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Showing posts from 2013

Dealing with Eczema - Beyond just the skin !

Suddenly, there seems to be an increased trend in the kind of complaints related to skin rashes being reported among my patient group. However, not all ‘skin rashes’ are just rashes but have a deeper connection to other problems! The sad part about skin related issues is that – it’s not only physical but has a psychological impact on a person’s confidence and personality. This makes the cure and treatment very challenging and needs a holistic approach. On further investigations and tests, I am finding that - for most, it’s not just really 'rashes' but a deeper form of other skin related chronic inflammation of the skin such as Eczema, Psoriasis or Pityriasis rosea. For humans, Skin is the largest organ. The skin has multiple layers of tissues and protects the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Due to its interface with the environment, skin plays a key role in protecting the body against infectious diseases and germs. Currently, I am focusin

Mahatma Gandhi and Good Health

Today – Oct 2nd is  M K Gandhi’s  Birthday, also known as “Father of the Nation”.  We all know Gandhi-ji  for his immense contribution to India’s freedom struggle, non-violence movement and his experiments with truth. However, there is little known about his immense contribution to healthcare in India. While in South Africa, Gandhiji had written several articles on health ( no blogs  in those days   ) for Indian Opinion under the “Guide to Health” topic. Later, Gandhiji wrote these chapters while he was confined in the Aga Khan Palace at Poona during 1942-1944.  To him the subject was so important that he hesitated to release them at once,and took time to go through them again and again till the treatment was to his full satisfaction.He intended to correct these chapters if his ever-growing experience so dictated. The original was written in Gujarati and Gandhiji got it translated into Hindi and English by Dr. Sushila Nayar under his own guidance. He also went through both the tr

Rice- It’s Rightful Place in Diabetic Diet!

Brown and White Basmati Rice Rice – a staple food of many cultures across the world, has been misunderstood and even demonized when it comes to diet of diabetic people and weight watchers. All rice varieties contain starch and hence have a higher glycemic index as compared to other grains. On one hand, where white rice (which is stripped of its fiber and nutrients) is bad for the diabetic health; raw unpolished rice (with intact bran and high amylose content) is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. This article intends to shed light on the rightful place of rice as a whole grain, in diabetic diet. Decoding the Glycemic index (GI): Glycemic index (GI) is the impact of carbohydrate containing foods on the blood sugar levels. Foods with GI lower than 55 are called as  Low GI foods . They are safe for diabetics, as they result in a gradual and steady rise in blood sugar. Foods with GI between 46 and 69 are  Low to Medium GI foods . These help in slower an