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Heat stroke or sun stroke occurs due to exposure to a very high temperature which causes sudden overheating of the body. It is the most severe form of heat injury as it can quickly damage muscles, brain, heart and kidneys. In heat stoke the core body temperature rises 104˚F and above.

Symptoms of Heat Stroke

• High body temperature
• Excruciating headache
• Dizziness
• Redness and dryness of skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• High pulse rate
• Muscle Cramps
• Loss of consciousness, hallucination and seizures
• Lack of sweating despite the heat

Treatment for Heat Stroke

Immediate treatment for heat stoke is to cool the body to prevent the further damage.

• The patient should be given a cold bath
• Patient should be sprayed with cold water and air should be fanned onto the body which will help in evaporation cooling
• Ice packs should be applied to neck, armpits, and groins of the patient to cool down the body
• Muscle relaxants as prescribed by the doctors may be given if the body temperature is not falling

Prevention of Heat Stroke

• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Wear light colored and loose fitted clothes
• Avoid going out during 11:00 am – 3:00 pm which is the hottest part of the day
• Avoid strenuous activities
• Use hats and sunscreen
• Avoid excess alcohol
• Take cool baths
• Never leave anyone in parked cars

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Many of us spend the bulk of our day peering at computer screens. Reading this article means there’s a good chance you’re looking at one right now. Nowadays, we seem to spend most of our time looking at screens like computer screen at work, a mobile phone screen to make a call or a TV screen to relax.

We just shift our eyes to one screen to another. Eight hours per day – that’s how much time average people spends in front of Computer, cell phone, tablet or television screens. All that screen time is causing eye strain and other vision problems.

One of the most common causes of eye problem is staring for long periods at digital devices. Some of the problems caused by looking at screens are Headaches, Itchy eyes, dry or watering eyes, burning sensation, changes in color perception, blurred vision, difficulty in focusing etc.

Things you can do to help maintain healthy eyes and good vision

• Eat Healthy — As part of a healthful diet, eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose foods rich in antioxidants like leafy, green vegetables and fish.
• Don’t Smoke — Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of noxious chemicals and increases the risk for developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
• Get Regular Exercise — Exercise improves blood circulation, increases oxygen levels to the eyes and aids in the removal of toxins.
• Wear Sunglasses — Protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays when outdoors.Choose sunglasses with UV-A and UV-B protection, to block both forms of ultraviolet rays.
• Get Periodic Eye Examinations — Although vision generally remains stable during these years, some problems may develop without any obvious signs or symptoms. The best way to protect your vision is through regularly scheduled professional eye examinations.

Simple steps you to minimize eyestrain during work:

• Workplace Adjustments Position the top of your computer monitor below eye level so you look slightly downward when viewing the screen. This will help minimize strain on the eyes and the neck. If you are typing from copy, position the text at the same level as the screen. Adjust the screen brightness so it is most comfortable for you. Avoid glare on the computer screen by adjusting window curtains or blinds, re-positioning the monitor, or using a glare reduction filter.
• Proper Lighting Examine the lighting in your work area. Overhead lights can be harsh and often are brighter than necessary. Consider turning some of the lights off for a more comfortable lighting situation. Use an adjustable shaded lamp to provide specific task lighting as needed.
• Rest Breaks Throughout the day, give your eyes a chance to rest. Take several minutes every hour to look away from the computer and allow your eyes to re-adjust. Consider standing up and walking around or doing alternate tasks that do not require extensive near focusing. Blink often to refresh the eyes and use artificial tear solutions, if necessary.
• Posture When seated at a desk, make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Use a chair that is adjustable and provides adequate support for your back. When working at a computer, your arms should form a 90 degree angle at the elbows and your hands should be tilted up slightly to allow your fingers to travel freely over the keyboard.

Exercises To Take Care Of Your Eyes

• Blinking :Computer users and television watchers tend to blink less, especially when they are intently focused on something.Try it just now as a simple exercise. For the next two minutes blink every 3 – 4 seconds.
• Palming Place your two hands over your eyes with the cup of your palm covering your eyes, your fingers on your forehead and the heel of your hand will rest on your cheekbone. Make sure you can blink freely and you are not putting too much pressure on your eyes.
• Near and Far Focusing Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Take a deep breathe, put your thumb about 10 inches in front of you and focus on it. Now focus on something else about 10 – 20 feet in front of you. On each deep breathe switch between focusing on your thumb and the 10-20 feet object in front of you.
• Zooming: Sit in a comfortable position. Stretch out your arm with your thumb in the hitchhike position. Focus on your thumb as your arm is outstretched. Now bring your thumb closer to you, focusing all the time, until your thumb is about 3 inches in front of your face. Now move your thumb away again until your arm is fully outstretched. Do this for a few minutes at a time throughout the day.

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The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located at the base of the neck that helps regulate a person’s metabolism by producing hormones.

The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is made up of glands that produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream so the hormones can reach the body’s cells. The thyroid gland uses iodine from the foods you eat to make two main hormones: • Triiodothyronine (T3) • Thyroxine (T4) It is important that T3 and T4 levels are neither too high nor too low.

T3 and T4 regulate your heart rate and how fast your intestines process food. So if T3 and T4 levels are low(Hypothyroidism), your heart rate may be slower than normal, and you may have constipation/weight gain. If T3 and T4 levels are high (Hyperthyroidism), you may have a rapid heart rate and diarrhea/weight loss.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

• Trouble sleeping
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dry skin and hair
• Depression
• Sensitivity to cold temperature
• Frequent, heavy periods
• Joint and muscle pain

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

• Anxiety
• Irritability or moodiness
• Nervousness, hyperactivity
• Sweating or sensitivity to high temperatures
• Hand trembling (shaking)
• Hair Loss
• Missed or light menstrual periods

Prevention and diet tips

• Stop smoking: Cigarette smoke has a variety of toxins like Thiocyanate which disrupts iodine uptake and in turn affects thyroid’s performance
• Protect yourself from X-rays: Thyroid gland is most sensitive to radiations and hence during dental X-rays or X-rays for head, neck or chest ask for a thyroid collar.
• Avoid starvation diets: Study from The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism discovered that fasting resulted in a 53 percent reduction in serum T3 levels (your active thyroid hormone that increases metabolism) and a 58 percent increase in reverse T3 (RT3) levels, which block thyroid hormone.
• Reduce Stress: The impact of stress on the thyroid occurs by slowing your body’s metabolism.
• Avoid processed food : Processed foods have a lot of sodium and people with hypothyroidism should avoid sodium.
• Avoid foods with soy: Studies suggest that phytoestrogens in soy-rich foods may hinder the activity of an enzyme that makes thyroid hormones.
• Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables: Blueberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, and other foods rich in antioxidants can improve overall health and benefit the thyroid gland.
• Intake of Selenium rich foods: Tiny amounts of selenium are needed for the enzymes that make thyroid hormones to work properly. Eating selenium-rich foods, such as sunflower seeds or Brazil nuts, can be beneficial.
• Tyrosine: This amino acid is used by the thyroid gland to produce T3 and T4. Good sources of tyrosine are meats, dairy, and legumes.
• Moderate exercise: Exercise with medication improves metabolism by burning calories and developing muscle, which in turn burns fat.

With a little help from medication and some lifestyle changes, thyroid disorders can be easily managed to live a normal life.

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The auspicious time of Navratri is about to being on 29th Sept’19. This is the time for fasting, cleansing of body and mind. It also marks the onset of festivals.

Though most people keep these fast due to religious reasons but the most logical reason of one week’s fasting is to detoxify the body which in turn calms the mind. Another reason is that fasting prepares the body to withstand the change in season from rainy to winter by boosting the immunity.

Saatvik food is consumed in this period. The word ‘saatvik’ food comes from the word ‘sattva’, which means the one that is pure, natural and clean. Saatvik food includes ingredients like fresh fruits, curd, pure rock salt, seasonal vegetables like pumpkin and bottle guard, and spices like cumin, coriander and black pepper. These foods are easy to digest and hence aids the metabolism.

Benefits of Fasting

• Consumption of fruits, curd and saatvik food speeds the metabolism.
• Drinking of liquids like coconut water, herbal tea flushes out the toxins from the body.
• Fasting helps in burning the fat reserves stored around organs like liver and kidneys. This improves the organ functions.
• Due to fasting leptin production improves. Leptin is a hormone which improves thyroid hormone production.
• Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood and fasting helps in decreasing the same.
• Fasting clears the old immune cells and helps in regenerating the new ones, thereby boosting the immunity.
• Fasting brings discipline to our eating habits and keeps us away from binging unhealthy food.

Tips for Fasting

• Keep yourself hydrated with fluids like coconut water, buttermilk, lemon water.
• Do not over indulge on vrat snacks and fried food.
• Consume fiber rich vegetables like spinach, bottle guard, cucumber and sweet potatoes.
• Use rock salt as it is beneficial for blood pressure and also helps in absorption of minerals.
• Those who cannot fast can abstain from non-vegetarian food, alcohol, onion, garlic and spices, and use rock salt instead of common salt for cooking.

Having a balanced saatvik diet helps in improving digestion, energy and immunity. Do not starve, have a hearty lunch but try to keep dinner light.

Wishing everyone Happy and Healthy Navratri !.

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