Avoid food poisoning by thorough washing and proper cooking

Avoid food poisoning by thorough washing and proper cooking New Delhi, August 09, 2016: With thorough washing and proper cooking of fruits and vegetables one can eliminate most bacteria that cause food poisoning, said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA. Food-borne illnesses or food poisoning usually comes from eating food tainted with bacteria or their toxins. Virus and parasites can also be behind the food poisoning. People have long known that raw meat, poultry and eggs can also harbor disease–causing microbes. But in recent years most outbreaks of food–borne illnesses are due to fresh fruits and vegetables. Food poisoning can cause abdominal pain, nausea, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. Symptoms may appear several hours to several days after eating tainted food. For example, Salmonella bacteria will cause illness 12 hours to 3 days after ingestion lasting about 4–7 days. The most common way to treat food poisoning is to drink plenty of fluids. The sickness usually subsides within a few days. Ways to prevent food poisoning at home • Wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces often • Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods • Cook foods to a safe temperature • Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly — within two hours of purchasing or preparing them. • Defrost food safely. ... • Throw food when in doubt of out when in doubt • Do not eat uncovered cut fruits and vegetables available on the streets • Do not drink water that is not boiled

What not to do in snake poisoning

What not to do in snake poisoning New Delhi, August 02, 2016: In the monsoon season, snake bites are common. Most of these bites are by non–poisonous snakes. In a country like India, most people are misled by Bollywood movies showing a typical scene where the hero saves the heroine by giving an incision and then he sucks the poison and spits it out. "This is what should not be done", said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA. Dr. Aggarwal said that methods such as incision, oral sucking, mechanical sucking devices, cryotherapy, surgery and electric shock therapies have been widely used but are medically not recommended. A common misconception depicted in the movies is that one should apply tourniquet, suck out the poison and spit it out. Medically, this approach is strongly discouraged as it can damage the nerves, tendons, blood vessels and lead to infections. Venom removed by suction is minimal and clinically does not prevent snake bite complications. Many studies have shown that mechanical suction device reduces the total body venom burden by only 2%. First aid involves removing the patient from the vicinity of the snake. Keep the patient warm, rested and reassured. The wound should be cleaned with soap and water. One should not give drugs and alcohol as it may confound with clinical assessment. Efforts should be made to identify the snake and the patient should be transported to the nearest medical facility as quickly as possible.

Preventing electrical deaths in the monsoon season

Preventing electrical deaths in the monsoon season Do not use 2 pin electrical appliances as they can be dangerous New Delhi, August 01, 2016: In countries like India where 2–pin electrical appliances are still used, it is common to see a few people dying every day due to electrocution in major cities. Most of these deaths are preventable, said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA. Even if an electrical death occurs an electrocuted dead body can be revived within 10 minutes by using the conventional principles of cardiopulmonary resuscitation using the Formula of 10 where within 10 minutes of cardiac death for the next 10 minutes, compress the heart of that person at a speed of 100 per minute. Obviously, first the electrical source needs to be disconnected. Most deaths in India are due to misuse of earthing. In India, earthing can be procured either from the city source or made indigenously at home by digging a deep hole in the earth.’ Follow these Dos and Don’ts about earthing to prevent electrocution deaths: 1. Earthing is a thick wire attached to the top hole of a 3–pin electrical socket. 2. In any electrical circuit, green wire is for earthing, black for neutral and red for live wire. Earthing lead by convention is kept green so that it can be identified easily. 3. Normal electricity is generated when the live wire is connected to the neutral wire. Live with earth wire will also give the electrical current. There will be no current when the earth wire is connected to the neutral wire. 4. Earthing is a safety outlet, which allows leaking electricity to be conducted away harmlessly and not through the body. 5. Earthing needs to be checked every 6 months because it deteriorates with time and weather, particularly during the rainy season. A check can be carried out using an ordinary tester on the body of the appliance. 6. A test lamp can also check that earthing is proper. One can light bulb with live and earth wire. If the bulb fails to light while connecting live and earth socket it means the earthing is defective. 7. People tend to take earthing lightly and often misuse it. 8. Live and earth wires are sometimes untied together for temporary connection, which can be dangerous to life. Following are the general precautions, which people should take to prevent electrical hazards: 1. Make sure that you have proper earthing connection in the house. 2. Always remember the green wire, without it, do not use any electrical appliances especially if it is touching any water surface. Water enhances conductivity; extra precautions therefore should be taken, while handling appliances, under wet conditions. 3. 2–pin plugs with no earthing arrangements should not be used and in fact should be banned. 4. While using 3–pin plugs, make sure all 3 wires are connected and the pins are not defective. 5. Do not use matchsticks to hold wires in the socket. 6. Do not touch any wire without ensuring that power supply is switched off. 7. Do not use the earth wire to replace the neutral wire. 8. All joint wires should be properly insulated with proper insulated tapes and not with sellotape or Band–Aids. 9. Before using geyser water, it should be switched off. 10. Do not use heater plates with exposed wire for cooking purpose. 11. Use dry rubber slipper at home. 12. Use mini circuit breaker (MCB) and earth leak circuit breaker (ELCB) facilities at home. 13. Metallic electrical appliance should not be kept near a water tap. 14. Using rubber mats and rubber leggings in the desert cooler stand can insulate electrical appliance. 15. Use only recommended resistance wires and fuses. 16. Earthing should be checked every 6 months. 17. Any ordinary tester can check the presence of leaking electricity. 18. Wrap cloth around the handle of the refrigerator 19. Read the set of instructions attached with every electrical appliance. 20. Accidental electric deaths occur more often in India due to the use of 220 V than in the US, where 110V is used. 21. AC current is more dangerous than DC. An AC current of more than 10 MA causes tetanic muscular contractions making it impossible for a hand grasping an energized object, to free itself. In case of electrocution, proper resuscitation is necessary. The mains should be switched off or wires disconnected using a wooden material and cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be started immediately. In a clinically dead patient, a thump in the center of the chest from a distance of one foot may alone revive a person. In severe electrocution, clinical deaths occur within 4–5 min., therefore time to act is limited. Do not wait for the victim to be taken to the hospital. Act there and then.

Monsoon fever can be deceptive

Monsoon fever can be deceptive

New Delhi, July 31, 2016: Fever during the monsoon season in India can be deceptive as malaria, viruses causing dengue, chikungunya and jaundice, and bacteria causing typhoid can all produce fever in this season, said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA.

Following are the Dos and Don’ts to follow if you have fever in the monsoon season:

1. No antibiotic should be started unless a diagnosis of typhoid is confirmed.
2. Cough, eye redness and nasal discharge can also be present in viral disorders.
3.  In dengue, one may have pain with the eye movement.
4.  In chikungunya, patients may have fever, rashes and joint pains. The joint pains will typically increase on compression of the wrist joint.
5. Malaria fever may present with chills and rigors, with no toxemia in between the fever episodes.
6. In jaundice, fever normally disappears by the time jaundice appears clinically.
7. In typhoid, patient looks toxic and the pulse rate may be relatively low compared to the fever.
8. Fever medicines like aspirin should not be given in monsoon season as many fevers may have low platelet counts.
9. Most viral disorders are self–limiting and resolve within a week.
10.  In most monsoon related viral disorders, treatment is adequate hydration.
11. Fever in the setting of chronic medical disease should not be ignored and shown to the doctors at the earliest.

Monsoon season is the time to give our child a de–worming tablet

Monsoon season is the time to give our child a de–worming tablet New Delhi, July 30, 2016: During the monsoons, most of the worms in the soil come up to the surface and infect the vegetables. The associated humidity also leads to more breeding of house flies and mosquitoes.
It is thus important to ensure that all fruits and vegetables, are washed thoroughly with clean water and if needed Potassium Permanganate is added to them during the monsoon season to prevent illnesses, said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA.
Round worms are normally present in the soil and good sanitation is required to prevent their fecal contamination, which is often impossible in the monsoon season. Washing hands before meals and drinking boiled water can reduce the risk of round worm infection; but, in the India scenario, the same may not be possible.
The easiest way is to give your child a de–worming tablet 3–4 times in a year.
Treatment of school-going children with single dose of de–worming tablet every 3–4 months has been advocated in many countries. In a study conducted in Zanzibar, a single dose of mebandazole tablet given three times a year reduced round worm infection by 97%.

The body’s immunity reduces during the monsoon season

The body’s immunity reduces during the monsoon season New Delhi, July 4, 2016: After the hot summers, monsoons are welcomed by all. However, the monsoon season also means the onset of many diseases and reduced immunity. According to Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA, "The diseases associated with monsoon are malaria, dengue, Chikungunya, jaundice, and gastrointestinal infections like typhoid and cholera. Apart from these, viral infections like cold and cough are also common”.
Patients with Chikungunya typically have joint pain that is relieved by flexing the limbs. Dengue, if not adequately managed, can be fatal in 1% of the cases. Chikungunya, though not fatal, can cause chronic debilitating joint pains that can sometimes last for years. Management of dengue involves fluid resuscitation and not platelet resuscitation. If enough fluids are given, mortality can be reduced. The mortality period usually starts when the fever subsides. Misusing anti-fever medicines can precipitate bleeding in dengue patients.
The water that gets collected due to rain becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. As contamination of drinking water is common during monsoons, it is important to drink clean and pure water to prevent diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections.
Walking in dirty water during rainy season leads to numerous fungal infections, which affect the toes and nails. Diabetic patients should take special care of their feet and be aware of infections affecting the toes and nails. Feet should always be kept dry and clean. Avoid walking in dirty water. Keep shoes, socks, and raincoats dry and clean.
In the case of asthmatic patients, precautions should be taken to prevent dampness and growth of fungus (mould) in and around the house. Fumigation should also be avoided.
During this season, underground worms come to the surface and contaminate the surface vegetables. In the presence of weak digestive fire, this can cause gastric disturbances. It is because of this reason that community lunches and marriages are avoided in this season. It is better to eat light foods and consume barley, rice, and wheat. Water should be boiled before use. Eat warm food and add ginger and greens to your daily diet.

Take special care of your health during the upcoming monsoon season

Take special care of your health during the upcoming monsoon season

During the Monsoon season, the body’s immunity levels dip

New Delhi: 15 June 2016: Monsoon is a season which brings respite from the dreaded summer months and helps revive the dying crops. However the season also brings with itself a host of diseases. The immunity levels of a person are found to be at its lowest during this season making people vulnurable to illness.

 “The most common diseases associated with the monsoon season are malaria, dengue, Chikungunya, jaundice and gastrointestinal infections like typhoid and cholera. Apart from these, viral infections like cold and cough are also common”, said Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Honorary Secretary General IMA.

Patients with Chikungunya, typically complain of joint pains and can get relief from the pain by flexing their limbs. Chikungunya, though not fatal, can cause chronic debilitating joint pains lasting for years and adequate prevention must be taken against it.

Dengue, most commonly caused by the breeding of the aedes mosquite if not adequately managed, can be fatal in 1-4% of cases. Management of dengue involves fluid resuscitation and not platelet resuscitation. If enough fluids are given, mortality rates are negligable. Inappropriate misuse of anti fever medicines can precipitate bleeding in dengue patients. Awareness must be raised about how the aedes mosquito breeds in clean collected water and people must ensure that they wear full-sleeves clothing during the monsoon season, do not let water collect outside their house and that they use mosquito repellents.

One of the most common occurances in the monsoon season is the contamination of drinking water making people prone to diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections. People must ensure that they only drink safe and clean drinking water during these months and avoid eating at places where the water has been left out in the open for hours.

Walking in dirty water during the rainy season leads to numerous fungal infections. Diabetic patients must take special care to keep their feet clean and dry. They must walking in dirty water. 

During the monsoons, precautions have to be taken to prevent dampness and growth of fungus (mold) on and around the house were asthmatic patients are living. Avoid fumigation for mosquitos in case of asthmatic patients as it can aggrevate their condition.

Underground works come to the surface and contaminate surface vegetables during the rainy season. This can cause gastric disturbances in people with low immunity. It is because of this reason that community lunches and marriages are usually not held during this season.

Overall, one must enjoy the weather and the respite of the rains, while taking necessary precautions against diseases which might dampen the celebrations.