" Maintaining a Healthy Diet Good "
Energy-rich foods:
These foods are a source of carbohydrates that provides energy to the body. It includes cereals (wheat, rice, maize, etc), fats/oils, sugars
Body building foods:
These foods provide protein to the body. Pulses (all dals, beans, legumes), animal foods (eggs, meat, poultry, fish), milk and milk products. Requirements of proteins also increase during infection for the proliferation of immune cells and the synthesis of chemical compounds
Protective foods:
These foods are the sources vitamins and minerals that play a significant role in immunity. Seasonal fruits and vegetables (dark green leafy, yellow and orange coloured, citrus, and other fruits). Vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, selenium are known to influence the immune responses.
COVID MYTHS BUSTER !
Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous
There are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19
Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous
The harmful use of alcohol increases your risk of health problems.
Antibiotics CANNOT prevent or treat COVID-19
There are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19
Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous
Antibiotics work only against bacteria, not viruses.
COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and therefore antibiotics should not be used for prevention or treatment.
However, if you are hospitalized for COVID-19, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.
There are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19
There are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
While several drug trials are ongoing, there is currently no proof that hydroxychloroquine or any other drug can cure or prevent COVID-19. The misuse of hydroxychloroquine can cause serious side effects and illness and even lead to death. WHO is coordinating efforts to develop and evaluate medicines to treat COVID-19.
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are dry cough, tiredness and fever. Some people may develop more severe forms of the disease, such as pneumonia. The best way to confirm if you have the virus producing COVID-19 disease is with a laboratory test. You cannot confirm it with this breathing exercise, which can even be dangerous.
People of all ages can be infected by the COVID-19 virus
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
Vaccines against pneumonia DO NOT protect against the COVID-19 virus
Older people and younger people can be infected by the COVID-19 virus. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.
Vaccines against pneumonia DO NOT protect against the COVID-19 virus
Being able to hold your breath for seconds or more DOES NOT mean you are free from COVID-19
Vaccines against pneumonia DO NOT protect against the COVID-19 virus
Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus.
The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, and WHO is supporting their efforts.
Although these vaccines are not effective against COVID-19, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recommended to protect your health.
Thermal scanners CANNOT detect COVID-19
Prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn,DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication/oxygen deficiency
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a virus, NOT by bacteria
Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature). They cannot detect people who are infected with COVID-19. There are many causes of fever. Call your healthcare provider if you need assistance or seek immediate medical care if you have fever and live in an area with malaria or dengue.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a virus, NOT by bacteria
Prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn,DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication/oxygen deficiency
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a virus, NOT by bacteria
The virus that causes COVID-19 is in a family of viruses called Coronaviridae. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Some people who become ill with COVID-19 can also develop a bacterial infection as a complication. In this case, antibiotics may be recommended by a health care provider.
There is currently no licensed medication to cure COVID-19. If you have symptoms, call your health care provider or COVID-19 hotline for assistance.
Prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn,DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication/oxygen deficiency
Prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn,DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication/oxygen deficiency
Prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn,DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication/oxygen deficiency
The prolonged use of medical masks can be uncomfortable. However, it does not lead to CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency. While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally. Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp.
* Medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are flat or pleated; they are affixed to the head with straps or have ear loops.
MENTAL HEALTH
What is Mental Health ?
Mental health is an integral and essential component of health.
The WHO constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.
Determinants of mental health.
Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental health of a person at any point of time. For example, violence and persistent socio-economic pressures are recognized risks to mental health. The clearest evidence is associated with sexual violence.
Poor mental health is also associated with rapid social change, stressful work conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, physical ill-health and human rights violations.
There are specific psychological and personality factors that make people vulnerable to mental health problems. Biological risks include genetic factors.
Why Mental health awareness is important ?
Awareness eliminates stigma for these people. If we are aware of their limitations and strengths, stigma may disappear. Stigma shames the mentally ill. Creates a community where minds are closed off and rejects acceptance of those who are “different.” Attitudes and behaviors move a community into either a positive or negative trend. If there is a negative trend than the implications may cause a combination of denial and hatred.
Awareness can also create new improvements for the mentally ill. As there is more demand from the public, it can produce a flow of attention. This attention can eventually result in great changes for the mentally ill. It can lead to improvements on policy, research, and service development. Community awareness for mental health reduces stigma. Mental health awareness increases the chances for early intervention, which can result in a fast recovery. Awareness reduces negative adjectives that have been set to describe our people with a metal illness.
By raising awareness, mental health can now be seen as an illness. These illnesses can be managed by treatment. We should not isolate mental illness from the physical heath conditions, such as diabetes, blood pressure, or cancer. Awareness is a form of education. The more you know, the more power you have. Knowledge is power. This power can cause a positive effect in our community. Awareness is key for understanding what mental health is and how families can receive the help they need. Public knowledge is important in accessing community resources. Lack of awareness of mental health is not just “their” problem, it is our problem as a community.
Ways to Promote Mental Health !
- early childhood interventions (e.g. providing a stable environment that is sensitive to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats, opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally supportive and developmentally stimulating);
- support to children (e.g. life skills programmes, child and youth development programmes);
- socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improving access to education and microcredit schemes);
- social support for elderly populations (e.g. befriending initiatives, community and day centres for the aged);
- programmes targeted at vulnerable people, including minorities, indigenous people, migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psycho-social interventions after disasters);
- mental health promotional activities in schools (e.g. programmes involving supportive ecological changes in schools);
- mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programmes);
- housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);
- ·violence prevention programmes (e.g. reducing availability of alcohol and access to arms);
- community development programmes (e.g. integrated rural development);
- poverty reduction and social protection for the poor;
- anti-discrimination laws and campaigns;
- promotion of the rights, opportunities and care of individuals with mental disorders.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay..
Handling Social isolation
Staying at home can be quite nice for some time, but can also be boring and restricting. Here are some ways to keep positive and cheerful.
1. Be busy. Have a regular schedule. Help in doing some of the work at home.
2.Distract yourself from negative emotions by listening to music, reading, watching an entertaining pprogramon television. If you had old hobbies like painting, gardening ,or stitching, go back to them. Rediscover your hobbies.
3.Eat well and drink plenty of fluids.
4. Be physically active. Do simple indoor exercises that will keep you fit and feeling fit.
5. Sharing is caring. Understand if someone around you needs advice, food or other essentials. Be willing to share.
6.Elderly people may feel confused, lost and need help. Offer them help by getting them what they need, their medicines, daily needs etc.
7.If you have children at home, keep them busy by allowing them to help in the household chores - make them feel responsible and acquire new skills.
Handling emotional problems
At times of anxiety,practice breathing slowly for a few minutes. Try and distance the thoughts that are making you anxious. Think of something calm and serene, and slow down your mind.When feeling angry and irritated, calming your mind, counting back from 10 to 1, distracting yourself helps.Even when feeling afraid, deal with it by asking yourself:
a.What is under my control?
b.Am I unnecessarily worrying about the worst thing that can happen?
c.When I have been stressed in the past, how have I managed?
d.What are the things I can do to help myself and be positive?
Feeling lonely or sad is also quite common. Stay connected with others.Communication can help you to connect with family and friends. Call up people whom you haven’t spoken to and surprise them. Discuss happy events, common interests, exchange cooking tips, share music.If any of these emotions persist continuously for several days,despite your trying to get out of it, talk about it with someone. If the feelings worsen, a person may feel helpless, hopeless and feel that life is not worth living. If that happens, call at helpline number for advice from a mental health professional or contact your doctor / mental health professional.
Focus on facts, reject rumours and theories
Knowledge is power; the more you know about a certain issue, the less fearful you may feel. Make sure to access and believe only the most reliable sources of information for self-protection.
Do not follow sensational news or social media posts which may impact your mental state. Do not spread or share any unverified news or information further.
Do not keep discussing all the time about who got sick and how. Instead learn about who got well and recovered.Stick to the known advice- hand hygiene and keeping a physical distance from others. It is being careful about yourself, and also about care of others.
A common cold is not Corona infection. The symptoms of Corona have been well described. Follow etiquette of sneezing, coughing, avoiding spitting in public places etc.
In most people,the Corona infection causes mild symptoms and the person only needs to follow social distancing till he/she stops being infective, usually 2 weeks. Mild infection does not require a person to be admitted in hospital. Only people who have breathing difficulties need to be in hospital.Most people recover
Addressing Social Stigma Associated with COVID-19
Public health emergencies during outbreak of communicable diseases may cause fear and anxiety leading to prejudices against people and communities, social isolation and stigma. Such behavior may culminate into increased hostility, chaos and unnecessary social disruptions.
Cases have been reported of people affected with COVID-19 as well as healthcare workers,sanitary workers and police,who are in the frontline for management of the outbreak, facing discrimination on account of heightened fear and misinformation about infection. Even those who have recovered from COVID-19 face such discrimination. Further, certain communities and areas are being labeled purely based on false reports floating in social media and elsewhere.
There is an urgent need to counter such prejudices and to rise as a community that is empowered with health literacy and responds appropriately in the face of this adversity.
All responsible citizens are advised to understand that:
•Although COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease which spreads fast and can infect any one of us, we can protect ourselves through social distancing, washing our hands regularly and following sneezing / coughing etiquettes.
•Despite all precautions, if anybody catches the infection, it is not their fault. In situation of distress, the patient and the family need support and cooperation. It must be noted that the condition is curable and most people recover from it.
•Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, and allied & healthcare professionals are rendering their services tirelessly to provide care and medical / clinical support in this situation of crisis. Sanitary workers and police are also doing selfless service and playing critical roles in addressing the challenge of COVID-19. They all deserve our support, praise and appreciation.
•All those directly involved in the management of COVID-19 are equipped with appropriate protective equipment to keep them safe from the infection.
•Targeting essential services providers and their families will weaken our fight against COVID-19 and can prove grievously detrimental for the entire nation.
IMPORTANT !
In any case, if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection and be sure to share your recent travel history with your health care provider.
As responsible citizens, we must observe following..
Dos
Don’ts
Don’ts
Appreciate efforts of people providing essential services and be supportive towards them and their families.
Share only the authentic information available on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India or the World Health Organisation.
Cross check any information related toCoVID-19 from reliable sources before forwarding any messages on social media. Share positive stories of those who have recovered from COVID-19.
Don’ts
Don’ts
Don’ts
Never spread names or identity of those affected or under quarantine or their locality on the social media.
Avoid spreading fear and panic.
Do not target healthcare and sanitary workers or police. They are there to help you.
Do not label any community or area for spread of COVID-19.
Avoid addressing those under treatment as COVID victims. Address them as ‘’people recovering from COVID”.
Self-medication
Self care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.
Some people prefer taking self-medication due to the fact that they are sceptical of the functioning of modern medicines. This stereotypical thinking must be substituted with a more rational thought that doctors are there to save your lives and to confirm this is by asking your doctor about everything pertaining to your illness.
Another major reason why people prefer taking self-medication is that they feel confident in this process and that they believe that fever, cold and body pain are simple illnesses that can be treated by telling a pharmacist. But, you need to keep in mind that the types of fever that come nowadays are not the normal ones unlike earlier.
Our air is filled with harmful toxins, so we are actually breathing bad air and there is dreadful sickness prevailing in the air we breathe. Before we get into the side-effects caused due to self-medication, let’s understand what does self-medication mean.
What is Self-medication?
Self-medication is referred to treating an illness or any other common health problems without consulting a doctor or medical supervision. This is often called nonprescription services or over the counter (OTC) that enable people to purchase medicines without consulting a doctor.
For more information on over-the-counter (OTC) drug ,Please click on "FIND OUT MORE"
Self-medication...
Disadvantages of Self-medication:
If you’re of the assumption that self-medication is good enough without a doctors prescription, then you may be wrong. Self-medication has a number of flaws that can be devastating in the long run.
Basically, when medicines enter your body they get absorbed very quickly and can cause reactions, maybe sometimes relief, or later side-effects. Self-medication can be used for a good cause and sometimes be misused.
Some drugs bought can be very addictive and dangerous. For example, Benedral syrup is a very famous syrup used to cure bad cold sore throat. When consumed, most patients feel drowsy, but many people began to use this as a drug for a good feel. Currently, this syrup is sold only on doctors prescription.
However, in contrast to this, there are many other antibiotics that are sold with a doctor’s prescription.
Antibiotics must be bought on a prescription basis and it must be treated as a crime to sell them to patients without a prescription. Sometimes, people purchase painkillers with or without doctor’s consultation.
When painkillers are purchased with a doctor’s consultation, it can mean that the prescription may be old and that the tablets taken may have adapted to your body and cause future pain. So always CONSULT A DOCTOR before you opt for taking any medicine.
Dangers Associated With Self-medication:
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
A major reason responsible for antibiotic resistance crisis is over dosage and self-medication. Poor infection control practices, negligent antibiotic use and the consistent dismissal of warnings against overuse of antibiotics often result in a condition where the body becomes more vulnerable to diseases and then treatment becomes difficult as the pathogens develop immunity against the antibiotic drugs that are administered more often than required
Drug addiction and abuse.
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
Self-medication is not advisable because it can trigger other medical problems such as drug abuse, further medical complications and poisoning.
Instant relief with a lot of long-term side effects.
Resistance to microorganisms in your body that cause sickness.
Instant relief with a lot of long-term side effects.
Abusing OTC Drugs for Long term can lead to health problems including memory loss, kidney failure, heart problems and death.
Can lead to death if not prescribed by a doctor.
Taking a drug that’s not advised may relapse on your body condition.
Instant relief with a lot of long-term side effects.
Self Medication may lead to medical complications ,poisoning and even DEATH. Sickness happens rarely and similarly, you need to visit your doctor when you’re sick. A healthcare professional will prescribe medicines with the right dosage that you need to consume. This will keep you healthy and you don’t have to worry about any further diseases.
Taking a drug that’s not advised may relapse on your body condition.
Taking a drug that’s not advised may relapse on your body condition.
Taking a drug that’s not advised may relapse on your body condition.
You may assume that self-medication is good enough for you, and that, you can avoid the doctor and cure well pretty fast. You may be right, but for long until the medication relapses based on your body condition.
Ways to Stop Self-medication:
There are a number of ways that you can stop self-medication and the first step lies in your hand. You need to stop buying medicines without a prescription and caution people about the cause. However, here are some simple ways you can stop self-medication.
- Stop buying non prescribed medicines.
- Create awareness on social media about the cause.
- Drug authorities must make it a rule for people to avail medicines only on the basis of prescription.
- Read about the advantages and disadvantages of self-medication and caution your surroundings.
- The topic of self-medication must be added to students curriculum.
- Pharmacists must be educated on the consequences of selling unprescribed medicines consumer protection laws and human rights.
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M.B.B.S Passes, who is very active in the field of Health care and looking for options to explore. Being in this profession and having worked on projects I am now looking for a new challenges and opportunities that will cause me to spread my profession
