Hair Loss
It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day, this is part of the hair renewal process. However most people suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life. There are many reasons for this including medication, radiation, chemotherapy, exposure to chemicals, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalized or local skin disease, and stress.
Many of these causes are temporary and a few are permanent. These are some of the more common reason for hair loss.

HORMONAL
Since hormones both stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss, hormonal changes by far have the biggest impact on hair loss. These can affect both men and women in the following ways:
This is the most common cause of thinning and affects both men and women. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone. Since everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss there has to be another factor involved. This other factor is having follicles that have a greater number of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through the genes. To date the most effective preventative treatments are anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In the future gene therapy will one day be able to alter the genes to prevent the follicles from being affected by DHT.

Childbirth
After pregnancy many women experience a loss of hair, this is caused many hair simultaneously entering the resting (telogen) phase. Within two to three months after giving birth, some women will notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases. This condition is caused by the hormonal changes that take place after a woman's body recovers from her pregnancy.

Birth control pills
Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it occur at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.

DISEASE OR ILLNESS

Since the follicle is a very sensitive it does respond to imbalances in the body. Most hair loss causes by disease or illness is temporary and resolves itself after the body has returned to a healthy condition.
High fever, severe infection, severe flu
Sometimes one to three months after a high fever, severe infection or flu, a person may experience hair loss, this is usually temporary and corrects itself.

Thyroid disease.
Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Thyroid disease can be diagnosed by your physician with laboratory tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper treatment.

Deficient diet
Some people who go on low protein diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein the body shifts growing hair into the resting phase. If this happens massive amounts of hair shedding can occur two to three months later. A sign of this is if the hair can be pulled out by the roots fairly easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein. Its very important when dieting to maintain an adequate protein intake.

Medications
Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people. Examples of such drugs include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding.

Cancer treatments.
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because it stops hair cells from dividing. Hairs become thin and break off as they exit the scalp. This occurs one to three weeks after the treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their scalp hair. The hair will regrow after treatment ends and patients may want to get wigs before treatment. There are some drugs in development to help prevent this hair loss from occurring.

Low serum iron
Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don't have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb iron in their diets. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Major surgery/chronic illness
Anyone who has a major operation - a tremendous shock to the system - may notice increased hair shedding within one to three months afterwards. The condition reverses itself within a few months but people who have a severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair transplantation surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or "shock fallout". Hairs lost from shock fallout usually don't regrow.

Alopecia Areata
This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair follicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. The hair loss is usually limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more severe rarer condition called Alopecia Totalis, all hair on the entire body is lost, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, a special kind of light treatment, or in some cases drugs.

Fungus Infection (Ringworm) of the scalp
Caused by a fungus infection, ringworm (which has nothing to do with worms) begins with small patches of scaling that can spread and result in broken hair, redness, swelling, and even oozing. This contagious disease is most common in children and oral medication will cure it.

Stress
Stress can cause hair loss is some people. Usually it occurs 3 months after the stressful event has occured and it may take 3 months after the stress period has ended for the hair growth to resume. In most cases it is temporary if the person is not predisposed to genetic or Androgenic Alopecia, if they are stress may trigger the onset of genetic hair loss or may worsen existing Androgenic hair loss.

MECHANICAL DAMAGE
Damage to the hair can be self inflicted either by intentional or unintentional means. Some people going through stress continuously pull at their hair until it comes out. Styling hair by bleaching, braiding and straightening can also cause damage and results in hair being lost.

Trichotillomania or Hair Pulling
Some children and less often adults play with their hair by pulling on it or twisting it. This can be part of a behavioral problem or a bad habit that is often done unconsciously. If the behavior is not stopped permanent hair loss can result from the constant stress on the hair. Its best to seek the help of a mental health professional to solve this problem.

Hair Styling Treatments
Many people change the appearance of their hair by using chemical treatments like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, relaxers and permanent waves. If correctly done and done using reputable products, its rare to have any damage. However, hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is applied to previously bleached hair. Some chemical relaxers do contain powerful chemicals and there have been instances of people get chemical burns from these products resulting in permanent hair loss. Only go to qualified hair stylists and if doing it yourself make sure you only use reputable products and follow the product directions.

Hair Braids/Weaves
Many black women and some black men braid their hair or wear hair weaves. Under normal conditions these cause no problems. However if the weave is attached too tight or the braids are wrapped too tight, they put a constant strain on the hair follicle. If this is done for an extended period of time permanent hair loss can result. This is known as Traction Alopecia and is fairly common among people who braid or weave their hair. Make sure the person applying the braids or weave is qualified to do so and don't wear braids or weaves continuously for extended periods of time.

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Help Line No. : 8574400757
E-mail: info@drnavneetshukla.tk
Dr. Navneet Shukla

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Old age is a consequence of civilization; it is seen seldom in primitive societies and very rarely seen in wild animals. Although in this century the average life span of women and men has increased by 30% since the onset of industrialization and by over 300% since Neolithic times, we don't exactly know how or why aging occurs. We do know that aging is a function of cells ceasing to divide. Some scientists speculate that any given differentiated cell can only divide a fixed number of times (as opposed to a cancer cell, which is undifferentiated, and theoretically immortal in that it continues, unchecked, to divide). The human body has more than 10 million, million (that's 13 zeroes) cells, all of which are differentiated into nerve, muscle, adipose, etc., and are thus mortal. Given that we all die at some point, the objective now is to maximize the QUALITY of our lives and avoid controllable causes for premature death.

Many of the precautions against premature death are well known: wear seat belts; eat a low fat, high fiber, high complex- carbohydrate diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; get regular, moderate, exercise; get enough sleep; love yourself and your friends; do work that makes you happy; don't do drugs. It is worth repeating the low fat part: low fat. To quote from an editorial published in 1991 in the New England Journal of Medicine, "the optimal intake of cholesterol is probably zero, meaning the avoidance of animal products... Most recommendations suggest that total saturated fats be reduced to about 10% of energy intake, but the optimal level may well be much lower..." Wow! Radical! The American Heart Association still recommends "cutting back" to 30% which is three times the amount eaten by societies with the lowest incidence of cardiovascular disease.


The causes for premature aging are somewhat more obscure, but the very bottom line for optimizing longevity seems to be EAT LESS, and stay active. Three communities whose populations seem to enjoy exceptionally long lives are 1) the village of Vilcabamba high in the Andes of Ecuador, 2) the Hunza, a small territory in the Himalayas of Pakistan and 3) the Georgian province in the Caucasus Mountains of the USSR. Diets in these communities are low to moderate in calories, and the primary source of calories for all three groups is complex carbohydrates, suggesting a generous intake of fiber.

Classic studies were done by McCay and coworkers in the 1930's with animal models that definitively proved calorie restriction increases life span. The mechanism may be via retardation of the development of degenerative diseases. Animals consuming high protein early in life and low protein with moderate calories thereafter had the longest life spans. It is also documented that food restriction also delays the appearance of lesions in infectious diseases. Obviously we are not talking starvation, which is extremely detrimental to health. However, once we reach a mature size it is appropriate to consider reducing total caloric intake as a way to spare our bodies the wear and tear of metabolism: digesting, assimilating and storing the amino acid, sugar and fat fractions of the food we eat. Juicing is an excellent way to consume high quality, partially pre-metabolized nutrients.

Given the general trend in soil mineral depletion with the advent of mechanized farming and pesticide use, it may well be advisable to take a basic vitamin/mineral supplement. It is especially important for vegetarians to supplement B12. All of us will benefit from consuming antioxidants (which protect against excessive free radical damage) such as the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and C; and the micronutrients zinc and selenium -- both co- factors in enzymes which break down by-products of peroxidation (cellular oxygen damage). All of the above (except B12) may be automatically accomplished by a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is preferable, especially for root crops such as carrots, onions and potatoes, which sit in the soil to grow. Avoid all forms of animal fat (there's just nothing good about it) except fresh fish oil, which has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation and the damage incurred by tissue irritation.

For More Information Please Contact
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Dr. Navneet Shukla

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Introduction to weight loss
Whether you are trying to lose 5 pounds or more than 50, the same principles determine how much weight you lose and how fast your weight loss will occur. Remembering the following simple guidelines and putting them into practice can lead to weight loss without the aid of any special diet plans, books, or medications.
Our body weight is determined by the amount of energy that we take in as food and the amount of energy we expend in the activities of our day. Energy is measured in calories. If your weight remains constant, you are probably taking in the same amount of calories that you burn each day. If you're slowly gaining weight over time, it is likely that your caloric intake is greater than the number of calories you burn through your daily activities.
Everyone is in control of the amount of food he or she consumes each day, so our intake of calories is something we can control. To a major degree, we can also control our output of energy, or the number of calories we burn each day. The number of calories we burn each day is dependent upon our basal etabolic rate (BMR), the number of calories we burn per hour simply by being alive and maintaining body functions and our level of physical activity.

For some people, due to genetic (inherited) factors or other conditions, the resting metabolic rate (BMR) can be slightly higher or lower than average. Our weight also plays a role in determining how many calories we burn at rest -- the more calories are required to maintain your body in its present state, the greater your body weight. A 100-pound person requires less energy (food) to maintain body weight than a person who weighs 200 pounds.
Lifestyle and work habits partially determine how many calories we need each day. Someone whose job involves heavy physical labor will naturally burn more calories in a day than someone who sits at a desk most of the day (a sedentary job). For people who do not have jobs that require intense physical activity, exercise or increased physical activity can increase the number of calories burned.
As a rough estimate, an average woman 31-50 years of age who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs about 1,800 calories per day to maintain a normal weight. A man of the same age requires about 2,200 calories. Participating in a moderate level of physical activity (exercising three to five days per week) requires about 200 additional calories per day.
How do you lose weight?
The most effective method for weight loss is reducing the number of calories you consume while increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity. To lose 1 pound, you need an expenditure of approximately 3,500 calories. You can achieve this either by cutting back on your food intake, by increasing physical activity, or ideally, by doing both.
For example, if you consume 500 extra calories per day for one week without changing your activity level, you will gain 1 pound in weight (seven days multiplied by 500 calories equals 3,500 calories, or the number of calories resulting in a 1-pound weight gain). Likewise, if you eat 500 fewer calories each day for a week or burn 500 calories per day through exercise for one week, you will lose 1 pound.

Examples of calorie content of some popular foods and beverages include the following:

•     one slice of original-style crust pepperoni pizza - 230 calories
•     one glass of dry white wine - 160 calories
•     one can of cola - 150 calories
•     one quarter-pound hamburger with cheese - 500 calories
•     one jumbo banana nut muffin - 580 calories

Any activities you do throughout the day are added to your BMR (basal metabolic rate) to determine the total number of calories you burn each day. For example, a 170-pound person who spends 45 minutes walking briskly will burn about 300 calories. The same time spent on housecleaning burns about 200 calories, and mowing the lawn for 45 minutes consumes around 275 calories

For More Information Please Contact
Help Line No. : 8574400757
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Skin does not bounce back if it's been stretched by rapid growth due to pregnancy, weight gain, or extreme weight loss. Instead, it becomes decorated by a form of scarring called stretch marks, or striae. Stretch marks often start off as reddish or purplish in color and then become glossy skin that appears streaked in silver or white.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows it to retain its shape. When constantly stretched, the dermis can break down leaving behind stretch marks.

Men and women can get stretch marks on several areas of their bodies, including the abdominal area, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms or lower back.

What Can I Do About Stretch Marks?

There are some treatment options for stretch marks, none of which work very well. The degree of success with any treatment will be impacted by your age, your skin tone and even your diet. Treatment options include:

Prescription methods. Tretinoin cream or laser therapy can be used to address unwanted stretch marks.
Over-the-counter products. Over-the-counter stretch mark treatments are available but not particularly effective. Moisturizers can help with appearance and itchiness. Sunless tanning products can help mask stretch marks.

It's best to be in the care of a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist. He or she can determine which treatment approach is best for you.

Stretch marks occur when the elastic middle layer of skin called the dermis is stretched. Stretching leads to a breakdown of connective tissue, inflammation, and then scar formation as the injury heals. It's the scarring that causes stretch marks to appear. Stretch marks are common during puberty and rapid growth spurts in adolescence (they typically heal by the late teens or early 20s), pregnancy, excessive weight gain and obesity, when muscle mass increases rapidly and stretches the skin (like during bodybuilding), and sometimes when individuals use topical or high doses of ingested steroids for many weeks or months. Stretch marks are not a health risk but can be cosmetically unappealing.

As for prevention, lotions and creams are largely ineffective and costly (although some of the tanning creams may cover up stretch marks but not heal them), and there isn't any medication that you can take to prevent or remove them either. However, if your stretch marks are from rapid increases in muscle mass due to weight lifting as you report in your question (your doctor can help assess what they're from if you're not sure), then you ought to try reducing the intensity of your workouts in the areas of your body that are affected to prevent muscle mass from increasing quickly. You report that your arms are affected, and so you might try reducing the weight during biceps curls, triceps press-downs and kickbacks, and any other exercise that works the muscle under the skin where the stretch marks appear. There's no guarantee that this will work, but it's worth a try. Reducing body fat may also be helpful since stretch marks tend to appear more in fatty areas of the body (abdomen, upper arms, thighs, and buttocks), but again, you won't know if it works until you try.

Stretch marks tend to fade over time, but it's a wait-and-see game as to how much. If reducing the intensity of your training doesn't work and they continue to upset you even after they diminish, then you might consider a consult with a dermatologist to discuss surgical, laser, and other possible treatments. Your primary care physician can make the appropriate referral

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Importance of sexuality
Sexuality is part of being human. Love and sexual intimacy contribute to healthy relationships, and to our happiness.
Research has shown that sex is more important to happiness than money. After analyzing data from 16,000 people, English researchers estimated that the happiness gained from increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the happiness generated by getting a $50,000 raise.

Along with the positive aspects of sexuality, however, there are illnesses that can affect your sexual health. But by taking precautions, you can stay well.

Among the issues that can affect your sexual health are:

• Birth control
• Impotence and desire issues
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Body image
• Sexual satisfaction

How your health affects your sex life:
Experts agree: There is an important relationship between overall health, overall lifestyle, and sexual satisfaction. Research also suggests that certain physical conditions that go along with obesity also affect sex drive, further dampening the desires of those who are overweight.

The good news: You can make some lifestyle changes to enhance your libido, experts say. Those changes include:
If you're overweight, lose a little weight (even 10 pounds) to stimulate sex hormones.
Eat more nutritious foods, which control cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Choose heart-healthy    foods such as grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and lean sources of dairy and protein.
Exercise regularly. To strengthen your heart and help build endurance, add a few high-intensity bouts to your fitness routine. Strength training is also a good idea, to build shapely muscle and to keep your body strong enough to handle all your day-to-day activities (including sex).Get enough rest. It's hard to be in the mood for love when you are exhausted!
Keep a positive attitude. Accept your body, whatever its size, and believe in your sensuality.

Get help if you need it:
Although small changes in lifestyle -- along with some healthy "self-talk" -- can go a long way toward improving both drive and desire, if you still are experiencing sexual problems, professional help may be in order.
It's not as simple as getting a prescription for Viagra; sexual problems may be physical or psychological in nature, and can affect both men and women.
If the problems are persistent, or cause distress for you or your partner, it's time to see your doctor for evaluation and treatment.
Love and sexual intimacy contribute to healthy relationships, and to our happiness. Research has shown that sex is more important to happiness than money. Along with the positive aspects of sexuality, however, there are illnesses that can affect your sexual health. But by taking precautions, you can stay well

Read more...