MEDIC-ECHOES

  Longevity is the art of living a long, fulfilling life. It's not just about the number of years, but also about maintaining good health and happiness. Certain factors like genetics, lifestyle choices, and access to healthcare all play significant role in longevity.   It's important to stay active, eat well, manage stress effectively and nurture strong social connections for a long and healthy life.   Effective management of stress involves a combination of strategies. It is important to identify the sources of stress and try to address them directly.   Healthy living encompasses several key components. First, maintaining a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains is essential.      Regular exercise, deep breathing, and meditation can help calm the mind. Setting aside time for hobbies or activities you enjoy is also crucial for relaxation. It's recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise p

  Female genital mutilation comprises of all procedures that involves the partial or complete removal of the female external genitalia or any injury to the female external organ for non medical reasons. It has no health benefits for women rather it has a lot of complications which could be immediate or long term complications   Female Genital Mutilation According to data from world health organization (WHO), more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where female genital mutilation is concentrated It is often carried out on girls between infancy and adolescence but has also been noted to be carried out on adult females in some cases TYPES OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Type I –  involves partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the removal of the prepuce(clitoral hood) Type II – involves partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora with or without removal of the labia majora Typ

The health benefits of quitting smoking continue to be the subject of focus as World Health Organization(WHO) and other well-meaning institutions and organizations worldwide commemorate  “World No Tobacco Day” today. The essence as from the inception has remained to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes. Are there immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting for all smokers? Beneficial health changes that take place: Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. 2-12 weeks, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. 1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker’s. 5 years, your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting. 10 years, your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and you

  What urinary tract infection (UTI)? This is when there is an infection of the urinary tract most commonly by a bacterium or less commonly fungus. Depending on the part of the urinary tract it can either be Upper (kidney) or lower urinary tract infection (bladder, urethra). Although Upper UTI is less common, they tend to cause more severe complications than lower UTI. Urinary tract infections(UTI) may be either uncomplicated (when an otherwise healthy person develops a UTI) or complicated (a person with a comorbidity like poorly controlled Diabetes develops a UTI). How does a person get UTI? Several factors are responsible for the development of a UTI, from the virulence of the causative agent to the host immunity. The most common causative agent is the E. coli bacteria which is usually found in the digestive tract (accounts form more than 80% of cases). Other causative organisms include Staphylococcus Saprophyticus, Klebsiella species, Enterococcus Faecalis, yeast infec

What does pneumonia mean? Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs, causing inflammation (swelling) of the air sacs(alveoli) and subsequent accumulation of pus and fluids in the air sacs. The infection could either be Bacteria, Viral or Fungal in origin. Types of Pneumonia Depending on the causative agent, to the region of the lung affected, to where and how the infection is acquired, pneumonia can be classified as follows; Area of Lung affected : A. Broncho pneumonia B. Lobar Pneumonia C. Interstitial Pneumonia Causative agent : Bacterial Fungal Viral How the infection is acquired : Community acquired pneumonia Hospital acquired Pneumonia Health care acquired Pneumonia Aspiration Pneumonia How does a person get Pneumonia? The organisms that cause pneumonia are contagious, hence it can be spread from one individual to another. The infection is spread by inhalation of airborne droplets (from sneezing or coughing) of an infected person. Risk Factors Pneu

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizomes (ginger root) is one of the most commonly consumed dietary condiments worldwide. It is also called  Zingiber officinale. It belongs to the family of zi ngiberaceae. Aside being used as a flavoring agent for foods and beverages,  its medicinal values has been consistent.  Ginger is used for fragrance in soaps and cosmetics manufacturing The oily resin (oleoresin) from the rhizomes of ginger contains many bioactive components. However, 6-gingerol which is the primary pungent ingredient is believed to exert a variety of pharmacological and physiological activities. The health benefits of ginger is as follows; Anti-inflammatory effect - Ginger has been noted by studies to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Its  extract with the antioxidant and anti inflammatory ingredients such as 6 Gingerols, 6-Shogoals, Zhingerol, etc has been noted to reduce inflammatory mediators such as inflammatory cytokines and chemokines due to their