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Archive for October, 2009

Diabetes Mellitus: – often referred simply as Diabetes is a common disease. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder wherein, the human body is not in the condition to produce enough or does not properly utilize the insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas which enables cells to absorb glucose in order to turn it into energy. In diabetes, the body either fails to properly respond to its own insulin, does not make enough insulin or both. This causes glucose to accumulate in the blood, often leading to various complications. Diabetes Mellitus is characterized by constant high levels of blood glucose (sugar). Human body has to maintain the blood glucose level at a very narrow range, which is done with insulin and glucagons. The function of glucagons is causing the liver to release glucose from its cells into the blood, for the production of energy. There are many types of diabetes. The principal three are:

• Type 1 Diabetes – Results from the body’s failure to produce insulin.

• Type 2 Diabetes – Results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with relative insulin deficiency.

• Gestational Diabetes – Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational     diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It may precede development of type 2 (or rarely type 1).

• Many other forms of diabetes mellitus are categorized separately from these. Examples include congenital diabetes due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids (Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor, which is present in almost every vertebrate animal cell.), and several forms of Monogenic Diabetes.

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes obstruct a person’s carefree life. When breaking down of glucose in the body is stopped completely, it takes the help of fat and protein to produce the energy, due to which symptoms like polydipsia, polyuria, polyphegia, excessive weight loss etc is noticed in a diabetic. Normal blood sugar level in a human body is between 70 mg/dl to 110 mg/dl at fasting state. If blood sugar level is lower than 70 mg/dl, it is termed as hypoglycemia and if it is higher than 110 mg/dl, it is termed as hyperglycemia. Though all forms of diabetes have become treatable since 1921 because of the availability of Insulin, it’s not fully curable except a pancreas transplant, although gestational diabetes normally resolves after delivery. Acute complications in diabetes include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis or nonketotic hyperosmdar coma which may occur if the disease isn’t treated or properly controlled. Serious long term includes cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, and retinal damage leading to blindness, nerve failure, erectile dysfunction and poor wound healing, which, particularly of the feet may cause gangrene, possibly requiring amputation.

Proper and adequate treatment of diabetes as well as increased emphasis and special care about the increased blood pressure and life style factors such as not smoking, having a healthy and fit body may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications. Over weight, lack of exercise, family history, stress etc increase the risk of diabetes. Diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non elderly and the leading cause of non traumatic amputation in adults.

Author: Amrita Lahiri

Ayurvedic herbs and medicines for heart diseases (Angina, Heart Attack)

1. Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna): – Bark of Arjuna tree is very good to prevent heart problems. It reduces LDL (bad cholesterol), helps in blood circulation, improves strength of cardiac muscle and maintains the health of the heart.

2. Garlic: – Helps to lower cholesterol level of blood, destroys plaque, prevents blood clot.

3. Turmeric: – Helps to prevent blood clots and lower cholesterol level of blood.

4. Guggul (Commifora mukul): – It helps to improve the level of High Density Lipoprotein, to lower blood – fat level. It is useful for cardiac ischemia and atherosclerosis.

5. Ginger: – Helps to prevent blood clots and reduces blood cholesterol.

6. Cinnamomum Zeylanicumm: – It is known as “Dalchini” in India. It is very useful for lowering cholesterol. It should be used regularly. It works as an anti-oxidant and provide strength to heart muscle.

7. Hawthron: – It is very useful for heart. It gives strength to the heart muscle and flow of blood to the heart.

8. Indula racemosa: – It is grown in upper Himalaya, also useful for preventing heart attack.

9. Alfalfa: – Plaque deposits along the inner wall of arteries and also levels of blood cholesterol are reduced by Alfalfa leaves.

10. Gourd: – Gourd juice can be taken for reducing blockage in coronary arteries.

Ayurvedic medicines

1. If one gram of powder made from equal parts of the fruit rind of chebulic myrobalan (Haritaki) and rhizome of sweet flag (vaca) is taken with honey twice a day then it will be useful.

2. If two grams of powder prepared from sweet flag, as a foetida and costus root is taken at intervals of two hours it will also be useful.

Author: S.N. Bhattacharya

Blood cancer

The malignancy which attacks the blood cell forming tissue (bone marrow) and lymphatic system is generally known as blood cancer.

Types of blood cancer: main form of blood cancer is leukemia. Others are multiple myeloma, lymphoma, etc.

1. Leukemia: The malignancy or cancer of blood forming tissue causing uncontrolled growth of numerous weak and abnormal white blood cells (leukocytes) is known as leukemia.

Leukemia starts in bone marrow. Bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue in the cavity of most of the bones and produces various types of blood cells such as white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), platelets etc. each of which has different function – white blood cells (WBC) protect our body from infection. Red blood cells (RBC) are for carrying oxygen to tissues of the body and platelets are for blood clotting.

Due to growth of numerous weak and abnormal white blood cells the production of normal blood cells like WBC, RBC and platelets comes down. Immune system of our body is disturbed due to drastic drop in the ability to fight infection. Lack of RBC can lead to anaemia, breathlessness and fatigue, lack of platelets creates problems with blood clotting. These numerous abnormal white blood cells overpower the bone marrow, flow into the blood stream and attack other parts of the body like lymph node, liver, spleen, spinal chord etc.

Leukemia is either chronic or acute. Acute type of leukemia develops quickly and gets worse quickly but chronic leukemia gets worse slowly.

Lymphocytic leukemia: When leukemia affects lymphoid cells then it is known as lymphocytic leukemia.

Myelogenous Leukemia: When myeloid cells are affected by leukemia then it is known as myelogenous leukemia.

2. Multiple myeloma: – when malignant plasma cells (which are a type of white blood cells in the bone marrow) produced in an uncontrolled fashion spread through the bone marrow then the disease is known as multiple myeloma.

3. Lymphoma: – It is a type of cancer of the lymphatic system. Due to some disorder when the cells in lymphatic node multiplying very rapidly become malignant then lymphoma develops.

Symptoms of blood cancer

i) Excessive sweating of body at night
ii) Frequent infections
iii) Swollen lymph joints
iv) Pain in bones, joints, tenderness in bones.
v) Excessive bruising
vi) Weakness, fatigue, malaise
vii) Weight loss
viii) Vomiting sensation
ix) Excessive bleeding in gums cuts.
x) Anaemia etc.

Author: Surya Narayan Bhattacharya