Located within nephron is a specialized bundle of capillaries that acts as a primary filtering unit in the kidneys is glomerulus. The main function of glomerulus is to filter blood by removing waste products etc and initiate urine formation. In some persons, glomerulus would get inflamed and this condition is termed as glomerulonephritis or GN. Normal functioning of kidneys would get affected by glomerulonephritis. Reasons for glomerulonephritis are Autoimmune diseases: It must be noted that diseases like lupus etc can cause the body`s immune system to mistakenly attack the healthy kidney tissues. This can result in glomerulonephritis. Infections: There are chances of getting glomerulonephritic condition due to hepatitis B and C, HIV etc. Other viruses or bacteria can also lead to this condition in us. Please be careful and take care. Vasculitis: It is noteworthy that vasculitis can also be a cause for glomerulonephritis. Vasculitis, refers to a group of diseases where the blood vessels become inflamed. Nephropathy: Inflammation of glomerulus can also occur due to nephropathy. Nephropathy refers to any damage to the kidneys causing kidney failure. Medical conditions: We can also get glomerulonephritis if we have health conditions like BP or diabetes etc also. Please take care. Symptoms that are associated with glomerulonephritis are Persons with glomerulonephritis would show various symptoms like blood in the urine, foamy urine, swelling of hands/ feet/ abdomen etc, high BP, fatigue and weakness etc. Management & treatment: Adhering to the recommended treatment plan is very important. The condition would worsen if the person doesn`t take prescribed medications or waits too long for the follow up care etc. Nephrologists must be consulted without fail if there is any issue regarding kidney health. It is highly essential to consume a low sodium, low protein and low potassium diet prescribed by the doctor or care provider. This would reduce the strain on the k kidneys. Drinking adequate amounts of water and avoiding processed foods intake would be good. Overall health as well as fitness would get better by doing exercises like walking, swimming etc. By doing yoga, meditation etc, can help to cope with emotional aspects of living. By socialising, mental health would get boosted.  This could be possible by the family members and friends etc. It is possible to cope up with the psychological impact of chronic illness by professional counselling.

This is the month of April and the heat is unbearable. In many parts of India, alerts regarding heat waves have been issued. The central as well as northern parts of India usually have high heat and due to this people in these parts find it highly uncomfortable.  There are some people who feel restless and tired as they feel more heat. One question now is why some people feel more heat than the others? An important reason why some people feel more heat is due to their body temperature. It is known that the temperature of our body is around 98.6 degree Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius. By the process of thermoregulation, our body itself would manage the temperature in us. When this thermoregulation doesn`t function properly in some persons, they would feel more heat when compared to the others. Various other reasons are Fast metabolism: There are some people who have fast metabolism that leads to more energy. They would feel more heat than the others. Hormonal imbalance: Menopause, hormonal changes, PCOS etc can make a woman feel hotter. It is worthy to note that thyroid issues could also cause problems controlling body temperature. Obesity: It must be taken into account that persons who have excess body fat would also feel hot when compared to others. This would be due to the slow digestion in them. Lack of hydration: Overheating would be possible for us if we don`t drink adequate amounts of water per day. So, please take care. Stress etc: It is known that stress can lead to several health issues in us. Many of us would not associate stress with body heat. Truth is that persons with stress would feel more heat. Excessive use of medicines: Many of us consume medicines for BP, depression etc. These people would feel hotter than others. Please be careful. Intake of excess of oily & spicy foods: Intake of oily and spicy foods can also lead to more heat in thehe body. This would be due to high heart rate after intake of spicy foods. Smoking and alcohol intake: A person who smokes or drinks alcohol regularly would feel hotter when compared to others. Not only this, there are more chances of getting several health issues due to these habits.

Have you developed a belly and finding it difficult? Are you feeling bloated after dinner? Then the rice you consume in the night might be the culprit. Please take care. Many of us eat rice during dinner as we find it very comfortable and easy to eat. It is revealed that consuming rice every day for dinner might cause more harm. It is known that eating rice would provide us with energy and essential nutrients etc for our health. Not many are aware that eating rice at late night could result in few health issues. Health issues we can get by eating rice during dinner are Cause weight gain: It must be taken into account that consuming rice every night would make us gain weight. The reason is that during night physical activity would be minimal. This could lead to excess storage of fats. The extra calories from rice would not be burnt easily as our body`s metabolism would slow down during nights. This would lead to weight gain. Cause spike in blood sugar levels: It must be noted that rice has a high glycemic index or GI. This would cause a spike in the blood sugar levels in us. Especially those who are diabetic must not eat rice during dinner. Bitter fact is that over time we could get type 2 diabetes and various other metabolic disorders etc. It would be good to eat any other food that would lead to slow rise in the blood sugar levels. Cause bloating & indigestion etc: After consuming rice for dinner, many get issues like bloating and indigestion etc. The simple carbohydrates present in the rice would slow down the digestion. Those persons who are sensitive must be careful as intake of rice during dinner could lead to acidity, gas, sluggish digestion etc. Makes a person sleepy and lethargic etc: An amino acid that would promote sleep is tryptophan. This amino acid is present in rice and intake of rice during dinner would make us sleepy and lethargic. The productivity would get lowered and it would be tough to maintain an active lifestyle. More chances of belly fat formation: Various factors that can cause belly fat are hormonal imbalances, lifestyle choices, dietary factors etc.  It must be noted that white rice is a refined carbohydrate and it lacks fibre. More intake or rice during dinner would result in fat storage around the belly. It would be possible for us to maintain a healthier bodydy composition if we replace rice with fibre rich foods. Various healthier alternatives that we could consume for dinner are It would be good to consume roti or multigrain chapati for dinner as this would increase our fibre intake plus would make us feel full for a longer time. Quinoa can also be eaten for dinner as it would help in muscle repair and weight management. Millets like jawar, bajra and ragi etc are highly nutritious plus easily digestible. We can consume millets during dinner instead of rice.

Do you know which cancer is the fourth most common in women? Women in their reproductive and post reproductive years get affected by one serious health issue and that is cervical cancer. This is a major public health concern. Lower part of the uterus is called the cervix and persistent infection with high risk types of HPV or human papilloma virus could lead to cervical cancer.  It has been confirmed by WHO or World Health Organisation that cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. What causes delayed diagnosis of this cancer is lack of awareness regarding the symptoms associated with cervical cancer. Importance of early detection of cervical cancer: In the beginning, the cervical cancer developed slowly and would not show signs. This cancer would show many distinct signs once it gets developed. Women must never ignore the signs. As per CDC and WHO understanding these symptoms is necessary and women must undergo regular screenings like HPV test and PAP smears etc. Signs of cervical cancer are Pelvic or lower abdomen pain: Women get abdominal cramps during their periods or menstrual cycle. It must be noted that unexplained pelvic pain not linked to menstrual cramps might be a sign of cervical cancer. Unusual bleeding: Women must not ignore abnormal bleeding such as bleeding after sex, bleeding between periods or post-menopause etc. This could be the most noticeable symptom of cervical cancer. Watery or foul smelling discharge: Infection of the presence of cancer in the cervix would be brought out by means of persistent watery discharge with strong odour or foul smell. Some women might also get discharged with blood. So, please take care. Painful intercourse: Cervical inflammation cervical cancer could lead to pain during intercourse or sex. It must be noted that a medical professional must evaluate the symptom. Pain during urination: When cancer spreads to nearby tissues, a woman could get pain, bururning sensation etc while urinating. It is believed that increased frequency of urination could be an important sign of cervical cancer. Unexplained weight loss or fatigue: Weight loss associated with diet change or exercises etc is normal. Some women experience weight loss plus fatigue without any diet change or exercises etc and this could be a very important sign of cervical cancer. Back pain and leg swelling: Bitter truth is that when cervical cancer spreads it might press against nerves and lymph nodes. This could lead to swelling in their legs and back pain etc. Bleeding after a routine gynaecological exam: Routine gynaecological exam or minor trauma after douching might cause bleeding if normal tissue is present in the cervix. Please be careful and take care. Note: Point is that when detected early, cervical cancer could be preventable, treatable and even curable.

Whether it is scorching hot summer or freezing cold winter, our body works non-stop to stay in balance.  For survival and for comfort, our body`s ability to regulate the temperature is essential. For the sake of our overall health, we must maintain a stable body temperature. Bitter fact is that when our body gets too hot then we could get heatstroke whose symptoms are confusion, hot skin, rapid heartbeat etc and when our body gets too cold then we could get hypothermia whose symptoms include shivering, pale skin, slurred speech etc. It was mentioned by WHO or World Health organisation that maintaining body temperature would ensure optimal functioning of organs plus improvement in metabolic performance. Stress related issues would get reduced. There are certain simple changes or ways or tips by which we could regulate our body temperature and these are By staying hydrated all time: For thermoregulation, intake of water is very important as it would play a key role. Sweating as well as proper circulation would take place and these would help in cooling the body. Especially when the temp is hot and humid, it is necessary to drink 8 t 10 glasses of water to support temperature balance. By eating light and frequent meals: Metabolic heat production would be increased by heavy greasy meals. This would make us feel warmer. In this scenario, it is good to opt for small meals with fruits, salads, cooling foods like cucumbers etc. It is believed that nutrient dense light meals would support digestion and lower body heat. By dressing depending on the weather: In summers, our body would be able to release heat well when we wear loose fitting clothes. In the cold winter season, we must dress in many layers to trap the body heat. As a first step in external temp control, wearing clothes appropriately for the weather would be important. By avoiding alcohol and caffeine in extreme heat: Our internal temp would get increased due to the diuretic nature of alcohol and caffeine. This would lead to faster dehydration in us. Hence, we must not drink them during extreme heat. By taking regular breaks from heat or cold exposure: Our body would recalibrate when we take regular breaks whether we work in the sun or in the cold. It has been suguggested by the National Institute for Health or NIH that it is necessary to cool down in shaded places or warm up in the winters. This would help us to avoid fatigue due to temperature. By engaging in physical activity in a wise manner: It is not advisable to exercise in the extreme heat or cold as it could lead to a few issues. Truth is that in summer we can do workouts in the early morning or in the evenings.  In the winter season, we must do certain warm-ups before doing workouts etc. For the sake of thermoregulation, we must change our physical activity schedule to the weather conditions. By using warm compress or cold pack: In the summer season, applying cold compress on the neck, wrists, forehead etc would bring down body heat quickly.  In the winter season, warm pack application on the lower back or feet would make the body feel more balanced. This would provide a superb solution for the sudden temp changes