Why can Iodine Deficiency become Fatal for you?

Iodine is very important for our body, though we rarely value it. It plays a special role in thyroid hormone and digestive activities.

If there is a lack of iodine, it has a major effect on physical growth or structure.

But many of us do not know how much iodine we need or in what kind of food it can be found?

After research, Professor Margaret Rayman of Surrey University has found that there is a shortage of iodine in many modern healthy foods which can create serious health issues especially for pregnant women.

Why do we need iodine?

Thyroid hormone plays a key role in digestion and body growth and iodine is an important part of this hormone.

“The lack of iodine is the main cause of the lack of human intelligence or lack of learning, which can be prevented,” says Professor Rayman.

“If pregnant women do not get enough iodine, their children may be born with intellectual disabilities or hormonal problems.” She said.

Iodine problem lies in many neighborhoods near the Alps. There is also a large number of thyroid gland swelling in the neck. Large swelling thyroid glands are also seen in their throat.

Professor Rayman says, now we know it is a visible sample of iodine deficiency. Thyroid glands may swell excessively as it tries to store iodine from blood.

Healthy Food Risks

Among the foods all over the world, probably the main source of iodine is white fish and eggs.

Iodine is also mixed with food-salt in most countries.

In many countries like the UK, people get iodine directly from milk and dairy products, because iodine is added to the diet of cows.

But in industrialized countries too, iodine deficiency is seen among many people. There is a lack of iodine in food, that is not because of that. The main reason, they do not want to eat these foods.

The most vegetarians are in this group who do not have meat in their food menu. The number of these teams is increasing day by day.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has done a recent study on people of different ages, there were also pregnant women among them.

The organization has found that iodine acceptance rate among vegetarians is very low.

Professor Rayman has also found that vegetarians and those who do not eat meat, such pregnant women also have iodine problems in their children.

In the 1990s, Professor Rayman collected samples from more than 14,000 pregnant women. Then she kept observing the health and growth of them and their children.

Especially they closely monitored the power of children's education and their intellectual capacity. They analyzed their data.

They found that women who had iodine problems, their children received fewer marks in the oral intelligence test at the age of eight. At the age of nine too, they had less capacity for their studies. They have seen this test, the problems of the mother have affected their children.

But the most worrying thing is that those who had a little iodine deficiency, this problem was also strong among them.

Where is iodine available?

The world's largest source of iodine is the ocean.

Iodine comes into human body by consuming plants or animal meat which comes through food cycle from the sea to the sky, the environment, the rain etc.

But there is no sea-touched rain in landed areas at all times. Again, those who are dependent on locally produced food also do not get iodine in all foods. These events occur in the Alps, in remote areas of Pakistan or in mountainous areas of Italy, Russia and Central Africa.

Iodine deficiency is also seen in flood prone areas like Bangladesh. Because flood water washes away iodine from the soil.

How much iodine is needed every day?

Experts suggest that one woman should have 150 to 300 micrograms of iodine in their food per day. But iodine levels are different in each meal. So it is difficult to say how much iodine one can get in the amount of food one eats.

However, oily fish does not contain the same amount of iodine that white fish contains. There is more iodine in cold milk.

There is also considerable iodine in milk that is not organic. Due to the regulations what have to be fed to the farm cows, this milk becomes iodine-rich.

Best of all, eating different types of food. Do not completely remove the type of food like meat, unless the doctor has a restriction.

source of Info: bbc.com/bengali

Foods for Your Healthy Brain and Nerves

Is there really any food which is good for the brain? How do the foods work? Many types of research have been conducted on this matter. It has found from the research, as vitamins and minerals are necessary to keep your body strong and healthy, these foods are needed to keep your brain and nerves active. So, researchers have named these foods as ‘brain food’.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): For healthy brain and nerves, this vitamin is necessary. The best sources of vitamin b1 are enriched grain products, fortified breakfast cereals, and meatless soy products.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): It forms coenzyme which helps to transmit nerve stimulation. You can get this vitamin from meat, fish, whole food grains, beans, milk, vegetables, and fruits.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): This vitamin converts tryptophan into serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical component of the brain. Vitamin B6 enriched foods include: fortified breakfast cereals, beef, potatoes, bananas, turkey, pistachios etc.

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): This vitamin is necessary for the normal function of the brain and nervous system and the formation of red blood cells. You can get this vitamin from eggs, fish, meat, milk and dairy foods.

Folic Acid: This vitamin is necessary for the metabolism of fatty acid in the brain. Folic acid is essential for pregnant women. Because the risk of nerve-related problems of the wombed child increases if the amount of folic acid is low. You can get folic acid from whole-wheat products, peas, dried beans, oranges, liver, broccoli, beets, lentils, and spinach.

Some minerals play vital roles to conduct the activities of the nerves properly. Your whole body will be inactive if your nerves decay. So, to prevent nerve decay and to stimulate the nerves, you have to take the following minerals.

Magnesium: Good sources of magnesium include: Whole grains such as brown rice, Beans and nuts, Green leafy vegetables, and whole wheat bread.

Potassium: Potassium is present in all fruits, meat, fish, and vegetables. Potatoes and sweet potatoes, milk, all nuts, bananas, avocados, soybeans, chocolate are high in potassium.

Calcium: Foods rich in calcium include: Cheese, Yogurt, Sardines and canned salmon, Almonds, Beans and Lentils, Whey protein etc.

Eat foods to increase brain power: To keep your brain active, fuel is necessary. And for this, take a small amount of foods several times a day rather than taking a large amount of foods two to three times a day. Choose nutritious foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, chicken, and fish. Drink water a lot. Your brain needs sufficient water for its proper activity. Your brain becomes dehydrated by mental pressure. So drink water when you are tired, in anxiety, or in mental pressure. Do not take coffee and soft drinks much. Because these drinks contain caffeine that increases urine.

Eat different types of foods: Your body needs different kinds of nutrition. Nutrition is necessary for the daily activities of your nerves and brain. So to get nutrition, you have to take different types of foods. Foods are the best source of nutrition. Give foods the priority, not medicine. Take advice from doctors if necessary.

Top 10 Causes of Death in Top 25 Most Populous Countries in the World

People die from different reasons such as age, accident, war, disasters etc. But different kinds of diseases cause most of the deaths, especially premature deaths. Some diseases are not curable and some diseases affect a large number of people at a time. For an example, Infectious diseases affect a certain area time to time, create much havoc and economic loss, and cause a huge number of deaths. People live in fear and tension because of the diseases. The tension and fear become global when the population of the country is large.

Here I have made a list of the top 10 causes of deaths of the top 25 most populous countries in the world. I have taken the information from the top related websites. You may find some differences among the lists provided by the different organizations. Actually, it is not possible to present the exact list because the information is updated frequently. So, if you know these information provided in this list, you will get a nice idea, which may be helpful for you. Here the list of the countries have been taken from Wikipedia on September 13, 2017.

1. China (1,386,310,000)

1. Malignant Neoplasms (28%)
2. Heart Disease (21%)
3. Cerebrovascular Disease (11%)
4. Diseases of the Respiratory System (5%)
5. Endocrine, Nutritional & Metabolic Diseases (3.4%)
6. Injury & Poisoning (3%)
7. Diseases of the Digestive System (3%)
8. Diseases of the Nervous System (1%)
9. Diseases of the Genitourinary System (1%)
10. Infectious Diseases (0.9%)

 Source: worldatlas.com

2. India (1,321,140,000)

1. Cardiovascular Diseases (24.8%)
2. Respiratory Diseases (10.2%)
3. Tuberculosis (10.1%)
4. Malignant and Other Tumors (9.4%)
5. Ill-Defined Conditions (5.3%)
6. Digestive Diseases (5.1%)
7. Diarrheal Diseases (5.0%)
8. Unintentional Injuries (4.6%)
9. Intentional Self-Harm (3.0%)
10. Malaria (2.8%)

Source: worldatlas.com

3. United States (325,749,000)

1. Heart disease (23.4%)
2. Cancer (malignant neoplasms) (22.5%)
3. Chronic lower respiratory disease (5.6%)
4. Accidents (unintentional injuries) (5.2%)
5. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases) (5.1%)
6. Alzheimer's disease (3.6%)
7. Diabetes (2.9%)
8. Influenza and pneumonia (2.1%)
9. Kidney disease (nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis) (1.8%)
10. Suicide (1.6%)

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

4. Indonesia (261,890,900)

1. Stroke (21.2%)
2. Ischemic Heart Disease (8.9%)
3. Diabetes (6.5%)
4. Lower Respiratory Infections (5.2%)
5. Tuberculosis (TB) (4.3%)
6. Cirrhosis (3.2%)
7. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (3.1%)
8. Road Injury (2.9%)
9. Hypertensive Heart Disease (2.7%)
10. Kidney Diseases (2.6%)

Source: worldatlas.com

           

5. Pakistan (208,881,000)

1. Ischemic Heart Disease (8%)
2. Cancer (8%)
3. Lower-Respiratory Infections (8%)
4. Stroke (6%)
5. Diarrheal Diseases (6%)
6. Neonatal Encephalopathy (5%)
7. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5%)
8. TB (5%)
9. Preterm Birth Complications (4%)
10. Diabetes (3%)

Source: worldatlas.com

           

6. Brazil (207,985,000)

1. Low Back & Neck Pain (6%)
2. Ischemic Heart Disease (6%)
3. Cancer (4%)
4. Diabetes (4%)
5. Lower Respiratory Infections (3%)
6. Diarrheal Disease (2%)
7. Diabetes (2%)
8. Interpersonal Violence (3%)
9. Iron-deficiency anemia (2%)
10. HIV/AIDS (2%)

Source: GBD Compare, 2013, cdc.gov           

7. Nigeria (193,500,543)

1. Malaria (20%)
2. Lower Respiratory Infections (19%)
3. HIV (9%)
4. Diarrheal Diseases (5%)
5. Road Injuries (5%)
6. Protein-Energy Malnutrition (4%)
7. Cancer (3%)
8. Meningitis (3%)
9. Stroke (3%)
10. Tuberculosis (2%)

Source: GBD Compare, 2010, cdc.gov

           

8. Bangladesh (163,123,000)

1. Cancer (13%)
2. Lower Respiratory Infections (7%)
3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (7%)
4. Ischemic Heart Disease (6%)
5. Stroke (5%)
6. Preterm Birth Complications (4%)
7. Tuberculosis (3%)
8. Neonatal Encephalopathy (3%)
9. Diabetes (3%)
10. Cirrhosis (3%)

Source: GBD Compare, 2010, cdc.gov

           

9. Russia (146,787,329)

1. Ischemic heart disease (30%)
2. Cerebrovascular disease (22%)
3. Poisoning (3%)
4. Self-inflicted injuries (3%)
5. Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers (2%)
6. Violence (2%)
7. Road traffic accidents (2%)
8. Stomach cancer (2%)
9. Colon and rectum cancers (2%)
10. Cirrhosis of the liver (2%)

Source: cdc.gov

10. Japan (126,750,000)

• Malignant neoplasm (cancer)
• Cardiac disease
• Pneumonia
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Senility
• Freak accident
• Renal failure
• Suicide
• Aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Source: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan, 2015, nbakki.hatenablog.com

           

11. Mexico (123,364,426)

• Coronary Heart Disease
• Alzheimer’s/Dementia
• Stroke
• Lung Cancers
• Colon-Rectum Cancers
• Lung Disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Influenza and Pneumonia
• Kidney Disease

Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

12. Philippines (104,587,000)

• Coronary Heart Disease          
• Stroke 
• Influenza and Pneumonia       
• Diabetes Mellitus        
• Tuberculosis   
• Hypertension  
• Lung Disease  
• Kidney Disease           
• Breast Cancer 
• Asthma

Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

13. Ethiopia (94,351,001)

1. Lower respiratory infections (10%)
2. Diarrheal Diseases (8%)
3. HIV (7%)
4. Tuberculosis (7%)
5. Stroke (7%)
6. Cancer (6%)
7. Ischemic Heart Disease (4%)
8. Preterm Birth Complications (3%)
9. Malaria (2%)
10. Road Injuries (2%)

Source: cdc.gov

14. Vietnam (93,700,000)

• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Neoplasms
• Diabetes/Urological/Blood/Endocrine
• Chronic Respiratory Diseases
• Unintentional Injuries
• Diarrheal Diseases
• Neurological Disorders
• HIV/AIDS & TB
• Transport Injuries
• Cirrhosis

Source: cdc.gov

15. Egypt (93,509,900)

1. Ischemic heart disease (21%)
2. Stroke (14%)
3. Cancer (9%)
4. Cirrhosis (9%)
5. Lower Respiratory Infections (4%)
6. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (4%)
7. Chronic Kidney Disease (3%)
8. Road Injuries (2%)
9. Hepatitis (2%)
10. Diabetes (1%)

Source: GBD Compare 2010, cdc.gov

16. Germany (82,800,000)

• Coronary Heart Disease
• Alzheimer’s/Dementia
• Stroke
• Lung Cancers
• Colon-Rectum Cancers
• Breast Cancer
• Influenza and Pneumonia
• Other Injuries
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Pancreas Cancer

Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

17. Democratic Republic of the Congo (81,339,988)

1. Diarrheal Diseases (12%)
2. Lower Respiratory Infections (11%)
3. Malaria (7%)
4. Protein-energy Malnutrition (7%)
5. Preterm Birth Complications (5%)
6. Stroke (4%)
7. Birth Asphyxia & Trauma (4%)
8. TB (4%)
9. Meningitis (3%)
10. HIV/AIDS (3%)

Source: WHO Country Health Profile 2012: DRC, cdc.gov

18. Iran (80,425,000)

• Coronary Heart Disease          
• Stroke 
• Road Traffic Accidents          
• Hypertension  
• Influenza and Pneumonia       
• Diabetes Mellitus        
• Stomach Cancer          
• Endocrine Disorders   
• Lung Disease  
• Breast Cancer

Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

19. Turkey (79,814,871)

• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Cerebrovascular Disease
• Alzheimer Disease
• COPD
• Lung Cancer
• Diabetes
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Road Injuries
• Hypertensive Heart Disease
• Lower respiratory infections

Source: Top ten causes of deaths in 2016, Wikipedia.

20. Thailand (68,414,000)

1. Cancer (19%)
2. Ischemic Heart Disease (12%)
3. Stroke (10%)
4. Lower Respiratory Infections (9%)
5. HIV (4%)
6. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (4%)
7. Diabetes (4%)
8. Road Injuries (4%)
9. Chronic Kidney Disease (2%)
10. Cirrhosis (2%)

Source: GBD Compare, 2010, cdc.gov

21. France (67,080,000)

• Coronary Heart Disease
• Alzheimer’s/Dementia
• Stroke
• Lung Cancers
• Colon-Rectum Cancers
• Breast Cancer
• Influenza and Pneumonia
• Other Injuries
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Pancreas Cancer

Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

22. United Kingdom (65,648,100)

• Dementia and Alzheimer disease
• Heart disease
• Lung cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases
• Stroke
• Influenza and pneumonia
• Prostate cancer (Breast cancer in women)
• Colorectal cancer
• Leukemia and lymphomas
• Cirrhosis and other liver disease

Source: express.co.uk

23. Italy (60,532,325)

• Ischemic heart disease
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Alzheimer disease
• Lung cancer
• COPD
• Colorectal cancer
• Hypertensive heart disease
• Diabetes
• Lower respiratory infect
• Chronic kidney disease

Source: healthdata.org

24. Tanzania (57,310,000)

1. HIV (17%)
2. Lower Respiratory Infections (11%)
3. Malaria (7%)
4. Diarrheal Diseases (6%)
5. Tuberculosis (5%)
6. Cancer (5%)
7. Ischemic Heart Disease (3%)
8. Stroke (3%)
9. STDs (3%)
10. Sepsis (2%)

Source: GBD Compare, 2013

25. South Africa (56,521,900)

1. HIV/AIDS (33.2%)
2. Stroke (6.5%)
3. Diabetes mellitus (5.7%)
4. Ischemic heart disease (4.8%)
5. Lower respiratory infections (4.2%)   
6. Tuberculosis (3.8%)
7. Hypertensive heart disease (2.7%)      
8. Interpersonal violence (2.4%) 
9. Diarrhea diseases (2.1%)
10. Road injury (2%)

Source: worldatlas.com

Hair Loss Causes? A Global and An Eternal Question

It is an eternal question worldwide, "Why is my hair falling out?" The causes of hair fall are many. Experts are trying to find out the causes relentlessly. The health.com has found some common causes of hair loss in men and women. Let's see the reasons in brief:

1. Physical Stress: A temporary hair loss may occur because of any physical stressful event such as, a surgery, a severe illness, an accident etc. But there is a good news, hair will start to grow as soon as the body starts to recover.

2. Pregnancy: Pregnancy is a stressful state, and stress causes hair loss. But don't worry, your hair will grow back soon after giving birth to a child successfully.

3. Too much vitamin A: The American Academy of Dermatology is saying that medications or supplements that contain much vitamin A may cause hair loss. So stop taking excess vitamin A.

4. Lack of protein: Take protein rich food such as, fish, meat and eggs much otherwise your body may ration protein by stopping your hair growth.

5. Male Pattern Baldness: Male sex hormones and a combo of genes are responsible for it.

6. Heredity: It is the female version of male pattern baldness. If any woman in your family has a history of hair loss, you may be prone to it.

7. Female hormones: Hormonal balance change during pregnancy and at menopause may cause hair loss.

8. Emotional stress: It causes less hair loss than physical stress.

9. Anemia: Iron deficiency causes anemia and anemia causes hair loss.

10. Hypothyroidism: Underactive thyroid gland cannot pump out sufficient hormones. As a result, Hypothyroidism occurs and hypothyroidism contributes to hair loss.

11. Vitamin B deficiency: Low levels of vitamin B may cause your hair loss.

12. Autoimmune-related hair loss: An overactive immune system causes alopecia areata which causes hair loss.

13. Sudden weight loss: Though weight loss is good for health, sudden weight loss may cause stress that may be a cause of hair loss.

14. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy destroys rapidly dividing cancer cells. It destroys rapidly dividing hair cells also.

15. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): It is another imbalance in female and male sex hormones which causes hair loss.

16. Antidepressants, blood-pressure and other drugs: Blood thinners and the blood-pressure drugs are more common factors for hair loss.

17. Overstaying: Tight braids, high heat, hair weaves, corn rows, hot-oil treatments etc. affect hair root and cause hair loss.

18. Trichotillomania: It is an "impulse control disorder". People affected by this disorder pull their hair out.

19. Aging: Especially women loses their hair when they enter their 50s and 60s.

20. Anabolic steroids: To bulk up muscle, many take anabolic steroids which is a cause of hair loss.

Thousands of questions come to people's mind about hair loss causes. As hair is a part of our beauty, we cannot neglect it anymore. Among the thousands questions, let's find out some questions and their answers:

Hair loss causes in young males:

What causes hair loss in your 20s? Androgenic alopecia is known as Male Pattern Baldness. Though it can affect both men and women, males are affected by it at their teenage or early 20s. Alopecia areata can cause complete baldness although hair returns in 90% cases. Young adults and children are the most sufferers of it.

Hair loss causes in young females:

About 40 percent of hair loss sufferers are women. The most causes of hair loss in young women are:

• Androgenetic alopecia, 
• Fluctuating hormone (Estrogen) levels, 
• Physical and emotional stress, 
• Pregnancy, 
• Eating disorder, and 
• Excessive styling.

Hair loss environmental causes:

Dust and smoke create air pollution. Dust and smoke contain various kinds of chemicals which settle on the scalp and hair. 'Sensitive Scalp Syndrome' is created by these. As a result, hair roots experience itching, oily scalp, dandruff and pain. All these things cause hair loss.

Can head lice make your hair fall out?

There is no scientific evidence that lice is directly responsible for hair loss. But lice cause inching which causes people to pull out their own hair.

Hair loss is a global problem. To get rid of this problem, we have to know the causes of hair loss first. From the above discussion we have known that physical and emotional stress can cause hair fall. Pollution is also responsible. It is true that, we have no hand in the genetic causes of hair fall, but we can change our life-style to be free from avoidable causes.

World Health Days | For Our Awareness | For Our Lives

World Health Days are celebrated for many purposes such as, to promote important public health issues, to raise public awareness, to encourage people, to prevent, detect and treat different kinds of diseases etc. World Health Days list is long. In every month of the year, one or more health days are observed globally. To be aware of diseases and conscious of our health, we should know about the Health Days and participate in the programs arranged to celebrate the days. It is our responsibility as human beings. So at first, let's know why and when the World Health Days are observed and for what purposes.

January

World Braille Day - January 4th

Every year, the World Braille Day is observed on 4th January worldwide to raise awareness about the struggle of blind and visually impaired people. The day is the birthday of Louis Braille. Louis Braille invented Braille reading and writing system. The blind and visually impaired people use this tactile system. The celebration of the day gives recognition to the achievements and contributions of Louis Braille.

World Leprosy Day - January 30th or its nearest Sunday

January 30th or its nearest Sunday is the observation day of World Leprosy Day. The day is observed internationally. The day's aim is to create public awareness about Leprosy (Hansen's Disease). Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, India realized the importance of leprosy. He died on January 30th. To commemorate his death, the day was chosen.

February

World Cancer Day - February 4th

To raise awareness and encourage the prevention, detection and treatment, a truly global event, the World Cancer Day is observed on February 4th. The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) founded the day aiming to stop millions of preventable deaths every year. Along with raising awareness, they educate people, press governments and individuals globally for taking action against cancer.

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day - February 14th

Can you remember the day February 14th? Yes, it is Valentine's Day. On this special day, A Day for Hearts which is called Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day is observed. The main purpose of the day is to raise awareness, honor and remember those who are born with a heart defect.

World Rare Disease Day - February 28th or 29th (in a Leap Year)

To raise awareness for rare diseases (a rare disease affects a small number of the population, most rare diseases are genetic), World Rare Disease Day is observed on the last day of February. The purpose of the day is not only raising awareness but also improving access to treatments and medical representation for those who are living with rare and genetic diseases. It involves their families also.

March

World Kidney Day - 2nd Thursday in March

World Kidney Day is celebrated on the 2nd Thursday in March. It is an annual global health awareness and education event. Every year, Kidney charities, patient groups, individuals and healthcare professionals organize numerous local, national and international events to focus the importance of the kidneys. Their aim is to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease. World Kidney Day date was set in 2006 when 66 nations observed the day for the first time.

World Water Day - 22nd March

International World Water Day is observed annually on 22 March. The day was initiated by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1993. The main focuses of the day are: making attention on the importance of freshwater, sanitation and hygiene facilities around the globe, especially in the developing world.

World TB Day - March 24th

Every year, World TB (Tuberculosis) Day is observed on 24th March. The aim of the day is to build public awareness that TB is remaining a global epidemic today and to eliminate the disease. Tuberculosis kills almost 1.5 million people each year. Most of the deaths are taken place in the developing countries. Dr Robert Koch discovered the cause of tuberculosis and announced his discovery on March 24th. To commemorate the event, World TB Day is celebrated on that day.

Epilepsy Day (Purple Day) - March 26th

The Purple Day or Epilepsy Awareness Day is an annual event observed on March 26th. To increase awareness about epilepsy worldwide is the main goal of the day. On the day, people from all countries of the world are invited to wear purple and celebrate events in support of epilepsy awareness. Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada started the day in 2008. According to WHO (World Health Organization), nearly 50 million people globally live with epilepsy.

April

World Health Day - April 7th

The World Health Day is observed on 7th April every year. It is a health awareness day. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other related organizations are the sponsors of the day. The WHO held the first World Health Assembly in 1948. According to the decision of the assembly, the World Health Day is celebrated from the year 1950, marking the founding of the WHO. Local, regional and international events are organized by the WHO on the day. Numerous governments and non-governmental organizations acknowledge the day and organize various activities.

World Parkinson's Day - April 11th

Every year, World Parkinson's Day is observed on 11th April globally. Parkinson's is not a curable disease. Parkinson's Day is celebrated to raise public awareness for changing in the treatment and management of the condition of the disease. Parkinson's disease is named after James Parkinson, an English doctor who published the first Essay describing Shaking Palsy in 1817. To honor him, his birthday 11th April has been selected as the World Parkinson's Day.

World Hemophilia Day - April 17th

What is World Hemophilia Day? It is an awareness day marking hemophilia and other bleeding disorders held on 17th April every year. Frank Schnabell established the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), a non-profit organization in 1963. To honor Frank Schnabell, the World Hemophilia Day is observed on his birthday April 17th since 1989. The day is officially recognized by the World Health Organization.

World Meningitis Day - April 24th

Confederation of Meningitis Organizations (CoMo) are responsible for celebrating World Meningitis Day on April 24th each year. On the day, people around the world get an opportunity to raise their voices for meningitis. Every year more than one million people are affected and 170,000 people die because of bacterial meningitis. Observing the day helps to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningitis as well as to increase knowledge of available vaccines.

May

World Asthma Day - First Tuesday of May

To improve asthma awareness and care, Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) organizes the World Asthma Day on the first Tuesday of May worldwide every year. The first World Asthma Day was celebrated in 1998. According to WHO, more than 300 million people suffer from asthma and people in all countries are affected by asthma.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day - May 8th

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement organizes World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on May 8th every year. The first Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Henry Dunant was born on 8th May. To commemorate his birthday, the date was selected. The day was first celebrated in 1948. The day honors Red Cross's seven Principles - Humanity, Unity, Independence, Neutrality, Voluntary Service, Impartiality and Universality.

World Lupus Day - May 10th

A global health problem, Lupus is a chronic, serious, life-altering, autoimmune disease. It has the power of damaging any part of our body such as joints, skin or/and inner body organs. The World Lupus Federation observes World Lupus Day on 10th May every year. The main purpose of the day is to make awareness and control of Lupus.

International CFS Awareness Day - May 12th

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a substantial disability which affects daily activities. Depression and frustration are the symptoms of the disease. To increase awareness among the people International CFS Awareness Day is observed on 12th May every year.

World Digestive Health Day - May 29th

World Digestive Health Day is organized every year on 29th May by the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO), in association with the WGO Foundation. They also initiate yearlong public health campaign globally focusing a particular digestive disorder. The aim of targeting a certain digestive disorder is to prevent, prevalent, diagnose, manage and treat the disorder. The World Digestive Health Day is observed since 2005.

World No Tobacco Day - May 31st

Every year, all the United Nations member states have been celebrating World No Tobacco Day on 31st May since 1987. The intention of the day is to highlight the negative effects of tobacco use and to draw attention to the widespread use of tobacco. Each year, tobacco kills nearly 6 million people all around the world. Among them, 600,000 are non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. The World Health Organization's (WHO) member states created the World No Tobacco Day.

World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day- Last Wednesday of May

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease which affects the brain, the optic nerves of the eyes and the spinal cord. It causes disability in young adults. To raise awareness about MS disease, a day is observed. The last Wednesday of May is officially marked for World Multiple Sclerosis Day (WMSD). The MS International Federation (MSIF), in association with its members introduced WMSD in 2009.

June

World Blood Donor Day - June 14th

The day June 14th was initiated in 2004 as the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). June 14th is the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner who distinguished the main blood groups. The day raises awareness of the necessity of safe blood and blood products. It also thanks to the donors for their precious gifts of blood. Among the eight official global public health campaigns organized by the WHO, WBDD is one.

July

World Hepatitis Day - July 28th

Every year, on 28th July World Hepatitis Day is observed. The aim is to raise awareness about Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. It is one of the eight days for global public health campaigns marked by WHO. The journey of World Hepatitis Day actually started in 2004 as the International Hepatitis C Awareness Day celebrated on October 1st. Later the name and date was changed. In 2008, the first International World Hepatitis Day was observed on May 19th. In 2010, the date was changed to July 28th.

September

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day - 9th September

FASD Awareness Day is observed on 9th September all around the world every year. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders that are very dangerous. To raise awareness about this dangers, FASD Awareness Day is celebrated since 9.9.99. On the day at 9:09, bells are rung in every time zone from Alaska to New Zealand.

World Suicide Prevention Day - 10th September

Every year, World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is observed on September 10th all around the world. The aim of the day is to prevent suicides. The day is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), in association with the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

World Lymphoma Awareness Day - 15th September

Every year, 15th September is the day of celebration of World Lymphoma Awareness Day (WLAD). An increasingly common form of cancer is lymphoma. To raise awareness of lymphoma, the day is observed. A non-profit organization, Lymphoma Coalition (LC) hosts the event. The first WLAD was celebrated in 2004.

World Alzheimer’s Day - 21st September

To raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer's cause, the World Alzheimer's Day is observed all over the globe on September 21st every year. Actually, World Alzheimer's Month is celebrated throughout September which was launched in 2012.

Ataxia Awareness Day - 25th September

Do you know, what is Ataxia? It is a fatal genetically-based degenerative neurological sign of lack of muscle control or coordination of voluntary movements. To raise awareness of this rare disease International Ataxia Awareness Day (IAAD) is observed on 25th September each year.

World Rabies Day - 28th September

To prevent and highlight progress in defeating rabies, World Rabies Day is observed on 28th September every year. Louis Pasteur developed the first vaccine for rabies. He died on September 28th. To commemorate him World Rabies Day is celebrated on that day.

World Heart Day - 29th September

World Heart Day falls on September 29th each year. The day is sponsored by the World Heart Federation. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease. The day was first celebrated in 2000. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Heart Foundation (WHF) jointly took the initiative.

October

World Mental Health Day - 10th October

To educate and make awareness, World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th October each year around the world. The day was first celebrated in 1992. The initiative of observing the day was taken by the World Federation for Mental Health. Some countries celebrate this day as an awareness week.

World Sight Day - Second Thursday of October

It is a global awareness making event, takes place on the second Thursday of October each year. The aim of the day is to focus on blindness and vision impairment. The Lions Club International Foundation initiated the day in 2000. 

World Food Day - 16th October

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was established on 16th October in 1945. In honor of the day, World Food Day is observed on October 16th. To raise awareness of the causes behind poverty and hunger, the day is observed. The day was established in 1979 by FAO's Member States.

World Osteoporosis Day - 20th October

An annual event, World Osteoporosis Day falls on 20th October. For raising global awareness to prevent, diagnose, and treat osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease, the day is observed. The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) organizes the event. The day was initiated in 1996.

International Stuttering Awareness Day - 22nd October

To raise global awareness of the speech disorder of stuttering, International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) is observed on 22nd October each year. The day was declared in 1999. The International Fluency Association (IFA) and the International Stuttering Association (ISA) jointly selected the day.

November

World Diabetes Day - 14th November

November 14th is World Diabetes Day. The day was initiated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in association with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1991. In 2006, it became a UN's official day. To raise awareness the day focuses the rapid rise of diabetes all over the world.

European Antibiotic Awareness Day - 18th November

Antibiotic resistance is a public threat. So, the use of antibiotic has to be prudent. And to aware people of this issues, the European Antibiotic Awareness Day is observed on 18th November each year. The day falls in World Antibiotic Awareness Week (3rd week of November).

December

World Aids Day - 1st December

To raise awareness of AIDS pandemic, World AIDS Day is observed on the first day of December. The day was initiated in 1988. The day is celebrated globally by Government and non-government organizations and individuals. All member States of the United Nations observe the day.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3rd December

The United Nations celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) December 3rd every year. It is a global event taking place since 1992. Disabled people have dignity and rights. Everybody has to support them. So, awareness has to be raised. And, by focusing all these things, IDPD is observed.

Besides the above mentioned World Health Days, week-long and month-long health days are celebrated around the world. The weeks and months are:

• Brain Awareness Week
• IBS, National Autism & Cesarean Awareness Month
• Hepatitis and Lyme Disease Awareness Month
• Brain Injury Awareness Week
• International Men’s Health Week
• International Group B Strep Awareness Month
• World Breast Feeding Week
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
• Breast Cancer, Lupus & Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

We will discuss the week-long and month-long health days in another article in future. There are a lot of things to know about the health days. So, visit the health websites to get detail information. I have given the sources of my information below so that you can visit the sites easily for your expected information. We should know about the health days and raise awareness. Only our voluntary participation can make the days successful.

Interesting facts of Obesity and Overweight You Should Know

Obesity is on the rise all around the world. In the past, obesity and overweight was a matter of tension in the developed world. But, now it is a matter of concern in middle income countries as well as developing countries. In this situation, let's know some interesting facts of obesity and overweight.

Premature death rate is high in obese people:
Obesity, responsible for the second most premature death in the United States kills more than 300,000 people every year. Overall, more than 2.8 million people face death because of obesity or overweight worldwide each year.

Obese women live in high health risk:
Obese women experience more breast cancer risk in their postmenopausal period. On the other hand, obesity strains pelvic muscle in women. The result is vaginal prolapse. Educated women are less obese than uneducated women.

People never want obesity:
4000 people participated in an online survey. Almost half of them told that they can give up one year of their life rather than be fat. Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University conducted the survey.

Sugar intake rate is rising in the US:
The average US person takes 100 pounds of sugar every year now. 100 years ago it was only 10 pounds.

Childhood obesity is increasing worldwide:
After observing 250,000 too fat US children under the age of 6, Child safety seat manufacturers have started making bigger models. In 2007, the number of preschool children who were overweight globally was more than 40 million. Self esteem is affected by childhood obesity.

Obese people are more vulnerable than malnourished people:
There are more overweight people than malnourished people on earth. People die more for being overweight than underweight all over the world.

Obesity affects Sexual life:
Both obese men and women are less sexually satisfied. They are less sexually active too. Obese men struggle more with erectile dysfunction.

Some Facts of Plastic Cosmetic Surgery You May Not Know

A recent study about Instagram post on Plastic Surgeon Search was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal. The study tells us to be aware of the plastic surgery related hashtags. Why? No, I am not telling you that here. You can know everything about the study by searching google. Here we will know some basic but important information of plastic surgery.

Do you know that today's modern plastic surgery actually started in ancient Egypt and India? About the broken nose constructive treatment was first mentioned in a medical text called the "Edwin Smith Papyrus". The period was from 3000 to 2500 BC. Sushruta was a 6th century BC Indian Physician. His contribution was in the field of plastic and cataract surgery. Before Sushruta, Indians carried out reconstructive surgery techniques by 800 BC.

Plastic surgery is different from cosmetic surgery. They have different goals. Cosmetic surgery focuses on enhancing appearance. On the other hand, the main focus of plastic surgery is to repair for constructing a normal function and appearance. The methods of training of plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are different.

According to American Society of Plastic Surgeon, in 2016 Americans spent over $16 billion on plastic cosmetic surgery and minimally invasive procedures. Breast augmentation was the top most procedure. Other top four procedures were: Liposuction, Nose reshaping, Tummy tuck and Buttock augmentation.

Although South Korea is the main center for plastic surgery among all countries, Colombia is in number one because of Liposuction surgery. The top ten plastic surgery conducted countries are: Colombia, India, Dominican Republic, Taiwan, Thailand, The United States, Brazil, Italy, South Korea and Greece.

South Korean capital Seoul is the capital of Plastic surgery. A research which was conducted in 2009 found 1 in 5 women in Seoul experienced plastic surgery. And since 2009, Korea has conducted the most operations per capita with more than 980,000 operations in 2014.

Plastic surgery is one of the most discussed issues in the world today. The discussion will continue. But we want to stop here now. We will try to know more about it in future.

The Risk Factors of Heart Disease and Heart Attack You Should Know

A recent study conducted by a team of international researchers from Oxford University, University College London (UCL) and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland have found a relationship between more staying in education and lower risk of heart disease. Medical journal BMJ, United Kingdom published the study with strong evidences.

The study is not my topic of discussion here. Let us know the risk factors of coronary heart disease which leads to heart attack.

According to American Heart Association, there are three types of risk factors of coronary heart disease. The factors are-

• Major risk factors
• Modifiable risk factors and
• Contributing risk factors

Yes, Major risk factors are not changeable. For example-

• Increasing age
• Male gender and
• Heredity (with Race)

If you are older than 65 years, you have more risk of coronary heart disease. And the risk of heart attack is more if you are a woman. But actually the risk of heart disease and heart attack is more in male gender overall. The third unchangeable factor is family history including race. Studies have found more coronary heart disease and heart attack in some races.

The Major changeable risk factors are:

• Tobacco smoke 
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity and overweight
• Diabetes mellitus

The smoke of cigarette increases the risk of heart disease for not only the smokers but also the nonsmokers. If you have coronary heart disease, you have more risk of sudden cardiac death if you smoke cigarette.

The amount of High-Density-Lipoprotein (HDL), Low-Density-Lipoprotein (LDL) and Triglycerides determine the level of cholesterol in the blood. High HDL and low LDL is good. The levels of normal triglycerides vary from age and sex. High triglycerides combined with low HDL and high LDL increases the risk of heart attack as well as stroke.

High blood pressure is responsible for heart attack and congestive heart failure. Physical inactivity is responsible for coronary heart disease. If you are overweight, you have more risk of heart disease and stroke even if you do not have other risk factors.

Diabetes is responsible for developing cardiovascular disease. Sixty eight percent of people under the age of 65 who have diabetes die of some form of heart disease.

The other contributing risk factors of heart disease are:

• Stress
• Alcohol and 
• Diet and Nutrition 

Coronary heart disease is related to stress. Some scientists have noted it. On the other hand, cardiomyopathy is related to drinking too much alcohol. But, if you want to fight against cardiovascular diseases, you have to take healthy foods.

If you are interested to know details about the risk factors of heart disease, you can visit heart.org. They have explained everything so nicely.

Do you know these Wonderful Health Benefits of Garlic?

Garlic adds a unique flavor to cooking. Garlic has been using in cooking in India for a long time. It is not less known in other countries too. Many people call garlic ‘Power House of Medicine and Flavor’. The reason is - raw and cooked garlic keeps the body fit. And eating garlic on a regular basis cure many diseases.

Garlic has been using to cure diseases in Indian subcontinent for a long time. In addition, garlic is also used in other purposes. Using garlic is quite common in many cultures. Our ancestors have used garlic to control insects. In middle age, Europeans have used it to control plague.

Garlic contains the compound allicin that cure diseases. According to a NDTV report, the use of garlic and its health benefits are informed below:

Keeps Blood Clean:

Two cloves of garlic with a glass of warm water has to be taken in the morning daily. And a lot of water has to be taken in the day. It will clean blood and keep the skin well. If you want to lose weight, add some lemon juice to the warm water.

Cure Cold and Fever:

Garlic could be a super medicine for those people who frequently experience cold and fever. To remove cold and fever, two to three cloves of raw garlic have to be taken. Besides this, garlic could be eaten cooked and with tea. If the smell of garlic is felt bad, add ginger and honey to it.

To avoid heart disease:

The levels of cholesterol remain less if some cloves of raw or semi-cooked garlic are taken daily. And to control blood pressure and to balance sugar levels in blood, garlic works well. The sulfur-based compound allicin have positive impact on health. Keep in mind, raw garlic is better in this regard.

To prevent Bacteria and Bacterial diseases:

Garlic has been used to prevent bacteria and bacterial diseases for thousands of years. Studies have found that garlic extract works well to eliminate worms in children. Mouth wash could be made with garlic extract. The daily use of this mouth wash stops the spread of bacteria in the gums.

To prevent Cancer:

Stomach and colon cancer could be prevented by taking raw or cooked garlic daily. Many studies have claimed it. In addition, almost all types of cancer resistance is made in the body by daily consumption of garlic.

In skin and hair care:

The daily consumption of garlic makes the skin beautiful and remove the signs of aging. Besides, to protect the skin from the attack of bacteria and fungus, garlic has to be eaten regularly. Regular consumption of garlic stops hair fall and helps grow new hair.

Caution:

Patients who have asthma or shortness of breath should be careful in using garlic. In many cases, side effects are seen in these patients. Garlic consumption has to be stopped before operation. And not more than two to three cloves of garlic should be eaten without consulting a doctor.

Do you know about Diabetic Neuropathy or Nerve Numbness?

Diabetes has become an epidemic today. The efficiency of nerves at the end of hands and feet of diabetic patients is decreased gradually. It happens mostly to them who have been suffering from uncontrolled diabetes for a long time. As a result, the infected person’s hands and feet begin to wane. It causes serious damage to the patient. In some patients, the feelings of the feet decreases so much that blood comes out because of a cut but they cannot say it.

The symptoms of nerve numbness in patients with diabetes include-

• Feeling pins and needles in hands and legs.
• Losing the strength of hands and feet.
• Hands and feet muscles dry.
• Feeling like burning on the palm of the hands and feet.

At first of the treatment, diabetes has to be controlled. Secondly, the efficiency of hands and feet muscles has to be kept fit through physiotherapy. Patients have to take physical exercise regularly. The benefits of exercise are given below:

• Exercise consumes power of the body. As a result, body weight is controlled by losing fat.
• The production of insulin from beta cells in pancreas is increased through exercise.
• Exercise increases the performance of insulin. As a result, the small amount of insulin produced in the body can control the levels of glucose of blood. Additional medicine might not be needed.
• Blood circulation in the body increases through exercise.
• The complications of diabetes are reduced.
• Exercise increases the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) and decreases bad cholesterol (LDL) in blood.
• Exercise reduces high blood pressure.
• By alleviating tension, exercise keeps the mind fresh and cheerful.
• Exercise ensures better sleep.
• Exercise makes bones and heart strong. It keeps the bone joints active.
• One of the major causes of breaking bone in old age is osteoporosis of bone loss. Especially, hip fracture is found in women. Exercise reduces osteoporosis.

Exercise enhances immunity of the body.

Problems in Eyes in Middle Age

Along with some common problems, some particular problems are occurred in eyes in the middle and old age. Dr. Nafis Ahamed, senior consultant of eye department in Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital, has talked about it in an interview with nTV.bd recently. Many unknown and important things have come up in his speech. Let’s know the important things:

The first question is, what kinds of problems are occurred in the middle and old age? This can be divided into two parts. One is infective. It means infection which is occurred by germs such as bacteria. Another reason is non-infective or non-microbial. Among the microbial diseases, the most widespread is corneal ulcer. Another one is dakriosistitis, inflammation or infection of eye duct or tear duct. These two are very common. Conjunctivitis is also seen. These problems are caused by microbes.

Non-microbial diseases are also divided into two parts. One is reversible blindness. This blindness can be brought back to vision again. Cataracts is such kind of problem.

On the other hand, there are some diseases such as glaucoma, which is not reversible. So, the prevalent diseases are glaucoma, cataracts, corneal ulcer, dakriosistitis and problems occurred by injury.

There are many reasons of the reduction of the power of the eyes. It could be caused due to disease. Eye power may decrease close to the age of 40. This problem is related to age. The intensity of the problem increases slowly to 50 years of age.

One special kind of water is created in our eyes. There are some ways inside the eyes. The water gets out through the ways. For any reason, if the ways age blocked, water cannot pass through them. When water cannot go out, it creates pressure inside the eyes. These pressure affects the optic nerve. Optic nerve helps us to see. So, if the optic nerve is damaged, it will not be brought back again. It can be damaged if it is not diagnosed timely. And the ultimate result is blindness.