Good Health with Dr. Shweta

Two research papers are in the news recently. Nature Medicine: A group of Researchers tested a universal flu vaccine on mice and ferret. Science: A team tested similar universal flu vaccine on monkeys. The vaccine contained an antigen that could target multiple strains of Type A Influenza, with a possibility of one time, ideally once-in-a-lifetime flu shot instead of present day scenario of annual flu shots. Both results came positive. Infectious Disease Experts quote this as a pivotal discovery.

• It exhibits the shortest time-span for mutation and hence quickest mutation rate of all three.
• Wild Birds are its primary natural hosts. It makes its way into human species through the domestic poultry, often resulting in pandemics.
• Recent pandemics include subtype H5N1 Bird Flu of 2004 and subtype H1N1 Swine Flu in 2009.

A limitation of Flu Vaccine is that they have to be developed every year to adapt major known mutations of Influenza Virus.   

The methodology adapted to create Universal Vaccine targets stem of virus instead of the ever-changing HA portion. Ideally, one shot of such vaccine will generate antibodies to fight flu virus for a life time, instead of present practice of taking a shot every year.  

Some experts have served a concern that the Influenza Virus might begin to mutate in its stems in response to the vaccine rendering the universal flu vaccine useless. 

With the hope the universal flu vaccine turns from a promising research to shear reality putting an end to billions of sufferings in form of sneezing and coughing, I believe this article helps grasping the importance of this recent development.  

Content of this blog is for health awareness purposes only and should not be construed as a medical prescription or advice. Be advised to always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medical conditions, medications or medical procedures.

Diabetes is mainly classified in Type 1 and Type 2, less than 1% people are unlucky enough to fall prey to a less known variation that combines Type 1 and Type 2, namely Flatbush Diabetes.

• Insulin Resistance
• Inadequate Insulin Administration
• Substance Abuse - Cocaine in particular
• Pregnancy
• Intercurrent  Illness such as pneumonia
• Stroke
• Mayocardial Infraction

1. Nausea, vomiting sensation
2. Deep and laboured breathing pattern
3. Dry mouth indicating dehydration
4. Tachycardia, increased heart rate
5. Fruity odour, indicating presence of ketones

2 - 3 years

• By the age of 2 to 2.5 years, kids will be responding to the mother/the primary care taker's verbal instructions.  Psychological development-wise, sense of autonomy is still developing and weather I can do this or I can't do this....to do or not to do, in its primitive form...is the part of daily crisis.  
• This is the right time when kid should learn from the mother about basic things like: 
• "Don't pick your nose", "Don't eat this, it's a toy!" or "It's not right to lick your fingers".  
• Remember, at all ages, appreciation works wonders. "Good Job !" "Good Boy/Girl !" will produce nice results. 

3-4 Years

• Coinsiding with further lingual development, is the one and a half to two years, till about age of four years, when a kid can speak in sentences, the period by which all the basic health habits should be imparted to kids.
• The hygienic virtues are also learned during play dates, baby sittings and pre-school by observing other kids, but it can go both ways.  A good baby sitter or pre-school instructor will play an important role in this regard. 

4 - 5 Years

• From 3.5 to 4 years of age, kids now have the core values well established when it comes to health and hygiene.  
• The mode of teaching should be differentiating "right" actions from "wrong" actions. 
• Such as "It is not right to eat with dirty hands!" "It is wrong to not to brush the teeth before sleeping!" "We don't eat the cookie from the floor!", "This is the proper way to wash hands!!" These kind of instructions will often result in self-initiation of all personal hygiene. In some cases, the kid will be driven by the fear of getting sick and medicine during this age.

5 Years onwards...

Let me continue from the last post, where I said that it is easy to see Type 2 Diabetes walking into your life, I implied the life style and family history.  Both are hard to miss phenomenon to give you early indications. 

How do people know if they have diabetes?

In some cases, there are no symptoms — this happens at times with type 2 diabetes. In this case, people can live for months, even years without knowing they have the disease. This form of diabetes comes on so gradually that symptoms may not even be recognized. 

Now, based on symptoms, if you suspect you have a diabetes, let us see if you need to get tested. Yet again I insist, it is supposed to be in consultation with your family doctor or treating physician. Be aware and talk to him.

Who should Get Tested ?

• ADA recommends that everyone aged 45 and over should be tested for diabetes, and if the results are normal, re-tested every three years.

• Testing should be conducted at earlier ages and carried out more frequently in individuals who have any of the following diabetes risk factors:

1.  You have a parent or sibling with diabetes You are overweight (BMI higher than 25).
2.  You are a member of a high-risk ethnic population (On a global scale: African American, Latino, Native American, South Asian or Pacific Islander). 
3. You had gestational diabetes or a baby weighing over 9 pounds. 
4. Your HDL cholesterol levels are 35 mg/dl or less, and/or your triglyceride level is 250 mg/dl or above. 
5. You have high blood pressure You have polycystic ovarian syndrome On previous testing, had impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting tolerance. 

Did someone in your circle, a friend or a family member, get diagnosed with diabetes ?  Did you come to know that it runs in your family ? Is anyone closer to you a diabetic on a painful journey ? There are very few, admiringly valid, reasons why one would take the time from all the priorities life has to offer and all the wonderful things internet has to offer, to know more about Diabetes. 

• If your BMI is not on and around Normal range you need to pay more attention to the diet.
• About 7 to 10 servings of various fruits and vegetables will help your metabolism.
• Calorie-conciousness is needed.  All-n-all, for persons with desk jobs burn almost 60 to 75% of calories you eat, by means of various activities. Monitor the diet accordingly. Overeating occasionally is pardoned, but making it a habit puts you in good favours to befriend diabetes.
• Monitor your Fat, Fibre and Salt intake as they have a quick and direct impact to your metabolism. Too salty and too fatty foods are good for the tongue, bad for the tummy and may cause cardiovascular issues.
• On other hand, improper eating habits and prolonged malnutrition may result in Hypoglycaemia, where amount of blood sugar is often less than desired amount. 

• Your health is not only affected by how much body fat you have, but also where is it located. 
• People who tend to gain weight mostly in their hips and buttocks have roughly a pear body shape, while people who tend to gain weight mostly in the abdomen have more of an apple body shape.
• See the diagram above for a better understanding.
• Apple Body Shape, that is, body fat stored around the abdomen (rather than the hips and thighs) is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.
• Another Medical index, Waist to Hips Ratio, has become more popular in recent past:

• Use Waist to Hips Ratio Calculator in sidebar (on your right) to calculate your WHR.

• Diabetes and cardiovascular issues, particularly high blood pressure, are often found occurring together.
• As it was told earlier for diabetes, due to similar food practices and in some cases genetically, high blood pressure is also passed onto blood relatives.  So, parents with a history of High BP increases risk of the same and hence the risk of diabetes, particularly Type 2.

• Gestational Diabetes occurs in about 2 to 10% pregnant females depending upon all the other factors.
• After pregnancy, with proper care and sufficient diet and exercise, the diabetes goes away.  However, at least 5 to 10% females gets Type 2 Diabetes following this.
• This is a situation demanding a more cautious approach, as it may also penalize the fetus with severe conditions such as Congenital Heart Disease, Respitary Distress Syndrome and Macrosomia (High Birth Weight).
• Situation such as these warrant more than mere awareness, and better controlled by consulting a Gynaecologist and if needed an Endocrinologist.   

• As it should make sense, along with majority of diseases and disorders, aged persons are at a greater risk of getting Diabetes. Statistically the risk almost doubles than the previous age group after reaching the age of 45 and 65 years.

• All recognized local and global demographic studies indicate that Male candidates are more susceptible to Diabetes than females.  This difference in risk increases with age.
• Certain ethnicities are statistically at a greater risk of getting insulin related disorders than others. 
• Statistically speaking, only 3 to 4% Chinese of populations in USA and UK are diabetic, along with 2 to 3% of African Natives (Kenya, Egypt etc) being the ethnicities least affected by Diabetes.
• On the other hand 10 to 12% of South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi etc), 11% Filipinos, 7 to 8% East Asians (Thai, Koreans etc) and about 8 to 12% of Latino (Mexicans, Cubans, Spanish etc), 10 to 11% of Native Americans  and 10 to 11% of Caribbean Natives and African Americans have diabetes, making them more affected by Diabetes.
• Native European Caucasians have around 7 to 9% of population getting affected by Diabetes.

• Kindly note that ethnicity factor alone cannot be enough to justify the risk of getting diabetes.