RISE IN HEART ATTACKS ON YOUTHS

 

When we hear the news or think of someone getting a heart attack, we automatically think of someone aged or someone in their 40s at least. But recent data shows that more and more young people below the age of 40 are at higher risk of having a heart attack. One in every five people who suffer a heart attack, one is under the age of 40. Between the years 2000 and 2016, heart attacks have been increasing by 2% each year. Actor Siddharth Shukla made headlines when he died of a sudden heart attack in September 2021 at the young age of 40. This raised questions about the causes of heart attacks among young people. The seemingly simple reason is, of course, due to a change in lifestyles. More and more adults today smoke, which gives rise to the pressure put on the cardiovascular system. The 5-9 job has left people no time to cook and has increased the intake of fast food, which ultimately gave rise to obesity. The same reason has led to a lack of physical activity. These all add to the rise in pressure put on the cardiovascular system.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) can lead to Myocardial Infarction (MI), which can be the cause of an abrupt and unprecedented death. According to Dr. Rajnish Sardana, a senior cardiologist at Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj, “When the blood supply to the heart muscles is stopped or there is some interruption in blood supply, it leads to necrosis of the tissue, which means death of the tissue of the cardiac cells and damage to the heart muscles.”

 

SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACKS

One should know that there are no visible signs of heart attack. The following are the traits of the indications during the occurrence of a heart attack:

•          Chest pain (Angina): It may occur for a few minutes, then come back again after a while.

• ·         Shortness of breath

• ·         Discomfort: In the arms, back, jaw, neck and stomach.

• ·          Sweating and nausea

• ·         Light-headedness

FACTORS AFFECTING HEART ATTACK

Factors leading to heart attacks in youngsters are as follows:

•         Obesity

•     Heredity

•        Smoking

•      Lifestyle: Low physical activity and increased intake of foods containing fat

•       High Blood Pressure

•    High Cholesterol Levels

•      Level of Stress

•       Alcohol

 

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT HEART ATTACK?

•    Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

•       Avoid smoking or drinking since it doubles the risk of heart attack.

•     Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check.

•   Limit the intake of fats and start eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

If you’re overweight, try to convince a doctor of the same and follow the suggestions given to lose weight in a healthy way.

WHAT TO DO IN A TIME OF EMERGENCY?

•   First of all, call an emergency (100 for India) or medical help from a nearby clinic if you think someone is having a heart attack.

•    If you or someone you know is having a heart attack, chew and swallow an aspirin since it helps prevent blood clots.

•    Do CPR if someone is already unconscious or you can’t feel their pulse till the emergency arrives

•    If someone you know is having a heart attack, reassure them. Encourage them to relax and keep encouraging them to keep calm.

 

TREATMENT FOR HEART ATTACK

•    Heart attack treatment involves a variety of medications such as anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, angiotensin-converting enzymes, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, etc.

•  Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT): Patients who undergo CABG (Coronary artery bypass graft surgery) are treated with two antiplatelet agents at the same time. This is known as DAPT.

•   Coronary Angioplasty: This is done by specialists, and not all hospitals have such facilities.

• Use of an AED (automatic external defibrillator).

 

The heart is a very important part of our body and we need to take proper care of it, especially the young. A heart attack can cause immediate death. Leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding smoking can help prevent heart attacks among young people.

writer - Upasana puri

Maternal Mental Health Month

A mental illness is an illness or disorder that emotionally drains a person or prevents a person from participating in everyday affairs “normally”. The most vulnerable and crucial time for a mother is when she is pregnant and the first few weeks after giving birth to a child, both physically and mentally. We, as a society, often overlook or overestimate our women’s self-esteem and mental tolerance- blame the patriarchy. May is a month where we focus on the mental health of women during prenatal and postpartum periods and spread awareness and provide support for the same. 

Reportedly, one out of seven women experiences depression during their pregnancy and also following the birth of a child. A study by the University of Essex stated that due to the spike in COVID-19 cases followed by the worldwide lock down, there has been an increase in depression in expectant mothers. The study reported a jump from 17% to 47% depression and 37% to 60% anxiety in mothers bearing children. 

It is common for women to experience a feeling of sadness and moodiness that involves crying, irritability, anxiety and restlessness after giving birth. This is known as “Baby Blues”. These symptoms are common and may not need any psychological treatment, but when these feelings of sadness and anxiety escalate and hinder a woman from performing everyday tasks, then one needs to get psychological help before it gets any worse. 

A 33-year-old healthy mother in Delhi almost committed suicide after three months of giving birth to a boy. She recalls asking her family to help her, but they merely blamed her hormones. Only when her emotions escalated and became out of control that she tried to end her life. Her husband took her seriously and sought mental help from a therapist. The reason for the spike in depression and anxiety among pregnant women is social distancing. Perinatal mothers are more isolated from the world, their parents, and friends, who are in great need during this vulnerable period. They suffer from fear about their pregnancy, especially new mothers with no one to reassure or guide them. Another reason is financial issues. Many went unemployed or had their salaries cut in half during the lock down. Families expecting a child had to face many difficulties involving treatment money for the expectant mother as well as those who had just given birth, adding to their depression and anxiety level. 

Mothers feel isolated from their new born baby if they are facing mental illness, which can play a major role in the child’s growth. Studies show that children with mentally unstable mothers are likely to be victims of bullying in schools, perform poorly academically or develop a mental illness.

Depression is very common in pregnant or postnatal women. The following are the symptoms of women suffering from depression or likely to suffer from one:

• extreme sadness

• Irritability

• Uncertainty about the future

• Forgetfulness

• Difficulty in concentrating

• Self-harm

• Sleeplessness

• Extreme Tiredness

Anxiety disorder is another common mental disorder faced by pregnant and postnatal women. The following are the symptoms one needs to consider to help a mother or help yourself:

• Panic

• Nervousness

• Irritability

• Fear of being alone

• Sleeping problems 

• Extreme sweating

• body aches

• Increased pulse

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) is recurrent during the perinatal period, which can get to its worst forms like suicide or self-harm if not treated within time. The following are the symptoms:

• Washing hands more often than usual

• Storing things excessively

• Rechecking things

• Repeating phrases

• Overthinking

What can we do to help pregnant women or new mothers fight mental illness?

1.Encourage them to join support groups. Pregnant and new mothers can use support groups to meet other women in similar situations and talk about the issues they are dealing with.

2.Be a good listener. Listen to their problems instead of just giving sheer advice. Understand her problems before you impose your unsolicited advice. Recognize the factors that are causing her stress and, if necessary, make suggestions.

3.Give Clarification. Let her know she is not alone. The prenatal and postpartum periods are the most vulnerable periods for a woman. She is likely to feel lonelier than ever. Just being there for her and letting her know that she has someone to rely on can be a great help.

4. Help her find a counselor if needed and be there for her during counselling. This can help her release her stress.

What can pregnant and new mothers do? 

1. Remember, every mother goes through the same situation, and you are not alone in the process. Join support groups where you can meet women in familiar situations and where you can share your distress or experiences.

2. Talk to someone you trust. This person can be your partner, parent, friend, or therapist. This may be hard initially, but it will give you some relief and you might feel better knowing you have people to rely on.

3. Do some self-care. Eat good, nutritious meals and go for a short walk. Do the things you love and that will make you feel better.

4. Sleeping is mandatory when you are in a vulnerable state. So, make sure to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep. Ask someone to care for your new-born baby when you sleep. You can hire a nanny or ask someone in your family or friend circle to help you.

The problem of mental health of women is multidimensional and complex. It is estimated that 10–35% of women around the world, including India, suffer from depression during pregnancy and postpartum. Even in the past, the issue of maternal mental health was barely addressed by public and private healthcare providers. However, in a crisis situation similar to the present pandemic, it is necessary that health facilities give attention to pregnant and recently delivered women for possible symptoms of depression. Detecting and treating depression in the beginning could prevent detrimental long-term effects on maternal and infant health. Pregnant and recently delivered women  should be provided with appropriate information as well as counseling, to reduce stress.They must also be supported by their partners and the community and encouraged to exercise and remain active for their mental health.It is also the government's responsibility to ensure their well-being and make the necessary effort to minimize the uncertainty that is the major cause of depression.

Writer- Upasana Puri

Understanding Thyroid, Symptoms & Diet

If you were a diligent kid in your fifth grade, you might remember your teacher telling you about different types of vitamins and the diseases caused by the lack of consuming vitamins. I have faint memories of my teacher talking about diseases like, night blindness, Beri-Beri, anemia, scurvy!! Ring a bell? I can recall thyroid as well.

If not that, I can recall my grandma taking 125 mcg Thyronorm every day in the morning, like a ritual. I also heard one of my friends telling me this : “the doctor has asked me to put a check on my body weight because I have hypothyroid”. And then someone advised her to drink “Methi Dane ka paani” as home remedies to the rescue always.

Thyroid is a very common health problem across the globe. But not a lot of people know about it properly. It affects women more than men. As a fact, every one in eight women is exposed to the risk of having thyroid. So let us try to delve deeper to find out more about this and take one thing, each for ourselves from this.

The thyroid is an endocrine gland that sits in our necks and secretes its hormones directly into the bloodstream. It is situated on the lower side of the neck in front, below Adam’s apple to be precise. It secretes thyroxine (T4) predominantly, along with other hormones. These hormones affect body activities at large. They influence metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, and brain development during formative years.

       

But why are they so common in women? That’s because women are more susceptible to frequent hormonal changes in them. Think about it! Every month in the year women face hormonal changes. Pregnancy and menopause are also major contributors. This interplay of several hormones and changing graph of the hormonal imbalance is one of the reasons why women are more likely to experience the symptoms of thyroid. Apart from this, one of the more reasons is that the autoimmune responses in a woman’s body are more common than in men. An autoimmune response is nothing but responding to various infections or diseases by our immune system. A woman’s body reacts more quickly to the changes around her.

Before we directly jump onto the solutions of it, let us understand the different types of conditions one can have if the thyroid is rebellious and their symptoms.

Different thyroid conditions

1.     Goitre: A very common swelling condition of the thyroid gland. The lack of iodine in the body is a predominant cause of why one can have this. The condition is a result of the enlarged thyroid gland that causes swelling in the neck region. The common symptoms are swelling across the neck region, tightness in the throat, difficulty in swallowing, and breathlessness.

 2.     Hyperthyroidism: When there is excessive thyroid hormone production in the body, it causes hyperthyroidism. The most common cause of the body secreting more hormones is Grave’s disease, which is an autoimmune disorder. It causes the gland to secrete more hormones to fight the diseases. The link is often genetic.  Symptoms include rapid weight loss due to increased metabolism, palpitations, increased appetite, sweating, frequent fatigue, and restlessness. Mood swings and irregular menstruation are also the symptoms.

 

3.     Hypothyroidism: Lack of adequate amount of thyroid hormone in the body causes hypothyroidism. Slow metabolism, weight gain, constipation, slow heart rate, and sluggishness are the common symptoms.

 4.     Thyroiditis: It is the condition that causes inflammation in the thyroid gland. Usually kicks off due to autoimmune disorder fighting against some virus or infection. Symptoms occur according to the degree of inflammation. It can range from having no symptoms to it being very painful. The symptoms include excess sweating, heat intolerance, or cold intolerance. The strength of thyroiditis is a symptom of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

 5.     Thyroid Cancer: The cancer of the thyroid may include a lot of factors, genetic or environmental. Cancer occurs generally in the cells of the thyroid. It can have no symptoms or also be aggressive depending upon the severity. It can be treated. Pain in the neck is a common symptom with enlarged or swollen lymph nodes.

 6.    Thyroid Nodule: This is the condition that is caused due to lumps in the thyroid gland. The lump can be solid or fluid-filled. It causes pain in the throat. Unless it is cancerous, there is no harm, and surgery can be done easily.

 Above all, the most common triggering factor can be stress and anxiety. Too much stress and anxiety can cause excessive release of the thyroid hormones or a lower level of it. Keep tracking your stress-mometer to stay healthy!

Till now, we have seen that all thyroid conditions have similar symptoms. All differ in only the amount of severity. Let us now talk about the diagnosis because one might skip observing the symptoms unless our reflexes are activated through pain. Moreover, the symptoms are quite similar to other health problems.

There are several diagnostic techniques to check the thyroid but the most common is a blood test. 

A blood test reveals basic information like the levels of T3 and T4 hormones in the body, enough to identify whether the gland is overstimulated or under-stimulated. It also reveals information about TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) which regulates the secretion of other thyroid hormones like T3 and T4. High TSH indicates hypothyroidism and low TSH indicates hyperthyroidism. The other tests include: -

·       Thyroid biopsy and tests to check thyroglobulin to check cancer in the gland

·       Thyroid scan in which a small amount of radioactive iodine is given through the mouth to get projected images of the gland

·       Thyroid ultrasound – to detect the abnormal areas of the gland by using sound waves through a probe placed on the neck

 

What Diet should one maintain to control the thyroid?

Very simple! Eat a balanced, nutritious diet, full of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, and remember to not cut down on carbs. Eat simple homemade food and you will be good to go.  A well-balanced diet will give you a well-balanced T4 in your body! Soaking fenugreek or coriander seeds in water at night and drinking the same after boiling it in the morning, will help in balancing the thyroid level as well!

But let me give you some foods that you can have during breaks, or whenever you are hungry in the middle of the day.

1.       Dry fruits and nuts – almond, walnut, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts

2.       Makhana

3.       Citrus fruits – Orange, Mosambi, Lemon

4.       Sweet potato

5.       Berries

6.       Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds

7.       Green tea

8.       Coconut

9.       Probiotic yogurt or ice cream

10.   Eggs – scrambled, boiled, or whichever way you like!

But one small piece of advice – avoid too many dairy products in your intake. Women especially are affected by too much milk production intake, which impacts the hormone level in their bodies. Caffeine is also not good for the thyroid and one suffering from any thyroid disorder should not consume it.

Hope you all now have a complete guide to the thyroid. Have a good meal and relax to calm your thyroid!

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Credit Author: Jahnvi Bedia 

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DRINK WATER, LIVE BETTER

70 percent of our body weight is made up of water only. This alone signifies the importance of water in our system. According to scientists, water is the second most essential substance to sustain life on any planet, only behind oxygen. Not only in respiration, digestion, excretion or any physical needs, but also a glass of water can help rejuvenate your brain after continuous stressful work. So, let’s dive into water and its importance in this article.

HOW MUCH WATER SHALL ONE DRINK IN A DAY?

Have you ever been told to drink eight glasses of water every day? It’s even believed that anything less than that is harmful to one’s body? But this is not true. One might need more than that water to go through the day, while the other might need lesser than that. It is completely dependent upon the work you do in your day-to-day life. Following activities lead to more consumption of water-

• Exercise- If you run or do physical activities like cardio or aerobics, your body might need; or crave, more water. Having an adequate amount of water not only keeps your muscles’ health in check, but also relieves you of your tiredness.

• Conditions like pregnancy- In a condition such as pregnancy, where the female body supports another life inside her, she might need more amounts of fluids to stay hydrated. This is the case when she breastfeeds her child as well.

• Facing health issues like diarrhea etc.- In cases of diarrhea or equivalent diseases where the body loses a lot of fluids in a short period of time, a person necessarily needs a lot more amount of water to replenish his or her health.

• Weather- The temperature and natural conditions outside may also decide the amount of water one drinks per day. On a hot and humid day when the body loses a lot of fluids through sweat, etc. he tends to drink more water as compared to regular days, whereas when the temperature is cooler things might be the reverse.

• Having a heavy meal- After having a heavy meal, generally one that consists of a lot of proteins, our body craves for a lot of water.

Having said all these, according to a research conducted by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate fluid intake on a daily basis for men is 3.7 liters, while the same for women is 2.7 liters.

IMPORTANCE OF DRINKING WATER-

• Water forms an essential component of our blood- Blood, the circulatory fluid in our body, consists of 90 percent of water by volume, including the plasma proteins, while the rest 10 percent are the corpuscles. Thus, water is essential for efficient transportation of oxygen from the lungs and nutrients to several parts of the body. It also collects the toxic wastes from the organs and helps in efficient disposal of such wastes. Having less water will inhibit the efficient supply of oxygen, which in turn results in conditions like cramps in our body muscles, even after not doing any strenuous exercises.

• Helps in digestion of food- Wondering how water helps in efficient digestion of food? Let’s find out. Water is an essential component of saliva and helps generate saliva. Saliva consists of an enzyme known as salivary amylase which breaks down solid food in mouths itself. 

• Acts as a thermoregulator of the system- Water controls the body temperature, hence acts as a thermoregulator. In hot temperatures our body loses water through sweat and gives us a cool feeling. If water is not replenished soon enough, as a reaction, our body temperature may even increase, due to losing essential electrolytes through dehydration.

• Helps improve concentration- Let’s discuss the mental aspects, regarding the importance of water. Having enough water is proven to improve concentration power, and leads to one being more attentive of the situation. Water even helps to brighten mood, for a short term.

• Helps lose weight, or makes the skin brighter- Although there’s no medical background of this statement, but still according to some studies drinking a lot of water, to go with dieting and exercises, necessarily helps to reduce weight. It also helps to improve skin health and make it better.

• Takes care of joints in our body- Water is pretty essential when it comes to lubricating the joints in our system. Having enough water daily, may even do away with old age symptoms of arthritis and several such joint related issues.

Thus, it is quite clear that water is very important for every part of our body. It not only takes care of our body physically but also mentally. It is known that we derive 20 percent of the required body fluids from the fruits and vegetables that we eat. The rest 80 percent is what one should take care of. It is to be noted here that carbonated drinks and such items if consumed on a daily basis in the place of water can cause more harm than good. Thus, one thing is for certain, that if you choose to live better, drink enough plain, simple water!

Visit Cureya's Website to know more. Free consultation services with top medical and health professionals. Check out www.cureya.in and www.cureya.in/shop

Credit Author Ranit Laha

All photos credited and designed by Freepik