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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Weight-loss surgery becoming popular in India
Living with lower limb swelling
Siesta cuts risk of heart disease death
Health Notes
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Weight-loss surgery becoming popular in India
Bariatric surgery is not an easy option for obesity sufferers. It is a drastic step, and carries the usual pain and risks of any major gastrointestinal surgical operation. It compels patients to change their eating habits radically, and makes them very ill if they overeat. And after bariatric surgery is performed, patients remain at a lifelong risk of nutritional deficiencies. Bariatric surgery, the stomach shrinking procedure that is sometimes referred to as weight-loss surgery, is becoming increasingly popular in India, and continued media attention is keeping the controversial procedure fresh in public mind. International health publications and insurance providers are now recongnizing obesity as an illness. The number of weight-reduction surgeries being performed reflects the growing trend and acceptability of these procedures. Despite a mortality rate of 1-2 per cent most patients enjoy benefits including weight loss and the reversal of life-threatening diseases such as type II diabetes. Many overweight patients find the risk-to-reward ratio acceptable and make the life-altering commitment that comes with the surgery. The spin-off of this increase has meant a boom for the plastic surgery field. Many post-bariatric surgery patients experience an extreme loss in skin elasticity that leads them to have body contouring procedures, which greatly differ from the contouring procedures performed on normal weight patients. After contouring, these patients’ skin will still loosen and sag much faster with age. When a person loses a large amount of weight in a short period of time, particularly after bariatric surgery, the person has large amounts of extra skin. Bariatric surgery isn’t just a commitment to weight loss. It often requires an additional two years of body contouring surgeries to help the patient’s skin fit his or her new body. Gastric bypass patients, however, need to be realistic about their expectations. Certified plastic surgeons can only improve the shape of their skin, but it is not possible to eradicate the problem of the extra skin completely. The writer is Senior Consultant, Cosmetic Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
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Living with lower limb swelling Swelling in the lower extremities, more so in the ankles and the feet, is a common occurrence, especially among the elderly. This is caused by accumulation of fluid, and the condition is known as edema. It is not a disease but a symptom of various diseases and of varied etiology. Lower limb swelling primarily occurs due to disturbances in water/protein balance. Weakening in the valves of the veins in the legs makes it hard for the veins to push blood back up to the heart leading to the accumulation of fluid in the lower extremity. Lower limb swelling is treated according to the underlying condition causing it. For example, if edema is caused by either of the lung diseases like emphysema or chronic bronchitis, quitting smoking would be advised if the patient is a smoker. Cutting down on excess alcohol intake, and monitoring and treating coronary artery disease would be advised for patients with chronic heart failure. In addition to treating the underlying diseases, management of this kind of swelling comprises the following:
It is essential to incorporate an exercise programme to move and drain the lymph fluid in order to reduce edema and thereby improving the functional use of the limb involved. The exercise programme is based on the following principles:
The following exercises are helpful in reducing swelling:
Knee-to-chest movements: Lying on the back, pull one knee to the chest and repeat it for10 times. Then pull both knees towards the chest. Repeat it 10 to 15 times. External rotation of hips: Lie on the back with the legs elevated and resting against a wall. Externally, rotate the hips. Repeat it several times. Leg movements in the air: Lying on the back, flex the hips with a feet pointing towards the ceiling. Move the legs alternately, simulating the cycling motion. Lying on the back, raise the legs about 6". Move the feet toward and away from the body. On the completion of the exercises, one should rest with one’s feet elevated for several minutes. People having lower limb swelling should include exercises along with treating the cause. The writer is a former doctor/physiotherapist, Indian cricket team.
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Siesta cuts risk of heart disease death
Snoozing in the afternoon may upset the boss, but it could save your life, new research suggests. A study of 23,681 Greek men and women found strong evidence in support of the siesta. Individuals who took a midday nap for 30 minutes or more at least three times a week were 37 per cent less likely to die from heart disease than those who stayed awake. Even the occasional siesta was associated with a 34 per cent lower risk of dying. Among working men, napping of any sort resulted in a 64 per cent reduced risk of heart disease death. The volunteers, who were aged 20 to 86, had no history of heart disease or any other severe condition. At the start of the study they were asked if they took midday naps, and if so, how often and for how long at a time. They were also questioned about their level of physical activity and dietary habits over the previous year. Participants were monitored for an average of 6.32 years, during which time 792 of them died. Of these, 133 died as a result of heart disease. The findings were calculated after taking account of known cardiovascular risk factors. Siestas produced a 36 per cent reduction in heart disease death risk for non-working men. A similar analysis of working and non-working women was not possible because only six deaths occurred among working women. —The Independent
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Health Notes Mass-marketed grapes can remain in storage for months and are usually treated with sulphur dioxide to prevent decay. Although the sulphur dioxide is effective, it is corrosive and can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. Wine-makers have a similar problem in that the sulphites added to wines to prolong their shelf-life and allow them to age can make their wines unpalatable to some Type 2 diabetes genes
mapped out
London: Scientists say they have mapped the most important genes that put people at risk of type 2 diabetes, offering hope that a test could be delivered. Family history is a major risk factor for the condition, along with obesity. The Imperial College London team, working with Canadian colleagues, found four points on the gene map linked to a person’s diabetes risk, Nature reports. One of the genetic mutations they identified, after scanning nearly 400,000 mutations, could potentially explain the cause behind type 2 diabetes. —
ANI
Extra cortisol protects women’s mood under stress
Although chronic stress, which brings long-term elevations of cortisol in the bloodstream, can weaken the immune system and induce depression, this new study adds to mounting evidence that cortisol given near in time to a physical or psychological stress may lessen the stressor’s emotional impact. Psychologists are especially interested in what this means for preventing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder. —
ANI
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WASHINGTON: A new technique that uses ozone to preserve grapes could help prevent allergies and boost healthy compounds at the same time, reports Jennifer Rohn in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. The same technique could be used in the wine-making process to produce healthier wines without the added sulphites that can cause asthma and other conditions in some people. 
Washington: