The paradox – ‘if they have such exuding love for stray dogs- why such love and compassion cannot be extended to other animals?’
A very strange paradox exists, when the situation boils down to animal love. Very recently Supreme court passed a very desirable verdict about rehabilitation of street dogs. Such an order is of great necessity to common man, when children playing in streets are being mauled, attacked and bitten every day. Hundreds dying because of rabies and dog bites. The silent killer still remains the infective nature of dog faeces, which pollutes underground water, environment and air with pathogenic bacteria.
Till now Courts have also upheld animal rights but failed to formulate and implement policies to ensure safety of humans from these violent strays. Government has not made out any policy to safeguard public from such attacks nor have courts come up with any solid guidelines, which can save public, children, women and older people from such bites.
After the court verdict, a hue and cry are raised by a breed of ‘Dog Lovers’. This section has not taken any responsibility for the inconvenience to public and death of children due to dog bites, but they have forced the court to review decision. These are people who in reality are unaffected by stray animals because they are celebrities and often self-congratulate themselves for projecting themselves as animal lovers.
Now the question about the paradox starts- ‘if they have such exuding love for stray dogs, why such love and compassion cannot be extended to other animals?’
Billions of chicken are slaughtered every second.
Billions of goats, cattle and lambs are killed mercilessly every minute.
Everyday millions of pigs are killed, and various dish are prepared.
Fish (not countable) are caught and usually gasps – very cruel for a while before being killed.
Leather is collected from animal skin—very cruel
Even monkeys are caught and relocated- no court has stopped it.
It is difficult to understand this kind of differential love for stray dogs. If relocation of stray dogs is cruelty, then killing all other animals is bigger one because none of animals are actually doing any harm. They all are being held for financial reasons.
So clearly, we need to look at the financial implication and output of all these animals.
Chicken are killed and they make a big business.
Goats, lamb, pigs and cattle again give good money when they are raised and killed for meat.
Stray dogs produce financial output only when they bite. Anti rabies serum is used and is expensive. It will be good to compare data of use of Anti Rabies Serum in India and other countries. It can contribute to pharma-industry in some manner.
Court can also have data on this issue, if they take the financial factor into consideration.
Basic question still remains the same-
If it is animal love- why only stray dogs? Why others are being slaughtered? Why this kind of racial discrimination is being done. Surely it is not animal love.
What are financial benefits of having huge population of stary dogs in the community? The dogs which are mauling children, biting common people and hunt in packs in residential areas.
Hope court take a decision and keep other animals in mind while deciding on love for stray dogs.
SUGGESTION: the Government, NGOs and people who claim to be “animal lovers” should create shelters to save strays “as well as people”. It should be mandatory that all the dog and animal (stray or pet) droppings are properly collected and disposed of. This single step can do wonders as it will reduce infections, people’s suffering, save lives and eventually reduce use of antibiotics. A rationale mind will appreciate the danger due to strays and can initiate proper steps rather criticizing above said facts in the name of animal rights. An animal has no sense of responsibility, so rights should be limited accordingly.
It is a common belief that MDRO’s (multi-drug resistance organisms) are found and generated in hospitals, but in recent times this may not be entirely correct. Resistance bacteria are present in community and present in our home environment. This trend is dangerous as millions of people are losing battle to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and MDROs every year. AMR alone is killing more people than cancer and road traffic accidents combined besides economic loss. To combat AMR, it is important to find causes of generation of MDROs and how they enter human body and community environment. Therefore, it is important to realize the contribution by all the following four important factors: humans, animals, food and environment.
Prevention of MDROs and AMR in India is a challenge. India has been referred to as ‘the AMR capital of the world’. While on one hand, emergence of newer multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms pose newer diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, on the other hand India is still striving to combat old enemies such as tuberculosis, malaria and cholera pathogens, which are becoming more and more drug resistant. Factors such as poverty, illiteracy, overcrowding and malnutrition further compound the situation. Lack of awareness about infectious diseases in the general masses and inaccessibility to healthcare often preclude them from seeking medical advice.
Easy availability of over- the- counter (OTC) drugs, leads to self-prescription of antimicrobial agents or administered without any professional knowledge regarding the dose and duration of treatment.
Pharmaceutical industry has caused tremendous rise in the amount of chemical waste. With the lack of strict supervisory and legal actions, this waste reaches the water bodies and serves as a continuous source of AMR in the environment.
Another important challenge could be the use of antimicrobial agents as pesticides and insecticides in the agriculture industry. Farmers use antimicrobial agents to protect their hard-earned field and animals from pests and rodents. They are unaware about future consequences and impact on environment.
AMR in milk and food animals has been another big challenge. Gram-negative bacilli with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) have been isolated from milk samples and poultry. Enterobacteriaceae isolated from fish and Salmonella species from broiler were isolated.
AMR in environment; Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria have been reported from different water sources of India. The major sources are the pharmaceutical waste waters and hospital effluents that are released into the nearby water bodies without adequate treatment.
In large rivers of India, multiple inlets with varying concentration of drug-resistant bacteria have been found. ESBL producers among Gram-negative bacteria isolated and E. coli isolates found from north as well as south Indian rivers.
To combat AMR, there are many steps possible at communityand Government level. Antibiotic stewardship plans for healthcare settings, promoting further research on the drivers of AMR, judicious use of antibiotics, strict vigilance of over the counter(OTC) antibiotics, control of hospital effluent plants, monitoring waste water discharges from pharmaceutical companies, regulation of use of antimicrobial in food and milk animals, improving agricultural practices and educating masses at community level about AMR.
Saif-Ali- Khan transported in auto- Primitive Ambulance retrieval system
An index case can be made, and important conclusions can be drawn of the analysis regarding Mr Saif Ali Khan case- A celebrity icon– resident of big city Mumbai- got near fatal trauma. Important point to ponder is that How he was transported to hospital? A servant went and arranged for an auto-rickshaw. He was lucky enough as he did not required oxygen or his vitals were stable. If a person like Mr Saif could not arrange or did not opt for life saving Ambulance, what can a common person expect- to be transported especially in smaller cities or remote areas. Night emergencies like heart attack, stroke, pneumonias or even severe trauma permit few minutes and need interventions at the earliest. Such situations are life-threatening and unforgiving. Not all problems of the health care can be neglected by just passing the buck to doctors. Health care delivery requires much more efficient systems, that common man can trust in time of need. Even if the retrieval system exists in Mumbai, why family of Mr saif could not depend upon that?
Whatever the situation, calling an Ambulance was not considered as first responder in this case. Ambulances are not merely transport vehicles. They are equipped with oxygen, ventilators or lifesaving drugs and more importantly with a doctor or paramedic who can actually save life in those critical moments.
As systems in our country come out of slumber only after a celebrity or VIP is involved, it is an opportunity to look at the retrieval aspect and improve upon availability of the timely safe transport of critically unwell patients. A lot of improvement can be made by making Mr Saif’s as an index case.
Mpox (monkeypox) is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two different clades exist: clade I and clade II
Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
Mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
Laboratory confirmation of mpox is done by testing skin lesion material by PCR.
Mpox is treated with supportive care. Vaccines and therapeutics developed for smallpox and approved for use in some countries can be used for mpox in some circumstances.
In 2022–2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by a strain known as clade IIb.
Mpox can be prevented by avoiding physical contact with someone who has mpox. Vaccination can help prevent infection for people at risk.
Overview
Mpox (monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.
Anyone can get mpox. It spreads from contact with infected:
persons, through touch, kissing, or sex
animals, when hunting, skinning, or cooking them
materials, such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles
pregnant persons, who may pass the virus on to their unborn baby.
If you have mpox:
Tell anyone you have been close to recently
Stay at home until all scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms
Cover lesions and wear a well-fitting mask when around other people
Avoid physical contact.
The disease mpox (formerly monkeypox) is caused by the monkeypox virus (commonly abbreviated as MPXV), an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, which includes variola, cowpox, vaccinia and other viruses. The two genetic clades of the virus are clades I and II.
The monkeypox virus was discovered in Denmark (1958) in monkeys kept for research and the first reported human case of mpox was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, 1970). Mpox can spread from person to person or occasionally from animals to people. Following eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the end of smallpox vaccination worldwide, mpox steadily emerged in central, east and west Africa. A global outbreak occurred in 2022–2023. The natural reservoir of the virus is unknown – various small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys are susceptible.
Transmission
Person-to-person transmission of mpox can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions such as in the mouth or on genitals; this includes contact which is
face-to-face (talking or breathing)
skin-to-skin (touching or vaginal/anal sex)
mouth-to-mouth (kissing)
mouth-to-skin contact (oral sex or kissing the skin)
respiratory droplets or short-range aerosols from prolonged close contact
The virus then enters the body through broken skin, mucosal surfaces (e g oral, pharyngeal, ocular, genital, anorectal), or via the respiratory tract. Mpox can spread to other members of the household and to sex partners. People with multiple sexual partners are at higher risk.
Animal to human transmission of mpox occurs from infected animals to humans from bites or scratches, or during activities such as hunting, skinning, trapping, cooking, playing with carcasses, or eating animals. The extent of viral circulation in animal populations is not entirely known and further studies are underway.
People can contract mpox from contaminated objects such as clothing or linens, through sharps injuries in health care, or in community setting such as tattoo parlours.
Signs and symptoms
Mpox causes signs and symptoms which usually begin within a week but can start 1–21 days after exposure. Symptoms typically last 2–4 weeks but may last longer in someone with a weakened immune system.
Common symptoms of mpox are:
rash
fever
sore throat
headache
muscle aches
back pain
low energy
swollen lymph nodes.
For some people, the first symptom of mpox is a rash, while others may have different symptoms first.
The rash begins as a flat sore which develops into a blister filled with liquid and may be itchy or painful. As the rash heals, the lesions dry up, crust over and fall off.
Some people may have one or a few skin lesions and others have hundreds or more. These can appear anywhere on the body such as the:
palms of hands and soles of feet
face, mouth and throat
groin and genital areas
anus.
Some people also have painful swelling of their rectum or pain and difficulty when peeing.
People with mpox are infectious and can pass the disease on to others until all sores have healed and a new layer of skin has formed.
Children, pregnant people and people with weak immune systems are at risk for complications from mpox.
Typically for mpox, fever, muscle aches and sore throat appear first. The mpox rash begins on the face and spreads over the body, extending to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and evolves over 2-4 weeks in stages – macules, papules, vesicles, pustules. Lesions dip in the centre before crusting over. Scabs then fall off. Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes) is a classic feature of mpox. Some people can be infected without developing any symptoms.
In the context of the global outbreak of mpox which began in 2022 (caused mostly by Clade IIb virus), the illness begins differently in some people. In just over a half of cases, a rash may appear before or at the same time as other symptoms and does not always progress over the body. The first lesion can be in the groin, anus, or in or around the mouth.
People with mpox can become very sick. For example, the skin can become infected with bacteria leading to abscesses or serious skin damage. Other complications include pneumonia, corneal infection with loss of vision; pain or difficulty swallowing, vomiting and diarrhoea causing severe dehydration or malnutrition; sepsis (infection of the blood with a widespread inflammatory response in the body), inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), heart (myocarditis), rectum (proctitis), genital organs (balanitis) or urinary passages (urethritis), or death. Persons with immune suppression due to medication or medical conditions are at higher risk of serious illness and death due to mpox. People living with HIV that is not well-controlled or treated more often develop severe disease.
Diagnosis
Identifying mpox can be difficult as other infections and conditions can look similar. It is important to distinguish mpox from chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, herpes, syphilis, other sexually transmissible infections, and medication-associated allergies. Someone with mpox may also have another sexually transmissible infection such as herpes. Alternatively, a child with suspected mpox may also have chickenpox. For these reasons, testing is key for people to get treatment as early as possible and prevent further spread.
Detection of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the preferred laboratory test for mpox. The best diagnostic specimens are taken directly from the rash – skin, fluid or crusts – collected by vigorous swabbing. In the absence of skin lesions, testing can be done on oropharyngeal, anal or rectal swabs. Testing blood is not recommended. Antibody detection methods may not be useful as they do not distinguish between different orthopoxviruses.
More information on laboratory confirmation of mpox can be found here.
Treatment and vaccination
The goal of treating mpox is to take care of the rash, manage pain and prevent complications. Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problems.
Getting an mpox vaccine can help prevent infection. The vaccine should be given within 4 days of contact with someone who has mpox (or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms).
It is recommended for people at high risk to get vaccinated to prevent infection with mpox, especially during an outbreak. This includes:
health workers at risk of exposure
men who have sex with men
people with multiple sex partners
sex workers.
Persons who have mpox should be cared for away from other people.
Several antivirals, such as tecovirimat, originally developed to treat smallpox have been used to treat mpox and further studies are underway. Further information is available on mpox vaccination and case management.
Self-care and prevention
Most people with mpox will recover within 2–4 weeks. Things to do to help the symptoms and prevent infecting others:
Do
stay home and in your own room if possible
wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially before or after touching sores
wear a mask and cover lesions when around other people until your rash heals
keep skin dry and uncovered (unless in a room with someone else)
avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently
use saltwater rinses for sores in the mouth
take sitz baths or warm baths with baking soda or Epsom salts for body sores
take over-the-counter medications for pain like paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen.
Do not
pop blisters or scratch sores, which can slow healing, spread the rash to other parts of the body, and cause sores to become infected; or
shave areas with sores until scabs have healed and you have new skin underneath (this can spread the rash to other parts of the body).
To prevent spread of mpox to others, persons with mpox should isolate at home, or in hospital if needed, for the duration of the infectious period (from onset of symptoms until lesions have healed and scabs fall off). Covering lesions and wearing a medical mask when in the presence of others may help prevent spread. Using condoms during sex will help reduce the risk getting mpox but will not prevent spread from skin-to-skin or mouth-to-skin contact.
Outbreaks
After 1970, mpox occurred sporadically in Central and East Africa (clade I) and West Africa (clade II). In 2003 an outbreak in the United States of America was linked to imported wild animals (clade II). Since 2005, thousands of suspected cases are reported in the DRC every year. In 2017, mpox re-emerged in Nigeria and continues to spread between people across the country and in travellers to other destinations. Data on cases reported up to 2021 are available here.
In May 2022, an outbreak of mpox appeared suddenly and rapidly spread across Europe, the Americas and then all six WHO regions, with 110 countries reporting about 87 thousand cases and 112 deaths. The global outbreak has affected primarily (but not only) gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and has spread person-to-person through sexual networks. More information on the global outbreak is available here with detailed outbreak data here;
In 2022, outbreaks of mpox due to Clade I MPXV occurred in refugee camps in the Republic of the Sudan. A zoonotic origin has not been found.
In the absence of strict Government control, all kinds of dubious assertions are available about curing all types of ailments. These alleged remedies, and the belief systems, are based on the facts that can neither be proved nor disapproved. They are dangerous to life of patients, which is why it is necessary to fight them and refute them. But who should fight? Patients themselves are blinded by a projected faith and false belief about definite cure.
While pharmaceuticals and scientific drugs are regulated to some extent, but side effects and harms associated with various health products worth billions of market remain untested and unregulated.
It has become a common practice to advertise health products (especially alternate medicine) that claim to be panacea for all ailments, enhance immunity, to increase power and health by creating an impression on minds on various platforms. Instead of producing scientific evidence, such products and therapies are sold under disguise of natural therapies or alternate medicines. The objective evidence or global neutral trial for the claimed efficacy or about real side effects is always missing.
No one can deny that the knowledge circulated through various media plays an important role in reframing the narrative in patient’s or people’s mind. These can be in form of advertisements in television or articles in newspapers. The subjectivity of such advertisements creating new impressions and replacing previous ones, right or wrong cannot be denied.
A frightening scenario is emerging as there seems to be an epidemic about fake or substandard medicines, spurious drugs and heightened belief in marketed therapies by advertisements. An epidemic of ignorance that causes people to believe in pseudoscience or merely in projected promise of cure. A hope of miracle is flashed to patients, who have been given a ‘no hope’ by scientific medicine. Such patients are an easy prey for such fraudsters. It is not uncommon that lethal substances like steroids, hormones and heavy metals are given in dangerous doses.
Synopsis Cyberabad police raided a kirana store in Petbasheerabad, seizing ganja-infused chocolates marketed as ayurvedic medicine. The chocolates contained 14 grams of cannabis per 100 grams and claimed to treat indigestion. The Telangana anti-narcotics bureau has notified UP and Rajasthan police about manufacturers in these states producing similar drug-laced products. In an emerging trend, ganja-laced chocolates made in Uttar Pradesh guised as ayurvedic medicine are making becoming popular in Hyderabad. Wrapped in attractive packaging, the chocolates come with ‘Ayurvedic Aushadh’ printed on wrappers, reported ToI. On Sunday, Cyberabad police seized a substantial shipment of drug-infused chocolates from a kirana store in Petbasheerabad. The packaging of the seized chocolates indicated that each 100 grams contained 14 grams of cannabis.
Additionally, the label suggested that the chocolates could be consumed twice daily to alleviate indigestion and other stomach-related problems when mixed with water.
The chocolate cover also mentions that it can be consumed twice a day to treat indigestion and other stomach-related issues, is also used as a medication for diabetes. Meanwhile, Telangana anti-narcotics bureau has identified several private players in UP and Rajasthan manufacturing ganja-laced chocolates and has alerted the respective state police departments.
In an horrifying and frightening incident, mauled and hunted two siblings, aged 7 & 5, killed in stray dog attack in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj
NEW DELHI: Two siblings, aged seven and five, were killed allegedly in stray dog attack in two separate incidents in the Vasant Kunj area of Delhi. The police said that the 7-year-old boy went missing on March 10 and his body was recovered later with animal bite like injuries.
They needed some shield to protect himself which society, government, courts and so called “dog-lovers” failed to provide.
Courts have also upheld animal rights but failed to formulate and implement policies to ensure safety of humans from these violent strays. Government has not made out any policy to safeguard public from such attacks nor have courts come up with any solid guidelines, which can save public, children, women and older people from such bites.
Danger of stray dogs is increasing every day around us. As the strays population in increasing, now they are grouped and see vulnerable humans as easy prey. Packs of dogs have become dangerous and difficult to control. Protected by Dog lovers and animal right laws, the danger to normal people of being hunted even around their homes is real. Human right of being in a safe environment is being ignored. Is it not hypocritical that you care for a violent stray that is a threat to the society? Problem is not about loving and feeding dogs, but simultaneous apathy towards safety of humans. Such dog lovers most of the time, totally ignore the fact that these dogs are a threat to children and older people. An immediate sense of hatred towards such dog lovers is a consequence and a natural thought.
Animal lovers while pretending of “dog love” have formed NGOs and have donations and accumulate money. But have failed to create shelters for stray dogs. Neither have any steps been taken to save people from dog bites. So consequently, people especially vulnerable are children and older people who are mauled and eaten alive by stray dogs. What responsibility and accountability these animal lovers and NGO bear towards such incidents? Why people who collect money in name of animals do not take care and form shelters for these strays? every single death from such preventable cause raise a question on this issue.
Apathy of these so called dog lovers towards humans is appalling.
SUGGESTION: the Government, NGOs and people who claim to be “animal lovers” should create shelters to save strays “as well as people”. It should be mandatory that all the dog and animal (stray or pet) droppings are properly collected and disposed off. This single step can do wonders as it will reduce infections, people’s suffering, save lives and eventually reduce use of antibiotics. A rationale mind will definitely appreciate the danger due to strays, and can initiate proper steps rather criticizing above said facts in the name of animal rights. An animal has no sense of responsibility, so rights should be limited accordingly.
Twelve years from now, 4 billion people, or more than half the world’s population, will be overweight or obese, according to a recent report. While obesity is an issue more commonly associated with high-income countries, the World Obesity Federation (WOF) points out that lower income countries are facing rapid increases in its prevalence. The economic and environmental costs of obesity aside, there is also the impact on the climate to contend with in the battle of the bulge. A $4tn crisis
The World Obesity Atlas 2023 says the cost of obesity-related issues would be more than $4 trillion globally by 2035. Apart from health, high BMI – obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or more than 30 – also impacts economic productivity, including through premature retirement or death. The biggest presence of obese people will continue to be in high-income countries, the report says, but it is the low and lower middle income countries that are likely to experience major increases in the prevalence of obesity by 2035. The total economic costs linked to a rise in obesity in these countries would be more than $350 billion but the burden for upper middle and high income countries would be close to $4 trillion. The share of obese people in middle-income countries could jump to 66% among men and 70% for women even as the rate of increase in obesity prevalence appears to be slowing down in some rich countries. The chief reasons for rising obesity in poorer countries include a shift towards more highly processed foods and greater levels of sedentary behaviour.
Rising temperature and rainfall due to climate change could lead to higher obesity rates by hampering physical activity, studies say. The impact of extreme weather on fruit and vegetable production could also make it harder to maintain a healthy diet owing to rising prices. Higher prices could prompt a shift towards processed foods, which are linked to obesity. A 2019 Lancet report says severe food insecurity and hunger are associated with lower obesity prevalence, but mild to moderate food insecurity is “associated with higher obesity prevalence”. Another 2019 study says obesity is linked to about “20% greater GHG emissions compared with the normal weight state”. The total impact of obesity “may be extra emissions of (about) 700 megatons per year of CO2 equivalent. about 1. 6% of worldwide GHG emissions”.
We all love playing with Holi colours, but do they leave any harmful side-effects?
With the festival of colours just around the corner, we are all bound to be excited about having fun with family and friends.
However, as Holi is played with lots of colours, it’s important to keep safety in mind and take proper care to control the damaging effects of colours.
HOLI COLOURS
The market is flooded with a variety of colours – paste, dry and watercolours. Rather, industrial dyes being cheap and bright are widely used to make them. However, these can have detrimental effects on humans as they were never meant for playing Holi.
Metallic pastes: These pastes are used for a silver, golden and/or black effect. While it’s a very popular practice in youngsters, the use of metallic pastes during Holi is highly discouraged in view of the harmful effects.
Dry colours: Commonly called as gulaal, dry colours are a mix of toxic heavy metals like lead, chromium, cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel, and asbestos.
Water Colours: These colours commonly use gentian violet dye as colourant. Gentian violet is a hazardous chemical that can cause many serious health problems. The water colours used in Holi fare no better.
Harmful effects of colours
All these are known to cause skin allergies, dermatitis and a host of other issues including problems with the scalp.
Metallic pastes- These colours can cause eye allergies, blindness, skin irritation, skin cancers, and even kidney failure.
The colored powders used during Holi can cause various respiratory problems when inhaled. This can lead to conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and allergies.
Being exposed to these colors can cause irritation and inflammation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and can also trigger asthma attacks in people with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Other problems include conjunctivitis and hair loss.
Additionally, the colours, if inhaled can irritate the delicate tissues in the nose and throat, causing inflammation and discomfort.
If Holi is played out in the sun, it can further damage the skin, causing depletion of moisture and sun tan, leaving your skin dry and dull.
HOW TO PREVENT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF HOLI COLORS?
To apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out in the sun. Make sure to use sunscreen for SPF 30 and above. Most sunscreens have built-in moisturizers. For the hair, apply a hair serum or leave-in conditioner. Alternatively, you can use pure coconut oil and massage it lightly into the hair.
REMOVAL OF COLOURS
Appropriate removal of colours is equally important to get rid of the damaging effects of playing Holi. To begin with, rinse your face with plenty of water, followed by a cleansing cream or lotion, and lastly, wipe off with moist cotton wool. In case you experience itching, add two tablespoons of vinegar to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse.
Cleanse the area around the eyes. While bathing, gently scrub the body and apply a moisturiser on the face and body immediately after while the skin is still damp.
He said that if itching continues or you see a rash and redness, make sure to consult a doctor as there may be an allergic reaction to the colour. For the hair, use plenty of water to wash away the dry colours and tiny mica particles. Then use a mild shampoo and massage the scalp gently and rinse thoroughly with water again. Lastly, condition your hair with a mild conditioner.
Prevention
Instead, opt to use eco-friendly colours made of flower petals, herbs, vegetable extract, and turmeric.
Keep an eye out for any of these symptoms post your Holi party.
If you experience fever, nausea, vomiting, red eyes, difficulty seeing, skin eruptions, burning skin, dizziness, confusion, inability to concentrate, headaches, and/or blurred vision consult a doctor immediately.
A long-held belief has been that women are less prone to heart attacks, because of their so-called oestrogen advantage. Heart attacks in men is much higher than women. By classic teaching women have an advantage of 10 years in terms of getting cardiovascular disease (CVD), usually around the age of 55, compared to men who can get a CVD around the age of 45. That is partially correct as well, but one should be extra careful about the hugely increased vulnerability of post-menopausal women. More recent research findings that even younger #Sushmita Sen shared that she has had to undergo angioplasty, much public surprise centred on her age.
As a Lancet global commission has emphasised, despite being responsible for causing 35% of deaths in women each year, their cardiovascular disease remains understudied, under-recognised, under-diagnosed, and under-treated, with women also under-represented in clinical trials.
Heart disease may be considered by some to be more of a problem for men. Because some heart disease symptoms in women can differ from those in men, women may not know what to look for.
The following discussion is about the differences in cardiovascular disease between men and women.
How is the cardiovascular system different in women vs. men?
Researchers have found many sex-related differences in the cardiovascular system. These complex differences, often at a microscopic level, can affect how women and men experience heart disease. A few examples include:
Anatomy. Women have smaller blood vessels and heart chambers. The walls of their ventricles are also thinner.
Blood count. Women have fewer red blood cells. As a result, women can’t take in or carry as much oxygen at any given time.
Cardiovascular adaptations. Changes in altitude or body position (like quickly standing up after lying down) affect women more than men. Women are more likely to have sudden drops in blood pressure or faint.
Hormones. Estrogen and progesterone dominate in women and people AFAB, while testosterone dominates in men and people AMAB. These hormones can impact many aspects of heart health and overall health.
Heart attack symptoms for women
The most common heart attack symptom in women is the same as in men — some type of chest pain, pressure or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes.
But chest pain is not always severe or even the most noticeable symptom, particularly in women. Women often describe heart attack pain as pressure or tightness. And it’s possible to have a heart attack without chest pain.
Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as:
Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or upper belly (abdomen) discomfort
Shortness of breath
Pain in one or both arms
Nausea or vomiting
Sweating
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Unusual fatigue
Heartburn (indigestion)
These symptoms may be vague and not as noticeable as the crushing chest pain often associated with heart attacks. This might be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries but also in the smaller ones that supply blood to the heart — a condition called small vessel heart disease or coronary microvascular disease.
Compared with men, women tend to have symptoms more often when resting, or even when asleep Emotional stress can play a role in triggering heart attack symptoms in women.
Because women’s heart attack symptoms can differ from men’s, women might be diagnosed less often with heart disease than are men. Women are more likely than men to have a heart attack with no severe blockage in an artery (nonobstructive coronary artery disease).
Several traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease — such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity — affect both women and men. But other factors may play a bigger role in the development of heart disease in women.
Heart disease risk factors for women include:
Diabetes. Women with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease than are men with diabetes. Also, because diabetes can change the way women feel pain, there’s an increased risk of having a silent heart attack — without symptoms.
Emotional stress and depression. Stress and depression affect women’s hearts more than men’s. Depression may make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow recommended treatment for other health conditions.
Smoking. Smoking is a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than it is in men.
Inactivity. A lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for heart disease.
Menopause. Low levels of estrogen after menopause increase the risk of developing disease in smaller blood vessels.
Use of Contraceptives – They do tend to increase a woman’s blood pressure. If a woman has other risk factors for heart disease, taking birth control pills can compound that risk of heart disease.
Pregnancy complications. High blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy can increase the mother’s long-term risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. These conditions also make women more likely to get heart disease.
Family history of early heart disease. This appears to be a greater risk factor in women than in men.
Inflammatory diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other inflammatory conditions may increase the risk of heart disease in both men and women.
Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously. Women under age 65 — especially those with a family history of heart disease — also need to pay close attention to heart disease risk factors.
Lifestyle remedies
Living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Try these heart-healthy strategies:
Quit smoking. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Try to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, which also can damage blood vessels.
Eat a healthy diet. Opt for whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and lean meats. Avoid saturated or trans fats, added sugars, and high amounts of salt.
Exercise and maintain a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, losing even a few pounds can lower heart disease risks. Ask your health care provider what weight is best for you.
Manage stress. Stress can cause the arteries to tighten, which can increase the risk of heart disease, particularly coronary microvascular disease. Getting more exercise, practicing mindfulness and connecting with others in support groups are some ways to tame stress.
Avoid or limit alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.
Follow your treatment plan. Take medications as prescribed, such as blood pressure medications, blood thinners and aspirin.
Manage other health conditions. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes increase the risk of heart disease.
Exercise and heart health
Regular activity helps keep the heart healthy. In general, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking at a brisk pace, on most days of the week. If that’s more than you can do, start slowly and build up. Even five minutes a day of exercise has health benefits.
For a bigger health boost, aim for about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day, five days a week. Also do strength training exercises two or more days a week.
It’s OK to break up your workouts into several 10-minute sessions during a day. You’ll still get the same heart-health benefits.
Interval training — which alternates short bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity — is another way to maintain a healthy weight, improve blood pressure and keep the heart healthy. For example, include short bursts of jogging or fast walking into your regular walks.
You can also add exercise to your daily activities with these tips:
A difficult decision near death- try to ‘hold on’ or ‘let go’
The eternal human wish is to fight hard against age, illness, and death and holding on to life, to our loved ones, is indeed a basic human instinct. However, as an illness advances, “raging against the dying of the light” often begins to cause undue suffering, and “letting go” may instead feel like the next stage.
Tom Sizemore has no hope of recovery after he suffered a brain aneurysm, his family has said, confirming they are making an end-of-life decision for the Saving Private Ryan actor. The 61-year-old has been in a coma in the intensive care unit of Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Los Angeles since he was hospitalised on 18 February. On Monday night, Sizemore’s representative, Charles Lago, issued a statement revealing that there was no chance for his recovery. “Today doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision. The family is now deciding end of life matters and a further statement will be issued on Wednesday,” Lago said.
Humans have an instinctive desire to go on living. We experience this as desires for food, activity, learning, etc. We feel attachments to loved ones, such as family members and friends, and even to pets, and we do not want to leave them.
When we realize that the end of life may be approaching, other thoughts and feelings arise. Fears arise, and may be so strong that they are hard to think about or even admit to: fear of change, of the dying process, of what happens after death, of losing control, of dependency and more. Both the person who is ill and the caregiver might also experience resentment, guilt, sadness, and anger at having to do what neither wants to do, namely face death and dying.
As death nears, many people feel a lessening of their desire to live longer. This is different from depression or thoughts of suicide. Instead, they sense it is time to let go. They may reach a point where they feel they have struggled as much as they have been called upon to do and will struggle no more. Refusing to let go can prolong dying, but it cannot prevent it. Dying, thus prolonged, can become more a time of suffering than of living.
Family members and friends who love the dying person may learn to accept a life limiting illness, and then accept the possibility of a loved one dying. They may see that dying is the better of two choices and accept the inevitability of death.
The dying may be cause distress and grief for those who love them. If a stage has reached when treatments are no longer working as well as before, and everyday life maintaining activities are becoming more and more burdensome. In a sense, life is disappearing. One has to look beyond the fears and wishes. What is really best for the one who is dying, and for the others around? Given that death is unavoidable, what is the kindest thing to do? It might be holding on or it might be letting go.
Evolution of Medical profession-Extinction of good doctors 