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Women's Health
How to Breastfeed a New Born Baby

Basics of Feeding Newborn Baby:  A newborn baby has enough calorie stored for the first 3 days but may need fluid earlier, so don’t worry. However, you should start breastfeeding as soon as you can, it is the best ever baby nutrition. If suspected a delay or in hot weather, you can start formula milk within the 1st day to avoid dehydration. Any other types of milk e.g. cow milk or any fluid other than sterile plain water are contraindicated. Amount and Frequency: In the first few days of life even till 14 days, the baby sleeps a lot and doesn’t feel hungry, so you should try to awaken him every 2-3 hours to feed any amount at least 8-10 times within every 24 hours.  Method of Feeding: Lay your baby across your abdomen, use one hand of your hand to support his head and the other his bottom. Guide his head towards your breast and adjust the baby's mouth toward the nipple. If there is any extra/residual milk, you should Pump it out frequently and keep the milk in a refrigerator. You can store the milk in for 3-7 days and for almost 3 months in the freezer. Warm the milk under warm, running water before feeding the baby. Warmed breast milk must be used within 1 hour. Formula Feeding: Follow formula label directions or better a physician’s suggestion for formula. Wash bottles, nipples in hot, soapy water. Heat under warm water until formula is at room temperature and make sure to test a drop on your hand before feeding the baby. Use mixed formula within 12-24 hours (store in refrigerator).  Have any more doubts? Please mention it in the comments below! 

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January 31, 2019
Hassan Badr
Pediatrician
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Know your Enemy - A Visual Guide to Kidney Stones

As the kidneys filter waste from the blood, they create urine. Sometimes, salts and other minerals in urine stick together to form small kidney stones. These range from the size of a sugar crystal to a ping pong ball, but they are rarely noticed unless they cause a blockage. They may cause intense pain if they break loose and push into the ureters, the narrow ducts leading to the bladder.   When kidney stones move through the urinary tract, they may cause: •   Severe pain in the back, belly, or groin •   Frequent or painful urination •   Blood in the urine •   Nausea and vomiting Small stones may pass without causing symptoms.  If you have sudden, severe pain in the back or belly, it's best to seek medical care right away. Abdominal pain is associated with many other conditions, including emergencies like appendicitis and ectopic pregnancy. Painful urination is also a common symptom of a urinary tract infection or an STD.    Kidney stones are rarely diagnosed before they begin causing pain. This pain is often severe enough to send patients to the ER, where a variety of tests can uncover the stones. These may include a CT scan, X-rays, ultrasound, and urinalysis. Blood tests can help look for high levels of minerals involved in forming kidney stones. The CT scan here shows a stone blocking the ureter, the duct that empties into the bladder.   If a kidney stone seems small enough, your doctor may recommend you take pain medicine and wait for the stone to pass out of the body on its own. During this time, your doctor may recommend that you drink enough water and fluids to keep urine clear -- about eight to 10 glasses a day.   The smaller the kidney stone, the more likely it will pass on its own. If it is smaller than 5 mm (1/5 inch), there is a 90% chance it will pass without further intervention. If the stone is between 5 mm and 10 mm, the odds are 50%. If a stone is too large to pass on its own, several treatment options are available.   There are prescription medications that can help the body pass a kidney stone. Drugs known as alpha-blockers relax the walls of the ureter. This widens the passages so a stone can fit through more easily. Side effects are generally mild and may include headache or dizziness. Other types of medications can help prevent new stones from forming.   Ureteroscopy When a stone has made its way out of the kidney and is close to the bladder, the most common procedure is ureteroscopy. A thin tube is passed through the urinary tract to the location of the stone. A surgeon breaks up the stone and removes the fragments through the tube. No incisions are made in the body. For very large stones, surgical procedures may be needed.   Once a kidney stone has passed or been removed, your doctor may want to know what it's made of. Nearly 80% of kidney stones are calcium-based. The remainder are made primarily of uric acid, struvite, or cystine. A chemical analysis can determine which type of stone you have. Once you know, you can take steps to prevent new ones from forming in the future.   Kidney stones may form when there's a change in the normal balance of the water, salts, and minerals found in urine. Different kinds of changes result in different types of kidney stones. There are many factors that can trigger changes in the urine, ranging from chronic medical conditions to what you eat and drink.   Common Causes Drinking too little water is the most common cause of kidney stones. Diet also plays an important role. Eating a lot of protein, sodium, and high-oxalate foods, such as chocolate or dark green vegetables, can boost the risk for kidney stones in some people. Other risk factors include putting on weight and taking certain medications.   White men have a greater risk for kidney stones than other groups, starting in the 40s. Women see their risk rise in the 50s. And your odds also go up if you have a family history of kidney stones. Certain medical conditions can boost the risk -- high blood pressure, gout, urinary tract infections -- but treating or controlling these conditions generally helps prevent stone formation.   Kidney stones have become a problem for soldiers deployed in desert environments, such as Iraq. Doctors say dehydration is the culprit. Between the hot climate, protective clothing, and a tendency to drink too little water, soldiers are prone to dehydration. This results in urine with high levels of mineral deposits, which can clump together to form stones.

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January 31, 2019
Muhammad Saleem
Urologist
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Health Myths Busted for Dubai Residents

Preface: I was given a rather daunting task by one of my acquaintances to put down some tips on good health for general information to my fellow crowd and beyond to humanity at large. Naturally, it was difficult to decide where to start from, since the target readers may be from all strata and communities of our society and of all age groups. In trying to get some Health Myths Busted let me begin…. I would like to put some very general lifestyle habits which should be followed by all people for general good health to one and all. Many of what I am about to unfold are known to the public, but some new concepts will also he hereby known-to undo any faulty /wrong habits which the reader may have inculcated, inadvertently. Let it be a listing of never/dos & don’ts and a few health myths busted: Never to skip your Breakfast in the morning. This is the most important meal of the day. You may skip your lunch/take a light lunch. Never take a heavy dinner moreover with lots of spicy and oily food. Night is the time of metabolic house-cleaning. The less the task assigned to the body in the form of digestion and metabolism at night, the better the body gets self-cleansed and detoxified by the next day. Drink water Drink at least l0 glasses of water in a day. Maybe more in the Gulf region. Soft drinks are real nuisance consumables with lots of empty calories. They are never to be considered for replenishing the fluid content of the body. I have found hardly anybody drinking water along with any food-it is invariably a soft drink to go along!!! If milk is tolerated, one can go for it, it helps one to go off to sleep. But it should be avoided by people who are trying to get into shape and lose some weight! Dairy products, in general, are fattening with the exception of some skimmed milk, etc. All the same, milk is regarded as one of the compact forms of nutrition. Eggs are nutritionally recommended for calcium/protein etc. and they do not contribute to high Cholesterol unless one is predisposed to high lipids in the blood. (as per recent research). The number of eggs should be restricted to 1-4 in a week! Not to forget that eggs go into the making of a lot of confectionery products as well, at home. This should also be considered. Avoid red meat Red Meat/Meat of bigger animals should be avoided at all cost. Mutton maybe very delicious to the taste buds and gratification to cook at home and places of formal eating, but it is a strict no-no as far as good health is concerned. Its fibers are very much loaded with fats. Unfortunately –ideal eggs and ideal chicken is difficult to come by in the Gulf. My personal opinion is that they are best available in our countries back home. Country chicken is always better-they run around a lot and their flesh is tastier as well than poultry bred chicken!!! Chicken should always be taken with the skin removed preferably before cooking. Ideally, eggs of such country chicken are good to taste and good for health also. Duck’s Eggs are tastier hut rich in Cholesterol! They are not readily available here. Eat Green veggies & fruits Green vegetables and at least one serving of fruits should be present in the platters of all meals. Bananas are good in conditions of constipation/diarrhea but they are fattening as well as they contain a lot of calories. They can be taken in moderation from time to time. People suffering from ‘Acid Peptic Disorders’ should refrain from Oranges and all sour fruits. Dry fruits – recommended best ones are Almonds and Walnuts. Cashew nuts although are common and tasty, they are rich in lipids. Peanuts are very good as well. Chocolates, in general, should be taken occasionally-but the darker ones with cocoa are said to be now good for the heart, as per recent research, although in moderation. Teeth must be brushed at all times after ingesting chocolates to avoid dental caries and related conditions by people of all ages, more so children. Microwave Cooking is to be discouraged-as it robs the food element of their nutritious values! Microwave ovens can best be used as Food Warmers. The pattern of eating should ideally be when you leave the dining table you feel as if you could have eaten some more………..!!! Brown Bread is better than Whitebread This generally is available in the Gulf. But bread again should be taken in moderation, to keep a check on carbs. Visits to Fast Food Joints should be avoided in principle, particularly if children are there in the family. Deep fried junk food is just not advisable for good health for persons in any age group-particularly kids and adolescents. Not to hit the bed immediately after lunch/dinner It is better to sit upright for about half an hour (watching TV can be done) before one retires tor the day. This prevents conditions of Reflux Oesophagitis/ Heartburn/Waterbrash etc. which are very common. One should not stoop down to do anything just after main meals! It is better to avoid eating in between principal meals-as this distorts the real appetite and calories cannot be controlled. Coffee or Tea? Given the option between Tea and Coffee – it is better to go for tea. Due to its tannin content, it acts as a good anti-oxidant. (An anti-oxidant is a substance which mops up the potential carcinogenic radicals in the human body. Salad dressing/salted preservative added food/fruit Cocktails/ Creamy pastries/ Pudding/ concentrated Kheer products/ Cheese/Butter/ Non-skimmed milk is better avoided. Few topics relevant to people with certain known disease conditions: Persons known to have Renal/Ureteric Stores should refrain from eating tomato/related products. A lot of water should be consumed daily. AC-s and climate contribute to perpetual dehydration of the Body which is often not felt by one. Persons known to have Diabetes/with father or mother a known diabetic, should maintain a vigilant Diet Chart at home and also, as much as possible outside home. Everything can be taken but in moderation, depending on one’s body weight. What matters is the daily calorie consumption in the guidance of a Dietician or a Doctor. People with Diabetes should keep their feet as clean as their face. It is a very well believed saying, respected by Doctors and well-educated patients alike. Diabetics are very prone to develop foot ulcers which do not show a tendency to heal can cause big problems to the patient and Doctors and many people have ended up losing their limbs (by amputation) simply arising out of sheer neglect of themselves and their Physician’s advice !!! A word of caution here – today children are also diagnosed to suffer from Diabetes simply out of leading an erratic lifestyle!!! Elderly people with Diabetes for many years are typically prone to have some of the following. So their caretakers should be aware of them: Silent Heart Attacks – which has high mortality; Sudden Strokes ending up with paralysis of different grades; Sudden infective episodes inside their system requiring urgent Surgery; Sudden/Early Blindness arising out of a process called Retinopathy…even Cataracts; Damage of Kidneys-causing renal failure and heading for dialysis etc. which are very expensive, even by Indian standards and the outcome is always grim; People with Hypertension (High blood pressure) should try to lead a stress-free life, with regular checkup of BP) and medication from Doctors. Long-standing improperly treated Hypertension can also lead to damage of Eyes/Kidneys/Heart etc. excess salt on the dining table to be avoided, salt may be used, albeit sparingly in the kitchen. (Less than 5-6 gms a day) Persons suffering from both ‘Diabetes and ‘Hypertension’ need to be doubly cautious with respect to their day to day life, follow-up with Doctors, dietary habits and medications. All the potential complications of these silent killers get multiplied in such people, but with regular supervision from medical personnel, they can lead very compatible normal lives. Persons are known to suffer from a condition called “Gout” need to have a real look into their diet and consult Doctors when they have episodes of acute pain in joints etc. This is usually due to a genetically inherited metabolic deficiency of an Enzyme, which takes part in Purine metabolism in the body. Simple analgesics after seeing a Doctor may be tried and usually, the attacks subside within a few days, in some cases, other medications are required and even to go on for life in resistant chronic cases. Beer is to be strictly avoided in such patients and Red Meat and certain leafy vegetables too should be avoided from their Diet. I think this has been a synopsis of handy health tips and health myths busted – which all residents of this country need to know-.in order to lead a healthy life here as well as when they go back home. I have chosen this simplistic approach, as it is easy to be followed by laypersons, avoiding complicated terminology which might intimidate the readers and will defeat the purpose. The List is exhaustive and it goes on and on! It is only a humble effort to pick up a glass full of knowledge from an Ocean of the same I Parents should be rather strict on their children on many such issues. Working men and women must take care of themselves in an adequate manner as hinted above “if they plan a long stint in this region.” Elderly people must be closely taken care of by their sons/daughters and taken to visit Doctors if something sinister really comes up with them. Good Luck and Good Health to all my brethren & friends – young and old. Hope that the above health myths busted go a long way to secure the good health of the population at large.

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January 31, 2019
Lalmohan Banerjee
Physician
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Best Endocrinologist & Diabetologist Visiting hnc clinic Burdubai

Dr. V.Sasikumar.MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine ) DM(Endocrinology ) Specialist Endocrinologist & Diabetologist visiting hnc clinic Burdubai (Cosmopolitan Medical Centre ) on E. Dr. V.Sasikuamr is vastly experienced in Internal Medicine and has a doctorate in Endocrinology. (A branch dealing with hormonal disorders like Diabetes, Thyroid diseases, Growth disorders, Sexual and Reproductive dysfunctions). This specialty is available in very few centers in UAE. He has worked as a specialist Endocrinologist in Dubai for 20 years and now he is working in India as the head of the department. He is specialized in diabetic treatments and presented many theses on different topics related to diabetic treatments which are recognized globally. He has a patient base from all over the world as he got an international career. He is visiting hnc clinic Bur Dubai first Friday, Saturday & Sunday of every month. Consultation in Dubai is available only through Appointments.

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January 31, 2019
Vasudevan Sasikumar
Endocrinologist
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Dengue Fever: Prevention, Symptoms, Treatment

Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses. These viruses are related to the viruses that cause West Nile infection and yellow fever. An estimated 390 million dengue infections occur worldwide each year, with about 96 million resulting in illness. Most cases occur in tropical areas of the world, with the greatest risk occurring in: The Indian subcontinent Southeast Asia Southern China Taiwan The Pacific Islands The Caribbean (except Cuba and the Cayman Islands) Mexico Africa Central and South America (except Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina) Most cases in the United States occur in people who contracted the infection while traveling abroad. But the risk is increasing for people living along the Texas-Mexico border and in other parts of the southern United States. In 2009, an outbreak of dengue fever was identified in Key West, Fla. Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with a dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected when it bites a person with dengue virus in their blood. It can’t be spread directly from one person to another person. Symptoms of Dengue Fever Symptoms, which usually begin four to six days after infection and last for up to 10 days, may include Sudden, high fever Severe headaches Pain behind the eyes Severe joint and muscle pain Fatigue Nausea Vomiting Skin rash which appears two to five days after the onset of fever Mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising) Sometimes, symptoms are mild and can be mistaken for those of the flu or another viral Infection. Younger children and people who have never had the infection before tend to have milder cases than older children and adults. However, serious problems can develop. These include dengue hemorrhagic fever, a rare complication characterized by high fever, damage to lymph and blood vessels, bleeding from the nose and gums, enlargement of the liver, and failure of the circulatory system. The symptoms may progress to massive bleeding, shock, and death. This is called dengue shock syndrome (DSS). People with weakened immune systems as well as those with a second or subsequent dengue infection are believed to be at greater risk for developing dengue hemorrhagic fever. Diagnosing Dengue Fever Doctors can diagnose dengue infection with a blood test to check for the virus or antibodies to it. If you become sick after traveling to a tropical area, let your doctor know. This will allow your doctor to evaluate the possibility that your symptoms were caused by a dengue infection. Treatment for Dengue Fever There is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection. If you think you may have dengue fever, you should use pain relievers with acetaminophen and avoid medicines with aspirin, which could worsen bleeding. You should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and see your doctor. If you start to feel worse in the first 24 hours after your fever goes down, you should get to a hospital immediately to be checked for complications. Preventing Dengue Fever There is no vaccine to prevent dengue fever. The best way to prevent the disease is to prevent bites by infected mosquitoes, particularly if you are living in or traveling to a tropical area. This involves protecting yourself and making efforts to keep the mosquito population down.

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January 31, 2019
hnc Cosmopolitan Medical Centre
Health & Wellness Partner
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