A Guide to Coping with COPD and Anxiety Effectively

Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is known to cause several issues in living a normal life.

The inability to breathe properly can cause anxiety in people. Diagnosing the same is tough for doctors as the symptoms for both conditions are similar.

Remember, you are not alone. We’re here to ease your worries and help you properly deal with COPD.

A part of the chronic bronchitis treatment program will include handling one’s anxiety.

Let’s begin by understanding the basics.

The Overlap of COPD and Anxiety

Chronic inflammatory lung disease causes the airflow in the0020lungs to be obstructed. Being unable to breathe properly due to COPD can increase the risk of developing conditions like lung cancer, heart disease, and other dangerous diseases.

Two common conditions that may lead to a person developing COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The severity will differ from person to person.

When a person suffers from COPD, their brain keeps sending signals to the body that it is in distress. This could lead to anxiety for most, and in some cases, it could also cause severe panic attacks.

Furthermore, it also changes the breathing patterns of the person. This makes it essential to get chronic bronchitis treatment.

The vicious cycle of having an improper breathing pattern leads to anxiety, and it affects a person’s ability to breathe properly.

Coping Mechanisms

Ideally, you want to visit a doctor to learn more about the condition and how to deal with it.

Here are a couple of techniques and therapies that can help you in keeping your body and mind calm.

1. Meditation

One of the best ways to tackle COPD and anxiety is to meditate every day. Try to chant and perform yoga in the morning. It will not heal the underlying issue but will surely give you a sense of accomplishment.

You must see one of the best nephrology doctors if you are facing any issues in your kidneys.

2. Breathing Exercises

Anxiety and panic attacks can make you feel like you’re suffocating. Breathing exercises will help in strengthening the diaphragm and regain some control over their breathing.

Here’s what you can do as you exercise-

• Fold your legs and sit with your shoulders straight; make sure your chest and abdomen are not blocked.

• Inhale through your nose as slowly as possible. Let your abdomen expand with the full breath you take.

• Purse your lips and exhale slowly.

Just a reminder that this is not a chronic bronchitis treatment.

3. Pulmonary Rehabilitation

PR or pulmonary rehabilitation techniques include educational information, exercises, and advice on saving energy. Learning about all of these can ensure you get to live a better life. This way, the lungs can keep functioning as they should. PR techniques can reduce psychological triggers and even manage them.

COPD may require support from family and friends.

One of the most important aspects of keeping it under control is to get an in-depth understanding of the condition.

Panic attacks, anxiety, or depression can worsen COPD, and the cycle continues.

Seeing a doctor can prove to be beneficial.

Most Common Reasons to See A Nephrologist

Are you experiencing pain while urinating? Have you noticed blood in your urine? Are you suffering from high blood pressure? Have you observed swelling in different parts of the body? Do you have symptoms like back or side pain and an enlarged belly? Are sleep problems and urinary irregularities are common for you? If so, it’s probably that you have a kidney ailment and it’s time to see a kidney disease doctor.

Importance of Kidneys

Kidneys play a critical role in body functioning. They purify the blood and remove waste. Kidneys remove drugs from the body and balance the fluids in the body. They also release hormones that maintain blood pressure and produce an active form of vitamin D which is important for strong and healthy bones. If the kidneys don’t function properly, waste can build up in the blood that can harm other parts of the body as well.

Specific circumstances which are mentioned above often require the assistance of a specialist called a Nephrologist. A nephrologist focuses on the diagnosis and management of kidney ailments. The best kidney care hospital Vadodara has a team of kidney disease doctors that treat kidney infections developed from existing health issues like high diabetes, heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure. They try to diagnose the cause of the disease and come up with an effective treatment plan that treats the problem completely.

Chronic kidney diseases can also cause other serious health complications such as anemia, a weakened immune system, osteoporosis or an irregular heartbeat. Therefore, it is important to have healthy kidneys and to be proactive in seeing a nephrologist who can treat any kidney ailment you have.

Why do we need to go to a nephrologist?

Top multi-specialist hospitals in Vadodara have dedicated and experienced teams of nephrologists that perform diagnostic tests and treat kidney-related conditions. If you have acute kidney failure or chronic kidney disease, hypertension electrolyte imbalances, chronic urinary tract infection or you need dialysis treatment, nephrology doctors can help you. They offer a variety of services such as-

1. Monitoring blood pressure of the patients
2. Treatment for advanced or chronic kidney disease
3. Treatment for Glomerular conditions like nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis
4. Tubular defects and tubulointerstitial kidney diseases
5. Kidney vascular conditions such as renal artery stenosis
6. Observing electrolyte and fluid balance in the body
7. Dialysis (a treatment for kidney disease)
8. They evaluate whether a kidney transplant is needed if other medications and treatments are ineffective
9. They prescribe medication for hypertension or kidney disease

What should you do to keep your kidneys healthy?

As kidneys are the vital organ in the body system, we should always try to keep them healthy. One can protect their kidneys by preventing health conditions like diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. Make healthy food choices to keep your heart and whole body healthy and fit. Fresh fruits & vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products should be consumed to stay active and fit.

You need to cut back on salt, oily food and added sugars. Make 30-45 minutes of physical activity an important part of your routine. Be active throughout the day. If you visit a kidney specialist hospital in India, you may ask your doctor about the specific types of physical activities and the right type of food to keep your kidneys healthy.

Many people may not realize how serious their condition could be if they ignore the early symptoms of kidney diseases. If you have any issue mentioned in this post, you should visit a nephrologist; you must pay attention to his or her advice.

Can A Coronavirus Vaccine Battle Against the New Mutated B117 Virus?

Today, the whole world is battling against Covid-19, and just when we thought with the invention of the vaccine, it’s over to an extent, it is back again with its new variant. Another variant? What is it called? Is it more dangerous than SARS COV-2? You all are bewildered thinking these random questions and the solutions to these questions.

We all are in the hope of getting proper coronavirus treatment to eliminate the outbreak of Covid-19. This article will review how beneficial the coronavirus vaccine is and how it can be effective against this new mutated B117 Virus! Read on to know more! Before heading on check out our blog on Get yourself vaccinated or not?

Before we head towards the crux of the topic, let’s study blog related to Interesting facts on Covishield and Covaxin.

What is The New Mutated B117 Virus? And how does it differ from other various strains of Covid-19?

The solitary way the B117 infection is not the same as different strains of COVID is that it is considerably more infectious. More individuals are probably going to get tainted by one contaminated individual. Of the multitude of various strains of COVID, this one has the most elevated level of contagiousness, 70% infectious.

Why do researchers feel that the new vaccinations will neutralize the B117 Virus?

Fortunately, researchers worldwide accept that the Covid antibody will be compelling against the B117 strain.

Initially, researchers have discovered that this strain doesn’t have additional harmfulness. That implies it isn’t riskier than different strains of COVID. A Covid Vaccine that has been ending up being viable against different strains will likewise be successful against this strain.

Above all, there is no adjustment in the spike protein of the B117 virus. The spike protein decides how successful the Covid vaccination will be.

So, the COVID-19 vaccine is the only coronavirus treatment created in light of the regular strains’ spike protein, which will likewise neutralize the new viral strain because their protein structure is the equivalent.

Will India’s COVID-19 vaccination Covaxin or Covishield neutralize the new strain?

Since the time it was declared that India’s local Covid Vaccine Covaxin by Bharat Biotech had been given crisis endorsement, it has met colossal backfire. Researchers are confused about its viability since it has not yet finished the crucial stage 3 preliminary. Also, its viability reports have not been distributed.

When this Covid Vaccine finishes the preliminaries and researchers find out about its adequacy, we can determine whether India’s COVID vaccine can be effective against the B117 infection.

Meanwhile, everything we would all be able to manage is noticing the COVID convention and sitting tight for the Covid vaccine to turn out.

Want yourself to be vaccinated now? Reach out to us for effective COVID-19 treatment in Vadodara today!

Do You Know?

In its week after week depicting pandemic action, the WHO said pandemic movement declined 13% a week ago and has dropped for three weeks. A significant part of the decay was from high-trouble nations like the United Kingdom and the United States. Passing held about consistent, with 96,000 revealed over the previous week.

All WHO areas announced decreases aside from South-East Asia, where cases have levelled, with Indonesia showing an increment.

Concerning, ten different nations detailed B117 cases, raising the all out to 80 across every one of the six of the WHO’s locales.

The WHO stressed that cases and hospitalizations have declined as of late in nations where variations are coursing, showing that general public health measures can handle their movement.

Concluding Thoughts!

Hence, we are still waiting for the vaccines to fight against the newly mutated B117 Virus, hoping that it will eradicate COVID-19 from all over the world. There will be a lot of out Covid-19 hospitals where you can get your vaccination dose. It is necessary to have Coronavirus treatment with the objective that you and your family stay safe.

Our group at Pranayam Lung and Heart Institute focuses on serving all of our patients with the most outrageous COVID-19 treatment. We moreover offer treatment to Coronavirus. We even have special wards segregated, particularly COVID-19 treatment in Vadodara. We are uncommon contrasted with other Covid-19 hospitals in Vadodara.

We hope this article was helpful to you, and you might be aware of the new BB17 Virus and will surely take precautionary measures to keep yourself and your family safe against this deadly virus!

5 Alarming Dangers of Smoking while Pregnant

Smoking Is Injurious to health!

We all have heard this phrase an ample number of times, yet we try to ignore this fact and somehow convince ourselves that ‘I cannot live without my pack of cigarettes’ Thus, we continue smoking them.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to quit smoking if not completely at least during the pregnancy and even after the pregnancy till the time you are breast-feeding the baby.

YES! We know the fact that “It is Easier Said Than Done”     

But let us tell you some serious facts and issues that you might face if you smoke during the pregnancy. 

Miscarriage and Stillbirth: 

Miscarriage is when you lose a child unexpectedly during the initial weeks of pregnancy. Stillbirth is when you lose a child after 20 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage and Stillbirth are one of the most common problems faced by women who smoke during pregnancy. Both of them occur due to the harmful smoke on the feto-placental circulation. 

DO YOU KNOW? 

According to studies, 1 out of 5 babies are observed as less in weight with mothers having a habit of smoking while pregnant.

Low Birth Weight: 

If you smoke during your pregnancy then your baby will be born with a very low birth rate which can range from 150 to 200 grams as compared to a healthy baby. Low birth weight can lead to many health issues in the future. It is a grave condition that might result in developmental delay, hearing defects, vision ailments, and cerebral palsy.

Premature Birth:

As per the reports of CDC, there are high chances of delivering a premature baby if you are smoking during your gestation. Having a pre-term birth can lead to several health-related issues that include:

1. Psychological Disability
2. Visual and Hearing Weakening
3. Death
4. Learning and behavioural difficulties

Birth Defects:

Smoking during the pregnancy can be upshot in delivering a baby with defects as serious as a heart issue.  Congenital heart defects and structural heart issues are the most common. Other health issues also resulting from smoking comprises cleft lip and cleft palate.  

Reach out to PLHI for the right care and motivation!

Ectopic Pregnancy:

As per the reports of a study published in PloS One, consumption of nicotine during pregnancy can lead to contractions in the fallopian tube. Such contractions avert the embryo from passing through resulting in Ectopic Pregnancy. Ectopic Pregnancy occurs when fertilized eggs scions either in the abdomen, fallopian tube, or outside the womb. And if such a situation arises, it becomes extremely important to remove the embryo in order to evade life-threatening complications to the mother.  

Now you know how serious things can get, if you smoke during pregnancy. Quit smoking as soon as you start planning your pregnancy and save yourself from some grave consequences.  

Say NO to even a single drag of smoke or E – Cigarettes and also stay away from people who smoke. You might think what harm can it be sitting next to a person who is smoking, but ‘Second-hand Smoke’ is as dangerous as you smoking yourself.

Want to know ways of how one can quit smoking? Read our blog on How To Quit Smoking!

Quitting smoking while pregnant is the first step for the healthy life of your child.

Quit Today!

Pranayam Lung & Heart Institute is a Smoking Cessation Clinic in Vadodara, Gujarat that has been on a journey to create a healthy society for the last 4 decades. We’re an ideal module that aims at curing patients of various respiratory and cardiac diseases with the help of experts and high-end technology. 

We will make this difficult step easier for you with the right care and support.  Our doctors will go an extra mile to make sure that you are given the care you need. 

Talk to us today for more information!  

7 Myths About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): DEBUNKED!!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that affects your airways, air sacs or both. It’s a fatal disease that has affected about 15 million American adults and another 24 million that go undiagnosed, as per the American Lung Association.

People with COPD and other underlying health issues are prone to get affected by the novel coronavirus. In this article, we will be looking into 7 myths and misconceptions about COPD.

We are assuming you are well aware of the causes of chronic bronchitis1 before debunking the myths surrounding COPD.

Busting 7 Myths Related to COPD

Myth #1. Smokers are prone to get COPD

The truth is that COPD is often associated with smoking, but there are a substantial number of people who have never smoked and are suffering from this condition.

According to the research by the National Institutes of Health, 42% of COPD sufferers are former smokers, 34% are current smokers and the rest, which make up 24% who never lit a cigarette.

Other reasons to develop COPD is through secondhand smoking, air pollutants like silica dust, concrete dust and chemical fumes, wood fires and even genetic disorder called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency1 .

Myth #2. Regular exercise can be difficult

If you’re witnessing shortness of breath or feel tired, then talk to your doctor if you need pulmonary rehabilitation wherein specialised respiratory therapists teach breathing techniques and exercises to make a living with COPD easier.

Schedule 20-30 minutes of exercise for 3-4 times in a week and combine it with cardiovascular activities.

Look for moderate exercise to lessen COPD symptoms and make sure you rest before and after training.

Myth #3. Mask can cause low oxygen levels

The pandemic can be a pain for people with underlying illnesses like COPD. There has been a lot of misinformation floating on the internet.

Gladly, the American Lung Association denies all such baseless claims. Not wearing a mask around others will only worsen the pandemic, leading to more disease, and harm the economy. The main goal of wearing a mask is to break the chain of infection.

Even the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended everyone, even those with lung diseases and trouble breathing, should wear masks to cover their mouths and nose to help protect others from their own respiratory spray when they cough, sneeze or talk.

Myth #4: There’s no effective treatment to cure COPD

Regular chronic bronchitis treatment can efficiently improve your quality of life by improving your breathing. Sadly, COPD isn’t irreversible, and treatments can make your life better.

COPD caused by emphysema are advised to use supplemental oxygen while COPD caused by chronic bronchitis is provided with 2 kinds of treatments:

• Bronchodilators
• Inhaled corticosteroids

Patients are also given a pulmonary rehabilitation program that includes education, exercise and support to help you make a difference.

Myth #5. People with existing illnesses are prone to catch COVID-19

There’s no proof that states people with COPD and asthma catch COVID-19 more often than someone healthy.

Experts have claimed that people with COPD, Asthma, and other conditions are at a higher risk of experiencing severe complications if you get diagnosed with COVID-19. Thus, it’s essential to follow safety guidelines and wear a mask everywhere we go.

Learn to self-manage your condition by keeping up with your COPD diet, medications, exercise program and oxygen therapy. This will prevent your COPD from progressing into a severe stage.

Myth #6: Quit smoking can be a late call for COPD patients

If you think that there’s no good to quit smoking since your lungs are already damaged, then you’re certainly wrong.

The fact is that smoking can worsen your COPD symptoms and quitting smoking can reduce lung damage and decline the progression of your disease.

Myth #7: COPD hits only the elderly

Usually, people diagnosed with COPD are mostly in their 50s and 60s. However, COPD starts when you’re in your 40s and even in your 20s and 30s (in rare cases). The disease is diagnosed late, wherein the patient turns old.

If you have a severe form of a genetic disease present at birth, then you can also develop COPD as early as their 20s.

You can live a quality life with COPD if you follow a treatment plan and consult your doctor on how to manage COPD.

Pranayam Lung & Heart Institute (PLHI) has been providing effective solutions for the cure of Respiratory (lung/chest) and Cardiac (heart) care for the past 38 years.

All our doctors and experts make sure of pushing it to an extra mile and provide a result-oriented approach round the clock. Get the best treatment for chronic bronchitis!

COVID-19 and Asthma: Expert Guidelines to Stay Safe

The novel coronavirus is more prone to take over adults of the age 60 and above, including adults suffering from chronic illnesses. The disease is much more scary for people with asthma since there’s a fear that they are more likely to get SARS-CoV-2 or rather face worse outcomes. Take your asthma treatment more seriously than before!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that patients with moderate-severe asthma could be at higher risk for more severe disease. Although, there are no published data to support this determination at this time.

India contributes to 11.1 per cent of the global asthma burden and accounts for over 42 per cent of related deaths making it the asthma capital of the world, reports The Indian Express.

In view of the effect of this respiratory viruses, people with asthma need to be diligent in protecting themselves from the virus through measures such as handwashing, wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

Dos and Dont’s in the times of COVID-19:

Corticosteroid inhalers are the primary medicine for asthma patients. They help in keeping inflammation in airways under control. This reduces the risk of developing an asthma exacerbation. The treatment of exacerbation in this current pandemic means the individual is at a higher risk of being exposed to someone with an infection.

Do not increase your medication dosage for extra precaution from COVID-19. If you experience any discomfort, then consult your doctor and have an asthma action plan in place. Don’t panic and make foolish decisions.

Get into the habit of washing your hands and inhalation devices thoroughly.

Never share inhalers. It’s because a person can be an asymptomatic carrier of COVID-19, increasing your risk of contracting the disease.

You don’t need to replace your current inhaler. Just pay a little more attention to hygiene and cleanliness to protect yourself from getting infected.

How to manage your symptoms?

There are two kinds of inhalers:

Controllers- It helps in reducing airway inflammation and prevent asthma symptoms over a while.

Rescuers/Relievers- It relieves asthma symptoms when they occur.

The patient can take an additional puff of rescue inhalers after consulting their doctor. If you still don’t get relief from breathlessness, then ask your physician right away. Your doctor will either advise you to change medication or start a new medication depending on your situation.

The patient should be careful about triggers like change in temperature, dust, fumes, etc. It’s common for asthmatics to experience cough at night, which may result due to dirt on bedsheets or carpets. If inhalers don’t work, then reach out to your desired doctor.

Asthma action plan

During this pandemic, an asthma action plan is essential. It provides the patient with the ability and confidence to manage asthma without consulting the doctor.

The doctor will help in preparing patients to monitor their symptoms wherein the patient knows when to increase inhaler dosage for better control of asthma.

Your action plan should include:

• proper inhaler techniques
• preventive measures
• iteration of medicines
• effective plan to reduce hospital visits

Do you maintain a chart of their peak flow ratings daily?

It’s advisable to keep a record of the readings and fluctuations using a portable peak flow meter. Keep a close eye on your diurnal variation over a period to control your asthma before it gets worse.

Anxiety and stress are a vital asthma trigger which can be controlled by performing yoga and meditation regularly.

Guidelines for people with severe asthma and COPD:

• Keep your asthma under control by following your asthma action plan.

• Don’t stop any medications or change your asthma treatment plan without talking to your healthcare provider.

• Continue your current medications, including any inhalers with steroids in them.

• Make sure that you have 30 days of non-prescription medicines and supplies on hand too in case you need to stay home for a long time.

• Avoid your asthma triggers

(As more cases of viral infection are discovered, and our communities take action to combat the spread of disease, it is natural for some people to feel concerned or stressed. Strong emotions can trigger an asthma attack. Take steps to help yourself cope with stress and anxiety.)

• Clean your hands often by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

• Avoid crowds and people who are sick.

Come to us for comprehensive respiratory healthcare service!

Pranayam Lung & Heart Institute (PLHI) is the best multi-speciality hospital in Baroda, Gujarat providing comprehensive respiratory healthcare services for the past 38 years. Our asthma treatment involves a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) plan tailored to patient needs and depends on the conscious state, psychological status and physical strength. Book an appointment!

Irregular Heartbeat

Time and time again, you might have come across several articles highlighting the importance of a healthy heart. The best way to keep your heart healthy is:

• regular exercise
• balanced diet
• avoid smoking

Keeping yourself healthy and fit is even more important when one is having any heart disease or any heart rhythm problem The lockdown gives you ample amount of time to take care of your heart.

An arrhythmia is defined as any irregularities in your normal heart rate or rhythm. Many arrhythmias are harmless and don’t require treatment, however some arrhtymia can be life threatening. Thus, it’s crucial to identify the signs and get yourself checked at a reputed heart hospital in Vadodara for your HEART RATE AND HEART RHYTHM DISORDERS..

The most common form of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation or AFib that causes irregular and rapid heartbeat, which can lead to some serious consequences like heart failure and stroke. Treatment of Atrial fibrillation is done by heart specialist – CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST who deals with electrical system of heart and heart rhythm disorders. The chance of developing AF increases with age. Prevalence of AF is > 10 % at age > 80 years. Atrial fibrillation needs to be treated by strong blood thinners and rate and rhythm control drugs. If it is resistant to drugs, then advance treatment is also possible like ELECTRICAL CARDIOVERSION and ATRIAL FIBRILALTION. If you feel a persistent irregular heartbeat, then consult a CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST.

There are numerous causes of atrial fibrillation. Many include life style modifications while others are associated with different comorbidities of a patient. However, chances of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age.

LIFESTYLE FACTORS:

1) STRESS
2) CAFFEINE
3) SMOKING
4) ALCOHOL

DISEASES CAUSING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION:

1) UNCONTROLLED HYPERTENSION (MOST COMMON)
2) DIABETES MELLITUS
3) CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND HEART ATTACK
4) CARDIAC / HEART SURGERY
5) REDUCED HEART FUNCTIONS
6) RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASES AND OTHER VALVULAR DISEASES.
7) SLEEPING DISORDERS LIKE OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP DISORDERS (OSA)
8) THYROID PROBLEMS
9) CARDIOMYOPATHY
10) ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE

Over to you!

If you experience dizziness, fainting, palpitation, fast beating heart, shortness of breath and pain in your chest, then get emergency medical attention. Stay alert and take precautions to lessen your chances of developing far more severe cardiovascular problems.

Pranayam Lung & Heart Institute (PLHI) has been working towards providing effective solutions for the cure of respiratory (lung/chest) and cardiac (heart) care as a regional and national centre of excellence. It has the latest technology, quality treatment and professional practices that make it a renowned comprehensive healthcare service. We work round the clock to create a healthy society. Come to us for your irregular heartbeat treatment!

Say ‘No’ to TB and ‘Yes’ to Healthy Diet Plans

In the year 1882, when the deadly TB microbe ‘Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ was discovered by Robert Koch, TB was still hazardous, causing one in seven deaths in Europe and America. The same story continues even today.

Though new cases are plummeting by just 1-2% a year, TB still continues to cause 1.5 million deaths and introduces 9 million new cases each year, as per the World Health Organisation.

This means that more people die worldwide from TB in less than 60 hours as compared to the number of deaths reported due to Ebola since the start of the latest outbreak in West Africa.

TB is the world’s oldest known disease which is killing more people than any other pathogenic illness. It’s evident that your immune system should be strong enough for an effective tuberculosis cure. Now, how’s that possible?

While there aren’t any specific food for TB patients, a proper diet can help the body to fight the disease and also boost the recovery process.

Head down as we tell you the benefits of healthy eating for TB patients. A balanced diet is considered to be one of the best precautions for tuberculosis. Before that, where is India heading to?

India’s picture seems to be the worst.

According to the Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Choubey. “India has the largest number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases, i.e. 27% of the global total. With this, India ranks 38 in the number of MDR-TB patients per lakh population, states the Global TB Report.

These high numbers are mostly due to lack of awareness. It can be prevented by conducting several awareness programmes, proper guidance from healthcare professionals and a balanced diet comprising of plenty of whole food, fruits, vegetables and such to improve your immunity system and increase the recovery process in the body.

Researchers have claimed that people who are malnourished or underweight are more prone to acquire TB. All you need is to create a well-planned balanced diet plan to help the body fight against the disease.

There is no fixed diet plan; you should eat healthy to boost your immune system. We bring you some healthy options that need to be on your plate.

Say ‘Yes’ to a balanced diet plan!

You might be aware that treating TB takes much longer than any other type of bacterial infection, while the tuberculosis treatment for active TB takes about a year. Your recovery time mostly depends on your health condition, age, drug resistance, location of the infection and likewise.

To eradicate the infection and prevent future complications, the patient needs to have a variety of fruits and vegetables. A healthy body reduces the chances of reinfection or relapse of TB after treatment.

Fruits and vegetables- It includes antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like carrots, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, cherries, oranges, lemons and other green leafy vegetables.

Whole grains- Rely more on whole-wheat cereals.

Proteins- Consume more of meat, eggs, fish, poultry, pulses, legumes, nuts, beans, milk and milk products etc.

Healthy fats- Unsaturated fats obtained from olive oil, seeds, nuts, avocado, canola, soybean, etc.

A TB patient should refrain from the following unhealthy habits and food:

• Alcohol
• Smoking or vaping
• Caffeine and carbonated drinks
• Refined products like white bread, sugar or white rice
• High-fat and high-cholesterol red meat

Take your meals and medicines regularly. In the initial stage, the TB medicines may cause side effects like upset stomach, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and can hamper your food intake.

You must consult your doctor, and no matter how difficult it may seem, you should adhere to the tips mentioned above. A healthy diet and regular exercise are the best ways to alleviate TB bacterium.

To prevent TB from spreading to your family members, follow a strict coughing etiquette and respiratory hygiene. It is advisable to wear masks and respirators to protect others from getting the infection.

Pranayam Lung and Heart Institute is a reputed name providing comprehensive respiratory healthcare service for about 38 years. We believe in ‘Care above Self’ and offer unique pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program to help people with chronic breathing problems and tuberculosis treatment.

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Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in India – Challenges and Opportunities

According to Statistics, India accounts for about 32% of global deaths and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) of respiratory disease, as per 2016 data. The major contributors for this life-threatening chronic lung diseases issues, dyspnea and other respiratory problems are mostly air pollution, climate change, smoking and age-related health issues.

Apart from the regular treatments for respiratory diseases, there’s a new trend of pulmonary rehabilitation program gaining momentum.

This supervised program consists of exercise, training, education, counselling, risk factor modification and finding an alternative to live a healthy life.

It is an evidence-based, multi-pronged treatment process that helps people with breathing problems. This treatment is considered to be effective in improving the quality of life of the patient and achieve optimal recovery of function and movement.

Find the best cardio-pulmonary rehab physiotherapist in Vadodara!

This program can benefit patients suffering from:

• Lung Disease, Shortness of Breath
• COPD, Emphysema, Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis
• Alpha 1- Antitrypsin Deficiency
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Lung Cancer
• Emphysema
• Bronchiectasis
• Pre and post-surgery for lung reduction surgery
• Pre and post-surgery for lung transplant surgery, etc.

What are the challenges in India?

The treatment for these health problems is not much effective and satisfactory. Stemming the disease and associated disability are hugely lacking here. If the illness is not diagnosed at an early stage, then there are chances of weight loss, dysfunctional respiratory muscle, disability, acute exacerbations and such.

In India, priority is given to build outpatient clinics and emergency and intensive care units instead of rehabilitation centers. Other reasons hampering include long-term and time-consuming nature of rehabilitation program.

Medical professionals don’t have enough exposure to related concepts, impacts, and benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation. There is also a need for appointing well-trained staff for pulmonary rehabilitation related assessment. At Pranayam Hospital, we have experienced physiotherapists dealing with cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation.

All this leads to a lack of awareness among patients which in turn increases the drop-out rate. Also, patients lose interest in the longterm program after noticing visible changes in their health. Patients in India are unwilling or incapable of spending money on their treatment that delays their treatment process.

Many fatalities like lung ailments and malnutrition during the rehabilitation can be reduced with timely and effective pulmonary programs.

What are the possible opportunities?

Integrate pulmonary rehabilitation program concepts into the graduate and undergraduate curriculum of trainee doctors. Relevant information and exposure to trainee doctors will help in being accurate and early recommendation to patients suffering from COPD, ILD, etc.

Since pulmonary rehabilitation program is more exercise training-oriented procedure, there is immense potential for home-based initiatives. Researches believe that home- based pulmonary program is effective in enhancing the patient’s endurance for physical activity, dyspnoea sensation and improve quality of life in COPD patients. There are many start-ups, government and private hospitals that provide such facilities.

Over to you!

In India, there is a certain level of attention in metropolitan cities; all we need is to build more and more such program all over the country. In this digital era, spreading awareness and educating people about such diseases have become very easy.

Not only this, there is a huge scope for healthcare start-ups and ‘at home’ program that can flourish and aid in demolishing respiratory diseases.

Pranayam Lung and Heart Institute, comprising of reputed physiotherapists in Vadodara, offers the best technology, unmatched skills and professional team of doctors that will help in preparing an effective rehabilitation plan based on the patient’s needs and depends on the conscious state, psychological status and physical strength. It incorporates any active and passive therapy that promotes movement and includes mobilization. Find more about us!

Understanding the Importance of a Regular Health Checkup

How many of us go for a regular full body checkup? Probably, very few of us even have the time to eat properly, sleep well, and exercise every day. We all are stuck in this fast-paced life and mundane schedules wherein we pay the least attention to our health until we face inexplicable health issues.

Being ignorant about your health is not a good sign in the long run. Staying fit and healthy needs to be a norm wherein you need to keep your health at a priority and follow a healthy lifestyle along with a regular follow-up and full-body checkup. To sum it up, health checkups should be made a ritual; this will help in detecting chronic illnesses early so that it doesn’t turn into a potential threat in the future.

It’s never too late, get your appointment for full body checkup in Vadodara now!

Health is Wealth!

Maintaining good health is not a summer or winter resolution, it is a lifetime process. The concept of regular checkups is growing wherein annual health checkups are made mandatory in many corporate and government jobs. Screening diseases at an early stage helps in detecting potential problems in their beginning stages and make your body viable for early recovery, especially in acute diseases like cancer, Tuberculosis, asthma, COPD, arrhythmia and more.

In case of any potential problem, the doctor will identify the problem and start immediate treatment based on the patient’s condition. With the current lifestyle, some diseases can be very subtle and show no signs and symptoms until it reaches advanced stage. To reduce such risks, you need to visit the doctor regularly.

Another reason for it is that full-body health checkup may vary according to age, sex, family history, lifestyle, etc. Frequent health checkups can help in building a better patient-doctor relationship so that you have ample of awareness about harmful habits like alcoholism, tobacco, drugs, binge eating, inactivity that may pose some serious health issues.

The most common and essential tests are blood and urine tests to identify chronic infections and lifestyle diseases, ECG test, 6min walk test, lung function test. Many medical professionals recommend people to undergo full-body checkup regularly depending on their age.

Regular health checkup will help you with the following:

Update your clinical record for future reference. Here, they consider a previous preventive procedure like blood pressure, sugar levels, cholesterol, immunizations, etc.Study your health graph thereby helping you catch any changes in your health.

It equips you with the necessary information to improve your lifestyle and tips to balance work and life.

It will help you to maintain and improve your situation to avoid or manage a family history of diseases.

Enhances proper management of daily functions like bowel, seeping, eating, body movements, etc.

Physical examination reports can help in identifying the symptoms of a certain prevailing disease.Allows you to keep a check on bad habits like smoking, drugs, etc.

Pranayam Lung and Heart Institute, a comprehensive cardio-pulmonary healthcare service in Vadodara, provides specialized health check-up plans with timely diagnosis, treatment and health management. Hope you have registered for your full body checkup in Vadodara. Make an appointment now!