Search Results for: disease

September 1, 2020 By Palak Mittal 1 Comment

Fatty Liver Disease: What To Eat & What To Avoid

Our bodies have a tendency to store extra calories in terms of fat in each and every area to utilise it later for energy, or as a cushion for organs and insulation. The liver being the largest organ in the body, is partially made up of fat. However, if too much fat accumulates around the liver, it leads to Fatty Liver Disease.

Fatty liver disease is mainly associated with the excess usage of alcohol and is termed as Alcoholic Fatty Liver. However, those who do not drink alcohol at all, can also develop this condition over time and is known as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver. Excess fat around the liver damages it and makes it difficult for the liver to remove toxins and produce bile for the digestive system.

The major plan of treatment for Fatty Liver Disease is dietary modifications and regular exercises. If the grade is too high, then one may need to see a doctor. For initial stages, the situation can be reversed completely with a few lifestyle modifications.

What Causes Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

Obesity: Overeating can cause weight gain which produces a load on the digestive system and the body forces the storage of extra calories in terms of fat, leading to NAFLD.
Pre-Diabetes: People with Insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance tend to store more fat in the liver as compared to non diabetics.
Over consumption of carbs and simple sugars: is linked with NAFLD as our body utilizes only what is required and rest is going to be stored as fat.
Poor Gut Health and genetics are also seen as linked with NAFLD.

Since it is a lifestyle disorder, modifying lifestyle with the right diet helps in controlling, maintaining and reversing both Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

The diet should include:

Lots of fruits and vegetables
Reduced processed and packaged food with high salt and sugar
High fibre foods and less carbs
Whole grains like oats, quinoa, barley and millets
Nuts and seeds especially walnuts and flaxseeds as they are high in Omega 3
Vitamin E from Sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, olive oil or canola oil
Avocados as they are a good source of fat and fiber
Legumes

What Should You Avoid?

If you’re suffering from this disease, here is a list of foods you should avoid completely.

Alcohol: As it is completely oxidised by the liver, there is no enzyme present in the body that can digest alcohol.
Added or simple sugars like candy, cookies, sodas, and fruit juices. It increases sugar level which increases fat build up.
Fried & oily foods due to excess calories and fat.
Too much salt makes the body hold on to excess water and can be a reason to gain weight.
Simple processed carbs like white bread, rice, and pasta, as they lack fibre and increase blood sugar.
Red meat like Beef and mutton are high in saturated fat.

Other Lifestyle Modifications

Shed the extra weight
Control sugar levels well
Include Cardio and strength training consisting of 30 mins for 5 days a week
Lower down cholesterol especially triglycerides.

We hope these tips help you manage Fatty Liver Disease with ease. Before you begin with any of the foods listed above, do consult your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. Do let us know your thoughts and queries in the comments below! To learn more about AFLD and NAFLD, check out live sessions by our experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

September 29, 2019 By Dr. Viral Thakkar Leave a Comment

Your Heart and You: Signs of Heart Disease to Watch Out For

Mishita, 55 years, was feeling low and depressed for quite a few months. Since the past 2 days, she began feeling slight restlessness, palpitations, and a suffocating feeling followed by mild chest pain radiating to her left shoulder. Since she was alone, she called her daughter to express these symptoms. Her daughter immediately called their neighbour. As her neighbour had basic knowledge about heart symptoms and heart disease, she was saved from a major heart attack but early signs of arteriosclerosis were detected. She started following lifestyle changes and now is happy, healthy and almost off medicine!

How & When Does Heart Disease Develop?

Heart disease mostly develops over a period of time due to an unhealthy lifestyle. One may have early signs or symptoms long before a serious heart problem. In my practice, I have seen that the body, including the heart, will give several signs, before it deteriorates. It’s up to you how much you listen to your body.

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect the heart. It could be a disease related to blood vessels such as coronary artery disease, especially arteriosclerosis (lumen of arteries supplying blood to the heart is reduced in size and finally get occluded, leading to myocardial infarction) or arrhythmias (irregular rhythm of heartbeats which is due to an issue in the current flow of heart circuit) or one could be born with a heart disease as well – congenital heart defects, among others. There are 2 dimensions which affect heart, physiological constitution and emotional constitution of an individual.

Psychoneuroimmunology has proven that a person who is sad, depressed, unhealthy and unhappy will be at risk of a heart attack, or shall I say, a number of diseases. Emotional, mental and physical wellbeing are the keys to lead a good life.

Signs To Watch Out For

I will be discussing some common symptoms of a heart attack since the number of people suffering from the same is increasing. One should immediately take medical advice if you have any of the following symptoms, at any age:

Chest Pain: Discomfort or pain in the chest area which may include left, center or sometimes even the right side which may also radiate towards the left shoulder, left upper back, jaw or sometimes even chin area. There are many causes of chest pain that have nothing to do with the heart but it is still the most common symptom of poor blood flow to the heart cells due to any cardiac ailment which leads to a heart attack ( Myocardial infarction).
At times it is like a crushing pain, while others feel only mild discomfort.
It might feel heavy or like someone was squeezing the heart. One may also feel a sharp, burning sensation in the chest or epigastric area
At times, the pain under the breastbone (sternum), or on the neck, arms, stomach, jaw, or upper back may be the only symptom, which one should not ignore.
Chest pain from angina often occurs during or post-activity or sudden emotional experience and goes away with rest or a medicine called nitroglycerin.
Bad indigestion can also cause chest pain but that does not amount to heart trouble! However, any symptoms you experience is the body’s language of communication, so ignore none.

Certain other features could be extreme anxiety, fainting or loss of consciousness, lightheadedness or dizziness, nausea or vomiting, palpitations (feeling like the heart is beating too fast or irregularly), shortness of breath, profuse sweating, which may be very heavy.

In case of other comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, etc. one might experience fatigue, shortness of breath, general weakness, or change in skin colour.

Symptoms Which Need Cardiac Attention

Shortness of Breath: When the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should, blood backs up in the veins that go from the lungs to the heart. Fluid leaks into the lungs and causes shortness of breath. This is a symptom of heart failure. One may notice shortness of breath during activity, while resting or when lying flat on the back – it might wake you up from sleep.
Continuous coughing or wheezing could be a sign that the fluid is building up in the lungs. One may also cough up mucus that is pink or bloody.
Swelling in the Legs, Ankles, or Feet: because the blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in the legs. This causes fluid to build up in the tissues. One may also experience swelling in the stomach or notice some weight gain. This is mostly seen in congestive cardiac failure.
Narrowed Blood Vessels could mean a higher risk of a heart attack & can occur when cholesterol and other fatty material (plaque) builds upon the walls of the arteries. It is also the cause of hypertension.
Fatigue: Tiredness can have many causes. It could be a sign of heart trouble when one feels so tired that regular activities are not conducted or when the feeling is sudden and leads to severe weakness
Palpitations: If the heart can’t pump blood normally, it may beat faster to try to keep up. It might feel that the heart is racing or throbbing. A fast or uneven heartbeat can also be a sign of arrhythmia. This is a problem with your heart rate or rhythm.

The heart is an organ which does not rest until you rest in peace. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle to maintain a healthy heart. Diet, sleep, stress levels, emotional state, exercise or physical activity are the parameters which monitor your heart health. You need to monitor these parameters consciously. If you experience any of the above symptoms, seek medical assistance.

Don’t let the rhythm of your heart be affected. As in most cases of the heart, prevention is the only cure!

Watch out for Part 2 of this article only on GOQii.

#BeTheForce

January 30, 2019 By Anusha Subramanian 1 Comment

Lifestyle diseases: An epidemic among young Indians

riseinlifestylediseases

You must have heard the term “Lifestyle Disease” before, but have you ever wondered what it is? As the name suggests, they’re diseases which are linked to your way of life. For example, if someone is leading a sedentary lifestyle, with minimal or no physical activity, that person is more susceptible to diseases like Diabetes, Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure etc. On the other hand, a physically active individual has lower chances of contracting these diseases. Unhealthy eating and lack of physical activity are the main reasons behind lifestyle diseases. Let’s take a look at the trend of Lifestyle Diseases in India as per the GOQii India Fit Report 2019.

Image: “Since last year, there has been a rise in the number of lifestyle diseases among people overall.” – India Fit Report 2019

According to the report, there has been a rise in Lifestyle Diseases since last year among individuals who are below the age of 45. This is an alarming trend as it clearly shows the rise of an unhealthy lifestyle among the younger generation. Let’s take a look at the major lifestyle diseases affecting India, namely High Blood pressure, Diabetes, Cholesterol and Thyroid.

Cholesterol
Since last year, the percentage of cholesterol among Indians has increased from 10.1% to 14.1% as per the Report. It also says that 68.9% of the affected individuals take no medication to tackle the condition but aim to overcome cholesterol by making changes to their lifestyle. Since cholesterol is a condition that can be cured by lifestyle changes, it is something the rest should aim to achieve. Currently, Kolkata (18.2%), Delhi (17.3%) and Bengaluru (15.3%) are the major cities with the highest number of people suffering from Cholesterol.

High Blood Pressure (HBP)
High Blood Pressure is another serious condition which is often overlooked by Indians. 34% of the population has HBP running in their families. This data alone shows how serious this condition is in India. HBP has increased from 9% to 12% over the last year and about 44% of the affected individuals look to tackle the condition without the help of medication. Kolkata (21.9%), Mumbai (13.7%) and Delhi (13.6%) are the cities that have high concerns of HBP as per the Report.

Diabetes
We are all familiar with Diabetes as it is one of the most common lifestyle diseases out there. Chances are that at least one individual in your family is suffering from Diabetes. As surprising as it sounds, the rise of Diabetes in India has decreased from 7.9% to 7.1% since the last year. The increased awareness is one of the reasons behind this dip. Research indicates that 33.7% of the people affected by Diabetes are looking to tackle this condition without the help of medication. Like HBP, Diabetes is also a condition that usually runs in the family.

“31.8% of the users claim a family history of Diabetes. Thus, it is a key illness to watch out for in the future” – India Fit Report 2019

Thyroid
Thyroid issues, unlike other diseases, has remained the same at 6.8% of the total population. Mainly women face this issue and they also deal with fluctuating weight caused by it. About 9.6% of the population reported a history of thyroid issues in the family.

The only thing good about these conditions is that they can be tackled by living a healthier and active lifestyle. Exercise, quality sleep and proper nutrition are extremely necessary in order to overcome these diseases. It is no secret that as you get older, you tend to succumb to more diseases.

According to the GOQii India Fit Report 2019, 30% of 20-30-year-olds reported some kind of medical issue, 48% of 31-45-year-olds and 74.6% of the users above the age of 60 reported some issues medically. It is very important to follow a good lifestyle from a very young age so that you can avoid these diseases in the future. As the old adage says, “Prevention is better than cure!”

September 29, 2017 By Anusha Subramanian 2 Comments

The Heart Truth: ‘Let heart disease be a new beginning’

Widely recognized as a pioneer of Cardiac rehabilitation in India, Dr Aashish Contractor is a valuable information resource for the layperson to understand the various dimensions of coronary complications, their prevention and resolution. He just does not believe in leading a sedentary lifestyle. He is a marathoner and was the medical director at Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon from 2004-14. In his book ‘The Heart Truth’, Dr Contractor has summed up his 18 years of medical experience to provide inputs and tips on how to take care of the heart. This is not a doctor prescribing from the pulpit but a heart expert sharing his knowledge as a friend would. The intention of the book is to spell things out with clarity. Anusha Subramanian met up with Dr Contractor to know all about ‘The Heart Truth’. Here are excerpts from the Interview.

What prompted you to write this book?

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death among men and women worldwide and even in India. I have found that even among people who have suffered a heart disease, the lack of knowledge about the disease is astounding. With the amount of information we have today, I would expect people to be more aware but they aren’t. Funnily enough, there is lots of alternative information floating around and what’s app just amplifies it. Which is why I called the book- ‘The Heart Truth’ and decided let’s stick to facts and put it out. Secondly, I wanted to share a lot of real-life examples in order to show that after suffering a heart disease life does not end in fact in my opinion it begins. One starts a new chapter in life. My philosophy is one should get better than before and not just get back to where they were before. Through these real-life examples, many of whom have gone on to run marathons or climb mountains. One of them even had a turnaround just 200-300 meters from Mt Everest Summit only because of bad weather. Through the book, the idea was to showcase these real-life examples and inspire people to turn their lives and let heart disease be a new beginning.

What has led India to face this heart disease epidemic? We are already called the world Capital of Diabetes and we are not far from being called the World Capital of Heart Disease. Any particular reason why India’s are more prone to heart disease?

You are absolutely right, the trend of heart disease in India is rapidly on the increase. The statistics show that from 1990-2000 there has been a rapid upward curve for the disease and we are getting close to being called the world capital of heart disease and there are multifactorial reasons for this. According to me earlier many were dying of infectious diseases. I guess, the life expectancy during the early 50s and 60s was also less. Most were not living long enough to suffer from heart disease. As we are getting better and taking care of infectious diseases we are living longer. And with better diagnostic, we are understanding what the health issues are. Earlier, probably people were suffering heart diseases but one did not know or diagnosed and just died. Hence, we did not label it as dying of heart disease. There is a gross underestimation of the no. of heart disease deaths in the past. Now we are getting better in measuring this. Secondly, as we have got economically better off, our lifestyle has also changed. There is more processed food in our diet now than it was before, one is indulging in far less physical activity on a daily basis or there is no activity at all. Indian’s are genetically more prone to developing insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and higher triglycerides and more prone to developing belly fat and all of these conditions are a boiling pot which makes Indians more susceptible to heart disease.

When you say Indians are more susceptible to insulin resistance, higher triglycerides and other areas of diseases.. is it because of our diet?

One aspect could be a diet but, we should not isolate genes. Genetics or family risk for heart disease is a potent risk factor. How much would they affect, it is difficult to say. Some people’s genes are so ‘bad’ they may get it no matter what but there is a difference. If they take all the care, they may get an attack at 60, that too, a mild one than getting a fatal attack at 45. So it is not that if your genes are bad, you are doomed, there are a lot of other things that you can do. We are genetically prone and Indians are affected a decade earlier than our western counterparts.

What according to you is the best way to detect Cardiac Ailment? As a layperson, if I do not want to go to a doctor but yet know if have a cardiac ailment?

There is no best way to detect. Once you become an adult you should keep a track of your BMI, height, weight, waist circumference on a regular basis. Once a year you should get a medical checkup done to know your basic lipid, cholesterol, BP and blood sugar levels. If the values are normal then it’s very good and you should get your tests done regularly once a year and if they are not then you must take the necessary action and make sure you go for follow-ups. If you feel any sort of discomfort, heaviness, breathlessness, chest pain, pain in the arms, in the right, in the left, back, jaw, exhaustion related kind of pain could be related to heart disease, exhaustion in your daily activity which you were doing easily at one point in time could be a symptom. These are warning signs and in most cases, these symptoms do occur before the full-blown attack it’s just that people ignore these symptoms.

Are Bypass and Angioplasty the only cure or are there alternative therapies?

Talking about heart disease or blockages, depending on where and what type of blockages these are. The kind of risk profile and symptoms the patient has, the medical management the patient has undergone, whether it is a bypass surgery or angioplasty? Bypass and Angioplasty are not the only cure. All the above questions have to be built on good lifestyle management. Whether you do A B or C you still need to maintain a good lifestyle. In addition to all of this, you may be fine just taking medicines or you might need a surgery or an angioplasty. Considering avoiding bypass and telling will manage through good lifestyle is not an alternative therapy. It’s a misnomer. True alternative therapies are external counterpulsation (ECP). ECP is meant for a specific subset of patients who have had stable angina after best medical management and stable angina still remains then ECP might work on them. This is generally done over 35 sittings, for an hour each. The goal of the therapy is to create collateral circulation by opening up small channels of blood. ECP is a good therapy for some patients with angina and for patients with heart failure. However, it’s not appropriate for every person with heart disease.

Can we reverse heart disease without surgery?

The term reversal of heart disease needs to be understood properly. We think that there is an artery with 90% block and you do something and it reduces to 60% but, it doesn’t work that way. The block doesn’t shrink to 60%, the only thing that is reduced is the chance of an event. So it is a physiological reversal but it is not an anatomical reversal. When you take care of all these factors, a reversal is possible. That is what we also do in our cardiac rehab program. He has ‘a method’, we have ‘a method’ but the principles are the same

There is a huge confusion on the fact that fit people are succumbing to a heart attack. Case in point is Dr Rakesh Sinha who was fit and a marathoner and he suddenly one day had a heart attack and died. And on the other hand, you have people who are completely unfit and doing all sorts of vices and yet survive longer a with no ailments

This is a concept of Risk Factors. Different factors go into your risk to develop heart disease. My classic example is driving a car; there are many factors that are in consideration when making a car accident-free. You cannot just say that my breaks were running fine and still I had an accident. That is exactly like saying I am fit and I still got a heart attack. It is good that one is fit but it is just one factor, being fit doesn’t give you immunity against other factors.

Two things that women need to know about Heart Disease.

One of the main thing that women need to know is that heart disease is one of the main cause of deaths among women, not breast cancer. Secondly, awareness is important as women often do not get diagnosed and this is a fact world over which is they get less care than men. The symptoms such as breathlessness in women are never considered to be a risk towards heart disease and hence not be considered for diagnosis. Sadly, women’s health is the most neglected.

Dr Contractor how do you keep yourself fit

I run, cycle and gym at least four to 5 days a week. It’s a mix and match of all the activities during the week.

How do you keep yourself away from getting stress?

Stress is part of normal life. I do believe that exercising regularly is a great stress buster for me. I would like to think that I take on a fairly positive attitude and this helps. It’s about how you deal with it. Some people really react to it negatively while some people deal with it calmly.

What are the three main things that people should keep in mind?

1^st thing- you do not have to run a marathon or climb a mountain to be healthy. That you should do for achievements and not for health. First thing is to build a good baseline. Basic routine for few months then after that you can go for your huge goal of running a marathon or other extreme activities.

2^nd Make a good plan and 3^rd stick to that plan and gradually build on it. Believe me, there is nothing that you cannot do. Everybody can do everything.

Your Parting comments

Overall take care of yourself. Nobody needs to do anything dramatic. Consistency gets people results. As supposed to doing a dramatic program… push hard for 3-6 months and then after that, the motivation fades away. Remember, always stick to your plan. 42-43 weeks out of 52 weeks in a year helps.

Follow the ABCD principle-A- active, B- Blood pressure, C-Cholesterol and D-Good balanced diet, take care of Diabetes and do not smoke and get adequate sleep daily.

It’s not the end of the road. After suffering a heart ailment you can still come back and live a good life.