aging

eating the clock

Your Health DR GITA MATHAI

Today’s world belongs to the young. They get the jobs, the accolades for their appearance, the attention. This has led to an obsession with preserving youthful good looks, not only in India but all over the world. People want to ward off the changes of aging — the wrinkles, weak muscles and sagging skin. Initially, it was women who tried to delay, or at least conceal the inevitable, but now anti-ageing products have become a multimillion-dollar industry targeting both sexes. Many products are targeting an exclusively male clientele. A host of creams on the market claim to protect your skin from the ravages of time. Their cost varies from Rs 500 for a small tube to Rs 40,000 for a jar. Some claim to contain such exotic things as placental extract, aloe vera, retinol or derivatives obtained from stem cells. Others contain gold and heavy metals. Advertised as remedies that work in a few weeks, the models in their advertisements are photo shopped and airbrushed. It is this computer editing (and not the cream) that miraculously “wipes” the age lines away. Wrinkles and blemishes form from the dermis, the layer under the skin. It is a moot point whether sufficient quantities of cream actually penetrate that deep. Perhaps the best bet (and cheapest too) is to do what our grandmothers did, and apply a mixture of equal quantities of coconut oil, rice bran oil and sesame oil. Wash off with a mild soap after 10 minutes. Men are particularly conscious of receding hairlines. They are going in for hair transplants, hair dye and facials. Different dyes have to be used for facial hair and that on the head. The face is very sensitive, so try out the dye on a small area first to see if there is an allergic reaction. A variety of unregulated “revitalising, anti-aging testosterone boosting” health supplements are advertised for men to improve libido and increase muscle mass. It is best to avoid them. They are of doubtful efficacy and may contain heavy metals. Some are dangerous, especially in combination with allopathic medication for diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. Cosmetic procedures such as botox injections, liposuction, sculpting of specific areas, breast reduction or augmentation or uplift are very popular. These are major surgeries not to be taken lightly. Botox, if administered inexpertly, can have serious side effects. If we really want to combat ageing, we should take as much care of our internal health as we take over our physical appearance. The perquisites for healthy ageing are the absence of chronic illness and an adequate income. Stress levels should be kept to a minimum and the outlook on life should be positive. It is best to quit smoking and drink in moderation. It may not be possible to avoid a chronic illness. Even with hard work and astute investments, finances may go into a tailspin. Stress can, however, be kept under control and a positive outlook on life maintained with regular exercise, yoga and meditation. You should be strong enough to keep addictions (alcohol, cigarettes and drugs) under control. Remain active mentally by continuing to work as long a possible. Doing crosswords and solving puzzles also helps. People are always looking for a miracle pill that they can pop to live longer and look younger. The first drug reported to delay ageing was a growth hormone, which is now sold illegally. It has to be taken as an injection, has serious side effects and no proven anti-ageing benefits. A naturally occurring enzyme in the body called SIRT1 increases the life of cells and retards ageing. It is switched on naturally by calorie restriction and exercise. Certain chemicals like resveratrol present in red wine are found to activate this enzyme. Calorie restriction, 40 minutes of exercise daily, meditation and yoga will improve vitality and reduce the appearance of ageing. More important, a healthy body will help you enjoy the years you have left. Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in

tummy troubles

Tummy trouble Your Health DR GITA MATHAI Nobody likes to hear about bowel movements. The only exception is the bowel movements of infants – their bowel movements are avidly studied, followed and discussed. Since no two children pass stools of the same colour, consistency and frequency, there is a lot to discuss. Young parents and caregivers have an anxious time trying to differentiate the “normal” from an illness. Babies float in amniotic fluid in the uterus. Some of it is swallowed, which is why babies pass a black and sticky motion (called meconium) soon after birth. Within a few days the colour changes, gradually becoming the usual golden yellow stool. In 2-3 per cent of newborns as the change in colour occurs around day four there may be frequent watery stools – a “transitional diarrhoea.” This is normal and requires no treatment. Exclusively breast-fed babies pass soft golden yellow semisolid motions. The frequency varies from once a day to up to 10-12 times a day. As long as the consistency and colour are normal, there is no need to worry. Formula-fed infants have beige stools, which are more solid and occur only once or twice a day. Breast-fed babies are less likely to develop diarrhoea than formula-fed infants. If breast milk is inadequate and artificial feeding has to be done, a sterilised stainless steel bowl and spoon are safer than a feeding bottle. If bottles and nipples are used, they must be cleaned thoroughly and then sterilised by boiling for 10 minutes. The signs that signal danger in diarrhoea are: • Watery motion • Projectile motion that shoots out at a distance • Change in colour to green • Blood or mucous in the stool • Dehydration. This can be picked up by sunken eyes, depressed fontanel ( the gap in the skull bones at the front of the head), loss of skin turgor, lack of tears and failure to pass urine for 3-4 hours. • Fever • Vomiting Diarrhoea in children may be infective, and be caused by a variety of viruses, and parasites. Of these, the rotavirus has been proven to cause 35 per cent of the diarrhoeal deaths in children before the age of five. The maximum mortality occurs in children less than a year old. Diarrhoea may have non-infective causes such as a total or relative lactose or sugar intolerance, allergy to certain foods, fructose in fruit and fruit juices, sorbitol or mannitol in artificially sweetened juices. It may have a surgical cause such as appendicitis or intussusception. The diarrhoea may also be a manifestation of disease elsewhere in the body, like an infection in the urinary tract. If it lasts for two weeks or more, it may be caused by malabsorption, endocrine abnormalities (especially thyroid), tumours, and pancreatic or liver disease. Investigations have to be done to diagnose the problem accurately. In any diarrhoea, it is important to prevent dehydration as that is responsible for most fatalities. Fluid loss should be replaced. Children can be given commercially available, correctly reconstituted ORS (oral rehydration solution), salted buttermilk, rice kanjee with salt or watery kitchdi. It is best to avoid fruit juices and aerated cola drinks. Anti diarrhoeal medications such as loperamide and lomotil, which are available over the counter, should not be given to children. Antibiotics will not work unless there is a bacterial infection; they do not work against viruses. If prescribed, they should be given in adequate doses for the duration prescribed and not discontinued as soon as there is symptomatic improvement. If there is lactose deficiency, stopping milk temporarily, and substituting it with soya milk will help control the diarrhoea. Chronic diarrhoea or frequent recurrent attacks can result in slight zinc deficiency, which perpetuates the diarrhoea. Zinc supplementation causes a reduction in the frequency of the stools, weight gain and an improvement in general health. Before preparing food for a child or feeding him or her, you should wash your hands with soap or use a hand sanitizer. The child should also be taught the importance of washing her or his hands before eating. Children should not return to school for 48 hours (two days) after a diarrhoeal illness. In India, diarrhoea is responsible for 13-14 per cent of the deaths in children under the age of five. Of this, rotavirus is responsible for 34 per cent of the deaths. Rotavirus infection can be prevented with timely childhood immunisation. The vaccine is given orally. The schedule should be started in the second month for maximum benefit. Proper sanitation, sewage disposal and safe drinking water are not available in most of India. Until these deficiencies are rectified, bacterial and parasitic diarrhoea will remain a major health problem, especially for children. Of the infective causes, only cholera and rotavirus infection are preventable with immunisation. Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in Share on emailShare on printShare on facebookShare on twitterMore Sharing Services