Skinny jeans a risky affair

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

A recent case in published in the British specialist publication, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry revealed that a 35-year-old woman from Australia had to be admitted to a hospital as she was unable to walk or move her toes and ankles properly, and found her legs severely swollen due to her tight jeans. The reason being, she had spent hours sitting on her haunches and worked around, while wearing skinny jeans. The woman, whose calves had ballooned, developed what is known as the Compartment Syndrome — “a painful and potentially life-threatening serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles — in this case, the calves”, said the report. The jeans had to be cut and the woman was put on intravenous drip and was able to walk, unaided, only after four days. 

There are various risks associated with wearing too-tight trousers or skinny jeans. It could seriously damage your health. It can cut off circulation and cause nerve damage, swelling of the ankles and feet and fertility problems. 

Tight pants or skinny jeans do in fact damage the testicles; even low sperm count and can cause infertility in men. But that’s not all. Wearing skinny jeans is

Some FAQs about Pre-eclampsia

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys. Pre-eclampsia usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a woman whose blood pressure had been normal. Even a slight rise in blood pressure may be a sign of pre-eclampsia. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can lead to serious even fatal complications for both you and your baby. 

Here are few common questions asked by patients, please have a look at it for awareness. 

Q.1 How common is pre-eclampsia in Indian women?

Ans. Pre-eclampsia is common in Indian women, affecting between two to eight in 100 women during pregnancy. Around one in 200 women (0.5%) develop severe pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. Stress of metro cities is the major cause.

Q.2 Is the percentage on a rise due to changes in lifestyle?

Ans. Pre-eclampsia is on rise these days, yes lifestyle as we'll as late pregnancies responsible for this. 

Q.3 What are the causes of the increase, if any?

Ans. Mainly lifestyle plays a very important role in it. Obesity, stressed life, diabetes, late age of conception, previous history, family history of hypertension responsible for this. Sudden weight gain, pedal swelling, headache,

International Yoga Day 21 June

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago and is described as a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline. Yoga is beneficial in many ways. One of the lifestyle problems is stress which further produces many diseases such as obesity, infertility, heart problems, it also disturbs your digestive system and many more.

It is indeed a modern day trend which is actually very helpful in boosting your immunity as well as fertility. Now a days you can practice yoga any time even at your home, no need to take out extra time from your hectic schedule to go to gym or anywhere else. It is simple and easy to perform. Trying to conceive is often very emotional, especially when things aren't going according to plan. Yoga work out helps to conceive

Quit Smoking

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Cigarette smoking is harmful to the ovaries, and the degree of damage is dependent upon the amount and length of the time a woman smokes or is exposed to a smoked environment. Nicotine and other harmful chemicals in cigarettes interfere with the body’s ability to create estrogen, a hormone that regulates folliculogenesis and ovulation. Cigarettes are not the only source of PAHs - they're also produced when coal, gas and oil are burned, and they're present in car exhaust, tar and char-grilled meat - but inhaling cigarette smoke is the most common - and direct - form of exposure.

Female smokers also have decreased rates of fertility and decreased fallopian tube function. It not only can lead to all kinds of serious problems with the baby but also reduces the chances of IVF producing a live birth by 34% and increases the risk of an IVF pregnancy miscarrying by 30%. A pregnant woman who smokes also adds a risk to pregnancy.

Not only women but have studies show that men who smoke are less fertile than men who don't smoke. It makes sperm cells more sensitive to oxidative stress, smoking itself increases the concentration of free radicals in the seminal fluid. Free radicals can cause sperm DNA fragmentation as well as issues with sperm motility and fertilization

We also tell couples seeking treatment for fertility to stop smoking at least three months before we attempt IVF because sperm needs at least that much time to be produced from germ cell to full sperm

Life Management strategies recommended:

• Start by quitting
• Eat a well-balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
• Avoid excessive alcohol taking
• Exercise Regularly
• Be Nature friendly
• Be Your Own Bodyguard

QUIT SMOKING TODAY..!!

Stress can give you thyroid

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Most people are aware that stress can cause various health problems. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, eating junk food, poor sleep - especially in people who work night shifts, desk job, the tension of meeting targets, all of these lead to stress.

Stress can also cause hypothyroidism. It refers to a state in which the production of thyroid hormone is below normal. The symptoms of hypothyroidism are often subtle, but can include increased cholesterol levels, a state of depression, loss or gain in weight, swollen neck, mood swings, low energy, hair loss, constipation, dry skin, brittle nails, problem with vision and the trembling of hands.

Our bodies are not designed to handle chronic stress. That is why we have adrenal glands. These glands produce hormones in response to stress which help control the heart rate, blood pressure, the level of minerals such as sodium and potassium in the blood and the way the body utilises food, among other things.

Sometime, the adrenal glands are unable to handle the high level of stress we live with these days. They then become weak and put the body in a state of breaking down. We can say that weak adrenal glands cause hypothyroidism.

It is a common problem these days, especially after 25 years of age. Women are four times more prone to thyroid disorders than men. If undiagnosed or untreated, thyroid disease can be a cause of infertility or frequent miscarriage.

Hyperthyroidism can be treated in many ways. However, a doctor chooses the line of treatment based on several variables like the cause of hyperthyroidism, the age of the patient, the size of the thyroid gland and the presence of other illnesses.

Thyroid hormone replacement is very effective in restoring fertility. It may take one to two months to normalise your thyroid hormone levels with medication. Once you start the medication, you must check your TSH levels to ensure that they are in the normal range. You will usually need to continue the medicines for the rest of your life and recheck your thyroid function every six months or so.

QUICK TIPS:

• Do not ignore early symptoms: Be alert to symptoms like weight loss or gain, constipation, muscle and joint aches, sluggishness, intolerance towards cold weather, abnormal and irregular periods, fatigue, brittle nails, hair fall, blackening of skin and sleeplessness.

• Get proper diagnosis: People should go for a thyroid test once in a year. These include the TSH test, chest X-ray and T4 or thyroxin test.

• Lose weight: Losing weight is of utmost importance for a patient of hypothyroidism. Consult a dietitian or join a gym.

• Get enough sleep and eliminate stress: Immediately address your stress level for the proper functioning of your adrenal glands. You can try yoga or practise breathing exercises.

• Exercises regularly: Even a five-minute walk in office counts. Ideally, walk for 30 minutes in a day and take the stairs instead of the lift. Small lifestyle chances can make a big difference.

• Eat well: Have a proper balanced diet and three meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - in a day. Consult a dietitian who can recommend the ideal diet for thyroid patients.