Kidney, Urinary, Gastro Intestinal, Liver

Maintaining good oral health is more than just about keeping cavities at bay. Your dental health has far-reaching consequences on your body, with oral bacteria being linked to many life-threatening conditions, like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, renal health and even brain abcess. Oral hygience and overall good health  Like many areas of the body, your mouth is teeming with bacteria, most of them harmless. Normally the body's natural defences and good oral health can keep these…

Bladder problems affect 75 to 90 percent of people with multiple sclerosis, according to a July 2014 in-depth report in MS in Focus, published by the Multiple Sclerosis International Foundation (MSIF). “Patients need to understand that bladder issues are a symptom of their disease process and not something they should be embarrassed or ashamed about,” says Dr. Marlene Murphy Setzko, a urologist and director of Urologic Services at the Mandell Center for Comprehensive MS Care in Hartford,…

A widely prevalent skew in kidney donation — gender disparity — is just as shocking as economic disparity, when the bald numbers are scanned. Doctors at Narayana Health, a large Bangalore-headquartered hospital chain run by well-known cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty, found that an overwhelming 65 per cent of kidney donors in its hospitals are women, whereas 70 per cent of kidney recipients are male. Kidney donation is a medically proven safe process that has no bearing on a person’s lifespan. Yet,…

Can I eat cabbage or broccoli? Can I eat miller? Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju brings you up to speed on ‘goitrogenic foods’ and answers diet questions for persons with hypothyroidism.   What is hypothyroidism: This is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck. Its major function is to produce thyroid hormones, which play many roles…

Nytol, Benadryl, Ditropan and Piriton among the medications identified by scientists as raising likelihood of dementia A report published online this week in JAMA Internal Medicine offers compelling evidence of a link between long-term use of anticholinergic medications like Benadryl and dementia. Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine. This substance transmits messages in the nervous system. In the brain, acetylcholine is involved in learning and memory. In the…

What is urinary incontinence? It is the loss of bladder control that results in leakage of urine or faecal matter involuntarily. It is a common problem: the severity ranges from occasional leaking of urine when you cough or sneeze to a sudden and strong urge to urinate so that you can’t get to the toilet on time. It affects twice as many women as men and 50 per cent of elderly women suffer from it. It may affect younger women too.  

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters (which connect the kidneys and the bladder), bladder, and urethra. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can occur in any part of the urinary tract. Most UTIs are caused by bacteria. They can also be caused by fungi or viruses. UTIs are the second most common type of infection in humans. The National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) reports that UTIs account for over eight million doctor…

Lalitha Nair, 49, talks about the pitfalls of suddenly falling victim to a life-threatening condition. Her experience and survival tips – from timely medical check-ups to insurance. When did you have the kidney transplant? I underwent kidney transplant on 3 Nov 2006 in a hospital in Bangalore. I was 41 years old. When were you diagnosed with kidney problem? Mid-October 2005 What were the early symptoms?  Nothing that was terribly alarming or significant. I went for a routine…

Dietitian Ujjwala Baxi helps make sense of the diet guidelines and tells you what you can eat guilt-free. Good kidney function is essential for removing the waste material from food that we eat and other byproducts of the body. The kidneys excrete a dietary protein called urea, as well as sodium, potassium and phosphate. These substances can build up in the body if kidney function is impaired. If your kidneys are not working optimally, you need to follow a prescribed diet to lessen the…

Childhood obesity can have a harmful effect on the body in a variety of ways. Obese children are more likely to have : High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In one study, 70% of obese children had at least one CVD risk factor, and 39% had two or more. Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea, and asthma. Joint problems and musculoskeletal…