Don’t carry your sleep debt into 2017

Yes, Mumbai is the city that never sleeps, but its citizens are taking that adage quite literally. And it’s causing more harm than ever. More people are sleeping less, which is dangerous, say experts. Do you find yourself in snooze mode all the time, even after getting six hours of shuteye? That’s due to a backlog of sleep debt — a spillover effect of late timings from the weekend into the week and due to poor daily sleeping habits as well. As the year draws to a close, city doctors…

Study says diabetes spikes death risk in patients on dialysis

Kidney disease can be a silent killer. Before symptoms are seen or experienced by the patient, the kidneys can degenerate to the point of not working. And diabetes only makes it worse.The risk of death is several times higher for diabetics on haemodialysis, scientists have found. The final stage of chronic kidney disease, called end stage renal disease, is when the kidneys are no longer able to remove enough wastes and excess fluids from the body . At this point, patients are put on dialysis or advised a kidney transplant.A…

6 Home Remedies for Gas That Are Sure to Give Relief

A gassy stomach can strike anytime and can be very embarrassing, to say the least. It is actually quite a painful experience often leading to stomach cramps, bloating, heaviness and heartburn. Medically known as flatulence, it is a condition where excess gas gets collected in your digestive tract. But to deal with the problem, it’s first crucial to understand why it occurs. Gas can collect in your digestive system in two ways. While eating or drinking, you swallow the air that causes the oxygen and nitrogen to enter your body.…

​Does your child really need all the prescribed vaccines?

The biggest association of paediatricians in India is heavily dependent on funding from vaccine manufacturers. The influence allegedly leading to immunisation guidelines being tweaked to include products of the funding companies. Technical committee members deciding the guidelines being on the board of vaccine manufacturers and getting paid by them. Hefty margins on vaccines being given to paediatricians administering the vaccines. These and several others skeletons came tumbling out of the cupboard of the Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP) when the convenor of its Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Immunization Practices…

X-mas meal plan for Diabetics

Santa’s here and so is the pin to burst your diabetic balloon! Many of us who suffer from this lifelong problem go through a tough time when Christmas is around. Since this is the best time to have Christmas puddings, cakes, cookies, mulled wine and everything that should get your blood glucose level rolling, here are some ways through which our diabetic friends can enjoy as much as anyone else: Stick to timely meals There are going to be too many meals to welcome Santa. Make a timetable for today.…

Is Soya Bad for Your Health? Here’s Why You Should Have it Sparingly

In recent times soya has been much talked about and touted as the new big thing, especially for vegetarians. However, studies indicate that the health benefits of soya may have been greatly exaggerated, mostly by the soya industry itself. In fact, soya makes its way into almost all processed food because of its versatility. Also, soya is cheap and in abundance. It adds thickness, creaminess and bulk to processed food. Now healthy or not, that is a question I have set out to answer.Doctors agree that eating soya on a…