chennai recorded 3,561 new cases on the same day.Since then, Coimbatore district has recorded the highest number of cases compared to Chennai. On May 29 Coimbatore recorded 3,692 new cases, whereas Chennai reported 2,705 new cases.To contain the spread of the virus, the officials in Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur, which have also witnessed a surge in numbers, have ramped up the testing, tracking and treating methods in respective districts.

Malnutrition

“Most of the seven billion people in this world suffer from Malnutrition. Half do not have enough to eat and rest of us eat too much” – Earle Grey.

ABOUT Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. It can lead to serious health issues, including stunted growth, eye problems, diabetes, and heart disease. Malnutrition occurs when a person gets too much or too little of certain nutrients. Undernutrition occurs when they lack nutrients because they eat too little food overall. A person with undernutrition may lack vitamins, minerals, and other essential substances that their body needs to function.

SYMPTOMS OF MALNUTRITION:

Some signs and symptoms of malnutrition include:

• A lack of appetite or interest in food or drink • Tiredness and irritability • An inability to concentrate • Always feeling cold • Depression • Loss of fat, muscle mass, and body tissue • A higher risk of getting sick and taking longer to heal

TYPES OF MALNUTRITION:

Malnutrition is a group of conditions in children and adults generally related to poor quality or insufficient quantity of nutrient intake, absorption, or utilization.

There are two major types of malnutrition:

• Protein-energy malnutrition – resulting from deficiencies in any or all nutrients

• Micronutrient deficiency diseases – resulting from a deficiency of specific micronutrients CAUSES Malnutrition can occur for various reasons.

The sections below outline these potential causes in more detail.

• A low intake of food.

• Mental health conditions.

• Social and mobility problems.

• Digestive disorders and stomach conditions.

• Alcohol use disorder.

Diagnosis If a person shows or notices any signs of malnutrition, the first step will be to find out why. If a doctor suspects Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or another condition, they may carry out laboratory tests to confirm a diagnosis.

Treatment

• If a doctor diagnoses malnutrition, they will make a treatment plan for the person. The person may also need to meet with a nutritionist and other healthcare providers

• Treatment will depend on the severity of the malnutrition and the presence of any other underlying conditions or complications. Prevention

•To prevent malnutrition, people need to consume a range of nutrients from a variety of food types.

•The older adults, young children, people with severe or chronic illness, and others may need additional care to ensure that they obtain the nutrients they need.

Skincare: An Essential or A Scam?

I was one of those few God’s favorites who had clear skin and perfect hair during my early and mid-teens. To my horror, my late-teens turned out to be a can of worms when I started getting oily skin, breakouts, acne, frizz, dandruff, hair fall, and what-not.

One of the main misconceptions about having oily skin is that people advise you to wash your face often to keep the oiliness at bay. Not knowing better, I followed the routine religiously. My mom and my grandma recommended some DIYs that could potentially benefit my skin. So, I tried putting lemon, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and other nasties to restore the natural oil balance. I never applied moisturizer or sunscreen for fear that it may make my skin oilier. I basically went all the way out, trying to get back my perfect skin. Unknowingly, I did more harm than good.

Fast forward to my days in college. I was tremendously insecure about my never-ending acne while all the other girls flaunted their flawless skin. I started wearing makeup in hopes that it would conceal my blemishes and imperfections. Again, I did not follow the correct methods in applying or removing the makeup.

I finally gave up thinking that perfect skin was not for me. I reverted back to my old ways when I let my skin do what it does naturally. It did not improve my skin, but it did not worsen it too. This was the time that I came across an Instagram page of a skincare blogger. Despite my skepticism, I was curious about what she had to say. I browsed through her feed. Based on her experience and reviews, I figured that she knew what she was talking about.

I messaged her and told her about my woes. She recommended that I start off simple with a mild cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen. I decided to give it a try. What did I have to lose anyway? To this day, that was the best decision that I had ever taken.

After noticing a few positive changes in my skin, I researched various products. I desperately wanted to get it right this time. I thought a skincare routine might seem like high maintenance, but it really wasn’t. I learned that investing early in skincare could have lasting effects. Besides, less is more. It is vital to not layer too many products. Skincare makes you age gracefully. As we know, prevention is always better than cure. So, why take chances with your skin?

The basic skincare regimen consists of only three steps: cleanse, moisturize and protect against the sun. It is necessary to invest in a mild cleanser, a hydrating moisturizer, and a sunscreen having an SPF of at least 30. The first step is to identify your skin type and your skin concerns. The next step is to know the layering of your products. The final and crucial step is consistency. After following this routine initially, you can build on it using toners, exfoliators, serums, face masks, facial oils, etc.

Skincare is not an overnight miracle. It does not provide a temporary fix but gets the ball rolling to healthier skin. Patience is the key to seeing good results. You have to test different products to find which works best for you. To commit fully to having healthy skin, you should be ready to invest your time, energy, and money.

Every skin is unique. The same product can give different results for another person. A bad experience with a product does not signify that it is not a quality product. Based on your age, allergies, expectations, skin needs, preference of a fragrance or a texture, the results and experiences vary.

The billion-dollar skincare industry is growing steadily every day and doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. For the most part, it consists of fraudulent and deceptive claims. A new brand launches a new product every hour. The industry thrives by feeding on your insecurities and flaws. Even though we don’t need most skincare products, the companies persuade us to buy more and more products. But, that does not mean that the entire industry is a scam. Ultimately, it is in our hands to not fall prey to the scamming leeches and invest in the right products.

Skincare changed my life for the better. It boosted my confidence and made me feel comfortable in my own skin. “Perfect skin” does not exist. Instead, healthy skin is what we should strive for.

Covid Vaccines: Why you can’t compare 92% efficiency with 81% efficiency

The only way to fight this deadly pandemic is by vaccinating ourselves. People are people’s cure. With so many companies releasing Covid-19 vaccines, people get confused as to which parameter is to be used while comparing them. Most of them start comparing vaccines based on their efficiency. There is a strong reason behind why you shouldn’t do that.

Parameters to consider

covishield,covaxin,sputnik
Covaxin, Covishield, Sputnik V (left to right)

Let us consider the three most used vaccines in India: Sputnik V, Covaxin, Covishield. The efficacy rates of the three are:

  • Sputnik V- 92%
  • Covaxin-81%
  • Covishield-70%

Based on this data, one may conclude that Sputnik V is the best and Covishield the worst. But before reaching this conclusion, let us consider some more important specifications.

Sputnik V vaccine:

Sputnik V is an adenoviral based Russian made vaccine, used against Covid-19. It works by introducing a weakened virus into the body so that they don’t immediately replicate and cause disease. Instead it prepares our immune system so that when the real virus attacks, the severity can be minimum to none. It requires two doses, with a 21 day interval between.

The trials were conducted on volunteers from Russia from June 2020 to Nov 2020 against the original and UK variant Covid-19. 19,000 volunteers from Russia participated in the trial, so trials were not done on Indian people.

Covaxin:

Covaxin was developed by India’s National Institute of Virology (NIV). It works by introducing a dead Covid virus into the body, thus enabling the immune system to develop a response, and this method is often considered safe. It was first trialed on animals, and then proceeded to human trials. It requires two doses, with a 4-6 week interval between.

The trials were conducted on volunteers from India from June 2020 to Jan 2021 against both the original and UK variant virus. Trials were done on a total of 26,000 volunteers.

Covishield:

Covishield was developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. It works by introducing a weakened version of a common cold adenovirus into the body and triggers an immune response. It requires two doses, with a 4-8 week interval between.

The trials were conducted on volunteers from USA from August 2020 to December 2020 against the original virus only. Trials were done on a total of 30,000 volunteers.

As it can be observed, all three vaccine trials were conducted under different time periods, in different countries, on people of different nationalities on different variant viruses. Thus comparing them solely on the efficiency rates alone is not fair.

So which one to choose?

The answer to this question is that all three do their jobs as specified. There is no single ‘perfect’ vaccine. So instead of waiting for a vaccine with higher efficiency rate, try to vaccinate yourself as soon as possible. The goal of a vaccine is not to prevent you from getting Covid-19, but to reduce its severity, thus reducing severe symptoms and death.

Evidently, no vaccinated individual during the trials were hospitalized when they got Covid-19. The intake of medicines prescribed by their doctors, good food and isolation cured them. Hence this is proof that vaccination reduces the severity of the virus. Do not be under the false pretense that once vaccinated, Covid-19 cannot affect you and hence do not roam out. You maybe vaccinated, but other may not be. So do not be the cause of their attack.

This post was written with the intention of debunking the false hope of people that better efficiency rate equals better vaccine. So vaccinate yourself when you get the chance instead of waiting for the perfect vaccine. Be safe and be home. Let us together win this battle and soon return back to normal.

Prions: The most fatal disease-causing agent of all.

What Is a Prion? - Scientific American

We have all heard of viruses, bacteria, fungal and protozoan induced infection. Most of them curable under proper diagnosis, some very common to us and while others are more feared diseases like AIDS and cancer. However, these diseases also have some sort of medication and care which can be given to patients for their recovery. But today let’s talk about the lesser known but most dangerous kind of infectious particle known to humans. Its name is prions and scientists hardly know anything about it.

It all started in 1982, when Stanley Prusiner discovered a particle which had no DNA or RNA, the basis of every living organism in the world. These particles were just proteins and couldn’t even be classed as living or dead. The particles were infectious agents and were given the name prions. Some scientist resisted the fact that prions exists because it disrupts the universal rule that proteins are formed from transcription and translation of nucleic acid.

Our brain is the most complex organ of our body. Much of things about the functions of the brain is unknow to us till now. There is a protein present in the cytoplasmic membrane of the cells in our brain, known as prp. The exact functionality of the protein is unknown to us but is speculated that it’s associated with then normal functioning of the brain. The sequence of amino acid in PrP allows the protein to fold into two stable tertiary structures: The typical cellular PrP (C-PrP) functional structure has multiple α-helices, whereas β-pleated sheets are the disease-causing forms of prion prp (P-PrP). Just like the saying goes: one rotten apple spoils the lot, in the same way one disease causing prp causes the other normally functioning prp to transform into its disease-causing form, in a process known as templating. The neurons stop functioning correctly and finally die as prion prP aggregates spread all over the brain. This gives rise to a disease known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The disease causes degenerate a person’s life within months. It causes amnesia, mental retardation, paralysis and death. The zoonotic epidemic in Europe which caused the cows to behave unusually, and die was also cause by prions and is known as the mad cow disease. It affects a variety of animals, and its form of transmission is through foods which have been infected with prions. It causes scrapie in sheep, and chronic wasting disease in deer. Prions are associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and even cancer.

The thing that makes prions most dangerous is the fact that once you have been infected with a prion disease, it is 99% of the times, going to kill you. There are no cures for prion diseases. Cooking doesn’t kill prions, nor does our standard sterilization method, practised worldwide. In other words, alcohol, soaps, detergents, acid, even fire does not kill it. After a number of research, we found that it takes much more than rapid and intense heat treatment, at 482 degrees Celsius continuously for 4 hours to finally deactivate it.

So why isn’t prion, which is such a dangerous particle, not the leading cause of disease in the world? Well, lucky for us there are number of reasons why prions aren’t seen that commonly in the world. Firstly, its primary mode of transmission through different species is through ingestion. Food can be retracted from the market in case of an outbreak and food transmission is not as dangerous as airborne transmission of other diseases. Secondly, Human PrP only mishaps if it contains 129th amino acid as methionine. About 40% of human beings are now prion sensitive leaving 60% of the population immune to prions. This disease is mostly seen in tribal people who have the tradition of cannibalism, and in families which have had a history of prion diseases in their ancestry. The sporadic form of the disease is seen rarely.   Prion problems are enigmatic as always as it is not known that the specific physicochemical nature of the agent is essentially a black box. It is also necessary to understand the exact mechanisms driving the transmissible protein states. The origin of different prion strains complicates the treatment. There is hence a need for more study to create adequate diagnostic tools to help create new therapy strategies to treat prion illnesses.

One More Fungal Infection After Yellow Fungus?

After Black, White and Yellow Fungus, there’s a new fungal infection found in COVID patients- Aspergillosis.

Some patients in Mumbai and Ghaziabad who are currently infected with COVID or have recovered from the disease are showing symptoms of Aspergillosis.

 

  • What is Aspergilliosis?

Aspergillosis | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal Diseases | CDC

 

 

Aspergillosis is an infection, allergic reaction, or fungal growth caused by the Aspergillus fungus. The fungus usually grows on decaying vegetation and dead leaves. Exposure to the fungus doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll get aspergillosis. We all encounter the fungus everyday but it only people with weaker immune system or who have just recovered from some major health issues might catch this.

 

 

  • What are the symptoms?

 

Dry cough: Causes, treatments, and when to see a doctor

 

  1. Headaches
  2. Difficulty in Breathing
  3. Blood in urine
  4. Coughing and sneezing
  5. Pain in chest

 

  • How can it be treated?

 

  • Medications:

Oral or intravenous drugs like voriconazole (Vfend) can treat the invasive type of aspergillosis. If you have allergic aspergillosis, you may receive medication that suppresses your immune system, such as prednisone, along with antifungal drugs. Although the antifungal drugs can cause serious side effects later on.

 

  • Surgery:

Surgery in the form of lobectomy is the primary treatment. Surgery for aspergilloma is known to be risky because of massive hemorrhage during dissection and poor pulmonary reserve of the patient due to the underlying disease.

 

  • Source:

http://https://www.healthline.com/health/aspergillosis#treatments

http://https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/mucormycosis-cases-rising-in-india-people-who-are-at-most-risk-for-black-fungus-white-fungus-and-yellow-fungus-fungal-infections/photostory/82935656.cms

Covishield Gap reduced for Keralites going abroad

Kerala government had recently informed the Centre about the issues being faced by people who are travelling to foreign countries and later stated that they require certificates with passport numbers as many nations are only accepting the certificate of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: Kerala government made a decision on Friday regarding those who need to travel abroad for some important purpose such as jobs, education etc. Kerala government decided to issue a covid 19 vaccination certificate with passports for such people. As per the order, person who took a jab of Covishield and wants to get travel clearance will be eligible for second dose after about four to six weeks.

Earlier the gap between the doses was about four to six weeks but later the government changed it. The central government increased the gap between two jabs and set it to twelve to sixteen weeks. The state government gave a statement related to it “A person who took Covishield jab and wants to get travel clearance will be eligible for second dose of Covishield after 4 to 6 weeks. Since currently Covid-19 portal does not permit to administer the second dose of Covishield within a period of less than 12 weeks, this is to be recorded separately by the districts,“.

The order declared the District Medical officer as an authorised person who would issue certificate of vaccination in a proper prescribed format. “Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already cleared Covishield vaccine, the same may be given as preference to people travelling abroad. Covishield vaccine will be provided from the vaccine procured by the State,” said the Kerala government. For ensuring that vaccines are being given to eligible person other documents could be used such as live visa, admission document for students, job confirmation letter/work permit for employees.

In a letter by the state government led by Pinarayi Vijayan to central government, they informed them about the situation Indians are facing while travelling abroad for education or job purposes. They stated that travelers are requiring proper certificate with their passport numbers as many nations are only accepting certificate by Oxford – AstraZeneca vaccine. And the Indian manufactured covishield vaccine is developed by Oxford University – AstraZeneca and is manufactured by Pune based – Serum Institute of India (SII) .

In the order, a statement was released by Kerala health department “All the issues were brought into the notice of Government of India to make provisions in CoWIN for permission to include passport details in CoWIN. It was also requested to give permission to the State Government to issue vaccination certificate with changes till provisions are made available in CoWIN. Further, it was requested to permit beneficiaries going abroad to take Covishield as per the previous schedule of 4–6 weeks and to make provisions in the CoWIN portal to document such vaccination given at 4 -6 weeks. However, no orders/letters are received from Government of India so far. In the above circumstances, Government has issued these directions.” Now the central government is expected to take any action on that.