10 things to keep in mind while travelling with Asthma

World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. The aim of the day is raising awareness of asthma and how it affects sufferers. The day falls on the first Tuesday in May each year and aims to raise support for sufferers and their families. World Asthma Day 2020 is on May 5. World Asthma Day was launched in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, and has grown to become the biggest international asthma event.

Though going on a trip needs a lot of planning and packing, but when it comes to asthmatics, the things get complicated to a whole new level. From dust to climate change, anything could trigger your symptoms and spoil the trip. Don’t worry, we got your back. Here's what Dr Avi Kumar, Consultant, Pulmonologist, at Fortis Escort Heart Institute has to say:
10 things that could help you prevent and prepare for anything and everything that could go wrong:
Before going on the trip:
Get thoroughly examined: Before leaving for your trip, visit your asthma doctor and get yourself properly examined. Get a green light from your doctor. He might also suggest you some tests and vaccines that you could take before leaving.

Asthma emergency kit: Talk to your doctor and prepare a kit with all the required medicines and inhaler. Do carry your updated asthma action plan with you everywhere.

Continue your regular medications: Without consulting the doctor it is not advisable to dis-continue or stop any medicines.

Yearly Flu Vaccines are a must: Please ensure that you have had your flu vaccines taken before starting your trip.

Research: Do a proper research of the place you are visiting. Check the weather forecast, climate, nearest medical services etc. Also, make a plan of how you are going to travel on your tour. Do a personal research of what could trigger the symptoms, if you haven't already done that. Talk to the doctor and look for the potential triggers as well.

Accommodation: It is another very important factor to consider. Do a proper research before choosing your hotel. Make sure your hotel does not allow any pets, as many asthmatics are allergic to animal hair. Also, get a non-smoking room, if you can't find an entirely non-smoking hotel at the location. It is highly recommendable to call the hotel and informing about your condition before arriving so that they can clean your room accordingly.

Travel insurance: In case you are traveling oversees or interstate, getting travel insurance is a very good idea. Compare different policies and decide which one among them suits your requirement.

On the trip:

Masks or scarf: Breathing through a mask and scarf will help you in the areas with high pollen or pollution level.

Restaurants: Some asthmatics are allergic to certain food items. Check the restaurants online and see which restaurant suits you. If you do not have time for that, check the menu carefully, and ask about the ingredients in the dish. Pack some snacks with you, so that you can manage in the situations where you do not get suitable cuisine.
Stay away from cold, flu and allergens: Stay away from people who have cold or flu. If you catch flu or cold, it will worsen your asthma condition. Also, be careful about the things that trigger your asthma.

Smoking: Avoid smoking of any kind. Cigarettes, fireworks, candles or any other source of smoke could trigger your symptoms. Stay away from places that permit smoking.

Choose the activities wisely: While we believe it is important for you to enjoy your trip without any restrictions, you need to wisely choose the leisure activities you should participate in. Before going for any sports activity, it would be good for you to warm up. Also take your quick-relief medicine 15-20 minutes before jumping into the field.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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New tool helps predict mortality risk in dementia patients

Researchers have developed a A new tool that predicts risk of death and admission to a long-term care facility for patients with dementia may help conversations between health care providers, patients and their families. The research has been published in the CMAJ - Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The recent tragic outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care homes highlight the need to have care discussions with residents and their caregivers.

"The majority of residents in long-term care homes have been diagnosed with dementia. Our study shows that the survival of many people with dementia is poor. It may be that many would choose care that focuses on comfort care and quality of life should they become acutely ill," says Dr. Peter Tanuseputro, a family physician and researcher with the Bruyère Research Institute, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and ICES, Ottawa, Ontario.

 

We have developed a tool that asks simple questions about a person at the time of dementia diagnosis and translates it to the chance of dying and of entering a nursing home over the next 5 years. This information can be used in conversations about what to expect," says Dr. Tanuseputro. "For newly diagnosed dementia patients and their families, personalized information about their trajectory may be helpful to plan for the future, including advance care planning and planning for additional supports."

The study used linked data from ICES on more than 108 000 people living in the community in Ontario who were newly diagnosed with dementia from 2010 through 2012.

 Researchers found that more than half of individuals (55%) died within 5 years -- comparable to many cancers -- and almost half of those who died (28%) lived in institutions. Only 1 in 4 people were still alive and living in the community 5 years after diagnosis.

Older age, male sex and presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure and kidney failure at the time of diagnosis of dementia were the most important factors that predicted death and admission to long-term care. The impact of organ failure on prognosis in people with dementia has not been well documented in other studies.  

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HIV may disrupt neurodevelopment, affecting how children learn, reason and function

A new study has given a clear understanding about how even with early treatment; HIV still manages to attack young brains. Across sub-Saharan Africa today, a vast majority of children suffer from HIV. While early antiretroviral treatment, or ART, ensured that children with and exposed to HIV have less deadly results, studies have shown that the virus can still affect the brain.

HIV may disrupt neurodevelopment, affecting how children learn, reason and function. This is why Michael Boivin, Professor and Head of Psychiatry Research at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, State University of Michigan, gave a two-year longitudinal study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases to obtain a clear picture of how HIV influences children's neuropsychological growth. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The neuropsychological performance in three groups of children 5 to 11 years old has been examined by Boivin and his colleagues: individuals who acquired HIV perinatally and were treated with ART, those exposed but HIV-negative, and those who were never exposed.

The study was carried out at six testing sites in four Sub-Saharan African countries to look robustly at how HIV affects children in this field. To date, it's the first well-validated, multi-site neuropsychological evaluation of African school-aged children affected by HIV.

The researchers found that there are still major neuropsychological challenges for children living with HIV even in the face of early treatment and good clinical care. Boivin said: "These children came into the study with a deficit compared to their counterparts. It stayed about the same throughout the two years, except in one important area: reasoning and planning. On that specific test domain, the children living with HIV failed to progress over time."

In other words, in the field of planning and thinking over the course of the study, the difference between infected and HIV negative children increased. Such skills typically develop in healthy children in the school years.

"This is the most important cognitive function for the future of children living with HIV in terms of their likelihood of taking their medications, making good decisions, abstaining from risky behaviours like early sexual activity, psychosocial issues and school-related achievement," Boivin said.

However, early medical treatment started as early as 6 months of age, is probably not enough to address the neurocognitive deficits associated with HIV, even though it helps keep children alive and healthier than they would be without treatment.

In these children, treatment should be started even earlier to improve long-term neurocognitive outcomes. Boivin and his colleagues are already working on long-term care and support. Earlier this year, Boivin received a 5-year, $3.2 million NIH grant to continue his work with children affected by HIV in Uganda and Malawi.

Through this grant, researchers will investigate how MSU-developed computer cognitive games can serve as tools for neurocognitive evaluation, enrichment and potentially rehabilitation. Boivin hopes that the findings of the two experiments will contribute to making this neuropsychological evaluation paradigm part of the cost-benefit of caring for HIV-affected children.

"Often it's overlooked or seen as an afterthought, but unlike other areas of medical follow up, neuropsychological evaluation really gets at how well the kids are going to adapt and function in school, at home, in the community and in society in general," Boivin said. "It's really what links us most directly to the human burden of disease."

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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How to cope with Dementia

A lot of things can be done to cope with the initial stages of dementia. A person goes through a wide range of emotions such as fear, denial, frustration, and anger, post the diagnosis. Here is a list of tips that will help a patient with dementia to cope better:

1. Physical health: For a dementia patient, it is very important to take care of one’s health. A good diet along with regular exercise and adequate rest is a prerequisite to manage this disorder.
2. Regular check-ups: Regular medical check-ups with the doctor are necessary in this condition. Depression and other mental health problems should be discussed with a professional.
3. Quit alcohol: Alcohol might give momentary pleasure from the misery, but it has long-standing implications. It reacts with the medicine and creates additional health and memory-related complications.
4. Allocate time for difficult tasks: With time, it can become difficult to perform even the simplest of tasks. The patient should accordingly schedule the time to perform the tasks which may be difficult to carry out. Adequate breaks should be taken while performing a task to avoid getting fatigued.
5. Redefine work: If a patient is suffering from dementia is still working, it should be ensured that the work is more manageable from a desk. Planning an early retirement may be a good idea in order to cope with dementia.
6. Be organised: Keeping track of things can get difficult with time. It, therefore, makes sense to organise all belongings systematically. Putting labels on doors and drawers also help.
7. Continue pursuing your hobbies: Amidst the difficulty and the depression, it is a good idea to continue doing things that are fun. While such activities might require some assistance from the doctor and family members, this helps the patient to be cheerful and healthy.
8. Maintain notes: Since dementia is involved with forgetfulness, it makes sense to maintain a diary and keep records of phone numbers, people, appointments, etc.
9. Communication channel: Maintaining a direct communication channel with family, friends, and relatives is a good idea. Sharing feelings will go a long way in maintaining relations with loved ones.
10. Support group: Joining a dementia support group can be highly beneficial for the patient. It will not only give the patient company but also make sure that the patient gets a lot of useful information about the disorder. It also helps in keeping the morale up.
11. Getting ready for the future: Things need to be meticulously planned well in advance to ensure that when the disease progresses, the patient has enough people to look after him. Things such as medical arrangements, financial assets, and property details should be carefully handed over as per the patient's wish. This will ensure a smooth run of the patients’ life when they can no longer take care of themselves.
12.  this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
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Know the Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

There are two types of people in this world. Those who want to know when something is wrong with them or the ones they love, and those that prefer to ignore the problem. The first is harder, much harder. It means facing the truth head on and taking your lumps, whatever they may be.

The alternative is easier, at first, but the repercussions of avoiding early detection mean a much more rapid slide into dementia, without drugs that can slow the disease down and enhance functioning. True, there is no final cure for the disease just yet, but early detection can give a much longer time with low to no symptoms. 

Don't be alarmed if you feel like you have one or two of these symptoms, they may have different causes such as natural aging. But this should be a list you're aware of, especially if they persist or worsen.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.






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Know the Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

There are two types of people in this world. Those who want to know when something is wrong with them or the ones they love, and those that prefer to ignore the problem. The first is harder, much harder. It means facing the truth head on and taking your lumps, whatever they may be.

The alternative is easier, at first, but the repercussions of avoiding early detection means a much more rapid slide into dementia, without drugs that can slow the disease down and enhance functioning. True, there is no final cure for the disease just yet, but early detection can give a much longer time with low to no symptoms. 

Don't be alarmed if you feel like you have one or two of these symptoms, they may have different causes such as natural aging. But this should be a list you're aware of, especially if they persist or worsen.

Click on the image to see it in full size.

 
 THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.








PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS

HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM