Words: Dr Pankaj AGGARWAL Swine flu, or swine influenza, is a respiratory disease caused by the type-A influenza virus [H1N1] strain. The virus  changes and mutates constantly in order to escape the immune system of the animal it infects [pigs]. It can infect the individual/patient’s respiratory tract, resulting in nasal secretions, barking cough, decreased appetite,

Words: Dr Rajgopal NIDAMBOOR Think of a commonplace scenario. Soon after a job interview has gone well, one is often asked — pronto, “Would you mind having a psychological appraisal?” While it may be argued that there’s no better way to punching trepidation than asking job seekers to go through the motions of a psychological

Words: Dr Pankaj AGGARWAL There are several factors that may trigger acne [pimples]. One of them is hereditary. Sometimes, bacteria may also cause acne, thanks to the dirt and oil that reside on our skin. People with oily skin, or individuals who work-out, should take care of their skin as heat and humidity can intensify

Words: Dr Pankaj AGGARWAL Monsoon refreshes every living being, after the sizzling heat of summer. It also brings illnesses, primarily due to its warm, wet and humid climate. Most monsoon illnesses are easily treated, while a few can, at times, be life-threatening. Malaria  This is the most common illness that ‘catches’ you in the rainy

Words: Dr Pankaj AGGARWAL Be it a teenager, or septuagenarian, each of us is aware of the fact that smoking is harmful. Well, there is no cigarette wrapper that does not carry the caveat, “Smoking is injurious to health.” Yet, we find that approximately 975 million people are smokers worldwide. Quitting smoking is really tough.

Words: Dr Deborah OLENEV What makes a sick person different from a healthy person, and how can people move from one side of the health equation to the other? This is truly a spiritual and temporal transformation encompassing every aspect of life. I have noticed that healthy people have a low tolerance for unhealthy things,

Words: Team THINKWELLNESS360 Falls are a serious issue for elderly patients. Almost 40 per cent of elders aged 60 and older — even those who are generally healthy — fall at least once a year. Five per cent of them who fall need hospitalisation. Also, 75 per cent of deaths are a result of falls

Words: Team THINKWELLNESS360 Music has been a chronological hit extravaganza for aeons — from Vedic times, early history, the era of Plato, Pythagoras, the mediaeval times, and the age of Thyagaraja, to our present point in time, the epoch of hi-tech glitz. New research suggests that some of the networks in the human brain seem

Words: Team THINKWELLNESS360 The first best thing is to keep allergens at bay. Wash bed-sheets, pillow covers and blankets regularly. A hot wash will ensure that dust mite eggs are destroyed as well as the mites Vacuum-clean your mattress, upholstery and soft furnishing, regularly; ensure that your house is kept well-ventilated, especially the bedroom/s. This

Words: Mukesh SHARMA  Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder. Statistics suggests that there may be 451 million individuals with diabetes worldwide, at this point in time, and approximately five million diabetes-related deaths. Patients with diabetes are at increased risk for pedal ulceration, primarily because of microvascular, neuropathic, and biomechanical changes to the foot. Neuropathic changes