YADAV PATHOLOGY LAB

GUAVA ( अमरूद् ) ... The Amazing Super Fruit in News !!!

2012-01-08T12:54:00.000+05:30

We are aware about Amla and its health benefits but never thought that Guava ( अमरूद् ) will be so much beneficial. In our general view, we think and perceive that costlier fruits would yield more benefits but it is now recently proved wrong and baseless by a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad (India),

Guava certainly is the “Fruit in the News”. Besides its much proven health benefits, the fruit is being discussed lately because of its high ''Antioxidant'' levels.Guava (Psidium guajava L.) has always been a very important fruit crop of India. It has always gained great respect because of its ...
(1). High nutritive value,
(2). Easy availability,
(3). Low economic value,
(4). Pleasant aroma, and
(5). Good flavor.

Guava has the second highest content of vitamin C, next to Amla. It is also very high in the soluble fiber ''Pectin'' which cleans and rinses our intestines well.
A guava weighing 100g (approx a medium sized guava) would contain 260 mg of Vitamin C (recommended intake is 40mg per day) and 8.5 gm of dietary fiber (recommended intake is 25 gm to 30 gm per day). Guava is also rich in Carotenoids and Potassium. The nutrient content of fruit differs with the cultivar, stage of maturity and season. Guava is in the true sense a SUPER FOOD.

Apart from the fruit, guava leaves also have an array of qualities which are healing and curative. Guava leaf is 'antibacterial' in nature. Studies conducted in the past have proven the leaves to be helpful in Diabetes. They help regulate blood glucose levels. Guava leaves could also be consumed like any other cooked green leafy vegetable or juice. This would bring nutrition on the platter absolutely free of cost.

Guava ... Higly rich in Antioxidants :-
An epidemiological study was conducted recently by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad (India), to know the ANTIOXIDANT properties of different fruits. The study included only those fruits that are easily available in the Indian market and are commonly consumed by maximum Indians.
The fruits were Guava, Pine-apple, Indian plum, Mango (ripe), Apple, Chiku, Watermelon, Custard apple, Grapes (green), Orange, Papaya (ripe), Pomegranate, Sweet lime and Banana.

The results showed that out of the 14 fresh fruits, guava and mango were found to be the richest in antioxidants. Anti-oxidant property of guava was found to be 496 mg / 100gm, which is said to be sufficient to get rid of 'free radicals' (wear and tear/disease causing chemicals) present in our body. The antioxidant activity of the fruits in the study ranged from as high as 496 mg /100 gm in Guava to as low as 22 mg /100 gm in pineapple.
''Lycopene'' is the potent antioxidant found in abundance in Guava.
A guava provides 2.9 g of Lycopene, an antioxidant that protects healthy cells from toxins that accumulate in the body due to metabolism and environmental pollution. The damaging effect of toxins includes premature aging, cancer development because they damage DNA in charge of growth and development.

Free radicals hasten ageing and are responsible for causung many Cancers and many other degenerative disorders. So, the main objective behind the study was to know the antioxidant properties in naturally occurring fruits that could fight against free radicals.

(Anti oxidant model)

The study has brought forth the benefit of the natural occurring antioxidants in lowering the risk of degenerative diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes, Atherosclerosis (hardening of blood channels).

Dr Sreeramulu, from the Endocrinology and Metabolism division of the National Institute of Nutrition’s and the lead author of this study, stated that “Natural antioxidants have attracted considerable interest among nutritionists, food manufacturers and consumers because of their presumed safety and potential therapeutic value”.
Dr Sreeramulu highlighted the importance of the findings saying that “even the commonly available Guava can enrich the Indian diet”. He also added that “We usually believe expensive fruits are the richest source of nutrition. But our extensive research shows that highly economical fruits like ''Guava'' are rich in antioxidants the most that help scavenge free radicals that destroy tissues."
The Indian plum, the custard apple and India’s beloved mangoes, all came after guava in antioxidant richness.
The study also found that while there is a presence of antioxidant concentrations of just under 500 mg per 100 gm in guava, 330 mg in plum and 135 mg in pomegranate, apples have a quarter of the antioxidants compared with guava and bananas have a tiny fraction with 30 mg per 100gm.

Other benefits that this Indian superfood (Guava) provides are as follows :

(1). It slows diarrhea and loose bowels ...
Guava and guava leaves are very rich in astringents. Astringents are compounds that make the gums feel tighter. These astringents are alkaline in nature and bind up loose bowels. They also have disinfectant and antibacterial properties and thus are helpful for the stomach and intestines by assisting in inhibiting dangerous microbial growth causing diarrhea.

(2). It relieves cold and cough ...
Guava and guava juice also help in giving relief from cough and cold as they contain antioxidants and also disinfect the respiratory system.

(3). It allows healthy digestion and bowel movement ...
Guava is one of the best sources of soluble fiber. The seeds serve as a natural laxative. It is a boon for the mankind as they are excellent in maintaining the stomach health.

(4). It helps control diabetes and blood pressure ...
Guava is hypoglycemic in nature and also helps to control blood pressure when consumed on regular basis.
Guava leaf tea may be effective in lowering blood glucose levels. According to a study published in 2010 in "Nutrition and Metabolism" and conducted by the Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research in Tokyo, Japan, consumption of guava leaf tea inhibits alpha-glucosidase enzymes. The inhibition of these enzymes results in reduction of blood glucose levels; the suppression of elevated blood glucose levels is critical in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

(5). It helps maintain healthy and glowing skin ...
The skin is the largest organ in the human body and its condition speaks volumes about your health. Rashes, acne, eczema, psoriasis, and oily, dry and aged skin, may reflect stress, lack of exercise or a poor diet. Improving your skin's health is possible in a variety of ways, including adding more skin-supportive nutrients in your diet. Guava is a tropical fruit that provides several nutrients like Vit. C, Vit. K, Lycopene & water that support skin maintenance. Including it in your diet may help you make progress toward the beautiful complexion you want that is more than just skin deep.
The abundance of astringents in the fruit and leaves helps tighten the muscles. The skin could also be washed by its decoction to give a bright and clean look.

(6). It helps in fat reduction and loose weight ...

Guava is a one of the best fruits to consume, especially for a person on a weight loss regime. It is highly satiating and satisfying. Having just a medium sized guava can take care of hunger for next three hours easily.

(7). Mouth Ailments ...

Guava leaf tea is useful in treating ailments associated with the mouth. According to "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" by Jonny Bowden, the tea made from the guava leaf can treat ulcers in the mouth. In addition, as a gargling agent, guava leaf tea can alleviate discomfort associated with sore throats, laryngitis and mouth swelling.

(8). Infections ...

Guava leaf tea has shown effectiveness when used as a topical treatment of skin and soft tissue infections. A study conducted at Federal University of Technology in Yola, Nigeria revealed the components of the guava leaf extract promoted anti-bacterial properties, which prevented infections in surgical wounds and other skin and soft tissue infections.

It’s best to eat the whole raw fruit. But guava has a tendency to mix and merge with other flavors and create a delightful new taste, so, it could be used to prepare vegetables, cocktails, floats, punches and desserts.

''A guava a day would definitely keep the doctor away''.

For super health and super energy make sure not to miss eating the guava when it is in season... as it is right now in Indian subcontinent and the price now in this season is JUST 15-20 Rs./KG... So friends go for it right now on daily basis for the next 2-3 months as Indian markets are already flooded with this super fruit.

Brain Drain ... Mental Fatigue...Seven ways to refuel the brain.

2011-07-19T21:19:00.000+05:30

The fast paced lifestyle of adults today is leaving many individuals feeling mentally exhausted.

Fatigue is among the top ten health complaints received by doctors around the world. Despite modern luxuries, true relaxation keeps floating out of reach. The best way to tackle the situation, according to experts, is to bring about a radical change from old habits.
Seven keys to refresh your mind and soul :-
(1). Self Care : -
Every individual should take a close look at their daily lifestyle to determine what areas need improvement. Make an appointment with your physician for a physical to assess for possible iron deficiency anemia, thyroid function or an infection that could be causing fatigue symptoms. Then decide if you are consuming the servings suggested from each food group for appropriate nutrition.
Caffeine and sugar should be avoided while increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Medical experts suggest taking a multivitamin supplement and drinking at least 64 ounces of water (1/3 rd of your body weight in Kgs X 100 ml.) daily to replenish your brain and body.
(2). Positive thinking : -
Our thinking process is influenced by the constant monologue in our minds. When there is an overdose of negative feedback, energy levels go down.

Irrational, self-defeating thoughts serve no purpose other than to bring on fatigue and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Blaming ourselves for every single mistake allows nagging thoughts to occur, causing physical fatigue and a sluggish mind. Experts recommend substituting negative thinking with positive ones.
(3). Time out : -
Taking a few minutes off every hour or two helps the brain to recharge.

It provides a chance to look at the problem in hand with a new perspective and explore solutions from different angles. When you are doing some important task taking a few minutes off may appear to be a difficult job, but psychologists believe that there are many benefits that are cured by such an exercise.
(4). Sleep : -
Adults require six to seven hours of sleep every night.

If you are experiencing insomnia it can escalate the symptoms of mental fatigue. Create a routine each night that prepares you for bed. Have a glass of hot milk (milk has tryptophan amino acid which induces sleep). Turn off lights and any media that will keep your brain stimulated. Your brain will then release the 'melatonin' that regulates the sleep and wake cycles.
(5). Eat right : -
Often, our eating patterns are the first to suffer when our work load piles up. Appeasing a hungry stomach with easily available junk food, rather than nutritious food at regular intervals, can create havoc with fitness levels. Reaching for high calorie foods provide a temporary boost to flagging energy levels. But such foods keep energy up only for a short period of time. Glucose level dips soon afterwards, resulting in distraction and an inability to concentrate. Simple sugars shoot up blood sugar level and provide instant energy, but only temporarily.

Diet rich in complex carbohydrates works best for a slow and steady release of energy. All whole grains, a few vegetables and some fruits are great sources of complex carbs.
(6). Water therapy : -
When water intake is down, energy and concentration levels are affected. Water accounts for almost sixty per cent of our body weight. After oxygen it is the most important element needed to sustain human life.

So it is not surprising that decrease levels of water in the body result sin fatigue. There is a loss of fluid through sweating and urination. Unless the lost fluids are replenished, the kidney goes on a conservation mode, affecting the workings of other body systems. Loss of water may lead to fatigue, dizziness, irritability, lack of concentration, diminished muscular endurance and other serious conditions. Water is important to hydrate the tissue including brain tissue.
(7). Get some exercise : -
The weight of our brain is less than five per cent of our body, yet it uses up thirty per cent of the oxygen taken in. One of the most important factors affecting proper functioning of the brain is the supply of adequate levels of oxygen. Regular exercise helps in routing of oxygen to the brain and heart. Exercise helps in improved blood flow to the brain and helps to remove toxin from the body.

A study published in the March 2009 Journal of Applied Physiology reports, “Mental fatigue impairs physical performance in humans.” Physicians recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise three times a week. Exercise will increase your stamina and the oxygen level in your bloodstream. The brain utilizes 30 % of the oxygen in your body, so increasing oxygen in the body will improve cognition. Taking the steps to

maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit should be a part of your daily lifestyle. If you believe that you do not have the time to take care of yourself now, then you will need to make the time later if you become ill. Your best option is to start today and make the right choices for you.
(8). Colour Codes : -

Colours influence our moods. Cheerful yellows, oranges and reds give a boost to creativity while pale or blue colours promote lethargy.

Blue is known to be a cold color and can put you in a depressed or sad mood.On the other end of the scale red is known as a hot firy color and is said to put humans in a state of rage or anger mood.

Of course, an overdose of stimulating colours can provide to be distracting too. Care should be taken to create harmonious blends of colours that soothe and also induce creativity.

50 gms Red Tomatoes Paste or 500 ml Tomato Juice a day keep heart diseases away .... A new study !!!

2011-05-27T10:12:00.000+05:30

दिल की सेहत दुरूस्त रखता है टमाटर ।।। टमाटर के स्वाद के दिवानों के लिए एक अच्छी खबर ।।।

The humble tomato is more than a delicious fruit. The secret to a healthy heart may be simply relishing a nectarous tomato.According to a recent investigation, an international team led by the University of Adelaide, Tomatoes can serve as a powerful alternative to medication in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, thus preventing cardiovascular disease. It was suggested that a bright red pigment called LYCOPENE in tomatoes has antioxidant properties that are essential for good health. This pigment appears present to a lesser extent in watermelon, guava, papaya, pink grapefruit and rosehip as well. The study has been published in the "Maturitas journal" this month.
Claimed to be a novel study, the Researchers came to the conclusion by summarising the effect of Lycopene on cholesterol and blood pressure analysing the collective results of 14 studies in the last 55 years. "Our study suggests that if more than 25 milligrams of Lycopene is taken daily, it can reduce LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by up to 10 per cent," Dr Karin Ried, who led the team, said. Lycopene appears better absorbed when consumed in processed and cooked tomatoes or tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes.

Bright Red Tomatoes in particular have high levels of Lycopene, with half-a-litre of tomato juice taken daily, or 50 grams of tomato paste, providing protection against heart disease, say the researchers. Eating just one tomato a day would not be enough. Dr Ried said: ‘I would really recommend looking at 50 gms of tomato paste daily. It is very rich in Lycopene and it is not difficult to get 50 grams a day.

"That's comparable to the effect of low doses of medication commonly prescribed for people with slightly elevated cholesterol, but without the side effects of these drugs, which can include muscle pain and weakness and nerve damage," Dr Ried said.
"Research shows that high lycopene consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, including hardened arteries, heart attacks and strokes," Dr Ried said. He, however, added that more study is needed to explore whether doses higher than 25 to 44 milligrammes of lypocene a day provide additional benefits.

Dr. Ried and her colleagues have received international recognition for other clinical studies which show the benefits of both garlic and dark chocolate in helping to lower blood pressure.

Drink Tea Without Milk to Lose Weight and Choesterol : New Study !!!

2011-03-29T17:47:00.004+05:30

Tea please .... Hold the Milk !!!!

Tea lovers can now kill the guilt of sipping an extra cup of tea. Researchers have found that tea helps one reduce weight provided he consumes it without milk. However if tea is taken with milk especially cow milk, than all the benefits are lost. For all those hitting the gym, and undertaking crash diets to lose weight, lay back and sip a hot cup of tea without milk, as a new study claims that drinking tea could help you lose weight, only if you don't add milk to it.

All teas, black, green or red are a rich source of anti oxidants like Theaflavins and Thearubigins which help in weight loss and cholesterol reduction, but these antioxidants in tea which aid in weight-loss are neutralized if milk is added to it. These anti oxidants present in tea reduce the amount of fat absorption in the intestine and can also cut cholesterol.

Tea is one of the good sources of anti oxidants that help one to prevent obesity and lose weight. But in order to reap this beneficial property of tea one should drink it without milk.
Researchers at the Tea Research Association in Assam, India have found that tea is a rich source of antioxidants such as theaflavins and thearubigins that help not only to cut cholesterol but reduce the amount of fat absorbed by our intestines.

But this fat-fighting ability of tea is neutralized if we add milk to it. Dr. Devajit Borthakur, a scientist at the Tea Research Association in Assam said that the benefits are cancelled out by the protein found in milk. He said, “When tea is taken with milk, theaflavins and thearubigins form complexes with the milk protein, which causes them to precipitate. Therefore we neither get the health benefits from these compounds nor from milk. Therefore, it is always advised to take tea without milk.”

Also a study by scientists in Japan, reveals that extracts from tea leaves inhibit the absorption of fat in the intestines of rats being fed high-fat diet. These rats also had less fat tissue on their bodies and lower fat content in their livers, reports the Journal of Nutrition. Hiroaki Yajima, a scientist with the Kirin Beverage Company in Japan who carried out the Japanese research, said: "Black tea extracts may prevent diet-induced obesity by inhibiting intestinal lipid absorption." Researchers now believe this could explain why people in Britain appear not to benefit from the healthy affects of tea despite being among the world's biggest consumers of the beverage.

The study therefore is an eye-opener to many who can not imagine drinking tea without milk if, of course, they want to cut extra flab from their bulging waist line. Consumption of black tea becomes important if one wants to lose weight. The health boosting properties of black tea are often disguised by tea lover’s habit of drinking it with milk.
One more reason to drink Tea without milk : Studies have also revealed that a type of protein found in milk called caseins decrease the amount of heart healthy compounds known as catechins that are found in tea.

Other benefits of tea :

1. Drinking black teas can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as it helps to expand the arteries, which increases blood flow to the heart.

2. Research has shown the black/green tea can be used in the fight against cancer. Properties of the tea slow down the growth of cancerous cells without destroying healthy cells.

3. Tea is also believed to help to delay the aging process. Nowadays there are many anti aging creams and lotions that contain tea extracts to help the skin look younger.

4. Drinking tea such as black and green tea helps to reduce bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.

5. Tea contains fluoride, which can help to prevent tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel.Tea also strengthens our bones.

6. For those people with diabetes, drinking tea can help to decrease glucose levels, which can reduce the risk of cataracts, and other conditions brought about by diabetes.

7. Tea builds the body's resistance to infection, especially the ones infused with a variety of herbs. By inhibiting free radicals tea strengthens the immune system providing protection to the organs against infection.

The research suggests that despite more attention being paid to the health benefits of green tea, black tea may have greater health-boosting properties which are masked by the tendency to drink it with milk.

Bottom Line: Tea is a healthy beverage offering many health benefits (if you skip the cream and sugar). Brew your tea for at least 3 - 5 minutes to bring out the beneficial polyphenols. Enjoy the aroma of tea !!!!

World TB Day...24th March,2011 : "On the Move Against Tuberculosis : Transforming the Fight - Towards Elimination of TB"

2011-03-24T19:01:00.003+05:30

The 24th March of every year is World Tuberculosis Day. The relevance of the statement cannot be more reinstated on the curable communicable disease in a country like India. Out of sheer ignorance, TB is still considered a fatal disease and the struggle to eradicate the disease and to open the closed mindset of the society has become an everyday battle for patients and medical practitioners alike.
It was on 24 March 1882 that Dr. Robert Koch made a great breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis by detecting the TB bacillus—the cause of tuberculosis. A third of the world’s population is currently infected with TB and the World Health Organization (WHO) is networking with organizations and countries to reduce TB prevalence rates and mortality by half by 2015.

World TB Day 2011 enters into the second year of the two year campaign, “On the move against tuberculosis” focusing on innovation in TB research and care. Accelerating the campaign are fresh objectives and targets from the Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015: Transforming the Fight—Towards Elimination of TB, launched in October 2010 by the Stop TB partnership.
WHO TB Facts:
• TB kills more people than any other infectious disease in the world
• In developed countries TB is seen in elderly, while in developing countries it is commonly seen in young adults
• Every second, someone in the world is infected with TB
• One third of the world’s population has TB now
• 5-10 % of people infected with TB (without HIV infection) become sick or infectious at some point of time in life
INDIA TB Facts :
(i) * TB is everyone’s problem especially in India and China and it affects the most productive age group, 20 to 40 years.
(ii) * It is also the largest killer in India.
(iii) * There are 20 lakh new patients in India every year apart from the ones yet to be cured.
(iv) * And that makes it up to one third of world TB patients in India alone.
(v) * It is also disturbing to note that 3, 30, 000 people die every year and 8, 70, 000 are infectious making them capable of infecting others.
The TB Challenge :
(1)."If you have cough for two weeks or more, GET two Sputum examinations".
(2)."Lung TB is the most common form of TB constituting more than 85 % of the cases".
(3)."TB in children forms 5-15 % of all TB cases".
(4)."TB is the most common opportunistic infection in people having HIV/AIDS".
(5)."Improper/irregular/incomplete treatment can lead to multi drug resistant TB".
(6)."Sputum examination is the most reliable and cost effective tool to diagnose TB".
(7)."Best way of preventing the spread of TB is early diagnosis and complete treatment".
(8)."Every patient who is cured stops spreading TB, and every life saved is a child, a mother, or a father who will go on to live a longer, TB-free life".
Risk factors for developing TB include :
(a).Being around someone with active TB.
(b).Having a chronic illness such as diabetes.
(c).Being immunocompromised either from HIV, chemotherapy for patients with cancer, end-stage kidney disease, prolonged steroid use etc.
(d).Working in the health care field.
(e).Living in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home, mental institution, or prison.
(f ).Older people are also at an increased risk of developing TB.
(g).Social factors such as poverty, overcrowding, and homelessness are also risk factors of TB.

(h).Another social risk factor of TB is alcohol. It has long been evident that there is an association between alcohol use and risk of TB. The risk of active TB is substantially elevated in people who drink more than 40 g alcohol per day and/or have an alcohol use disorder. This may be due to both an increased risk of infection related to specific social mixing patterns associated with alcohol use and influence on the immune system of alcohol itself and of alcohol-related conditions.
Tackling the TB menace :
What makes tackling the TB menace so challenging is that the bacterium is so difficult to get at—it is slow growing, has very tough cell walls and remains hidden in body cells for a long while before it is detected. Treatment requires a drug regimen that is relatively long, requiring 4 to 6 months and breaking the intake of medicine in the middle develops drug resistant strains.
The current focus on TB elimination is aimed at developing simple, rapid TB tests, faster treatment regimens and bringing an effective TB vaccine to the market. To this end, the 2011 World TB campaign throws a worldwide searchlight for individuals who have devised new ways to stop TB and have inspired others in the fight against tuberculosis.

On the Move Against Tuberculosis :
Poster sessions, symposiums and conferences are lined up at the academic level all over the world to discuss the elimination of TB. In developing countries Road Show campaigns have been arranged to visit communities, health clinics and primary health centres spreading the message to Stop TB and to remove the social stigma attached to TB patients.

While it is important for governments to ensure availability of TB drugs to patients, it is equally important for family members of TB patients, health care providers and patients themselves to stick to the drug regimen and not break medication in the middle thereby complicating TB treatment further. Only a concerted effort from all—researchers, governments, healthcare providers, TB patients and their families, the drug industry, the media and all members of the civil society, will ensure a stiff and effective fight against tuberculosis—a disease that is both preventable and curable.
Q. Tuberculosis is curable, yet society continues to ostracize and stigmatise TB patients. Why is that ?
A. Previous experiences and movies. Movies around the 50s and 60s have romanticised TB projecting patients as coughing, bleeding and eventually dying. Before the 50s and 60s there was no concept of chemotherapy and TB patients were kept in ventilated sanatoriums. It was usually the patients with natural immunity that survived. Somehow the movie version of TB has been ingested. Hence scientific facts must be gotten right. TB is curable with correct treatment, and periodic monitoring by medical professionals trained in it.
Q. TB is complicated to handle. How has it become a primary concern?
A. TB is everyone’s problem especially in India and China and it affects the most productive age group, 20 to 40 years. It is also the largest killer in India. There are 20 lakh new patients in India apart from the ones yet to be cured. And that makes it up to one third of world TB patients in India alone. It is also disturbing to note that 3, 30, 000 people die every year and 8, 70, 000 are infectious making them capable of infecting others.
Q. Last year the DOTS Plus guidelines had been released. What's the effectiveness of DOTS ?
A. Direct Observation Treatment, Short Course (DOTS), is a procedure where medication is given under direct observation by a health worker. Since TB is a chronic disease the shortest course lasts for at least six months and depending on the severity, the duration is bound to increase to 9 months to even a year. If the treatment extends, then the motivation to continue the treatment decreases. Also, once the patient starts to get asymptomatic the motivation to continue treatment decreases.
The effectiveness of DOTS will be ensured only if patients follow the entire treatment until TB is completely eradicated. The educated dutifully follow the entire treatment; it is the poorly informed who discontinue before they are cured.
Q. The population is vast, what are the suggestions to provide uniform services ?
A. One of the challenges is the accessibility to the centres that provide DOTS. People from rural areas, hilly regions, find it difficult to reach the centres. Travelling to these centres could cost them their livelihood in case of casual labourers. In such cases, even post-men and school teachers are requested to deliver DOTS to patients living in remote areas. There should be more centres set up to provide treatment.
Q. What is the difference between the treatment provided by the government and private hospitals ?
A. DOTS are provided by the WHO and the government for free. The pills are administered thrice a week, every alternate day. Whereas in private hospitals 3 to 4 drugs are bought from pharmacies and the treatment is on an everyday basis. They are both equally effective.
Q. What are the the current challenges in treating TB ?
A. The emergence of Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is dangerous. Drug resistant TB is not curable by usual TB treatment and treatment is 20 times more expensive and needs at least 1 and half years to get cured. The time needed for identification of Resistant Tuberculosis is long(5-6 weeks) and the test is expensive and not available commonly in usual labs; hence there should be more referral sites.
In addition, newer diagnostic methods should be implemented, cost factor should be considered and quicker identification must be enforced. Most importantly, research and development needs to be in place and encouraged. That is the theme behind this World TB Day 2011’s slogan- Transforming the fight Towards Elimination. This new plan, for the first time, identifies all the research gaps that need to be filled to bring rapid TB tests, faster treatment regimens and a fully effective vaccine to market.

In general, the anti-TB medications are very safe. The prevention of MDR-TB is of utmost importance. In simpler terms, some bugs need 3 pesticides to kill it; similarly TB always needs 3 to 4 drugs to prevent it from becoming drug resistant. The wholesome regimen has to be adhered to ensure the treatment is effective.

Support TB patients, do not push them away. They can do with all the encouragement starting with eceiving a simple act of concern such as enquiring about their well-being. Health workers should exert pressure in a positive way so patients will stay on course when patients get asymptomatic.

Japan Radiation Fears .... greatly exaggerated !!!!

2011-03-19T09:37:00.002+05:30

As workers struggle to contain the fallout from the crippled nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, people as far away as Illinois are calling public health officials in a state of panic.

There is much hue and cry all over the world to buy 'Potassium Iodide' .. a drug known to protect thyroid gland from radiation to some extent. Panic is being created even on some social websites like Facebook, and Twitter etc. by some people.

They are hoping to get their hands on potassium iodide pills to protect them from radiation -- despite warnings that, in the absence of a real nuclear threat, taking the medicine is riskier than doing nothing.

Sixty-six years after the first atomic bomb exploded over the city of Hiroshima, radiation spooks people everywhere. But the anxiety is largely disproportionate to the actual danger.
"People in general have an exaggerated fear of radiation. That is true in the United States, and it is probably even more so in Japan & whole Asia" said Jerrold Bushberg, director of health physics programs and clinical professor of radiology and radiation oncology at the University of California Davis.
Despite the Japanese government's assurances that the risk so far is minimal, residents of Tokyo have flooded out of the city and foreigners have fled the country, hoping to escape a threat they cannot see.

The fact is that everyone is exposed to small amounts of radiation every day just from living on earth or flying in an airplane. That all adds up to about 2.4 units, known as millisieverts, a year. This can vary widely, ranging from 1 to 10 millisieverts, depending on where you live.

Background radiation will cause 1 out of 100 people to die of cancer in their lifetimes, said Dr. Donald Bucklin, who spent 10 years as medical director for the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona, the largest nuclear plant in the United States. Additional exposure increases this risk.
In Tokyo, 150 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, people grew fearful when readings rose about 10 times above the normal reading. At that level, residents were exposed to 0.809 microsieverts per hour -- 1,000 times less than a millisievert, or about 10 times less than a chest X-ray.
"The levels of radiation experienced by the public at present should be no cause for concern," said Dr. Richard Wakeford, visiting professor of epidemiology at the Dalton Nuclear Institute at University of Manchester in Britain.

"To put radiation doses into context, many Japanese undergo CT scans for cancer screening purposes, and these scans produce radiation doses of about 10 millisieverts (10,000 microsieverts) -- much more than they are receiving from the Fukushima reactors."
Japan radiation localized, no immediate threat: WHO :
Friday,March.18,2011 .... The WHO believes the spread of radiation from a quake crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains limited and appears to pose no immediate threat or risk to health.
At this point, there is still no evidence that there's been significant radiation spread beyond the immediate zone of the reactors themselves," Michael O'Leary (WHO China's representative) told a group of reporters.
"At the same time, we know that the situation is evolving and we need to monitor closely and see what happens over time. Things can obviously change, and have changed, over this last week."

(This GeoEye's IKONOS satellite image was taken over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan at 10:19 am (Tokyo time) on March 17, 2011 and released to Reuters on March 17 ).
Japan has been battling for nearly a week to bring under control the overheating Fukushima nuclear plant after it was battered by a massive earthquake and tsunami.
Experts and officials fear a major leak of radioactive substances from the plant could pose a serious health risk, and China, India and nearby countries have stepped up monitoring of radiation levels.
O'Leary suggested that the impact of such an event on this region would be small, but said other factors mattered too.
"The reactors, of course, are quite far from India and China. The risk of spread depends on several factors. One is obviously the amount of radioactive material, or radionuclides, that are released from the reactor itself. Beyond that are weather and wind conditions that determine," he said.
"As with anything that spreads or can spread out, the farther away you are, the more dispersed it is."
The emergency has sparked panic buying of iodized salt in China and India , based on the misunderstanding that the iodine it contains could prevent the body's intake of radioactive iodine that could be released in the event of a major explosion at the plant.
But O'Leary said iodine should not be taken indiscriminately or treated as a substitute for supplements administered before or shortly after radiation exposure to reduce the risk of long-term cancer.
"It should not be taken indiscriminately. It does have potential side effects," he said.
"The amount of iodine in salt is very small. It wouldn't be possible to consume enough salt to get a protective dose. In the end, not many people will need iodine supplements."

Sprouts the Super Food - "Powerhouse of Nutrients".

2011-02-25T21:52:00.000+05:30

Consuming sprouts is like eating live vegetable food. Think for yourself, how nutrient-dense a growing food could be…

It is said that sprouts ‘represent the miracle of birth’. They are in the true sense, super foods. They are alkaline, whole, pure, and natural foods. It is inexcusable that though aware of their miraculous effects, we do not take full advantage of them. We scour departmental and organic stores, looking for health foods and recipes, but forget to eat ordinary sprouts on daily basis – considering them a poor cousin of high-fashion health foods.
Sprouts are the cheapest and most convenient source of complete nourishment. They are food for long-term health and wellness. If consumed judiciously and chosen over other foods, they can prevent diseases and lifestyle-related ailments. Sprouting a seed enables it to produce an enormously enhanced bundle of nutrients.
A sprout is at the transitional stage between seed and plant. It is, to put it simply, a baby plant. These are essentially pre-digested foods as the seeds’ own enzymes do most of the work. The nutritional changes that occur during sprouting primarily happen because complex compounds get broken down into simpler forms. This, added to development of some essential nutrients, constituents, and breakdown of anti-nutrients, makes the whole phenomenon of sprouting possible. Metabolic activity in dormant seeds is initiated as soon as they are hydrated during soaking.
Sprouted seeds acquire natural increased digestibility and nutrients as compared to unsprouted seeds. They provide us with all the essential minerals and vitamins, and must ideally form a part of our daily diets.
The sprouting process:
On sprouting, grains, legumes, and seeds turn into super foods. They then become an extremely sound source of protein, fiber, and vitamin B.
All edible grains, legumes, and seeds can be sprouted. The following are generally used for sprouting:
Grains: Wheat (wheat grass is the sprouted form of wheat. It must be juiced. Soak hard wheat grains for 12 hours and then grow in soil. It will be ready in 12 days’ time), maize, ragi, barley, bajra.
Seeds: Alfalfa seeds (sensitive to heat, ready in seven days), sesame seeds, radish seeds, fenugreek seeds (bitter in taste. To be mixed with milder sprouts to tone it down, ready in 9 days’ time), coriander seeds, pumpkin seeds, and musk melon seeds, groundnut.
Legumes: Green gram, Bengal gram, chickpea, kidney beans, dried peas.
Oats: (oat groats) to be used -- ready in 3 to 4 days), buckwheat, quinoas are foods which are lesser known as sprouts, but are at the same time, highly nutritious. They should be sprouted and consumed if readily available.
Alfalfa is called the ‘father of all foods’ or the ‘king of sprouts’. It is highly rich in minerals like manganese and is also a rich source of vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. It also contains all the essential amino acids. Alfalfa contains most of the essential amino acids and has a higher concentration of calcium than milk. The lesser explored sesame seed sprouts are also said to be great source nutrients. They too, contain most of the essential amino acids and are high in vitamin E and vitamin B complex, apart from other nutrients.
The sprouting process :
Firstly, one has to ensure that the seeds, legumes or grains will easily sprout. (For instance, soyabeans are said to become sour and do not sprout too well; and wheat has to be grown in soil). The seeds should be thoroughly washed and then soaked in fresh water overnight. The time span of soaking is mostly 12 hours, though it depends on the size of the seeds. Next morning the seeds should be rinsed and the water drained off. Soaking turns the seed soft and laden with water. They eventually germinate and become sprouts in two to three days’ time, depending upon the temperature and humidity. One should not soak the seeds for a longer period than required, as the seeds may rot and ferment. After they sprout, they should be stored in a refrigerator.

Nutritional Benefits:
The ISS (International Speciality Supply, USA) is a company that supplies sprouts to many countries. It describes in detail, the nutrient changes which occur during the process of sprouting. On sprouting, there is a tremendous increase in nutrients as compared to the dried embryo. The vitamins, minerals and protein content substantially increase with a simultaneous decrease in caloric and carbohydrate content. Pulses and seeds show a very low water content. This, however, tends to increase tenfold when converted into sprouts. The ISS elaborates that sprouted green gram (mung beans) have an 8.3 percent increase of water content over dried beans. Hence the nutritional value of sprouted and dried mung beans can be compared by multiplying the analyzed nutrients of sprouted mung beans by the factor of 8.3. Based on this criterion, the changes found in sprouted mung beans when compared with the figures for the beans in the dried state are as follows:
Energy content (calories)..... Decrease 15 percent
Total carbohydrate content..... Decrease 15 percent
Protein availability..... Increase 30 percent
Calcium content.... Increase 34 percent
Potassium content.... Increase 80 percent
Sodium content.... Increase 690 percent
Iron content.... Increase 40 percent
Phosphorous content.... Increase 56 percent
Vitamin A content.... Increase 285 percent
Thiamine or Vitamin B1 content Increase 208 percent
Riboflavin or Vitamin B2 content.... Increase 515 percent
Niacin or Vitamin B3 content.... Increase 256 percent
Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C content.... An infinite increase
The increase in protein availability is of great significance. It is a valuable indicator of the enhanced nutritional value of a food when sprouted. The amazing fact is that sprouts are a food -- very easily available to all sections of society, and yet the biggest storehouse of all nutrients. The reduction in carbohydrate content indicates molecules being broken down during sprouting to allow absorption of atmospheric nitrogen and re-formation of amino-acids. The resultant protein is the most easily digestible of all proteins available in foods.

Grains, legumes are nowhere even near to be considered a source of vitamin C. However, when sprouted, they reveal significant quantities of this vitamin. The infinite increase in Vitamin C or ascorbic acid derives from their absorption of atmospheric elements during growth.
Sprouts supply food in a pre-digested form -- food, which has already been acted upon by enzymes and simplified. During sprouting, much of the starch is broken down into simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose by the action of the enzyme ‘amylase’. Proteins are converted into amino acids and amides. Fats and oils are converted into simpler fatty acids by the action of the enzyme lipase. Also, during sprouting there is s reduction in the gas producing quality of beans. Mainly oligosaccharides have been held responsible for gas formation. As the process of germination ends and sprouting begins, the content of oligosaccharides is reduced by 90 percent. The content of fiber and water increases tremendously, which is a boon for a healthy digestive system.
Sprouts are a good source of chlorophyll, said to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They are highly beneficial foods for losing weight too. They keep one full for a long time and also prevent over-eating as one feels satisfied on consuming just a handful.
Sprouts are an extremely inexpensive method of obtaining a concentration of protein, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Eating sprouts is the safest and best way of getting the advantage of complete nutrition.
Cooking with Sprouts:

Sprouts could be eaten in various ways, other than just the standard salads that we generally know of. They could be used in the following ways:
* To make hummus to be used as dips, for sandwich fillings (sprouted chickpea is best suited for this).
* To make healthy vegetables and curries.
* To be crushed lightly and added to pancakes, or used as a filling for pancakes.
* To prepare a variety of stir fries.
* To cook and serve with rice.
* To be added to yoghurts.
* To be juiced up (wheat grass is a sprout).
* To be dried and turned into malt. This is called malted flour. It is especially given to babies in the form of porridge as it is easily digestible and has a high nutrient density. Ragi malt (Red millet malt) is very commonly prepared in southern India. It’s highly rich in calcium and iron, and is relished by all age groups. The dry ragi sprouts are roasted with wheat, green mung dal, and almonds, and are then ground and cooked with milk and sugar. Malted multigrain flours are also readily available. They can be had as porridge, they can be mixed in flour, or can be added to various food preparations.

New Hopes..New Decade..New Year 2011

2011-01-01T00:19:00.001+05:30

To all my Blogger and Facebook friends, Blog readers and Blog visitors.

*****

On New Year's Day

and the whole year through,

I hope the kindness

you've given to others

returns many times to you.

May hope, love, and warmth

be in your heart's possessing,

and may the New Year

bring you and yours

many blessings.

Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T17:20:00.001+05:30

It's Christmas and

I just wanted to say

"Thank You" and that....

It's been a pleasure

blogging with you this past year...

And may the essence of Christmas remains always with you...

**** Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and my blog readers/visitors ****

May Jesus shower all HIS blessings on you and your families !!!.

AMEN.........

Light and Depression.

2010-12-09T20:41:00.002+05:30

Depression might be caused by too much light when you're sleeping.

The causes of depression are many and complex, but who'd have thought too much light could be part of the problem? Hamsters who sleep in total darkness are less susceptible to depression, and the same could be true of humans.Basking in the glow of your TV, smart phone or living room lights late into the night may put you at risk for depression, suggests a new study. **Exposure to dim lights when it should be dark may contribute to depression. **Light exposure at the wrong times of day has been linked to all sorts of health problems. **To boost your mood, it might help to give yourself some solid hours of true darkness at night.

The research, which involved hamsters, adds to growing evidence in both animals and people that exposure to even dim lights at night can lead to all sorts of negative health consequences, including breast cancer, sleep disorders and weight gain. Ohio State neuroscientist Tracy Bedrosian placed hamsters in one of two different environments. In the first, the hamsters spent 16 hours in daylight and then spent 8 hours in absolute darkness. The second group still got 16 hours of daylight, but their 8 sleeping hours were spent in the company of a dim light, roughly the equivalent of leaving one's TV on all night in an otherwise dark room.

Eight weeks later, Bedrosian tested the hamsters for signs of depression. The easiest way to spot depression in an animal like a hamster is see whether they demonstrate a preference for pleasurable treats like sugar water. The hamsters that spent 8 hours in total darkness showed a clear preference for sugar water over regular water, but the hamsters that slept with a dim light showed no preference at all. That suggests they're suffering from anhedonia, or an inability to feel pleasure, a key indicator of depression.Indeed, there were key differences in the brains of the two hamster groups. The hamsters that slept with the light had fewer dendritic spines, in the hippocampus area of brain. Dendritic spines are hair-like protrusions that brain cells use to communicate with one another. This ties in with human studies of depression that show the disease correlates with a shrinking of the hippocampus region.

Shown here is a PET scan revealing "hot spots"(orange-yellow areas) of increased activity in a non-depressed brain comparing a depressed brain and shrinkage in size of depressed brain.

Bedrosian suggests that these brain changes could be caused by a deficiency in the hormone melatonin. The hormone is essential in letting the body know that it's nighttime, but nearby light sources can reduce its production. Other studies have revealed melatonin's antidepressant qualities, which suggests a lack of it could spur on depression. This also fits neatly with studies demonstrating an increased risk of mood disorders for people who work at night.To explain how light exposure at night might affect the moods of both hamsters and people, the researchers turn to a hormone called melatonin. Our bodies start churning out the hormone as soon as we sense darkness, and its influence is broad. Among other roles, melatonin acts as an antioxidant. It regulates our circadian rhythms. It helps us fall asleep, and it controls the release of other hormones.With even a small amount of ambient light at night, the body might release the wrong amount of melatonin, or melatonin might get produced at the wrong time, leading to any number of problems, said neurologist Phyllis Zee, director of the Sleep Disorders Program at Northwestern University in Chicago. Studies have already implicated problems in the melatonin system with mood disorders, diabetes and sleep disturbances.

"They're all somehow related," Zee said, "and perhaps melatonin helps explain why there is this very strong relationship between depression, sleep, and circadian rhythms, as well as obesity and metabolism."
"Light affects so many biological systems," she added. "Light is a very powerful drug for the brain."
Major depression has grown more common in recent decades. And while there is probably no single reason for the trend, researchers suspect that light disturbances may play a part.
That suspicion is based, in part, on the simple observation that people today are exposed to far more sources of artificial light at night than they were 100 years ago. More people have computers in their bedrooms. More people fall asleep with the TV on.
Studies have also found that people who work night shifts have higher rates of mood disorders compared to people who sleep when their bodies are supposed to sleep.
It might be a good idea to avoid falling asleep with the TV or other light sources on. If nothing else, turning these off before you go to sleep will save on electricity bills, and that should be enough to buoy anyone's spirits.(Live Science)

CANCER - How much do we know ?.

2010-10-22T19:50:00.002+05:30

Isn't it alarming that each year, over 12 million people receive a cancer diagnosis and 7.6 million die of the disease even when we know that approx.40 % of cancers are potentially preventable.

What is Cancer ?.

Cancer is an abnormal and uncontrolled division of cells which are able to invade and damage the organ in which they develop and also invade the other organs in their vicinity.Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through blood or lymph.

How cancer develops ?

Cancer development is a highly complex process occurring at intracellular level.The following two videos are self explanatory of the mechanism of development of cancer at the cell level and its further progression.

What causes Cancer ?.
Apparently it is difficult to identify reasoning for most cancers.However, certain risk factors like smoking, chewing tobacco etc. are known to increase the chance that you are more likely to develop certain cancers of mouth,throat and lung.The substances, excessive exposure of which can lead to cancer are called Carcinogens.

Well known examples of Carcinogens are :

(1) Tobacco :

Cancer Cures Smoking.

Smoking Grave.

Cancer Lips in a tobacco chewer.

Rick Bender,a former base ball player and tobacco chewer,after cancer surgery of lower jaw.

If you smoke or chew tobacco, you are more likely to develop cancer of the lungs,mouth,throat, esophagus bladder and pancreas.Smoking is thought to cause about a quarter of of all cancers.The heavier you smoke,the greater the risk.

(2) Workplace Chemicals :

Chemicals such as Asbestos,Benzene, Formalin etc.are known carcinogens.If you have worked with these chemicals without protection ,you have an increased risk of developing certain cancers like urinary bladder cancer,lung cancer,and skin cancers.For example a cancer called Mesothelioma is linked to past exposure to asbestos.Exhausts from factories and automobile sector is the biggest problem now.

A common question often asked is "Doctor I have never taken any alcohol and tobacco in my entire life and also I have always lead a healthy lifestyle,still I developed cancer,what actually happened ?"

(3) Radiation :

Radiation is a well known carcinogen.Present day telecommunication advances viz. TV towers,wireless towers,cell phones etc pose a great threat to cancer development and its impact will be overt in 10-15 years time.Unnecessary medical irradiation in form of needless X-rays,ultrasounds,CT scans ,MRI's etc are also a great threat. Increasing sun rays radiation, 2nd world war aftermaths, and nuclear power plant disasters are a more than testimony to carcinogenesis.

There are certain other risks related to causation of cancer although they are highly variable in different settings :

(a) Age : A good majority of certain cancers like breast cancer,prostate cancer,are attributable to age.

The reason for this lies in the fact that as you become older,there is an inappreciable accumulation of damage to cells in the body over time.For example,the ability to repair damaged cells and the immune system which may have destroyed the abnormal cells,may become less efficient with age.So,eventually one damaged cell may manage to survive and multiply 'out of control' into a cancer.

Women after 40 years of age and men after 50 years of age should undergo regular cancer screening programme to detect them at the earliest stage when they are most curable.

(b) Lifestyle factors : Diet and other lifestyle factors may increase or decrease the risk of developing cancer.

For example :

If you eat a a lot of fruits and vegetables you have a reduced risk of developing certain cancers like stomach and intestinal cancers.The exact way in which they protect against cancer is not fully understood.They form the 'roughage' which lead to better bowel movements and efficient fecal clearance and therefore less exposure of intestines to harmful chemicals and by-products in the food and body, thus preventing cancer formation.These foods are also rich in vitamins and minerals,and also contain chemicals called 'anti-oxidants' which neutralize these harmful chemicals formed in the body.

'Dos' and 'Donts' to your dietary habits :

*We should try to have at least some portions of fruits and vegetables per day (Experts recommend as much as possible).

* Eating too much of fatty foods possibly increases the risk of developing certain cancers like intestinal,prostate and uterus cancers.

*The risk of developing certain cancers is increased by obesity and lack of regular exercises,and drinking a lot of alcohol.

(c) Alcohol : Alcohol, a well known recreational and euphoric drink,always demands its dividends in form of soooo many human diseases.

In people of Indian origin,there is an increased risk of developing alcohol related diseases and ca

ncers as compared to western population.

Alcohol consumption increases the chances of liver,breast,colon,pancreas,stomach,throat and food pipe cancers as shown in the above diagram.

Polyamines-natural compounds essential for cell growth-react with acetaldehyde,which is produced when alcohol is metabolized in the body, to trigger a series of reactions that damage DNA - an event that can lead to formation of cancer.

It's not just heavy drinking - even small amounts of alcohol increases risk, but the more you drink, the greater the risk.

Despite some evidence that drinking regular, small amounts of alcohol (e.g. red wine) may reduce heart disease in older adults, there's no evidence that alcohol helps protect you from any type of cancer.
Your risk of cancer is the same for all types of alcohol including beer, wine and spirits.
How much should I drink?
To reduce the risk of cancer, you should limit your intake of alcohol or, better still, avoid it all together.
For those who do drink alcohol, we recommend no more than 2 standard drinks a day.
We also recommend those who drink avoid binge drinking (a single occasion of heavy drinking over a short period of time) and have at least 1 or 2 alcohol-free days each week.
Tips for drinking less
If you choose to drink:
# Alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones like sparkling or plain water (soda, lime and bitters is a great alternative to alcohol).
# Eat some food when you drink alcohol. Think of a glass of wine or beer as something to have with a meal rather than on its own.
# Dilute alcoholic drinks, for example, try a shandy (beer and lemonade) or white wine and mineral water.
# Choose a low-alcohol (or no-alcohol) beer and/or wine.
# Use water to quench your thirst and sip alcoholic drinks slowly.
# Offer to be the designated driver when you go out so you drink less, but make sure you stay under .05

Also along with smoking it further increases your chances of developing cancers of mouth,throat,food pipe,breathing pipe and stomach.

(d) Infections : Infections in certaion parts of the body (mostly viral) are linked to certain cancers.

HPV-virus of cancer cervix.

For example,people with persistent infection with Hepatitis B virus or the Hepatitis C virus have an increased risk of developing cancer of the liver.Certain other infections,attributable to poor hygiene, like Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can lead to cervical,penile and anal canal cancers.Most (possibly all) women who develop cervix cancer have been infected with a strain of the HPV virus at some point in their life.Similarly,infections with AIDS virus (Retrovirus), Herpes virus and Epstein Barr (EB) virus have lead to cancer development.

An important point here is that although these infections can be transmitted from one person to another, cancer is not a communicable disease i.e. it doesn't spread from one person to another by touch,living together,eating together,working together etc.

About 21% of global cancer burden is caused by infections. The incidence of infections related cancer is only 10% in the Western or developed countries. The incidence is a high 40% in Asian, African and Latin American developing countries. In general society and persons living in poor sanitary and hygiene conditions are at higher risk of getting carcinogenic infections. Chronic infections can lead to cancer. The key factors increasing cancer risk are : age of infection, co-infection, smoking, immunocompromised status, malnutrition and poor hygiene. Development of vaccines and antiviral and antiparasitic agents can offer a cost effective treatment and prevention to high cost anticancer drugs. Herpes, Papilloma and retroviruses are the most important human infectious carcinogens. Chronic infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori also causes stomach cancer.

(e) Immune System : If you are week in your defenses to protect your own territories,then you are always in danger of intrusion by enemies/diseases.

People with a poor immune system have an increased risk of developing certain cancers.This is because our body has a natural immunity against development and progression of cancers. For example,people with AIDS,or people on immunosuppressive drugs/therapy are likely to develop blood cancers,sarcomas (soft tissues cancer), and cervix cancers.

(f) Your Genetic Make-up : Your genes are the mirror images/reflections of your biological life chemistry.

There are more chances of developing cancers when your relatives (blood relations) have history of cancers.This risk increases when the number of relatives suffering with cancer increases.Common examples are cancers of breast ,thyroid,adrenals and large intestines (colon).We should be aware regarding the risk of development of these cancers and in consultation with a specialist get regular checkups at the defined age and time period.

Most cancers are probably due to a combination of factors.

Not everybody who comes in contact with a carcinogen or has an unhealthy lifestyle will develop cancer. For example,not all smokers develop cancer of the lung.In fact,we are all probably exposed to low doses of carcinogens a lot of the time.The body has certain mechanisms which may protect us from developing cancer.For example, it is thought that many cells which are damaged by carcinogens can repair themselves instead of turning cancerous and similarly the body's immune system may be able to destroy some of these carcinogen induced abnormal cells (who haven't repaired themselves) before they multiply and turn into a cancer.In many cases it is likely that a combination of of factors such as genetic make-up,exposure to a carcinogen,age,diet,the state of your immune system,etc.play a part to trigger a cell to become abnormal,and allow it to multiply 'out of control' into a cancer.

How is Cancer detected ?

Early signs of Cancer (CAUTION) :

*Change in bowel or bladder (stool or urine) habits.

*A sore or an ulcer or a wound that does not heal..

*Unusual bleeding or discharge anywhere in body..

*Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere in body

*Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing or breathing

*Obvious change in size /color of a wart/mole/lump

*Nagging cough,irritation or hoarseness of voice....

Besides,these seven words of CAUTION, a few other constitutional symptoms may point towards cancer development like :

* loss of weight,

* loss of appetite,

* undue fatigue,

* persitent breathlessness,

* increasing anemia or falling hemoglobin,

* appearance of jaundice in middle or old age,

* bleeding from any outlet of the body,

* pigmentation in mouth,over face or over any part of the body.

Some tumor/cancer markers to remember :

(1).Cancer Ovary : CA-125, CEA

(2).Cancer Pancreas : CA-19.9, CEA

(3).Cancer Breast : CA-15.3, CA-27.29, HER-2/neu

(4).Cancer Prostate : PSA, PAP

(5).Cancer Colon : CEA, p53

(6).Cancer Stomach : CA-72.4, CEA

(7).Cancer Liver : AFP, CEA

(8).Cancer Lung : Cyfra-21.1, NSE

(9).Cancer Cervix : HPV

(10).Cancer Placenta : Beta HCG

(11).Cancer Testes : AFP, Beta HCG

(12).Cancer Thyroid : Calcitonin, TG

(13).Cancer Adrenals : VMA, Chromogranin

Cancer Diagnosis :

1. FNAC

2. Biopsy

3. Ultrasonography

4. Radio-imaging

5. MRI/CAT Scan

6. Tumor markers

How is cancer treated ?

1. Surgery

2. Chemotherapy

3. Radiotherapy

4. Combined therapy

Is Cancer Curable ?

A simple answer to this question is YES.

Yes cancer is curable when detected in the early curable stage. Although it is a very general statement but more than 80 % of cancers today are completely curable if treated early.

For a cancer to be curable there are 3 factors :

1. Type of cancer

2. The stage of the cancer

3.How well does the patient finally respond to the therapy and his mental approach to the disease

A belief that "vaccine can cure cancer" is a myth. Vaccine can help against a disease caused by a germ like virus which later on can lead to cancer development.

Preventive measures for Cancer :

"seven wonders"

The risk of developing cancer can significantly be reduced through simple measures :

1. Stop tobacco use and avoid exposure to second hand smoke.

2. Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.

3. Avoid excessive sun exposure.

4. Strengthen your immune system.

5. Maintain a healthy weight by healthy diet and regular exercise.

6. Protect against cancer causing infections.

7. Adopt regular cancer screening pro-gramme after 40 years of age.

I had highlighted about Breast cancer (the leading cancer worldwide) in one of my older posts and now I am highlighting Cervix Cancer (the 2nd most common cancer worldwide and leading cancer in India) through following informative videos.

Please see and listen to them and spread the more and more information about this 2nd deadly killer worldwide.

Prayers Of Thanks.

2010-09-27T20:18:00.002+05:30

Lord I come before You, desiring to provide thanks.
Father, I have so much to be thankful for, things unseen and seen,
that You have done in my life.

Lord, I thank You for mercy, for the hunger for righteousness, for forgiveness, for purity, for providing for my needs.

Lord, I thank You for prayer, That I can come before You and call You Father.

I am thankful Lord for everything that You allow to cross my path. Thankful for the decisions that You allow me to make and the lessons that come from these decisions.

I’m thankful, Lord, that I do not have to live under condemnation anymore, that You have truly set me free, that I am a new creation that I need not live under the law anymore.
Thankful Lord that You have given me joy unspeakable and that You are longsuffering, allowing me to mature in You!

Lord, so often life hurts, I get angry -- upset, I do not understand, yet Lord You ask me to be thankful for everything, and have faith – thank You.

Lord, I thank You, I praise You. In You do I find strength and courage to go on.
Words do not express my thankfulness. For Your mighty power is at work in me, transforming me, renewing my mind.

To You Lord belong thanks eternal.................

In Lord Krishna', Jesus’ and WaheGuru' name,..... amen.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Many thanks for your prayers my friends, I love you all so much.

My daughter Manika Yadav has passed with merit the prestigious "All India Pre Medical Entrance Test" and the "State Pre Medical Test" held in June-July ,2010. Her counselling and admission process have just ended.

She has got admission in MBBS course in our state's sole and prestigious "Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences,Rohtak"...the same prestigious institute from where I graduated and post graduated.

Lord and your prayers to HIM, have showered all HIS blessings on me and my family of two children after a long period of grief and sufferings for 34 months since Nov.2007. Thank you all my blogger friends.My special thanks to Janine,Jackie,Vicky, and Eddie.

I just wish to share these precious and happy moments of my family esp. my daughter with you.

Please bless her again for her bright future.

My daughter 'Manika Yadav' after hearing the news of her selection at home.

Her college : Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences,Rohtak

My daughter in center with her class mates in the college.

With her "Anatomy dissection" table mate

Felicitation ceremony of meritorious students at Mission PMT,New Delhi from where Manika took rigorous schooling and coaching.

(my daughter-in green top, 3rd from left in sitting row)

Another view and moments of happiness.

(Manika. ..3rd from left in girls row)

Manika's teachers at Mission PMT,New Delhi in the felicitation ceremony.

In medical college hostel with her friends.

(extreme left)

During her Prayers of Thanks at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi.

Before her prayers in Gurudwara Bangla Sahib,New Delhi.

With me, after our prayers in the Gurudwara, sitting on stairs.

Thank you all once again!!!!!!!. Now I am relaxed and a bit free to regularize my blogging with you. I missed you and your wisdom a lot during the last 5-6 months.

Hope to visit you soon.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

Dr.S.S.Yadav.

Living With A Full Heart With Aging.

2010-03-19T23:54:00.000+05:30

We Can Control How We Age.
(Successful Aging)

What does it take to age successfully--to maintain both a sound body and mind ?

How do some people age so successfully ?
Many of us think that it takes genes or dumb luck.But many recent studies have revealed that we are very much in control of our own aging.The secret to a long and happy life,it seems,does not lie as much in our stars as in ourselves.
The recent studies at International Life Sciences Institute-India and Harvard Medical School are a medical rarity because these have examined the lives of the well,not the sick.
Old age is like a minefield. If you see footprints leading to the other side,step in them.These results show a clear path that "Baby Boomers" and "Gen X-ers" can follow to lead a long,happy life. Both"Happy-Well" and "Sad-Sick"persons between 60-80 years of age were included in the studies.
It's not in our genes......

A major finding was that good genes did not account for better aging.Nor did income.Good care obviously is important, "but the trick is not going to the hospital in the first place."
The studies dispute the assumption that with aging comes decay.When 30- and 50-year old brains are compared,the older one is better developed.Advancing age impairs some motor skills,but maturation can make people sharper at emotional tasks.
......but in ourselves.

Why not celebrate another birthday ?.Social engagement helps keep you active and promotes good mental health.
Many of the study's findings focus on psychological and social health.As we age,we should try to develop more mature coping styles."Our defenses are always more mature when we are not hungry,angry,lonely,tired and drunk."
Taking people inside oneself emotionally is important."Popular people can be extraordinarily lonely and depressed.The paradox is that they starve,yet there's plenty of food." I quote the example of Marilyn Monroe,who made Arthur Miller and others feel cared for yet was unable to feel that love within herself.
Although developmental psychologists often say that personality is formed by the age 5, the studies have found otherwise.By 70, it's how we mature ourselves throughout our lifetimes that takes precedence over nature.

.Interestingly,many people who aged well unconsciously reinterpreted early events in their lives in a more positive light as they grew older.Those who clung to negative events were less happy adults.Forever blaming parents for a rotten childhood seems to impede maturity.

"What goes right in childhood predicts the future far better than what goes wrong." Especially important was a feeling of acceptance.
As one ages,remaining connected to life is crucial--as is learning the rules of a changing world.On the other hand, "One task of living out the last half of life is excavating and recovering those whom,we loved in the first half.The recovery of lost loves becomes an important way in which the past affects the present."

A heightened appreciation of the positive with less worry about cholesterol and more about gratitude and forgiveness are the key holes for successful aging.
Four psychosocial attributes vital to successful aging :

(1).Orientation towards the future : The ability to anticipate,to plan and to hope.

(2).Gratitude,Forgiveness and Optimism : We need to see the glass as half-full,not half empty.

(3).Empathy : The ability to imagine the world as it seems to the other person.

(4).The ability to reach out : We should want to do things with people,not do things to people or ruminate that they do things to us.In other words we need to "leave the screen door unlatched."

GENERAL BLUEPRINT FOR HEALTHY AGING. :
The world over,populations have been aging.Although India has the youngest population with people over 60 years of age presently constituting about 7-10 per cent,it is estimated that, in the next two decades,this percentage will go up to 12 per cent.In absolute numbers the elderly in India will exceed 160 million in 2025 which would be 3.9 times the number in Japan and about 1.9 times the number in the US in that year.
A variety of changes take place during the aging process viz. decline in antioxidant defenses,loss of muscle mass,loss of bone density.loss of appetite,loss of gut functions and exposure to old age related diseases.Surveys indicate that in India there is also prevalence of chronic energy deficiency as measured by BMI.Aging changes begin even at the age of 30 and menifest later in life.While these changes are inevitable,they can be slowed down if early initiatives are taken.
The problems are multifarious and include social,economic,physiological,nutritional and pathological.Major concern is about non-communicable diseases like cardiac diseases,cancer,cataract,osteoporosis,muscular and mental impairments.

The strategy of seven keys to successful aging.:
(1).Healthy diet and weight :

Dietary guidelines of WHO for elderly,recommend prudent selection of nutrient dense foods such as fish,lean meat,liver,eggs,soy products,low fats,fruits,vegetables,herbs,spices,whole grain cereals,nuts and seeds.Oils high in n-3 and n-6 fats (canola,soybean and olive) are recommended.Fats shouldn't exceed 25% of the total calorie intake.
WHO has recommended consumption of at least five fruits a day.

Both green and black tea have functional properties and contribute to longevity.Green tea esp. has good anti oxidant properties.High consumption of both green tea and soy has been proven to reduce the incidence of heart diseases,cancer and osteoporosis in Japan.
Daily intake of water or non alcoholic fluids equivalent to weight in kg x 33 ml is very essential to flush out toxic agents from our body.Obesity and over weight are both a risk factor for poor health in later life.
(2).Physical activity :

The studies have shown that the Happy-Well usually did "some exercise."Exercise lowers the risks of heart disease,breast cancer,diabetes,bone loss (osteoporosis),hip fracture,muscular weakness and protects functional decline.
Of particular importance are aerobic exercise "Take Ten" program and Yoga.Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise per day with strength training for 2/3 days have been recommended in elderly by WHO.
"Take Ten" program recommends exercise for 10 minutes at a time at least thrice during the day.

Yoga has also been found to be highly beneficial in elderly.It combines three aspects of human personality viz. physical,psychic and spiritual and offers a path to stress free life that leads to healthy aging while remaining physically active and mentally alert.
It is important to exercise regularly.But no age is too late to begin regular physical activity.The very old can equally benefit.The benefits of fitness also extended to mental health.
(3).Not smoking or Quitting early :

Those who quit the habit before 50 were,at 70, as healthy as those who had never smoked.And heavy smoking was 10 times more prevalent among the Prematurely Dead than among the Happy-Well.Smoking is probably the most significant factor in terms of health.
(4).Copping with life's stresses :

The ability to take life's ups and downs in stride has been found to boost successful aging.If you can make lemonade out of lemons,then you have an adaptive coping style,also known as "mature defenses." Mature defenses don't actually ensure good health at an older age.But a person will suffer less from life's real problems if he or she has the ability to roll with the punches.
"Life ain't easy.Terrible things happen to everyone.You have to keep your sense of humor,give something of yourself to others,make friends who are younger than you,learn new things and have fun."
(5).Absence of Alcohol abuse :

"Abusing alcohol destroys both your physical and mental health." It has been found that a partner's alcoholism can destroy a marriage,which also may have an impact on how one ages.
(6).A solid and strong marriage :

A good marriage contributes to a long and happy life.This is important for both physical and psychological health.The studies have found that,overall,marriages improved with time--if people were willing to work out the bumps."Happy-Well people were six times more likely to be in good marriages than were the Sad-Sick."
(7).Continuing Education :

The studies have revealed that"the more years of school people have, the more they tend to age successfully." Continuing education has been linked to healthy aging and it has been speculated that people to whom "self care and perseverance"are important are also more likely to continue their educations.These individuals are able to take the long view."People seek education because they believe it is possible to control the course of their lives." People with less education also were more likely to be obese.Their physical health at age 65 was close to that of the more-educated group at 75.
Inference or Conclusions :
People who had four or more of these seven factors at age 50 were one-third less likely to be dead by 80.
People who had three or fewer of these factors at 50--even though they were in good physical shape--were three times as likely to die during the following 30 years.

Haridwar Maha Kumbh Mela (Fair) 2010--A Lifetime Experience.

2010-02-21T09:30:00.000+05:30

Maha Shiv-Ratri Royal Bath at Haridwar Maha Kumbh Fair.(Feb.12,2010)
(Maha=huge/vast, Kumbh=pot)

I had a life long dream to visit,see and share the world's biggest devotional congregation of humanity on this planet in the holy city of Haridwar (India),i.e."Maha Kumbh" happening once in 12 years time.
My journey/visit to Maha Kumbh Mela on 12th Feb.2010 in Haridwar and a holy dip in the sacred waters of the river"The Ganges"(at a water temp. of 2*c) was an eternal experience.
As I write this post late night after returning home on midnight 13-14th Feb.2010, I am tuned into TV channels and can you imagine that a record breaking 55 Lakhs (5.5 million) devotees had a holy dip in the Ganges in 24 hours during Royal Bath on the Mahashivratri day (Feb.12th). I can believe it as I was a testimony to this devotional mega event for nearly 32 hours.Nowhere on this planet it can be possible except Haridwar,India.

I left for the holy city of Haridwar early in the morning of Feb.12th, in my car and reached there at 9.30 A.M.after a 5 hours of long journey from my home town Bhiwani.

It was a very special and pious Maha Shiv Ratri day i.e.Feb.12th (day on which Hindu God-Lord Shiva married Goddess Parwati), a day for the first Grand Royal bath by Naga Sadhus or Babas (The naked Indian holy men/monks who normally live in quite isolation in the Himalayan mountains,caves or forests in India).
Waves upon waves of bliss,the darshan(view)-the blessings-of all the magnificent saints and yogis who come out of their Himalayan caves only once every 12 years in order to bless the people.This is the Kumbh Mela (the festival of the pot of nectar of immortality).Truly a once in life time,unforgettable event.

Open photography by cameras was not allowed for the foreign tourists by the authorities due to Royal Bath by bare-bodied Naga Saints during day time on 12th Feb. but I managed to capture some of the unforgettable,aesthetic,and sheer devotional moments with my Kodak and mobile cameras.Here are a few of them, revealing a universe of devotion,faith,trust,belief and divinity.

HARIDWAR : Har Ki Pauri.

Ground view in day time.

Aerial view (Har Ki Pauri) from hotel top in the evening.

Main center stage site i.e. Har Ki Pauri at Haridwar (Har=God,Ki=of,Pauri=Footsteps, means Footsteps of God) and Haridwar means Gateway to God (Hari=God,dwar=gateway).Huge gathering on both banks of the river"The Ganges"having a holy dip in it.

Haridwar is an ancient holy city of India for Hindus.The river Ganges from Himalayan mountains,enters the plains at Haridwar.The water of river Ganga is considered so sacred at Haridwar that pilgrims carry the water back home for its use on all the auspicious occasions throughout the year.It is believed that Haridwar has been sanctified by the presence of three Hindu Gods : Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva.Devout believers feel that they will attain salvation after a dip in the sacred Ganga at Haridwar.The center of this activity is Ha- ki-Pauri : "Footsteps of God", lined with multiple steps down the river for a holy dip by the pilgrims and multiple temples on both the banks of the river.It is here at the Har Ki Pauri ( the spot : Brahmakund),drops of the elixir of immortality fell by accidental spillage from the pitcher (Kumbh) carried by the celestial bird Garuda.Therefore,a dip in the Brahmakund at Har Ki Pauri at Kumbh Mela is considered very auspicious.By bathing here all sins are cleansed and unification with God is possible.

The Kumbh fair takes place in Haridwar when Jupiter enters Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries.This planetary position is said to medicate the waters of Ganges at Har Ki Pauri,and turns it into nectar(Amrit) on these days,thereby attracting millions to purify their sins and inner-self through holy bathing rituals.Spiritually,position of planets during the Kumbh Mela or fair is good for concentration and meditation.This planetary position (one round of Jupiter through the zodiac) occurs once in 12 years time at Haridwar,hence it attracts the mind of any tourist to this place.

Etymology : "Kumbha" is a Sanskrit language word for the Pitcher (a roundish pot with no handles) sometimes referred to as Kalasha.It is also a zodiac sign in Indian astrology for Aquarious,while "Mela" means 'a gathering' or a meet or simply a fair.

History : Hindu mythological scriptures and mythological legends say that at the beginning of creation,all the Gods were under a curse that made them weak and coward.Brahma- the creator God,advised them to retrieve the Kumbh (earthen pot) containing the nectar of immortality (Amrit) by churning the then primitive or primordial white sea, intake of which will make them immortal.The Gods alone were unable to churn the sea so they sought the help of demons for the purpose.Gods and demons made a temporary arrangement to work together in obtaining the nectar of immortality and to share this equally later on.The Mandara Mountain was used as a churning rod and Vasuki-the king of serpents,became the rope for churning.With the demigods at Vasuki's tail and the demons at his head,they churned the ocean for 1,000 years.However,as Dhanvantari-the divine healer,appeared with the Kumbh (pot) containing nectar in his palms,a great fight ensued between the Gods and the demons to wrest the pitcher.The demons ran away with the pot and were chased by the Gods.A fierce battle ensued between Gods and demons.For 12 days and 12 nights(equivalent to 12 human years), the Gods and demons fought in the sky for the possession of this pot of nectar of immortality.It is said that during the battle,a few drops of nectar fell on to four different places on the earth : Prayag,Haridwar,Nasik and Ujjain (India).Since then,when the planets align in the same position,pilgrims and devotees converge to commemorate this divine event at these four cities of India turn wise every 12 years.

Holy procession of Naga Saints and,

Somersaults,Dance and Music during Mahashivratri Royal Bath......

Brandishing glittering swords and flashing silver maces,thousands of (exact figure : 250,000) bare-bodied and bare-footed Naga Sadhus (saints) danced to the beat of drums,turned somersaults and chanted fervently as they took a nearly 2 km long procession at 10 AM from their tents in Cantt. area, through the streets/roads of holy city Haridwar and rushing towards the revered Ganges to perform the first and much awaited Shahi Snan(Royal Bath) of this century on the occasion of Mahashivratri,Friday (Feb.12th), one of the biggest days of the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Haridwar.It took nearly 2 hours for them to reach the Har ki Pauri. I followed the strong and world's biggest ever contingent of 250,000 Naga saints during this mesmerizing,unique,ecstatic,auspicious and thrilling devotional journey.

The greatest feature of Kumbh fair was furious and exotic Naga Sadhus (The Naked Saints) covered in ash with long and matted hairs.They are known as preserver of faith and are seen in public only once in 12 years during Kumbh Fair.Rest 0f the years they reside in isolation in The Himalayan forests and caves,completely cut off from this hustling-bustling materialistic world.

To watch a Kumbh procession of Naga saints is to witness the march of centuries.The noise baffled all descriptions,the shouts and cries of ash-smeared sadhus or saints co-mingled with the neighing of horses,the grunts of camels,the bellowing of bulls,the trumpeting of elephants,as well as gongs and drums beating,trumpets blaring,conch shells blowing,and bells ringing.In the midst of all this discord,musicians performed. I thought I had come out of ages with bliss and devotion all around me with an inherent desire to march like this in a scent of eternity forever.

Women Naga Sadhvis(saints) in procession before reaching Har ki Pauri for a holy dip in the Ganges.

Seeing women saints including some foreigners was delightful and I thought how lucky were these women who were closest to the God away from the mortal world of hatred,tensions,hurries and worries.

The sacred procession of Nagas through streets of Haridwar with people or devotees lined up on both sides with their folded hands as a mark of respect and prayer..(wonderful devotional scenes).

Palanquins of Naga saints used in the holy march..( a devotional flavor )

Devotees on camels.

Musical bands in the holy march of saints.

Saints or Nagas on the silver chariot with large musical nagaras or bands at the front with soulful loud tunes of devotion and eternity.Chariot is pulled by devotees themselves.

Other chariots carrying sadhus.

A chariot with purple blue umbrella..

Another silver chariot.

A golden chariot.

As the holy saints passed by on their various and sundry conveyances, they were continually transmitting waves of powerful energy to all the devotees lined up on the sides of their way to Har ki Pauri and seeing/witnessing this awe-inspiring and most auspicious event.Devotees were overwhelmed by the palpable spiritual vibrations that pervaded the entire atmosphere.This unique event blended religious and cultural features alike.With the entire atmosphere saturated with chiming bells,incense and flower fragrance,Vedic hymns,mantras,with gold and silver chariots being pulled by devotees,as they showed their strength and skills--pure enchantment of soul.

Colorful variety of dresses worn by saints.:-

Saffron color-a pious Hindu religion color predominates in dresses of saints and their belongings.

Holy procession of Naga saints: view from roof of a house in the way.

A closer view of Naga saints with shaved scalps and body smeared in ash.

The procession lined up at the final destination i.e. near Har ki Pauri on the banks of Ganges for the pious,and much awaited Royal bath.

The final line up on Har ki Pauri by Naga sadhus to go for the most auspicious,sacred and once in a 12 years event (first of this century) i.e. a holy dip (Royal Bath) in The Ganges sanctified water.

And here they go with their palanquins too for purification.

And here they go for the final lifetime wish.

Thrill and excitement were writ large on their faces that normally remain expressionless,when the Naga Sadhus stepped into the water.At that time the ghats (bathing site) became vibrant and reverberated with ecstatic shouts of 'Har Har Gange',Jai Ganga Maiya','Har Har Mahadev', as they plunged into the river for the Royal Bath--symbolising their having dedicated themselves to holy river.

Naga saints with bathing weapons.(scenes of devotional excitement and fervor... incomparable ecstasy).

Thrill and excitement writ large on faces of Naga saints with brandishing of their swords while running for a holy dip in the Ganges.(oh!oh!...enlightening moments one can ever wish in his lifetime).

Waving the saffron or red flag while bathing.Red or saffron colored flag or clothing is considered as most pious/auspicious in Hindu religion.

The Royal Bath--also known as the royal entourage of the Gods--appeared nothing less than a festival when a sea of Naga saints showered the Ganges with rose petals and marigolds and sang holy hymns even when they were taking a holy dip in the ice cold waters of the river" TheGanges".

A Naga Saint brandishing glittering swords with shouts of 'Har Har Mahadev'. A woman (foreigner) saint also seen with Nagas having a holy dip.

Naga Saint praying for peace and devotion on this earth while submerged in sacred Ganges water.

Another view of saints having the first Royal Bath of this century at Har ki Pauri on Feb.,12,2010.

The much awaited and much participated Arti (prayer) of The sacred River "The Ganges" in the evening daily since ages, is one of the events that no pilgrim visiting Haridwar would like to miss.Standing bare-footed on banks of Ganges at Har ki Pauri with large burning sacred flames and chanting of 'Jai Gange Maiya' with soulful beating of drums and bells loudly, fills the whole atmosphere with sanctity and bliss.

A closer view of evening Ganges Prayer.

More closer view.

The sacred flame held high in hands with clothing on handles of flame for heat insulation during The Ganges prayer in the evening.

Devotees too getting blessings during arti or Ganges prayer.

Participant devotees in morning prayers at Har ki Pauri on Feb.13th.

Like the evening prayer,daily morning prayer after a holy bath in The Ganges is also the most sanctful moments at Har KI Pauri since ages.

A saint praying and praising the mother Ganges in his own sacred style, after his early morning holy bath/dip and the ceremonial morning Ganges prayer.

Early morning view of sacred banks of Ganges.
The sea of crowd having the native groups in every imaginable costume,some shine in clothes of gold,surrounded by followers splendidly arranged,others in less expensive but picturesquely dressed attires,and many half or fully naked or wildly clad.The melange of priests,soldiers,religious mendicants,half beggars-half bandits,with a smattering of Europeans,exhibit all together an exotic display--unique in the whole world on this planet.

Early morning view at Har ki Pauri before sunrise with devotees still lined up on both the banks of Ganges for a holy dip.No Nagas today.They will be seen now only on the day of 2nd Royal Bath scheduled for March,15th,2010.

View at sunrise away from Har ki Pauri.

Devotees(public) having a holy dip and offering prayers to The Ganges and the rising Sun-God in the morning.

A view of Har ki Pauri a little later.General devotees flocking the Har ki Pauri for a pious dip in the ice cold Ganges water to wash their sins and bow down to "Mother Gange".

Devotees praying with holy bath.

A devotee offering the sacred Ganges water to The Sun in her prayers.

12th Feb.--Shivratri day in a Hindu temple where women devotees offered milk to Shivling (God Shiva's holy stone) on the auspicious day of Shivratri (the day on which God Shiva married Goddess Parwati).Indian married women worship Lord Shiva for their husband's long life and health, while unmarried girls worship Shiv Linga for getting married to an handsome and healthy husband.Goddess Parwati too worshiped Shiv Linga for years before getting married to Lord Shiva.

Nearly 20,000 police and security guards were deployed in an area of 130 sq.km of the Kumbh Fair on Feb,12,2010 for smooth conclusion of Royal Bath. Har ki Pauri was handed over to the Rapid Action Force.Thirty two police stations and 41 police chowki's were set up in the 130 sq.km area of the fair for the smooth conduction of the first and a record 5.5 million devotees Royal Bath in one day.

This Maha Kumbh fair at Haridwar is being held from January,14th to April,28,2010 (total 105 days : longest ever in the world)
.
The second Royal Bath is scheduled for 15th March,2010 and God willing I will be coming here again to witness this world's largest devotional congregation of Maha Kumbh,Haridwar (India).
"JAI GANGA MAIYA"
"HAR HAR GANGE"
"HAR HAR MAHA DEV"

A video of Evening Prayers (Aarti) of "Mother Ganges"at Har ki Pauri (archives You tube).

Video of an awesome devotional song by a young Indian woman praying Mother Gange for the long life of her husband.

( Maiya -o -Ganga maiya, Maiya-o-Ganga Maiya=O my Mother Ganges,O my Mother Ganges,

Ganga maiya mein jab tak ke paani rahe = Till there is water in the sacred Ganges river,

Mere sajna teri jindgani rahe = My beloved, you live long till that time.)..

Tata "Nano"--The People's Car.

2010-02-09T20:57:00.000+05:30

The world's cheapest car "Tata Nano" from Tata Motors India Ltd. looks exactly similar to Brabus Smart Car (USA).It has recently been displayed last month in Detroit Science Center as US marketing strategy.It's cost in India is around $ 2500 but it will cost 5000 US $ in USA due to its up-gradation as per US by laws and US competitive needs.

Tata Nano may look peculiar to American eyes .Its 12-inch wheels seem a little-well-distorted.Its engine tops out at 65 miles per hour.However,fans argue that its 50 miles-per-gallon rating more than makes up for any aesthetic quirks.

Cancer Breast : Be Aware--It's CURABLE.

2010-01-31T18:47:00.000+05:30

Warning : This article contains adult contents.Males under the age of 18 years are advised and strictly warned, not to read and view the contents of this article.

Image : National Cancer Institute.

ONE IN EIGHT women (13%), the NCI estimates,will develop breast cancer during their life time.

Normal Anatomy of Breast. :-

The breast is a modified skin appendage, functional in females and rudimentary in males.Breast is composed of two types of tissue elements : (1) epithelial and (2) stromal.

Epithelial element is also called as glandular tissue and it is arranged in lobules (pockets).

Stromal element is made up of fat,fibrous and muscular tissues.

During menstrual cycle normally,the breast is smallest in size on days 4-7, and then begins to enlarge,under the influence of estrogen hormone and later progesteron and prolactin hormones.Maximum breast size occurs just prior to the onset of menses.This is physiologically normal and must be kept in mind during self exam.of breast.

The glandular tissue is depicted above as purple colored pockets or lobules and the supporting or stromal part by yellow colored fat mainly.The base of each breast is made up of a large chest muscle known as pectoralis major muscle which further rests on our rib cage.
The normal breast is not round,but has a "tail" of breast tissue extending up into the axilla (arm pit).This is important because diseases/cancer can arise there just as they occur in other areas of breast.Therefore,during breast exam.this tail area must also be examined and palpated.

In a fully developed non lactating female breast,the epithelial component comprises nearly 10% of the total breast volume while in a lactating(breast feeding) breast it may make up to 60-80% of whole breast mass.

This epithelial part of breast is most significant pathologically since majority of breast diseases esp. breast cancer always arise from it.

In above diagrams,the underlying reddish strands or bands are fibers of muscles (pectoralis major) over which breast tissue normally rests and purple colored element is epithelial lobules--main originator of breast cancer and other lesions/diseases of breast.(cysts-fluid filled cavities).

Diagrammatic Anatomy of Breast.

A = Duct, B = Lobule, C = Dilated part of duct to hold milk, D = Nipple, E = Fat, F = Muscle bed beneath the breast, G = Chest wall or rib cage.

Normal drainage pathway of breast.

Anything happening abnormal in breast is drained out through small channels (lymphatics or lymph ducts) with lymph stations (lymph nodes) in the way to your arm-pit. Primarily through this drainage system the breast cancer spreads first to the arm pits and then further to other parts of body via further ramifications of this system.

Cancer Breast.

Cancer breast is among the commonest of human cancers throughout the world.It's incidence and mortality are particularly high in developed countries.In the United States,cancer breast constitutes about 25% of all cancers in females and causes approx. 20% of cancer deaths among females and after lung cancer it is the 2nd leading cause of cancer related deaths in North America.Yet unlike the survival rate for individuals diagnosed with lung cancer,the survival rate for women diagnosed with breast cancer has been rising dramatically over the past decade to the point where breast cancer would soon lose its ranking as the 2nd greatest cancer killer.

This improvement in overall outlook for women diagnosed with breast cancer is attributable in part to earlier detection, which results from greater awareness of, and access to,regular breast screening.These patients are also benefiting from accelerated research that has led to much better understanding of the disease and a wider variety of treatment choices/options that doctors can mix and match to tailor therapy for a particular patient.In just the past decade, it has even become possible to target drugs to specific molecules within tumors that help to drive the disease.

The life time probability of developing breast cancer in developed countries is about 4.8 % , according to the American Cancer Society (the probability is about 13 % of any type of cancer).In developing countries,the life time probability of developing breast cancer is about 1.8 %.

Cancer of male breast, on the other hand,is quite rare and comprises 0.2% of all cancers in men. After every 100 female breast cancer patients there is 1 male breast cancer patient.In males it is nesrly always aggressive with poorer prognosis.

Etiology/Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Exact etiology of breast cancer still remains elusive.However there are risk factors which are considered significant in its etiology.

(1) Geography : Breast cancer is about six times higher in developed countries than developing countries,with the notable exception of Japan.These geographic differences are related to consumption of large amount of animal fats and high caloric diet by Western population than the Asians and Africans.

(2) Age : The risk of getting breast cancer increases with age as depicted in the above chart.A woman who lives to age 90 has a lifetime risk of about 14.3% or one in seven.The incidence of breast cancer is highest in the peri menopausal age (age when the menstrual cycle ceases in women i.e. 40-50 yrs).It is uncommon before the age of 25 years.But when it occurs in young women, it is more aggressive and dangerous.

(3) Genetic factors(Heredity) : Recently,much work has been done on the influence of family history and inherited mutations(gene changes) in breast cancer.In 5% of breast cancer cases,there is a strong inherited familial risk.

(i) Family history (20-30% cases)--First degree relatives(mother,sister,daughter)of women with breast cancer have 2 to 6 fold higher risk of development of breast cancer.This risk further increases with number of close relatives with breast cancer--(having 2 first degree relatives increases her risk about 5-folds).,younger age at the time of development of cancer,both side breast cancers,and higher risk cancer families having both breast and ovary cancers.

(ii) Inherited mutations(gene changes)--About 5-10 % breast cancers have been found to have inherited mutations.These include : p53,BRCA-1,and BRCA-2. Family members who harbor mutations in these genes have a 60% to 80% risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetimes.

(iii)Personal history of breast cancer :--A woman with cancer in one breast has a 3 to 4 fold increased risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast..This is different from a recurrence(return) of the 1st cancer.

(4) Estrogen (female hormone) excess : Excess of estrogen hormone produced in the body or given from outside as pills is an important factor in the development of breast cancer.Normal breast tissue has many estrogen receptors and bind this hormone in it.

Evidences of estrogen excess being the cause of breast cancer are as follows :

(1).Women with prolonged reproductive life,with menarche (age at onset of menses) setting in at an early age (before age 12) and menopause(age at cessation of menses) relatively late (after age 55) have greater risk due to a higher lifetime exposure to estrogens.

(2)Higher risk(triple) in unmarried and nulliparous(women without children) women than in married and multiparous (women with many children) women.

(3) Women with first childbirth at a late age (over 30 years) are at greater risk.Having the 1st child after age 30 doubles the risk compared to having first live birth at age less than 25. Never having children triples the risk.

(4) Lactation(breast feeding) is said to be protective and reduce the risk of breast cancer (4.3% lowered risk per breastfeeding year).This is because breastfeeding reduces a woman's total number of life time menstrual cycles and hence reduced exposure to estrogens.

(5) Removal of both ovaries help protect against cancer.

(6) Estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause result in increased risk(relative risk of 1.35 for women who had used HRT for 5 or more years after menopause.

(5) Environmental and dietary factors : Many such contributors to development of cancer breast are as follows :

(1) Tail Pipe Toxins :

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) released from vehicular exhausts are at top of the list and are a potent breast carcinogens.

(2) Tobacco Smoke :

Tobacco smoke also contain many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) similar to tail pipe exhaust like Dibenzanthracene and Dibenzochrysene which are potent cancer causing agents.Even breathing secondhand smoke(passive smoking) increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger women.It is most problematic between puberty and 1st child birth because breast cells are not fully developed or differentiated in this phase of life and are most sensitive to chemical carcinogens.

(3) Industrial Exhaust :

Again early life exposure to PAH released from industrial waste and exhaust increases the risk of middle or later age breast cancer.

(4) Drinking Alcohol :

Natural cancer causing substances (carcinogens) primarily "Urethanes" are found in alcohol including wine and beers.Compared with non-drinkers,women who consume 1 alcoholic drink per day have a very small increased risk.Those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily,have about 1.5 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol.Recent study also showed : each additional 10 gm of alcohol consumed daily(about one drink) is equated to an added 9 % risk of breast cancer.Approximately 6% of breast cancers reported in UK each year could be prevented if drinking was reduced to a very low level (i.e. less than 1 unit per week).

The American cancer society recommends that women limit their consumption of alcohol to no more than one drink a day.

(5) Food Toxins :

Pesticides tainting on crops ,antibiotics fed to poultry,hormones injected into cattle for milking and other purposes,and milk sold in US (banned in Canada and Europe) containing Insulin like growth factor I, may put increased risk of breast cancer.Similarly grilled or charred meat and fish contain mutagens (gene altering agents or carcinogens) formed during grilling process. Acrylamides found in French fries, breads and cereals cooked at very high temp.also pose cancer problems.

Fat intake : Recent research suggests that low fat diets may significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer as well as its recurrence.Animal fat has been found to be more risky than vegetable fat.Vitamin D is related to reduced risk of breast cancer.Brassica vegetables intake has been shown to be inversely related to breast cancer development.

In 2009 a case-control study of 2,018 women suggested that women who consumed mushrooms had an approx. 50% lower incidence of breast cancer.Women who consumed mushrooms and green tea had a 90% lower incidence of breast cancer.

In 2008 studies have shown that a very high consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA),which are found in soyabean oil, corn oil-the most consumed in USA,and sunflower oil may increase the likelihood that postmenopausal women will develop breast cancer.

It is recommended that women should eat a healthy diet with emphasis on plant sources.This includes eating 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day,choosing whole grains over those that are processed(refined),and limiting consumption of processed and red meats.

(6) Radiations :

Radiation is the most established environmental risk factor for breast cancer.Unnecessary medical X rays chest,and mammograms should always be avoided.Our greatest exposure to radiation is from gamma rays in sunlight hence over exposure to sun and tanning must be restricted.The risk of developing breast cancer from chest radiation is highest if the radiation was given during adolescence when the breasts were still developing.Women who have received high-dose ionizing radiation to the chest (for example,as treatment for other cancers) have a relative risk of breast cancer between 2.1 to 4.0. Radiation after age 40 does not seem to increase breast cancer risk.Nuclear power plants and reactors are other imp. sources of breast carcinogenic radiation.

(7) Hormone Supplements :

Estrogen hormone over exposure naturally (early menarche and late menopause) or artificially in form of menopausal hormone replacement therapy(HRT) put women at increased risk of breast cancer (a relative risk of 1.35 for five or more years of HRT after menopause).Therefore therapy must be at the lowest possible doses for the shortest duration to reach treatment goals.

(8) Drinking Water contaminants :

Some disinfection byproducts of chlorinating water cause breast tumors in rodents as well as humans.Hence over chlorination of water (common practice in Indian community water supply) must be avoided.Water contamination with pesticides and dry cleaning chemicals are also carcinogenic.

(9) Household Chemicals :

Modern household chemicals used in carpeting,furniture,clothing,cookware,cosmetics,lubricants,paints,and adhesives are carcinogenic on their over exposure.In USA PFOA (per fluoro octanoic acid) has been widely detected in blood samples in US,has been found to cause breast cancer in animals.

Solvents used in paint removers, varnishes,wood sealants,fabric cleaners,dry cleaning and septic tank cleaners act as potent carcinogens.

(10) Petrochemical Solvents :

Gasoline,benzene,in fuels are known potent carcinogens.Women working in chemical factories,petrol pumps,,dry cleaning shops,hair dressers,nurses in hospitals and labs,electronic industry workers,have been found to have more cancer breast comparing other women.Benzene has been shown to be a potent breast carcinogen.Benzene exposure mostly originates from air pollution resulting from industrial burning,exhaust and gas fumes,as well as cigarette smoke.Benzene is also found in some nail polishes as well as some nail polish removers.

Drug Pharmaceuticals:

Prolonged use of Reserpine for high BP, Frusemide(Lasix) for kidneys and Anti cancer drugs can sometimes lead to development of breast cancer.

Shampoos,Dyes and Whitening agents :

Dioxane--a contaminant in detergents and shampoos has been proved to cause breast cancer in animals.

(6)Obesity : Gaining weight after menopause can increase a woman's risk A recent study found that putting on 9.9 kg (22 lbs) after menopause increased the risk of developing breast cancer by 18%.

Before menopause your ovaries produce most of your estrogen and fat tissue also produces a small amount of estrogen.After menopause(when ovaries stop making estrogen),most of a woman's estrogen comes from fat tissue.Therefore,having more fat tissue after menopause means more production of estrogen by fat thus raising your blood estrogen levels and so increase in your risk of developing of breast cancer.Also excess fat in your waist area affect risk more than yhe same amount of fat in the hips and thighs.

(7)Lack of physical activity :Evidence is growing that physical activity in form of exercise reduces breast cancer risk.Then how much exercise is needed ?.In one study from Woman's Health Initiative(WHI)...as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman's risk by 18%.Walking 10-15 hours a week reduced the risk a little more.

It is recommended strongly that 45-60 minutes of intentional physical activity 5 or more days a week must be followed to be on safer side.

(9)Night work :Several studies have suggested that women who work at night under artificial lights - for example nurses on night shift-have an increased risk of developing breast cancer--due to change in Melatonin hormone levels(decreased levels in absence of night darkness) which is produced more in darkness by our body.Reduced production of this hormone during night because of artificial light has been shown to predispose to breast cancer in night female-workers.

(10)Pre existent breast disease : Women with denser breast tissue have more glandular tissue and less fatty tissue, and have higher risk of breast cancer.Some non cancerous lesions of breast can later turn into cancer if left untreated.Atypical epithelial or glandular proliferation (hyperplasia) has 2-6 times higher risk of developing cancer breast subsequently.

General Features and Classification :

* Cancer of the breast occurs more often in left breast than the right one. Reason still unknown. In my view it may well be related to most women being right handed and therefore right side breast tissue is constantly on move and excercised more because of more use of right pectoralis major muscle in right handed persons.Right breast tissue is hence more oxygenated,more healthier in lifetime and fully developed and stronger than left one ?.

* Each breast is divided into 4 quadrants with the nipple being the central point i.e.above nipple line (horizontally) :upper inner and upper outer quadrants and similarly below nipple line lower inner and lower outer quadrants.Central zone of breast is the zone or area all around the nipple roughly which includes the whole areolar (pink or brown colored round skin area all around nipple) area.

* Upper outer quadrant is the most common area or site of breast from where cancer breast arises in nearly half (50%) of total breast cancers.Therefore, this anatomical area of breast must always be specifically inspected and felt for swellings or any other abnormal change on routine self or clinical examination.

* Central zone of breast is the 2nd most common site of origin of cancer in breast (18-20%)

* Rest 3 quadrants of breast : upper inner (15%), lower outer (11%) and the lower inner is involved in approx. 6% of cases.

* Breast cancer is bilateral (arising in both breasts simultaneously) in 4% of cases or patients.

* 90% 0f breast cancer arise from milk ducts (Duct carcinoma) and only 10% from epithelial or milk producing glandular part (lobule)--(Lobular carcinoma).

Classification :

(1).Duct Cancer (arising from ducts), (2).Lobular Cancer (arising from lobules).

These are further classified as :

(1). In-situ cancer (cancer confined to a duct or a lobule of its origin), (2). Invasive or infiltrating cancer (cancer which has come out of a duct or a lobule and reaching the surroundings).

Duct cancer in-situ : Cancer cells are confined to duct lumen : in one giving an appearance of holes in Swiss-cheese,and in other filling the duct completely.

A=Duct, B=Lobule, C= Dilated duct, D=Nipple, E=Fat, F=Pectoralis muscle, G=Chest wall/Rib cage.
Infiltrating or invasive duct cancer : The cancer cells are seen coming out of the duct of origin and going into surrounding breast tissue.
A,B,C,D, etc are same as above.
Range of ductal cancer.
The above picture shows how duct cancer starts as in-situ cancer (at top) which later on becomes invasive or infiltrating duct cancer (lower picture).

Lobular cancer in-situ.

The above picture shows a lobular cancer arising from a lobule and the rounded cancer cells are filling the whole larger round lobule but are still confined within this lobule( i.e. it is lobular cancer in-situ).

(A=Duct, B=Lobule, C= Dilated duct, D=Nipple, E=Fat, F=Pectoralis major muscle, G=Chest wall or rib cage).

Infiltrating /Invasive lobular cancer

The above picture shows the lobular cancer now has come out of its lobule and is infiltrating outside into surrounding tissue ( invasive/infiltrating lobular cancer).

A,B,C,D,E etc. denote as above in previous picture.

There is almost a 100% cure rate for all kinds of in-situ cancers of breast, may it be a ductal or lobular in type.

Tumor/Cancer Heterogeneity :

Every cell of breast cancer originated from the same mother cell.One cell turns into 2 cells, two cells to 4,and so on. By the time a one cm size cancer is detected,the millions of cells that make up the lump have become distant relatives,as different from each other as you may be from your 3rd cousin twice removed.

Such cancer cell diversity represented by the red stars,blue circles and green triangles in the above illustration -is called "tumor heterogeneity". Because what kills one kind of cell might pass over another,hence we need treatments in combination or in sequence,working in different ways,that together may eliminate all of the cancer cells.This is possible now, fortunately, in breast cancer by "molecular targeted therapy".

Breast cancer is the 1st cancer type for which molecular targeted therapy became available,and the success of the approach promises further dramatic advances.

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer :

(1). A breast lump or mass or thickening that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue.

The above picture shows right breast slightly larger in size than left with a bulge by the lump in the upper-outer quadrant of breast.

Cancer lumps are usually painless and firm to hard and irregular to feel.

Cancer lumps are usually not freely mobile and fixed to surroundings.

(2). Bloody discharge from the nipple.

(3). Change in size or shape of breast.

The above picture shows right breast larger in size than left with right nipple at a lower level pointing downwards and a bulge by lump in u-o quadrant.

(4). Retraction or inversion of nipple.

(5). Changes in the skin over the breast i.e. dimpling,crusting etc.

(6). Peeling or flaking 0r thickening of nipple skin.

"Peau d'orange" appearance of breast in all the three pictures above.( Redness or pitting of skin over the breast,like the skin of an orange ( Peau d'orange).

Stages of Breast Cancer :

(Photographs courtesy Mayo Clinic)

Stage of your breast cancer depends upon 3 factors :

(1).Size of your breast lump or tumor (diameter in cms),easy comparison with photograph below :

(2).Local spread of the cancer outside the breast into nearby ipsilateral armpit or axilla and or the collar bone.

(3)Distant spread of the cancer in other parts/areas of the body.

*******************

Stage 0 : All in-situ cancers ( cancers just confined inside to their site of origin i.e. either a duct or a lobule).

Stage I : (1).Tumor or lump up to 2 cms in diameter.

(2).No local spread outside breast to axilla /axillary or clavicular nodes.

(3).No distant spread.

Stage II : (1).Tumor or lump of 2-5 cms size.

(2).No local spread outside breast.

(3).Local spread seen with lump size less than 2 cms.

(3).No distant spread.

Stage III : (1).Tumor or lump of more than 5 cms diameter or size.

(2).Local spread outside breast present into the same side axillary or collar bone lymph nodes.

(3).No distant spread seen.

Stage IV : (1).Tumor or lump of any size.

(2).Local spread outside breast present.

(3).Distant spread to other parts of body always present.

Five year survival rates in Breast Cancer :

Five year survival means the cancer patient lives for a minimum of 5 years with medical treatment after diagnosis of the disease.

(1).Stage 0 ................ 100%

(2).Stage I ................. 100%

(3).Stage II ................. 86%

(4).Stage III ............... 57%

(5).Stage IV ................ 20%

How to diagnose breast cancer ?. / Investigations :

( THREE STEPS TO BREAST HEALTH )

(I) Breast Self Examination (BSE ),

(II) Professional Breast Examination (PBE), and

(III) Mammography.

(I) Breast Self Examination :

It is important to know before doing self examination that the two breasts of an individual are never identical,comparing right to left.One is invariably a little larger,slightly different in shape and location on chest wall.The nipples are likewise never identical,but show minor differences in size,location and orientation.

Few women really want to do breast self exam.,and for many the experience is frustrating--you may feel things but do not know what they mean.However,the more you examine your breasts,the more you will learn about them and the easier it will become to point out anything abnormal.

To recognize changes in the way your breasts look like and feel, do a thorough breast self examination at the same time each month.

Examine yourself several days after your periods end when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender (mid cycle time is ideal).If you are no longer having periods,choose a day that's easy to remember,such as the 1st or the last day of the month.

Once you know how your breasts feel and look like normally,you can detect even minor changes.

Don't panic if you think you have a lump.Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time.In general,only 20- 25% of women who have a suspicious lump biopsied turn out to have breast cancer.

Breasts tend to have different "neighborhoods".The upper and outer area--near your armpit--tends to have the most prominent lumps and bumps.The lower half of your breast can feel normally like a sandy or pebbly beach.The area under the nipple normally can feel like a collection of large grains.Another part may normally feel like a lumpy bowel of oatmeal.

What's important is that you get to know the look and feel of your breasts' various neighborhoods.Does something stand out as different from the rest (like a rock on a sandy beach) ?.Has anything changed?.

Bring to the attention of your doctor any changes in your breasts that last over a full month's cycle OR seem to get worse or more obvious over time.It is not unusual for lumps to appear at certain times of the monthly cycle,but then disappear ,as your body changes with the menstrual cycle (if you are still menstruating).Only changes that last beyond one full cycle,or seem to get bigger or more prominent in some way,need your doctor's attention.

Step 1 : Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your sides and then arms on your hips(pressing hands on your hips).Look for :

** Breasts that are their usual size,shape and color.

** Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling.

If you see any of following changes,bring them to your doctor's attention :1. Dimpling,puckering or bulging of the skin.

2. A nipple that has changed position or become inverted (pushed inwards instead of sticking out).

3. Redness,soreness,rash or swelling anywhere on your breast including nipples

Step 2 and 3 : Raise your arms up above your head,clasp your hands behind your neck and look for or check for the same changes again.

While you are at the mirror, gently squeeze each nipple between your thumb and forefinger to check for any nipple discharge which could be a milky or yellow fluid or a bloody discharge.(kindly note that a drop or two of clear or whitish fluid is normal).

Step 4. : Lie down and place a pillow under the shoulder of the breast you're examining.Keep the arm on that side raised as shown in figure.

Mentally divide the breast area into strips or circles.The area should include your collar bone above to your bra line below and your breast bone or your cleavage in the center to your underarm /armpit on sides.

Feel your breast by using your right hand to feel for your left breast, and left hand to feel the right breast.Feel with the sensitive pads of your three middle fingers held flat.

Use a firm,smooth touch keeping the fingers flat and together with small circular or rotational movements to cover each area of strip or circle.Go over each area three times using varying degrees of pressure as shown.

Use light pressure to feel for changes below the skin and deeper pressure to feel for changes in the breast tissue.

Step 5 : Finally feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting.Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery,so they like to do and can do this step in the shower (Hands glide easily over wet,soapy skin).Cover your entire breast with same hand movements as in step 4.

(II) Professional Breast Examination :

Contact tour doctor immediately if you note any abnormal change in your breasts.

In addition, professional exams.are recommended at least 1-3 years for women between the ages of 20 and 40, and annually thereafter.Ask your doctor or nurse any questions you may have about breast health or self-exams.techniques.

Professional Investigations :

(1) Thorough local examination of breast by the doctor,

(2) FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology),

(3) Needle or Trucut Biopsy, if FNAC is inconclusive.

(4) Open Surgical Biopsy or Lumpectomy (rarely needed when both FNAC and Needle biopsies are inconclusive).

(5) Mammography,

(6) X-Rays,CT scans etc.to scan the whole body once diagnosis of cancer is established.

(III) Mammography :

Mammography is a safe,low dose x-ray technique that creates images of the inside of the breast.Mammography can detect lumps before they can be felt,so it is an imp. screening procedure.Have a screening mammogram by age 40.From age 40 to 49,have one every 1-2 years,then annually from age 50 on wards.

Biggest misconception about mammography is that it picks up every breast cancer.In fact,mammogram misses at least 10% of breast cancers. So if you feel a lump that doesn't show up on mammogram,bring it to your doctor's attention and get it evaluated.

Treatment of Breast Cancer

Treatment and outcome of breast cancer depends upon the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis.Stage-0 (in situ cancer) is 100% curable,whereas stage -I disease is also nearly completely cured with modern day advance therapies.

Treatment of breast cancer is multifaceted comprised of a combination of :

(1). Surgery (Mastectomy--Removal of Breast).

(2) .Chemotherapy.

(3) .Radiotherapy.

Modified Radical Mastectomy (most common surgery).

The areas/breast tissue shaded pink in above picture is surgically excised along with B and C groups of axillary lymph nodes.

A=Pink highlighted area--tissue removed., B=Armpit lymph nodes-Level I., C=Armpit lymph nodes-Level II., D=Armpit lymph nodes-Level III.

In recent years there has been an explosion of life - saving treatment advances against breast cancer,bringing new hope and excitement.Instead of one or two options as used to be earlier,today there is an overwhelming menu of treatment choices that fight the complex mixture of cells in an individual cancer.

Molecular targeted chemotherapy has further revolutionized the treatment outcome of breast cancer these days. Breast cancer is the first cancer type for which molecular targeted therapy has been used and the outcomes are wonderful even in stage II and III cases

Purani Yaadein.

2009-11-18T22:27:00.021+05:30

Dedicated to my Hamsafar,my Hamkadam,my Ham raj, and my Beloved WIFE.

My beloved wife : Nirmal Yadav.

Tujhko dekha hai meri nazron ne,

Teri tareef ho magar kaise.....

Ke bane ye nazar zuban kaise,

Ke bane ye zuban nazar kaise.....

Na zuban ko dikhai deta hai--Na nigahon se baat hoti hai....

Zikar hota hai jab qyamat ka--Tere jalwon ki baat hoti hai....

Tu chali aaye muskurati hui,

To bikhar jayen har taraf kaliyan.....

Tu chali jaye ooth ke pahlu se,

To ujad jayen phoolon ki galiyan.....

Jis taraf hoti hai nazar teri--Oos taraf kaynat hoti hai....

Zikar hota hai jab qyamat ka--Tere jalwon ki baat hoti hai....

Tu nigahon se na pilaye to,

Ashaq bhi peene wale peeten hain.....

Vaise jeene ko to tere bin bhi,

Iis zamane mein log jeete hain.....

Zindgi to oosi ko kahten hain--Jo basar tere saath hoti hai....

Zikar hota hai jab qyamat ka-- Tere jalwon ki baat hoti hai....

Tu jo chahe to din nikalta hai--Tu jo chahe to raat hoti hai....

This awesome,angelic and poetic gazal was sung by me before my wife for the 1st time when we first met and fell in love.She liked it soooo much in my voice for her, that she bowed down and touched my feet.I still remember and can clearly visualize that golden moment of my life.It was a big big surprise for her that I could sing reasonably well.

She often listened it from me during the golden 20 years of our married life.

Here is a video of this richest poetry about beauty without very exotic urdu dictations...for you to enjoy this gem in legendary Mukesh Ji's golden voice...

Hats off to Anand Bakshi for his richest poetry about beauty and the beautiful and masterful instrumentation by Daan Singh.

If you want to torture someone then a Mukesh Ji's song will not only torture but kill him too.

Thanks to the generation that produced such gems.

Unka rukhsar hi bahut tha mere liye,

Pyar ka izhaar hi bahut tha mere liye.....

Chehra dekh aa jaati thi hothon pe muskurahat,

Gusse mein bhi jhalakti thi ek anokhi chaahat,

Iqrare mohabbat ki oos haseen mehfil mein,

Ooska shir jhukana hi bahut tha mere liye......

Ooske daaman se lipat gaya tha mein kucch aise,

Khusboo bikhari ho ghul kar hawaon mein jaise,

Rukhsat ho gayi tu jahan se,chhod tanha mujhe,

Tera neend mein so jana hi bahut tha mere liye.....

Unka rukhsar hi bahut tha mere liye.......

Pyar ka izhar hi bahut tha mere liye........

...................................................................

.Pyar wo humko bepanah kar gaye...

Phir jindgi mein humko tanha kar gaye....

Rukta bhi nahi theek se chalta bhi nahi,

Ye bechain dil hai,ab sambhalata hi nahi,

Chahat thi unke ishq mein fanah hone ki,

Magar wo laut kar aane se mana kar gaye....

Aaj to hum maut ki duva kar ke roye hain,

Dobara aaj khuda se gila kar ke roye hain,

Kyon rukhsat ho gayi tu taqdeer se meri,

Bedard jamane mein meri saza kar gaye....

Pyar wo humko bepanah kar gaye.............

Phir jindgi mein humko tanha kar gaye.....

.....................................................................

Pehle se maraasim na sahi phir bhi kabhi to,

Rasm-o-raahe-duniya hi nibhaane ke liye aa....

Kis kis ko bataayenge judaai ka sabab hum,

Tu mujh se khafa hai to zamaane ke liye aa....

Kuchh to meri pindaar-e-mohabbat ka bharam rakh,

Tu bhi to kabhi mujhko manaane ke liye aa....

Ek umr se hoon lazzat-e-giryaa se bhi mehroom,

Ae raahat-e-jaan mujh ko rulaane ke liye aa....

Ab tak dil-e-khush feham ko tujh se hain ummeedein,

Ye aakhri shammen bhi bujhaane ke liye aa....

Ranjish hi sahi dil ko dukhaane ke liye aa..........

Aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa........

................................................................................

I am speechless every time I hear this sensuous gem by legendary..... RAFI SAHAB.The depth of feeling and the way he woos.......so subtle...delicate...tender...soft like a caress...unhurried and yet so compelling.Awesome lyrics of Sahir and mesmerizing tones of Ravi further make it a sensuous,romantic and a true song from beginning to end.

What a song !!!! Truly a sound of paradise.
How remarkably and effortlessly Rafi Saheb could sing this most difficult song ever composed and sung in hindi filmy music.This is simply too difficult to to put into words.Many have tried it to sing but in vain and have fallen flat with their faces down on the ground.
Hats off to Rafi Ji and Madan Mohan Saheb for this most difficult,great,soulful,and stunning composition with all varieties of tones and tempo of this universe.
Kaifi Azmi also did a wonderful job in writing its awesome lyrics.
In all....JUST MINDBLOOOOOOOOOOOWING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

This live gem of songs ever composed and sung in hindi by the duo-kings of music...Naushad and Mohd.Rafi is a real treat to hear and watch.It is a sheer blessings to the mind and soul.The range of Rafi's divine vocal cords in this immortal rendition,not only surprised the whole India but also mesmerized the whole music industry worldwide.Mind you,..this song was rehearsed for continuous 21 days and 4-6 times everyday,before it was finally recorded.Such was the passion,dedication and hard work for composition of any song in those golden days of hindi filmy music.

This song is so close to my heart and soul that it brings tears to my eyes.It was the most liked song of my wife and whenever it was in the air at home or outside,every time she would stop,come closer to the sound and listen to it to its end.She was an ardent fan of Rafi saab like me.
Thanks to the genius of Rafi saab and Shankar Jaikishan.The ease with which Rafi has sung the high notes in the antra is just amazing and incomparable...Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
If all the indian music were to vanish forever except this song, this alone will be sufficient to show the beauty, richness, depth and sublimity of our music.

One of the greatest and rarest of gems of Rafi Saheb.
What a combo of C.Arjun and Indivar was...just incomparable !!!!!
I still remember the interview of C.Arjun by Ameen Sayani on radio in Binaca Geetmala prog. ,a long time ago about the story behind and how this song was composed/written by Indivar and how it was tuned.
C.Arjun ji told that ....""one day they-(both he and Indivar) were travelling in a BEST bus while returning home from the recording studio.Both of them were sitting on the same seat and the bus was packed full with passengers.After 2 or 3 stations Indivar saw that a young and very beautiful girl boarded the bus and she came near their seat standing in the middle amongst other standing passengers.Indivar was repeatedly looking at her time and again. After 4 or 5 minutes, Indivar asked me to leave my seat and offer it to the pretty girl standing besides us.
After a bit hesitation I agreed and gave my seat to her.To his surprise,Indivar didn't talk to her even once while she was sitting beside him for about 20 -25 minutes before she deboarded the bus at one of the stops in our way. When I asked Indivar why he didn't talk to her ? He replied he shall tell him when they reached home. On reaching home Indivar said "my dear Arjun Thank you so much for offering your seat to her and letting her sit beside me and I had imagined and thought of some lines while she was standing and then sitting with me". Indivar there and then spoke those lines and they were "PAAS BAITHO TABIYAT BAHAL JAYEGI....MAUT BHI AA GAYI HO TO TAL JAYEGI".
And then Indivar wrote this whole song there and then in about one hour and asked me to compose its tune the same night. We sat together after our dinner and composed its tune before we went to our beds late night. Indivar stayed with me that night and left for his home next day morning....""
That was the example of spirit,circumstances and inspiration behind most of the songs composed and tuned during that goldenly diamond era of hindi filmy music. My Big SALAAM to all those composers and writers.
Long live their memories...Amen.........

Tips for Avoiding Heart Disease.

2009-11-02T09:27:00.000+05:30

Are you worried about your heart and cholesterol levels ?

Are you worried about your cholesterol levels ?

If you have high cholesterol level in blood,then you need to change your diet and lifestyle to lower the cholesterol and your risk of heart disease.Even if your doctor prescribed a cholesterol lowering drug,
you'll still need to change your diet and become more active for cardiovascular health.These simple tips can help you keep cholesterol levels in check.

Understanding cholesterol : LDL vs HDL.
Cholesterol : Good and Bad.
Your body need a small amount of cholesterol to function properly.But we may get too much saturated fat and cholesterol in our diet-and both raise levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol.LDL cholesterol can cause plaques to build up in arteries,leading to heart disease.HDL "good" cholesterol on the other hand,helps clear bad cholesterol from your blood.Your aim should be to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol,starting with your diet.

Downsize : Portion control helps you loose weight and lower
cholesterol levels.
Give Yourself a Hand.
Many indians now eat super-sized meals,with portions that are twice the size recommended for good health.That can contribute to weight gain and high cholesterol.Here is an easy way to practice portion control for a meal : Use your hand.One serving of meat or fish is about what fits in the palm of your hand.One serving of fresh fruit is about the size of your fist.And a serving of cooked vegetables,rice or pasta should fit in your cupped hands.

Eat more plants : Fruits and veggies are nature's low
cholesterol diet.
Serve Up Heart-Healthy Food.
Load your plate with fruits and vegetables-five to nine servings a day-to help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.Antioxidants in these foods provide the benefit or it may be that when we eat more fruits and veggies,we eat less fat.Either way you'll also help lower blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight.Foods enriched with plant sterols,such as margarine spreads,lahsoon,yoghurt etc.can also help lower LDL cholesterol.

Fight cardiovascular disease by eating Fish.
For Heart Health,Look to the Sea.
A heart healthy diet has fish on the menu twice a week.Why?. Fish is low in saturated fat and high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids help lower levels of Triglycerides-a type of fat in the blood which thickens the blood.They may also help lower cholesterol and slowing the growth of plaque in arteries.Go for fatty fish,such as salmon,tuna,trout and sardines.Just don't drop the filets in the deep fryer-you'll negate the health benefits.

How to lower cholesterol ? Make time for breakfast.
Start Your Day With Whole Grains.
A bowel of oat meal or whole-grain cereal has benefits that last all the day.The fiber and complex carb
ohydrates in whole grains help you feel fuller for longer,so you'll be less tempted to overeat at lunch.They also help reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol and can be an important part of your weight-loss strategy.Other examples of whole grains include wild rice,popcorn,brown rice,barley and whole-wheat flour.

Snack smart : Grab a handful of almonds,walnuts,or pistachios.

Go Nuts for Cardiovascular Health.
Need a snack ?. A handful of nuts is a tasty treat that help in lowering cholesterol.Nuts are rich in mono-saturated fats-which lower LDL cholesterol while leaving HDL cholesterol intact.Several studies show that people who eat about an ounce of nuts a day,have a lower risk of heart disease.Nuts are high in fats and calories,so only eat a handful.And make sure they are not covered in sugar or choclates or fried.
Aim for low cholesterol: Swap
butter for healthy oils.

Unsaturated Fats Protect the Heart.We all need a little fat in our diet-about 25-35 % of our daily calories.But the type of fat matters.Unsaturated fats-like those found in canola,olive oil and safflower oils-lower bad cholesterol and may help raise good cholesterol.Saturated fats-like those found in desi ghee,butter,cream and palm oil and transfats (used in bakery), raise LDL cholesterol.Even good fats have calories,so eat in moderation.

Choose carbs wisely : Those high in fiber can reduce risk
of atherosclerosis.
More Beans,Fewer Potatoes.
You need carbohydrates for energy,but some do more good to your body than others.Whole grains -such as brown rice,or quinona,whole wheat pasta and beans esp. germinating moong and motth beans, have more fiber and raise only mild sugar levels.They lower risk of diabetes and high cholesterol.Other carbs like those found in white bread,white potatoes,white rice and pastries,quickly boost blood sugar levels and mayincrease the risk of type-2 diabetes.

Be active : Exercise boosts good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol.

Move it !
Even 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week (20 minutes three times a week for vigorous exercise

such as jogging) can help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and raise HDL "good" cholesterol-although more exercise is even better.It also helps you maintain an ideal weight and reducing your chance of developing clogged arteries or veins.You don't have to exercise 30 minutes straight-you can break it up into 10 minutes increments.

Fight high cholesterol with the easiest exercise in the world.
Walk it Off.
If you are not used to exercising or

hate the thought of going to a gym-just go for a walk (3 k.m. in 30 minutes).It is easy,healthy and all you need is a good pair of shoes.Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises such as fast walking or cycling lowers risk of stroke and heart diseases,helps you loose weight,and keep your bones strong.If you are just starting out,try a 10 minute walk and gradually build up from there to 3 k.m. in 20-30 minutes.

For cardiovascular health

:Activity counts if it increases your heart rate.

Work Out Without Going to the Gym.If exercise sounds like a dirty word to you,here is some good news : You can boost your heart health by incorporating physical activity into your day.Any kind of cardiovascular activity counts--gardening,dancing,or taking the stairs instead of elevator.Even house work such as sweeping,cleansing floors(poccha),or vigorous dusting can

qualify as exercise-as long as you are

doing serious cleaning that gets your

heart rate up and not just light dusting.
Want to lower cholesterol ? :

Make some simple changes in your life.

Take Charge of Your Health.
If you have high cholesterol,you and your doctor may be using a number of strategies to lower cholesterol levels.You may be working on your diet,loosing weight,exercising more,and may be taking cholesterol drugs.There are other activities you can take too to make sure you stay on the right track.

Watch what you order : Restaurant and party foods can
be bad for your heart.
What to Do When Eating Food
If you are eating healthy food at home to keep cholesterol in check,don't blow it when you eat out.Restaurant and party foods can be loaded with saturated fats,calories and sodium.Even healthy choices may come in super-size portions.Try these tips to stay on track : (1) Choose broiled,backed,steamed,and grilled foods -not fried.(2) Get or keep sauces on the side.(3) Practice portion control by asking for-half your meal to be boxed up before it's brought out.

Shop smart : Read the nutrition label with a heart-healthy diet in mind.

Look for Hidden Traps
A close look at nutrition label is essential for a low cholesterol diet.Try these tips : (1) Check serving size : The nutrition information may look good but does the package contain two servings instead of one ? (2) If it says "whole grain"read the ingredients.Whole wheat or whole brown rice should be the 1st choice.(3) A food with "0 gram cholesterol"could still raise your LDL cholesterol.(4) Saturated fat is the other culprit to watch for.

Relax-Lowering stress is good for heart health.

Don't Stress Out.
Chronic stress can raise B.P.,adding to your risk of atherosclerosis--which occurs when fatty plaques from bad cholesterol build up in arteries.Researches show that for some people,stress might directly increase cholesterol levels.Reduce your stress levels with relaxation exercises,meditation,yoga,pranayam or biofeedback.Focus on your breathing and take deep refreshing breaths.It is a simple stress-buster you can do anywhere.

Loose weight to feel great : Drop pounds and lower cholesterol.

When Loosing Means Winning
Losing weight is one of the best things you can do to fight cardiovascular disease.Being overweight affects the lining of your arteries,making them more prone to collect plaques from cholesterol.Losing weight-esp. belly fat which is linked to hardening of your arteries--helps raise HDL "good" cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol.Aim to keep your body mass index (BMI)--an indicator of body fat,under 25.

Watch your numbers : Pay attention to weight ,B.P.

and cholesterol.

Follow Your Doctor's Advice.

Managing your cholesterol is a life long

process.See your doctor regularly to keep tabs on your health.Follow your doctor's recommendations on diet,exercise,and medication.Working together you can keep your heart fit,strong and smiling.