Wellness

Wellness


All organisms strive to maintain one ideal – 'homeostasis'…that is, balance.


An imbalance in any aspect of life throws everything out of gear and the body begins its fight to survive. Illness is an attempt by the body to draw attention to deeper issues of neglect, damage or danger…and an effort to repair and rectify and lead itself back to a state of balance…to a state of health.

Today, we understand health to be much more than the absence of illness. Today, we use the term "Wellness" to denote a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.

Today, for some reason a lot of people do not feel satisfied till we doctors stuff them full with medications every hour on the hour. They feel like the Doctor is not "doing" enough for them.

The unfortunate truth is that wellness cannot be achieved by buying it Over the Counter. It requires hard work. As the brilliant inventor Thomas Edison put it, "The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

That means a great attitude, an interest in exercise, in being social, active and involved. The moral of the story is to get up, get dressed, get busy, get lucky and get going. So, being well is about being alive.

Hippocrates said "Walking is man's best medicine". And yet the truth is that most of us start yawning at the very name of exercise. It is understandable. The reason is simple. We eat like pigs. And this makes us feel so full that we find it better to tie ourselves to the comfort of our chairs rather than move about.


I strongly belive that you cannot run if you don't know how to walk. The first step to health is to eat right. And it is rather more simple than exercise. You may know a lot of people who do not exercise but I am sure you do not know a single person who doesn't eat.

A balanced diet can do wonders for a person. Now, let me tell you what a balanced diet is. In short, it means that your diet must contain vegetables of 9 colours. Yes, you heard me right. 9 colours. Now tell me how many differently coloured veggies you can remember. Tomatoes are red, spinach is green, alright…and…???

In today's era of anxiety and layoffs, I find that some of my patients either eat too much or too little. And they eat what they can. Each of these scenarios is extremely harmful for health. However, it would be naïve of me to expect their habits to change overnight. The best plans are those that are simple. Just as the key to succeeding in examinations, we advise students to study a little every day, having a few of Nature's bounties everyday can help us counter the threats modern worries impose on our health.

The very witty Mark Twain said "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." All I ask is that if doing a little of what you don't like allows you to do a lot of what you enjoy, then why not?

I have written at length about the benefits of a good diet. Hope you'll take good care of your health. I would soon be writing on my next topic "Depression". Thankyou!

H1N1 /SWINE FLU

Swine influenza (also called H1N1 flu, swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.eople with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infectionT

Transmitted from pigs to humans, person to person.

And among others forms the basis of a recommendation that people whose jobs involve handling poultry and swine be the focus of increased risk . Other professions at particular risk of infection are veterinarians and meat processing workers, although the risk of infection for both of these groups is lower than that of farm workers.

Symptoms commonly include fever, shivering, chills, malaise, dry cough, loss of appetite, body aches and nausea, typically in connection with a sudden onset of illness^. In most cases, the symptoms are caused by cytokines released by immune system activation.

Common causes include the common cold and influenza, which tends to be more severe than the common cold. Less common causes include side effects of many drugs

The most common cause of death is

respiratory failure,

Nasopharynx (running nose.sore throat)

coughing

other causes of death are pneumonia (leading to sepsis),

systemic - high fever (leading to neurological problems),

gastric – nausea , vomiting

intestinal - diarrohea

dehydration (from excessive vomiting and diarrhea) and electrolyte imbalance.

Psychological ( lethargy , lack of appetite)

Fatalities are more likely in young children and the elde/Acute_febrile_respiratory .

PREVENTION

Staying healthy and avoiding all types of flu has nothing to do with getting a vaccine and everything to do with leading a healthy lifestyle.

I have not caught the flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too by following these simple guidelines, which will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

1. Optimizing your vitamin D levels -is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself. I would STRONGLY urge you to monitor your Vitamin confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers believe the dose could even be as high as 1,000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

Your best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

2. Sugar and processed /tinned foods should be avoided- Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Remember that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

3. Get Enough Rest. If your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to get quality

4. If stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

5. Workout /Exercise When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

6. Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 fats like krill oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like trans fats as it will seriously damage your immune response.

7. Washing your hands - will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or to other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

8. Use All-Natural 'Antibiotics'. Freshly crushed garlic cloves work like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in your body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don't enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good. Other all-natural antibiotics include olive leaf extract and oil of oregano

.

9. Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines. In this particular case, I'd also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you have an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug.

Treatment- Scientific Homoeopathy gives very fast result and competent to manage cases not writing that names of medicine as the treatment is symptomatic.

present evidence, the overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms and make a rapid and full recovery, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment

Feel free to Ask / Mail your Querry at guptagopika@gmail.com

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!!!!

ETIOLOGY OF CANCERThe etiology of cancer is multifactorial, with genetic, environmental, medical, and lifestyle factors interacting to produce a given malignancy. Knowledge of cancer genetics is rapidly improving our understanding of cancer biology, helping to identify at-risk individuals, furthering the ability to characterize malignancies, establishing treatment tailored to the molecular fingerprint of the disease, and leading to the development of new therapeutic modalities. As a consequence, this expanding knowledge base has implications for all aspects of cancer management, including prevention, screening, and treatment.
Genetic information provides a means to identify people who have an increased risk of cancer.
Sources of genetic information include biologic samples of DNA, information derived from a person’s family history of disease, findings from physical examinations, and medical records. DNA-based information can be gathered, stored, and analyzed at any time during an individual’s life span, from before conception to after death. Family history may identify people with a modest to moderately increased risk of cancer or may serve as the first step in the identification of an inherited cancer predisposition that confers a very high lifetime risk of cancer. For an increasing number of diseases, DNA-based testing can be used to identify a specific mutation as the cause of inherited risk and to determine whether family members have inherited the disease-related mutation.
Throughout this summary, the term “mutation” will be used to refer to a change in the usual DNA sequence of a particular gene. Mutations can have harmful, beneficial, neutral, or uncertain effects on health and may be inherited as autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked traits. Mutations that cause serious disability early in life are usually rare because of their adverse effect on life expectancy and reproduction. However, if the mutation is autosomal recessive—that is, if the health effect of the mutation is caused only when two copies (one from each parent) of the mutated gene are inherited—mutation carriers (healthy people carrying one copy of the altered gene) may be relatively common in the general population. "Common" in this context refers, by convention, to a prevalence of 1% or more. Mutations that cause health effects in middle and older age, including several mutations known to cause a predisposition to cancer, may also be relatively common. Many cancer-predisposing traits are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, that is, the cancer susceptibility occurs when only one copy of the altered gene is inherited. For autosomal dominant conditions, the term “carrier” is often used in a less formal manner to denote people who have inherited the genetic predisposition conferred by the mutationr genetic cancer susceptibility disorder further evaluation may be warranted. .
Features of hereditary cancer include the following:
· In the individual patient.
· Multiple primary tumors in the same organ.
Multiple primary tumors in different organs.
Increasingly, the public is turning to the Internet for information related both to familial and genetic susceptibility to cancer and to genetic risk assessment and testing.
Direct-to-consumer marketing of genetic testing for hereditary breast and colon cancer is also taking place in some communities. This wider availability of information related to inherited cancer risk may raise concerns among persons previously unaware of the implications inherent in their family histories and may lead some of these individuals to consult their primary care physicians for management advice and recommendations. In many instances, the evaluation and advice will be relatively straightforward for physicians with a basic knowledge of familial cancer. In a subset of patients, the evaluation may be more complex, calling for referral to genetics professionals ,the homoeopaths for further evaluation and counseling.
· Correctly recognizing and identifying individuals and families at increased risk of developing cancer is one of countless important roles for primary care and other health care providers. Once identified, these individuals can then be appropriately referred for genetic counseling, risk assessment, consideration of genetic testing, and development of a management plan. When medical and family histories reveal cardinal clues to the presence of an underlying familial o
· Bilateral primary tumors in paired organs.
· Multifocality within a single organ (e.g., multiple tumors in the same breast all of which have risen from one original tumor).
· Younger-than-usual age at tumor diagnosis.
· Tumors with rare histology.
· Tumors occurring in the sex not usually affected (e.g., breast cancer in men).
· Tumors associated with other genetic traits.
· Tumors associated with congenital defects.
· Tumors associated with an inherited precursor lesion.
· Tumors associated with another rare disease.
· Tumors associated with cutaneous lesions known to be related to cancer susceptibility disorders (e.g., the genodermatoses).
· In the patient’s family:
· One first-degree relative with the same or a related tumor and one of the individual features listed.
· Two or more first-degree relatives with tumors of the same site.
· Two or more first-degree relatives with tumor types belonging to a known familial cancer syndrome.
· Two or more first-degree relatives with rare tumors.
· Three or more relatives in two generations with tumors of the same site or etiologically related sites.
Concluding that an individual is at increased risk of developing cancer may have important, potentially life-saving management implications can help that is only Homoeopathy which Has dynamic action and can produces healthy changes in genes as it is a genetic science (tamoxifen for breast cancer, colonoscopy for colon cancer, or risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy for ovarian cancer can not actually help for long as strong salt can and will produce adverse effect on body and removal of organ produces hormonal imbalance mood swings, irritability one should never forget God has given organs in body for particular function and removing the organ will not help Or prevent. Information about familial cancer risk may also inform a person’s ability to plan for the future (lifestyle and health care decisions, family planning, or other decisions). Genetic information may also provide a direct health benefit by demonstrating the lack of an inherited cancer susceptibility. For example, if a family is known to carry a cancer-predisposing mutation in a particular gene, a family member may experience reduced worry and lower health care costs if his or her genetic test indicates that he or she does not carry the family’s disease-related mutation. Conversely, information about familial cancer risk may have psychological effects or social costs (e.g., worry, guilt, or increased health care costs). Family dynamics also may be affected. For instance, the involvement of one or more family members may be required for genetic testing to be informative, and parents may feel guilt about passing inherited risk on to their children.
Knowledge about a cancer-predisposing mutation can be informative not only for the individual tested but also for other family members. Family members who previously had not considered the implications of their family history for their own health may be led to do so, and some will undergo genetic testing, resulting in more definitive information on whether they are at increased genetic risk. Some relatives may learn their mutation status without being directly tested, for example, when a biological parent of a child who is a known mutation carrier is identified as an obligate carrier. Founder effects may result in the recognition that specific ethnic groups have a higher prevalence of certain mutations, knowledge that can be both clinically useful (permitting more rational genetic testing strategies) or potentially stigmatizing. Testing may reveal the presence of nonpaternity in a family. There is the theoretical possibility that genetic information may be misused, and concerns about the potential for insurance and/or employment discrimination may arise. Genetic information may also affect medical and lifestyle.
For further information and your health assessment mail to – guptagopika@gmail.com

TUBERCULOSIS OF KIDNEY

TUBERCULOSIS OF KIDNEY

The kidney collecting tubules (KCT), the oldest tissue of the kidneys, are controlled from the brain stem.
Since the kidney tubules developed from intestinal tissue, they have - like the intestines - sensory, secretory, resorptive, and motoric functions.

The prime function of the kidney collecting tubules is to collect the urine produced in the kidney parenchyma. From the kidney tubules the urine flows through the renal pelvis ureter bladder, from where it is eliminated through the urethra.
A man, for example, can suffer an “existence conflict”, if he is unexpectedly transferred by his company to a far away location. The unprepared-for “move” can be perceived as a “refugee conflict” or as a conflict of feeling ‘thrown into the desert’. The same can be experienced by his wife and his children who feel alone and isolated from friends they had to leave behind. As a result of the water retention all family members will gain weight.
Abandonment conflicts are typically experienced by older people who are pushed off into nursing homes, or by small children who are put into day-care. Cancer patients undergoing, for example, a chemo treatment or an operation are often stressed because of an existence conflict (“my life is at stake”) or other conflicts of an existential nature.
A compact kidney tumor forms between the kidney collecting tubules and the calyces (the cup-shaped urine collecting area) causing water retention. Depending on the intensity and duration of the conflict, the human body can retain 5 – 10 kg (= 10 liter) of water; if both kidneys are involved up to 20 kg = 20 liters.
Urine consists 95% of water and 5% of uric substances. not only water is retained, but also uric substances, such as creatinine. Just as the retention of water is biologically significant, so is the retention of creatinine.
For this emergency situation Nature created yet another biological back-up program. Normally, creatinine, an organic nitrogen-carbon compound and a waste product of the protein metabolism, is eliminated through the urine. However, in the urgent event of an existence conflict, the organism is able to recycle retained uric substances into protein in order to prevent starvation! Put another way: in times of need our organism is able to supply itself with water as well as with proteins in order to overcome a biological crisis.
Conventional medicine (the “Old Medicine”) assumes that uremia (the rise of uric substances) is caused by “kidney insufficiency” - an inability of the kidney to eliminate the waste products of the protein metabolism. It is further believed that an “insufficiency” of both kidneys could cause kidney failure, which - without dialysis - would lead to death. Based on Biological Function” it becomes evident, however, that uremia is not really a “disease” but rather and Response of body which has the purpose of storing water and uremic substances in case water and protein are not available for a longer period of time.

It should be noted that the kidneys always eliminate a minimum of 150-250ml of urine – even with “anuria” (“no” urine production), i.e. a kidney cannot really “fail
If a kidney tumor is surgically removed, the next existence conflict relapse (or new existence conflict) impacts the opposite KCT-brain relay. The impact instantly initiates the formation of a new kidney tumor in the other kidney, because the water retention survival program has absolute priority. Orthodox medicine interprets the growth of a tumor in the other kidney as “metastasis”, imagining that the tumor cells are “swimming across” from one kidney to the other – accidentally, of course.
Oliguria, a decreased urine output, regarded by conventional medicine also as “kidney insufficiency”, is the result of at least two active kidney collecting tubule-involving both kidneys and consequently both KCT control centers in the brain stem (for the right and the left kidney)
the kidney tumor is removed with the help of tubercular bacteria, provided the patient was carrying the TB-bacteria at the time when the existence conflict took place. That is to say, that kidney tuberculosis is the natural decomposing process of a cancer in the kidney collecting tubules. In conventional medicine it is unknown that this type of cancer actually originates in the KCT (Kidney Collecting Tubules).

Until now we thought that all tumors needed to be surgically removed or poisoned with Chemo. But with tuberculosis Mother Nature created a surgical modus operandi that is much more effective than any procedure we could ever come up with.

We have to bear in mind here that every relapse of the existence/abandonment conflict interrupts the healing process, causing a chronic condition. As a result, the kidney tubules become smaller and smaller over time due to the ongoing tissue loss - a clinical picture known as “Nephrotic Syndrome”.

Typical symptoms of the tubercular healing phase are night sweats as well as albuminuria, a higher than normal output of protein through the urine. If, for some reason, the patient is unable to make up for the protein loss through a protein-rich diet or oral supplementation, the protein deficiency (hypoproteinemia) needs to be corrected through albumin infusions until the healing phase is complete. This rule applies to all old-brain controlled cancers, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, breast gland cancer, etc.

An informed patient handles the night sweats much better than one who is unprepared. The latter often panics, particularly when the sweating is excessive. Night sweats are always a positive sign that the TB-bacteria are in the process of removing a tumor that is no longer needed. At the end of the healing phase, both the night sweats and albuminuria stop. If TB-bacteria were not present, the tumor encapsulates and stays in place!

It is important to mention that the uric substance parameters go back to normal with the resolution (CL) of the existence/abandonment conflict. In fact, the water that has been retained during the conflict-active phase starts being released as soon as the conflict is resolved. Depending on the degree of the water retention (which is proportional to the intensity of the conflict activity), this “urinary phase” can be excessive.

Relationship - Mother Grooming there Daughter

How can mothers be helpful in grooming their daughter’s behavior?


Adolescence is like a trying time, it is a preparation phase for adulthood and the major part of the personality shapes up then. It is marked by identity crisis, contradictory behavior patterns exploration of limits, search for validation, which ultimately forms beliefs, values, and guide external behavior.


An adolescent girl is not at the stage where her mother is, but is striving to reach there, she is not a girl yet not a woman .Its an important preparatory phase so the mother should be more of a friend, guiding her daughter but allowing her to take certain risks to give her a strong sense of self and individuality.

The role of the mother involves adapting the following roles-

Supportive
Provide guidance
Understanding
Maintain open communication channels to sustain comfort and awareness
Provide them with a sense of right or wrong
Instill the appropriate values
Help reach important decisions
Be empathetic
Be patient (with erratic maturational changes)
Be accepting
Be non judgmental
Be encouraging and motivating
Must respect individuality and freedom of choice- (suggest and not impose decisions)
Maintain a balance between being a friend and a disciplinarian

All this will foster a secure and trusting environment for an all round development.
The security thus generated will enhance the bond between the mother and the child in turn.

How can adolescents brush up their personality?
Perhaps the most important realization that an individual can make in their quest for personal growth is that there is no single formula that defines the path to personal success. We all have different goals and priorities, which means that different activities and attitudes will make us feel good about ourselves. We also have different natural strengths and weaknesses that are a part of our inherent personality type.

1. Understand What's Important to You

· Each personality type has a different idea of what it means to be successful. Self-knowledge is one common goal that will help everyone achieve personal success. So many people are hung up on somebody else's idea of what it means to be successful, and they are unaware of what is truly important to them.


· If we spend our time and effort trying to meet somebody else's idea of success, and ignore or belittle any conflicting messages from our own psyche, then we will find ourselves exhausted and unhappy. Realizing what is truly important to us is a major step towards achieving personal success.

2. Recognize Your Weaknesses Without Hiding Behind Them

· While improving our self-knowledge and realizing our true goals can be very liberating, we should not discard the rules of the society in which we live.

· We must recognize that other people's value systems are no less important than our own.

· We must recognize and accept that we live in a society in which certain personality types and behaviors are more suited towards particular tasks. This is the second key that will open the door towards personal growth.

· For example, there are situations in which it is more appropriate and effective to show compassion and caring (Feeling), rather than impersonal logic (Thinking).

· Likewise, there are situations that call for using impersonal logic to make a decision, in which the more subjective viewpoint of the Feeling function is inappropriate and ineffective. Persons with a preference for Feeling will have a natural advantage over Thinkers in situations that require compassion and awareness of other's emotions.

· Conversely, persons with a preference for Thinking will have a natural advantage over Feelers in situations that require the ability to make a decision based on impersonal data.

· These insights are extremely useful and powerful to us as individuals. However, if we are concerned with growing as individuals, we must take care not to use personality type as an excuse for our inappropriate behavior.

3. Strive for Balance

· Most of the weaknesses associated with any given personality type are a result of that type's dominant function overtaking the personality to the extent that the other functions become slaves to the dominant function.

· Although it is natural for every personality to be ruled by its dominant function, it becomes a problem when the supporting functions are not allowed to develop fully on their own.
In such cases, a personality can become quite imbalanced.

4. Opening the Door
· Carl Jung identified a process of personal growth that he called individuation, which is essentially the conscious realization of your true self, beyond the Ego that is presented by your conscious self.

· Our efforts to help people develop themselves is essentially the effort to help them to realize that their personal perspectives and conscious ideas are only a small part of who they are, and that the more they try to develop and defend this superficial "self", the further they get away from their true Self.

· This realization helps a psyche in many concrete ways, and is also a positive step towards promoting a psyche that is open to the process of individuation.


· An improved understanding of yourself and others will help you to find, follow or expand your path. An awareness and acceptance of the fact that one personality function may be more effective than another function in a given situation will help you to understand the relevance of personal growth to your life.

Geriatrics

Health and wellness in geriatrics

Geriatrics is that branch of medicine which dedicates itself to the care of older people. It is a specialized field wherein a set of specialized physicians seek to provide health care to the elderly. Aging is a natural process which involves the gradual reduction of the body's organs and their functions. Even as children are growing up, their bodies are aging. At a later time in life, the aging process intensifies especially between 60 to 75 years. The social and biological characteristics of every age group differ as does each individual's body make-up. The social and biological characteristics of these three groups differ so much from each other that this categorization appears meaningful. It is not to be overlooked however, that some humans look old well before they are even fifty.

What is the weakest force in the universe and has the most profound effect on the human body? Gravity.
As we age, the relentless pull of gravity causes our body to sag in a southerly direction.
We develop wrinkles, flabby forearms, portly midriffs, varicosities, and edema
Feet and ankles, stooped shoulders, turkey necks, and compressed spines, to
Name a few multifarious insults to our body shape.

To compensate for this "G-force" we must continually work against it
Through body movement. Regular exercise is essential to maintain optimal
Health. Apiarian Roy den Brown noted, "It has been scientifically
Documented that exercising regularly increases longevity and enhanced
quality of life."1 The proverbial expression "either use it or lose it" applies
to the body's need for daily exercise as well as to maintain musculoskeletal
strength, immunity, and psychobiological balance. The best nutrition in the
world cannot sustain us if our circulation is stagnant and we do not receive
oxygen-rich blood to our body's three trillion cells.

Age-related Conditions
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is not just a female problem. It is common in both women and men of all age groups. Generally age is not the only cause. It can occur for many reasons such as constipation, certain medicines, urinary tract infections, vaginal infection or irritation. Incontinence can last for different length of time due to the following causes: An overactive or weak bladder muscles. An enlarged prostate that can cause a blockageDiseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or arthritis that damage nerves which control the bladder. The body stores urine in the bladder. During urination, muscles in the bladder contract or tighten. This forces urine out of the bladder and into a tube called the urethra that carries urine out of the body. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax and let the urine pass through. Spinal nerves control how these muscles move. Incontinence occurs if the bladder muscles contract or the muscles surrounding the urethra relax without warning.
Eye Problems in the Aged
Vision problems
There are many older people even those into their 80s who have no problem at all with their eyes. But, natural physical changes often cause some problems such as cataracts and glaucoma with age. The older you get you need brighter light for everyday tasks such as reading, cooking, mending. Driving a car can become a difficult task at night.
Some of the common problems are:
PresbyopiaThis usually occurs after the age of 40/45 years due to a change in the eye muscles and lens caused by loss of elasticity making reading more difficult. You can read only if you hold the material at arm's length. The problem is with focusing, which is easily rectified by having reading glasses with a convex lens. Every few years you will require slightly stronger lens to allow for the decreasing ability to focus
FloatersA common complaint is of seeing tiny spots or specks that float across the eye, especially in bright light. They are normal and usually harmless but may be a warning of impending eye problems. If they become more noticeable or cause flashes of light, see your doctor.

Excessive tears
Excessive tears are usually a sign of increased sensitivity of the eyes towind, light or temperature changes. This complaint is very common in acold wind. It can be minimized by wearing glasses, especially sunglasses. It could indicate blocked tear ducts (lachrymal ducts) or an eye infection.
Dry eyes
This is caused by a reduced production of tears by the tear glands. It cancause problems such as blurred vision, itching or burning. It iseasily corrected by using artificial tears.
Common eye diseases.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is caused by too much fluid pressure in the eye, this can lead to blindness The rarer acute form (which causes sudden pain and visual problems) and the common chronic form (which slowly develops without early symptoms). All elderly patients should have eye tests on a regular basis, maybe every 2 years, but it is more important to have any unusual eye symptoms checked, if detected, it can be treated and blindness prevented.
Cataractnormally the lens within the eye is clear and allows light to pass through it. A cataract is when the clear lens becomes cloudy or opaque and cuts down the light entering the back of the eye. Apart from deterioration of vision, there are no other symptoms. Though this can occur at any age, it is more common in diabetics and those taking cortisone tablets. It is also hereditary. A modern lens implant (an artificial lens) can give excellent results.
Retinal disorders
Disorders of the retina (the photosensitive area of the eye) can lead to varying degrees of blindness. Diabetes and other diseases can cause retinal problems. Sometimes the retina can become detached and seriously affect the eyesight. Retinal detachment can be treated successfully if detected early.
Tips for improved sight
· Light bulbs are better than fluorescent lights.
· Regular blood pressure and diabetes check ups.
· Eye examination every 2 years

Alzheimer's disease
Dementia is a general term for brain disorders that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people. It involves the parts of the brain that controls thought, memory, and language. Causes of Alzheimer's disease are still unknown, and there is no cure.This disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age.Scientists have also found other brain changes in people with Alzheimer's disease. There is loss of nerve cells in areas of the brain that are vital to memory and other mental abilities and lower levels of chemicals in the brain that carry complex messages back and forth between nerve cells.Alzheimer's disease may disrupt normal thinking and memory by blocking these messages between nerve cells.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease; the symptoms grow worse over time. Yet, it is also a variable disease. Symptoms progress at different rates and in different patterns. The appearance and progression of symptoms will vary from one person to the next.Some of the common symptoms are:

Anxiety, paranoia, suspiciousness, agitation
Changes in personality and judgment confusion and memory loss
Difficulty with activities of daily living, such as feeding and bathing
Difficulty recognizing family and friends
Disorientation
Getting lost in familiar surroundings
Hallucinations and delusions
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Loss of bladder and bowel control
Loss of speech
Problems with routine tasks
Repetitive speaking or action
Sleep disturbances
Total dependence on caregiver
Wandering, pacing.

Loss of hearing
The gradual loss of hearing that occurs as you age is a common condition. Over time, the wear and tear from noise contributes to hearing loss by damaging the cochlea, a part of your inner ear. Doctors believe that heredity and chronic exposure to loud noises are the main factors that contribute to hearing loss. At times earwax blockage can prevent your ears from conducting sounds as well as they should.Damage to the inner ear can't be reversed though you and your doctor or hearing specialist (audiologist) can take steps to improve what you hear.
Signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include:

· Muffled quality of speech and other sound
· Difficulty understanding words, in a noisy crow
· Asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
· Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio
· Withdrawal from conversations
· Avoidance of some social settings
Treatment If your hearing loss is due to damage to your inner ear, a hearing aid may be helpful. Getting used to a hearing aid takes time. The sound you hear is different because it's amplified. You may need to try more than one device to find one that works well for you. Hearing aids come in a variety of sizes, shapes and styles. Some hearing aids rest behind your ear with a small tube delivering the amplified sound to the ear canal. Other styles fit in the outer ear or within the ear canal. If you can't hear as well as you used to because of earwax blockage, your doctor can remove the wax and improve your hearing. This is a very simple painless procedure.If you have severe hearing loss, a cochlear implant may be an option. Unlike a hearing aid, a cochlear implant takes the place of the damaged or nonworking parts of the inner ear.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Men as well as women suffer from osteoporosis, a disease that can be prevented and treated. Throughout our lifetime, old bone is removed and new bone is added to the skeleton. During childhood and teenage years, new bone is added faster than old bone is removed. As a result, bones become larger, heavier, and denser. Bone formation continues at a faster pace until peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) is reached around age 30. After age 30, wear and tear of bones begins to exceed bone formation. Bone loss is most rapid in the first few years after menopause but persists into the postmenopausal years. Osteoporosis is more likely to develop if you did not reach optimal bone mass during your bone building years.

Dr Gopika Gupta: Tips Reducing Sugar in your Diet

Dr Gopika Gupta: Tips Reducing Sugar in your Diet