Here are some of the things that you should think about before you set out on your voyage. First and foremost, gather as much information about the place that you are about to visit. Ensure that you know all about the local conditions there, the risks related to the area, and the type of accommodation that will be available to you. Just being prepared makes you feel more relaxed mentally, thereby cutting down on your anticipatory anxiety drastically.

If you can decide the length of your stay well in advance, this will allow you to book your tickets accordingly and also help you to avoid carrying unnecessary luggage. If you are a person with respiratory, cardiovascular, or cerebrovascular problems, find out the altitude of the place that you’re going up to as the decreased oxygen levels there may aggravate your symptoms. Also, if you are going all alone and don’t have any relatives, friends, or even acquaintances out there, check if the area has any security issues.

Even if you have to get to some remote village, the unavailability of even a primary healthcare facility in this area should be a cause of concern for you. In such cases, you can only hope for the best and be prepared for the worst by taking precautionary measures such as prophylactic drugging and vaccination to prevent diseases that you could possibly contract. If you are going to a place that is infested with insects, remember to apply an insect-repellant cream on your skin and wear full sleeved shirts and thick trousers or jeans. Always carry a first-aid box with commonly used medicines in it.

Don’t feel shy to wear gumboots if you are going to walk through some jungle. Preferably eat and drink only packaged stuff. If you must eat by the roadside, opt for seething hot food items and drink hot beverages like tea and coffee to be on the safer side. If you are suffering from a health condition like diabetes mellitus that may call for emergency medical aid at times, carry your health card with all possible details about yourself and your illness duly filled in. Carrying an extra pair of spectacles wouldn’t be a bad idea as you may need a spare one if the pair that you are wearing falls down and breaks. Just this much, and you can rest assured that you’re good to ride, drive, sail, or fly!

Grapefruits owe their beautiful and bright red or pink colors to a carotenoid known as lycopene. This phytonutrient is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also an anti-tumor agent. Studies have shown that men who consume foods that are rich in lycopene such as grapefruits, guavas, papaya, apricots, tomatoes, and watermelon are less prone to suffer from prostatic enlargement and cancer.

Limonoids, another group of phytonutrients present in grapefruits, are capable of facilitating detoxification of a number of compounds in the liver so as to keep many diseases at bay.  The glucarates in grapefruits are helpful in preventing breast cancer. The fruit has a good amount of pectin in it, which is a form of soluble fiber. This is useful in reducing the absorption of consumed fats, thereby lowering the cholesterol levels of the body and preventing atherosclerosis and hypertension in the bargain.

Drinking grapefruit juice daily makes the urine more alkaline in its pH and thus reduces the risk of developing calcium oxalate kidney stones. The juice has also been found to offer protection against lung and colon cancer. Therefore, it is advisable for smokers to eat this fruit or drink its juice regularly to decrease their chances of suffering from bronchogenic carcinoma. It has recently been established that grapefruit also has insulin-lowering properties and is therefore indispensible in the management of diabetes mellitus naturally.

The use of fast-acting insulin can increase the risk of hypoglycemia because its action may be at its maximum much before your digestive processes will have ceased. An individual’s blood sugar level can also drop if he forgets to have or delays his meal, eats very little, or exercises excessively or for a longer duration. Alcoholism is also known to lead to hypoglycemia because it affects the liver adversely. Often, periods of stress such as diseases or surgical interventions increase the energy demand of the body. If the calorie intake is lower during these periods, hypoglycemia can occur.

Since the brain requires a steady supply of glucose, a sudden drop in the blood sugar is bound to affect it very badly. That is why the patient falls unconscious. A blood sugar level between 50 and 60 mg/dl is referred to as mild hypoglycemia, whereas that between 20 and 50 mg/dl is moderate hypoglycemia. Any value that is lower than 20 mg/dl can send the patient into a state of coma or give rise to convulsions, which can prove fatal. However, the symptoms may not be in congruence with the blood glucose value. Therefore, the symptoms should be paid more attention to when managing such cases.

The manifestations of hypoglycemia vary from person to person and can include symptoms like confusion, disorientation, giddiness, weakness, tiredness, anxiety, palpitations, chilliness, headache, irritability, blurring of vision, trembling, drowsiness, and mood swings. Hypoglycemia can be treated very easily if you are sensitive enough to pick up the cues provided by your body. As soon as you realize that your blood sugar is probably dropping, you should eat or drink a sugary product that will act fast. Drinking a glass of fruit juice, chewing two or three sugar candies, or a few spoons of ice-cream should do the trick and get you up and running again.

Being overweight or obese often predisposes the development of hypertension. This is because the excess fat in the body leads to accumulations within the blood vessels, thereby blocking the arteries that carry blood to various organs. Some people have calcium deposits in the walls of their blood vessels that harden and narrow them down, thereby decreasing the blood flow through them. Others may have the formation of clots or blood vessel tumors that may lead to hypertension. In anemia, the reduction in the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells forces the heart to overwork. Thus, in almost all the cases of hypertension, the heart is actually trying to compensate by working harder to supply enough blood to all the tissues of the body.

Most people think that by popping in pills to reduce their blood pressure, they are safe. They are safe in the sense that they will not suffer from a cerebrovascular stroke or hemorrhages, the acute manifestations of the disease. However, very few are aware of the fact that the raised blood pressure is a symptom of a disease and not the disease itself. It is indicative of a lifestyle issue or an underlying disorder. Hence, rectifying the cause is important rather than trying to only keep the blood pressure low. Not doing so and only focusing on controlling the blood pressure will work in a way that is contrary to what the body is trying to do. This will only lead to a further decrease in the blood supply to vital organs, leading to multiple organ failure in the long run.

For this reason, going natural makes sense. Lifestyle modifications like reducing your weight, decreasing one’s consumption of salt, quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol, and exercising daily are essential to normalize your blood pressure. Remember, your loved ones want to have you around happy and healthy. So, at least for their sake, do the right thing – Beat Hypertension!

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the commonest eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are both associated with the obsession to lose weight and maintain a slim figure. Ours, being a patriarchal society, women seem to be under more pressure to look good. That is possibly why both these disorders are more common in the female population. Men are accepted in all shapes, sizes, and colors. It really doesn’t seem to matter whether they are handsome or ugly, hairy or bald, smelly or fragrant.

While an anorexic person keeps cutting down on food and sticks to ‘diet foods’ to approach size zero, a bulimic individual eats normally or even in excess and then tries to undo what was done by inducing vomiting, purging, or overexerting to burn those consumed calories. The sad part is that these people are not even aware of the adverse effects of these activities. Frequent vomiting is known to traumatize the food-pipe and also cause erosion of the enamel of the teeth due to the acid that is spewed out from the stomach.

Purging not only damages the large intestines but also causes obstinate constipation. Besides, since most of the absorption and assimilation of nutrients occurs in the small intestines, purging is of no use anyway. Hypergymnasia or excessive exercising to shed weight only leads to muscle sprains, ligament tears, and other medical complications. The patients make a laughing stock of themselves by exercising anywhere and everywhere, even at odd hours. The onlookers do not realize that the person indulging in such untimely activities is actually suffering from a psychological problem.

Binge eaters often eat for the sake of eating and not because they are hungry. They try to fill up some void in their life with food that seems to comfort them temporarily. They cannot control themselves and can eat till they get physically uncomfortable. This is often followed by feelings of embarrassment, guilt, despair, or disgust. Such people tend to become obese and are at increased risk of suffering from diseases like diabetes mellitus, heart attacks, stroke, osteoarthritis, and high blood pressure. The only way of helping individuals with eating disorders is through behavioral counseling, diet correction, and weight normalization. In some cases, hospitalization may become necessary.

Strange as it may sound, but it is true that people who are destructive mentally tend to suffer from destructive pathologies at the level of their body too. Thus, a person who is vindictive or revengeful, and frequently thinks about harming someone, has greater chances of suffering from ulcerative diseases, premature aging, and cancer. Similarly, an individual who is suicidal in disposition is also more likely to suffer from self-destructive diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders.

People that are mentally retentive also have a propensity to be that way physically. They usually get stuck up in time and dwell on nostalgic moments as well as unpleasant occurrences. Such people love to hoard things and so does their body, which accumulates fat. Sluggishness at the level of the mind usually translates into slowness at the level of the body, whereas mental restlessness or irritability is very often accompanied by bodily manifestations like restless legs syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome, which represent the same emotional state.

Hence, there is a need to discipline our body and mind simultaneously. This is one of the most important teachings and preliminary requisites of yoga, where you do to your mind whatever you do to your body, and vice versa. For example, you practice cleanliness of the body by having a bath, while you practice mental hygiene by warding off any negative thoughts and emotions. As you control yourself physically, you also need to do so mentally if you wish to be successful in your endeavors.

Simple things can go a long way in protecting your eyes. For example, washing your eyes with drinking water is a better idea, so that you don’t get them infected with contaminated water. Wearing glares whenever you go out in the sunlight, especially in the afternoons, can help to protect the eyes from any damage due to the harsh ultraviolet radiations in the sun’s rays. Regular eye checkups at least once in every six months are a must for everyone.

If you suffer from any eye problems, you should get carefully examined by an ophthalmologist and then get investigated to rule out any dangerous pathology. You need to be careful because deteriorating eyesight could be due to various reasons, ranging from congenital disorders and eyestrain to nutritional deficiencies and other local or systemic diseases. Treatment would depend upon the diagnosis. Reversing the pathology may not be possible in every case. However, if detected early, the progress of the disease can at least be arrested or slowed down.

Although heredity does play a role in the development of some eye problems, not all eye diseases have heredity to blame. Various factors such as sleep habits, occupation, faulty diets, systemic illnesses, and local eye irritation can lead to eye disorders. It is therefore always advisable to consult an ophthalmologist first before going to see an optician because just using corrective lenses is not a good idea without knowing what is causing the problem.

In many cases, making dietary changes and doing visual acuity exercises can help to improve vision and thereby eliminate the need for glasses. Antioxidants seem to play a vital role in eye care. Therefore, foods, which are rich in beta carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, and antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, omega 3 fatty acids,   zeaxanthin, and lycopene, are invaluable in the prevention as well as treatment of eye disorders.

Potatoes are relished by both the rich as well as the poor equally. An inexpensive vegetable that is readily available throughout the year, potatoes can be boiled, baked, shallow or deep fried, barbecued, or roasted. Irrespective of the mode of preparation, there is no doubt that this bland vegetable takes up the flavor and taste of practically any spice or vegetable that is added to it, thereby offering a gustatory treat.

While a majority of us unconsciously depend upon potatoes as a comfort food, only a few of us realize that it would make more sense to binge on healthier preparations of the vegetable rather than binging on chips, fries, cutlets, and the kind that are loaded with fat and salt, both of which are known to play havoc with the digestive as well as the cardiovascular systems. For those who do not know, the potato is not a fruit of a plant. It is an underground stem, which is also referred to as a tuber. The fruit of the potato plant is not edible.

When potatoes are washed clean and cooked with their skin, either by boiling or baking, their nutritive value is the highest. Low in calories and rich in fiber, this vegetable can help to prevent heart disease as well as certain forms of cancer. Potatoes are not only a good source of vitamin B₆ and vitamin C, but also contain important minerals like potassium, copper, and manganese, in decent amounts.

The flavonoids and carotenoids present in potatoes are responsible for the antioxidant effects of this vegetable. These protect the tissues against damage by free radicals, thereby preventing early degenerative changes in them. Since potatoes are underground stems, they are more likely to get affected by the soil and water that is used for their growth. Organically grown potatoes are the safest and healthiest, whereas those exposed to sewage or water containing industrial wastes can prove to be toxic to the body in the long run.

The viruses that commonly produce meningitis are Enteroviruses, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2, and the West Nile virus. Cryptococcus and Coccidioidomycosis are the fungi that have been found to trigger the condition too.  Other than the above mentioned pathogenic organisms, Group B Streptococci (GBS), Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes can cause meningitis in newborns, aged people, and individuals whose immune system is in a state of compromise.

Rarely, meningitis may be a manifestation of Lyme disease, neurosyphilis, or tuberculosis. Although the meninges may be the seat of the infection in a number of cases, yet in most cases, this condition may develop due to the spread of an infection via the blood from some other part of the body, such as the respiratory tract. In some cases, this spread may be from areas that lie close to or can easily connect to the meninges like the middle ear, paranasal sinuses, and teeth.

Head injury, structural defects in the meninges, past neurological surgeries, poor immunity, and exposure to patients suffering from meningitis can also increase the risk of suffering from this disease.  Meningitis patients usually complain of high fever with severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, and projectile vomiting along with malaise, irritability, and reduced appetite. Some patients may also develop increased sensitiveness to light (photophobia) or suffer from convulsions with altered consciousness. A hemorrhagic rash on the legs is typically observed in many cases of meningococcal meningitis.

The investigations that are generally done to diagnose the condition include complete blood cell count (CBC), serum electrolytes, lumbar puncture for microscopic examination of the cerebrovascular fluid, and polymerase chain reaction tests to find out whether the disease is viral in origin. Treatment is almost always symptomatic, along with the administration of antibiotics. At times, steroids may also have to be used to suppress inflammation. Antipyretics are used to decrease the fever and anticonvulsive drugs may have to be administered to control the seizures.

What is scary is that this infection cannot be prevented from spreading by the use of a condom. The only way of staying disease-free is by avoiding close contact with any person who is already infected. Warts are the commonest manifestations of the human papilloma virus. These warts can develop almost anywhere, although they are more often found to develop over the hands or legs, genitals, larynx, and in the anal region.

While warts are not very dangerous by themselves, they are known to undergo cellular changes that can predispose cancer, especially of the anus or the neck of the womb. That is precisely why one cannot afford to take HPV infection very lightly. Once diagnosed with this infection, it is always advisable to get investigated at regular intervals to rule out any malignant processes that could have started off somewhere within the body.

While a Papanicolaou (PAP) smear is an invaluable tool for screening cervical erosions (abnormal changes in the neck of the uterus), tests like the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay) and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) are extremely useful in detecting the infection as well as in judging its severity. The greater the viral load, the higher the chances of developing complications.

The warts caused by this virus are usually got rid of by using liquid nitrogen, surgically excising them, or electro-cauterizing them. Chemical substances like trichloroacetic acid, alpha-interferon, and podophyllin are also used in the treatment of warts. Most warts also simply go away on their own with a year or two; however, recurrences are very common because the viral DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) tends to remain within the normal tissue in the vicinity of the wart.