Smoking: A major factor for Infertility in Males

We all say that Smoking is injurious to health.

Yes, but it affects majorly the fertility of an individual.

In fact, most experts say that male health and fertility is never considered as important as female health and fertility during conception.

This even though, pregnancy requires both egg and sperm to be in optimal condition.

Dr. Rita Bakshi from International Fertility Centre explains HealthyDunia.com that how smoking plays a major role in raising a number of infertility amongst males in the society.

Smoking issues:

• Sperm concentration
Sperm concentration refers to the number of sperm found in a measured quantity of semen. Studies have shown 23% decrease in sperm concentration in men who smoke.

• Sperm motility
Sperm motility refers to the swimming capabilities of the sperm. If the sperm cannot swim properly, they may have trouble reaching the egg and fertilizing it. In men who smoke, researchers found a 13% decrease in sperm motility.

• Sperm morphology
Sperm morphology refers to the shape of the sperm. Oddly-shaped sperm may not swim well enough to get to the egg and may not be able to fertilize an egg. Male smokers have fewer healthy-shaped sperm than non-smokers.

• Abnormal hormone levels
Male smokers may also have abnormal hormone levels, which can affect fertility.

So, next time if you are going to smoke, do keep in mind its side effects on your life.

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Unplanned construction work leading to malaria increase

Unplanned construction activities, setting up of new industries and increased migration were leading to an upsurge in malaria cases in urban India, health experts have said.
“Increased construction activities and industrialization without proper planning has led to mosquito breeding and hence higher incidence of malaria in urban areas,” said G.S. Sonal, Head of the Department of Malaria, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under the health ministry.

He said the builders and industrialists should ensure proper disposal of waste and construction material to avoid mosquito breeding.

“They should consult the health department while planning the buildings and their construction,” he said.

Malaria is caused by a bite from an infected female Anopheles mosquito which breeds in dirty and stagnant water.

Sonal said India recorded around 45,000 deaths due to malaria in 2010. “While the overall figures might have gone down for the country as a whole, cases have gone up in urban areas,” he added.

More than 2.2 billion people are at risk of malaria in the Asia-Pacific region, which represents 67 percent of the world population at risk of malaria. Six of the 10 countries worldwide with the largest populations at risk, including India, are located in the Asia-Pacific.

Of the 35 countries that account for 98 percent of malaria deaths, five are located in the Asia-Pacific region and account for approximately 93 percent of the death toll in the region. India alone accounts for 38 percent of regional mortality. (The other four countries are Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Papua New Guinea.)

According to experts, simple steps like using mosquito nets, removing stagnant water and not allowing garbage to accumulate can prevent thousands of deaths due to malaria in India.

Dr. Raman Abhi, senior consultant and unit head, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), Gurgaon said, “With the onset of summer, it is only likely that there would be a rise in the number of vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria, depending on the type of mosquito.”

“Ensure that water does not stagnate in open containers, tyres and desert coolers, report to appropriate authorities for disinfection of open garbage dumps, use kerosene on stagnant water where draining is not possible and use mosquito repellents and mosquito nets,” said Dr Abhi.

Four different types of malaria – p-vivax, p-falciparum, p-ovale and p-malariae – affect humans. Of these, the first two are commonly found in the Indian sub-continent while the other two are prevalent in African countries.

“While vivax can be easily treated by the administration of chloroquinine, falciparum could have complications. If not treated in time, this form of the disease can affect the brain or the kidney,” Dr. Abhi said.

Despite the massive burden of the disease, the currently available funding for malaria is far below the resources required to reach universal coverage of interventions. An estimated $5.1 billion is needed every year for this purpose.

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Too much exercise can be a bad thing

One tries different workout methods to look fit but too much exercise can lead to damage too, says an expert.
Whilst diet is almost always carefully planned out, or at least thought of, many fail to realise the impact training can have on the rest of their body, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Whilst brisk walking for 30-45 minutes five days a week has been shown to boost immunity, more strenuous activities may have a negative impact on the body, says fitness expert Erin McCann.

“When the body is exposed to physical stressors such as exercise it responds in a similar way to how it does when exposed to mental stress – the hormone cortisol is released.

“Cortisol stimulates energy production and improves muscle endurance which supports fight or flight reaction. Cortisol however also acts as an immunosuppresant and following even just a moderate workout, immune function can take up to 72 hours to fully recover. This leaves individuals open to viral or bacterial infections,”said McCann.

McCann suggests top three ways to support immune function:

i. Incorporate adequate recovery time into your workout schedule. This will aid muscle recovery, reduce the risk of injury and improve immune health.

ii. Increase consumption of immune supporting nutrients and antioxidants through food. Examples include Vitamin C containing foods, like berries and broccoli, as well as zinc rich foods like eggs and pumpkin seeds.

iii. Supplement with immune boosting nutrients and herbs that are not commonly found in an ‘every day’ diet. Examples of these unique immune supporting agents are astaxanthin, reishi mushroom, bee propolis and olive leaf. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, and is often used by athletes to support muscle recovery and immunity.

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Foot care regime for summer

It’s easier to protect your feet during winter, but one can put the best foot forward in summer too by following simple steps like washing them properly, using coconut oil and more.
The tips should be followed religiously to get the best results,says capital-based dermatologist Dr. Deepali Bhardwaj, The Skin & Hair Clinic.

Here are the tips:

i. Wash feet daily: Summer is the time when you sweat a lot and so do your feet. This attracts lots of dirt and dust. So, make sure that before going to bed, you wash your feet with cold water for around 15 minutes.

ii. Moisturise daily: Use any lotion or foot cream and make it your daily routine to apply it on your feet. But don’t go overboard with moisturiser especially between your toes as it might cause fungal infection.

iii. Apply sunscreen: When you choose to uncover your feet, apply sunscreen on your feet to protect them from scorching heat.

iv. Choose comfortable footwear: Give your feet space to breathe by wearing comfortable footwear preferably made of mesh fabric.

v. Use coconut oil: Apply coconut oil on your feet and keep it overnight. Make sure to wear a pair of cotton socks after application.

vi. Shea butter treat: It is very effective to take care of chapped feet. Soak them in a tub of warm water with a teaspoon of shea butter in it.

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Summer Hair care

Dull hair, dandruff and excessive hair fall – summer brings a whole lot of hair problems.

Experts say one can ward off hair woes by focussing on cleanliness and hygiene and following the correct combing technique to keep the scalp and hair healthy in the scorching heat.

Pustular eruptions and hair root and fungal infections are also common during summer.

For lustrous tresses, Dr. Chiranjiv Chhabra, Dermatologist, Skin Alive Clinic in the capital, says cleanliness and hygiene should be on the top of the to-do list.

“If the hair is not washed often and the scalp is not kept clean, the constant presence of moisture on the scalp causes weakening of the roots, which further causes itching and irritation on the scalp, worsening the condition and hence hair fall,” says Dr. Chhabra.

One of the major causes of scruffy hair is lack of maintenance.

Anyone can have beautiful and healthy hair through proper care and using the right products, says Dr. Apoorva Shah, trichologist and founder of Richfeel Health and Beauty Pvt. ltd.

For the hair expert, combing with right brushes and following correct brushing techniques are vital.

“Use a wide-tooth wooden base comb or a tortoise shell comb. Never go for rubber or iron combs. Make sure the ends of the comb are not pointed. Start combing the hair carefully from the ends in a downward direction only. Comb your hair only when dry. Hair is weakest when it is wet.”

“One should never comb when the hair is wet; else it can damage the hair. One can just gently finger-comb wet hair,” said Dr. Shah.
The basic hair care starts with clean hair, but too much cleansing can be damaging.

The scalp produces an oily substance, which is called sebum. It is important to choose a shampoo that removes the right amount of oil. Daily shampooing is not a problem as long as the shampoo is mild and formulated for daily use.

Most of the shampoos are not meant for daily use.

Dr. Chhabra says, “Due to excess washing and wrong selection of hair care products, problems like dandruff, pustular eruptions and fungal infections aggravate. Scruffiness makes the hair look dull even after a wash and split-ends make the hair look thinner at the bottom, slowly leading to breakage.”

If possible, avoid using a blow dryer. Rather, gently squeeze out excess water from the hair and blot it with a towel.

Dr. Shah told, “One of the main reasons of hair loss is the use of hair dryers. The skin pores of the scalp open up while blow drying, which allows the dirt to enter the pores and that leads to hair loss.”

Also, regular use of hair dryers dulls the hair.

Styling products that contain alcohol or other harsh chemicals too can spell hair trouble.

Have your hair trimmed on a regular basis, at least once every two-three months. It is important for growing out layers.

Oil the scalp once a week. It stimulates blood flow and relieves stress, said Dr. Shah.

If the techniques and daily rituals have to be correct, one should also use the right products.

An expert from skin and hair care cosmetic brand The Body Shop suggested that those who complain of oily hair can try Rainforest shampoo. It soaks the oil and sweat from the scalp.

Then there are therapies to tackle hair-related problems.

Dr. Chhabra suggested that one may opt for scalp rejuvenating medical therapies like Stem Cell Therapy, Peptide Therapy Laser, LED Therapy and Rejuvenating Orange Light Therapy as these help stimulate hair growth and keep dandruff and other hair problems in check.

Diet, too, plays an important role.

One should consume a balanced diet to ensure that one gets the essential nutrients. Hair reflects one’s health and the lack of balanced diet can affect the texture.

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Now, ICU comes home

Imagine a fully functional ICU in the comfort of your home and at a fraction of the cost – Rs.7,000 to Rs.10,000 per day against Rs.25,000 to Rs.50,000 per day in a hospital. It’s a reality in the national capital.

“Such services are up to the mark and cost-effective. As compared to a hospital, the cost of an ICU at home service is half. Additionally, the patient gets all the necessary treatment, equipment and infrastructure required,”says Dr. Gaurav Thukral, Head Medical Services, HealthCare at Home, who left his job as an internal medicine doctor at Fortis to launch the project last year.

Seventy-year-old Satish Kaushik vouches for the benefits of a facility like this.

Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital for over two months following a severe heart stroke, the prolonged stay only served to make him more distraught.

Unable to walk around much, he was confined to a bed and was bogged down by the fear of not ever being able to return home. The surging rent was another major cause of worry.

Even the doctors were unsure about the duration of his stay and told his family members they could take him back at their own peril, as without the benefit of an ICU, his life was at risk. The stress pushed Kaushik deeper into depression.

However, things changed for the better after a family friend pointed to a healthcare at home service. The service set up an entire ICU at Kaushik’s home and helped him shift back.

Since then, not only is he able to spend time with his family members, there is also a marked improvement in his health.

Many such organisations providing health care at home have mushroomed in the national capital. They are not only comparatively affordable but also increase the chances of improving a patient’s health as they spend time with their family members, unlike in a hospital.

Apart from setting up the ICU infrastructure, organisations like Thukral’s also provide post-surgical care, post-joint replacement care, post-cardiac surgery care, pulmonary care, elderly care and physiotherapy.

“In a bid to provide the best facilities, we also give high-end beds, oxygen infrastructure, electronic beds, and ventilators, bedside monitors, dialysis machine and all the equipment that is available in the ICU of a hospital,”said Dr. Thukral.

He said that special training is imparted to nurses, who are given a tablet device so that they can share real-time data with the doctors post-evaluation.

“Undoubtedly, it is a blessing for patients who are critically ill, and for those who prefer to be treated in the comfort of their homes,” he said.

Dr. Ramya, director of Homital Medical Home Care Services, another organisation that provides medical facilities at home, said that such personalised care addresses the unique needs of every patient.

She added that prolonged stay at hospital leads to huge medical bills, putting enormous pressure on family members.

“While an ICU at a private hospital costs around Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000 per day, the ICU set up at home costs only Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 10,000 per day,” she said.
A lot of importance is put on the nurses’ training. Before joining such services, all of them undergo mandatory training of six weeks,” she added.

Ramya further stated that the staff is taught clinical skills like infection control and life support.

Post-training, a clinical competency check is conducted to assess if procedures are performed in accordance with the best practices or not.

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Indian women should be experimental, says British hair expert

The soaring temperature calls for new hair styles and British hair expert Bill Watson suggests Indian women be more bold with cuts and colours.

He has been to various Indian cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and the national capital, and says that he hasn’t seen “massive mistakes” when it comes to hairdos. His only complaint is that Indian women like to play it safe.

“Indian women are beautiful. They have great bone structure. There are more options in haircuts than they realise,” Watson, International Artistic Designer, Toni&Guy, which has five flagship salons in Delhi/NCR and plan to roll out 10 sub-franchise salons across north India along with a training academy here, told during his visit here.

“They can do a lot with length and try different layering types. They need to be little more seasonal and experimental in their approach,” he added.

He says colouring hair is one way to give up the old look.

“Play with colour. It doesn’t have to be crazy. It will help to show details of the haircut. Colouring the ends is a fresh approach to wear it. Shades of pink and baby blue are cute. Colour helps haircut to come alive.

“Most women don’t leave home without make-up, so why not try new things with colour…more around the face, the end. It revives the look and is nice and fun,” he said.

Watson also advises natural look for summer season.

“During summer, a lot of clients like to go for the natural look and just blow dry for a little bit cleaner and shinier look. Hair treatments also become important and maintaining the colour too,” he said.

And for cuts, get influenced by models on the runway!

“One of the biggest influences is the catwalk. We look at a lot of models with different hair shapes,” he said and emphasised on the shoulder length bobs that are practical to wear too.

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Setting the baby’s healthy wardrobe!

Preparing to welcome the new bundle of joy into your family is the utmost and blissful moment for expecting parents.

Also there is a lot to consider when it comes to raising your baby in a healthy manner.

Caressing your baby is the main precedence and one such factor which is integral to the plethora of emotions attached to this profound affection is choosing the right kind of clothing for your little one.

However, it is a bewildering task to choose appropriate apparels; so to help you come out from this mayhem;Mithun Gupta, Director, Bodycare International Ltd. has in offering some tips to stuff into your baby’s wardrobe:

1.  When it comes to buying clothes for infants, fashion takes a back seat. The kind of fabric he/she wears matters the most, so one should always check the material keeping in mind the sensitive skin of your baby.
   b. The fabric preference should be soft for skin, comfy and 100% cotton. It is essential to keep this in mind while shopping because baby’s skin is too sensitive to tolerate anything which is rough in texture.
   c. Try to buy clothes which are in pastel and light colors. These colors are soothing to eyes whereas bright colors automatically have slightly hard texture i.e. we refer to “baby pink” etc colors.
   d. Baby’s skin is more fragile than yours, so make sure whatever you make him/her wear shouldn’t have sharp edges that may be discomforting for them. Since babies cannot express themselves in words, they tend to cry whatever is upsetting them. So avoid dealing with such situations is in your hands.
   e. Main priority while shopping for your baby is that how he/she may react to a particular type of cloth. And buying low quality products can be allergic to your baby as they may use mixed fabric for manufacturing clothes. Therefore evade from buying low quality products and opt for branded ones.
   f. In the initial few months when your baby is born, they nap too often so go for one-piece outfits as they are very convenient. Baby suits or one piece suits are comfortable because they do not have any edges as compared to shorts etc. which might discomfort the baby.

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