Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Hirsutism

Hirsutism is the excessive hairiness on women on those parts of the body where hair normally is absent or minimal, such as beard or chest hair. It refers to a male pattern of body hair (androgenic hair) and it is therefore primarily of cosmetic and psychological concern.  In 90% of the cases of Hirsutism, the women are tested positive for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting women. Reportedly, around 5- 10 per cent of women in India are affected with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  One of the primary issues with PCOS is that the insulin producing cells are over responsive and create too much insulin, causing Hyperinsulinemia. The increase in insulin causes the ovaries to produce too much of testosterone, excess androgens cause ovarian cysts, acne and male pattern hair growth. Androgen acts on the growth phase of hair cycle, causing the hair to go from vellus hair (the light, thin hair that covers the body) to terminal hair (thick, dark hair). There are a variety of treatments available to treat hirsutism.

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High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy May Signal Later Diabetes, Heart and Kidney Disease Risk

High blood pressure during pregnancy — even once or twice during routine medical care — can signal substantially higher risks of heart and kidney disease and diabetes, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

“All of the later life risks were similar in pregnant women who could otherwise be considered low-risk — those who were young, normal weight, non-smokers, with no diabetes during pregnancy,” said Tuija Männistö, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Rockville, Md.

Studies have shown higher heart and kidney disease risk in women with preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy-related disease marked with high blood pressure and measurable protein in the urine.

In the new study, researchers looked at less serious forms of high blood pressure that are much more common in pregnant women. For 40 years, they followed Finnish women who had babies in 1966. They calculated the risk of heart or kidney disease or diabetes in later life among women with high blood pressure during pregnancy, comparing them to women with normal blood pressure during pregnancy.

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POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS) AND HAIR LOSS

One of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting women in India is the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). A study reported that 10% of women of child bearing age are affected with PCOS in recent years. Women with PCOS have various symptoms which may be cosmetic, such as acne, facial hair and pigmentation, gynecological such as irregular periods, infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, or endocrinological, such as obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.D HAIR LOSS

Among the many mentioned symptoms of PCOS, Hair Loss or ALOPECIA is one foremost problem, which the women face. Research has shown that 67% of all women who suffer from alopecia or hair loss also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 

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Certain Contraceptive May Pose Risk of Type 2 Diabetes for Obese Women

A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) indicates that healthy, obese, reproductive-age women who use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) containing the hormone progestin have a slightly increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes when compared to those who use non-hormonal contraception. 

The research concludes that progestin-releasing LARC appears to be safe for use by such women but needs further investigation.

Nicole M. Bender, assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Keck School, was the principal investigator for the study "Effects of progestin-only long-acting contraception on metabolic markers in obese women," which recently appeared online in the journal Contraception. 

"Contraceptive studies often only look at normal-weight women," said Penina Segall-Gutierrez, co-investigator of the study and an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine at the Keck School. "Studies such as this are necessary because, today, one-third of women in the U.S. are overweight and one-third are obese. All women, including overweight and obese women, need to have access to safe and effective contraception." 

Obese women are at increased risk for pregnancy-related complications and are sometimes warned by their doctors not to use contraceptives containing estrogen, such as the pill, patch and vaginal ring. 

"[Those choices] raise the risk for blood clots," Segall-Gutierrez said. "So they need other, viable alternatives. The implanted LARC devices last three to 10 years, are easily reversible, and women don't have to remember to do anything with them, in contrast to the birth-control pill."

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Diabetes and Foot Care

It is predicted that by 2030 diabetes mellitus may afflict up to 79.4 million individuals in India. Diabetes is fast gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India with more than 62 million diabetic individuals currently diagnosed with the disease. Diabetes can be responsible for many health complications in patients, like kidney damage, nerve damage, stroke, heart attack or loss of vision. But what puts a patient  in hospital most often is a foot infection or diabetic foot. (Diabetes and its complications) 

                                                                                                                           

The legs have the longest nerves and arteries. For people with long-term diabetes, high blood glucose causes damage to nerves and blood vessels. With narrowing of arteries, adequate oxygen and nutrients do not reach the nerves in the legs. As a result, legs experience diminished sensation and stability, which makes the feet more vulnerable to wounds. The wounds are difficult to heal because diabetes often causes poor blood circulation in the lower limbs.

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NATURAL WAYS TO BOOST TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone, the steroid hormone from the androgen group, is often referred to as the MALE HORMONE.  It plays an important role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testis and prostrate and is also responsible for the development of the male sex characteristics such as deep voice, growth of body hair, increased muscle and bone mass.  Decrease in the testosterone levels can lead to a medical condition known as HYPOGONADISM. (CAUSES OF LOW TESTOSTERONE)

 Following are the natural ways to boost Testosterone:

1.REGULAR EXERCISE AND WORKOUT: Exercising can help mange various health ailments. Strength training is highly recommended to maintain testosterone levels. Muscle building with intense exercise can simultaneously increase the testosterone levels. Exercise also helps in reducing stress, hence increasing the production of testosterone. Biking, stair climbing, swimming and jogging are good cardiovascular exercises, which should be included in the plan.

2.KEEP A CHECK ON WEIGHT: Excessive body weight can lead to various health ailments like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and increase in cholesterol levels which can result in lowering the testosterone levels. Research says that a man loses 7% of his testosterone production with an increase of about 10 pounds body weight. With an abnormal 4 point increase in the body mass index of a person, he loses about 10 years of testosterone in his body. It has been proved that keeping a check on obesity/weight gain and reducing excess weight can help increase the testosterone levels.

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Top Diets for Diabetes

According to government figures, more than 85 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese (although excess weight isn't the only risk factor for this type of diabetes). But for people with type 2 diabetes who fall into that 85 percent, dropping the pounds can help stabilize blood sugar levels and even eliminate the need for diabetes medication. 

 

So which diet can help you achieve your weight-loss goals? There's no one right answer. But, says Nora Saul, RD, CDE, a certified diabetes educator and manager of nutritional education at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, “people who have diabetes can, with a little forethought, use many of the healthy popular diets.” 

Weight-Loss Plans for Type 2 Diabetes 

 

If you have type 2 diabetes and want to lose weight, here are some sensible diet options to try. 

 

DASH Diet: “Although originally designed to lower blood pressure, DASH — or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — is an all-around good eating plan,” says Saul. In fact, U.S. News and World Report rated the DASH diet as tops for treating diabetes in a May 2011 article. That's because the diet is high in fruits and vegetables, which means it's high in fiber, antioxidants, and potassium. It’s also high in low-fat dairy, calcium, lean protein, and whole grains. “It has meal plans for different calorie levels,” says Saul, which allows flexibility according to your weight. 

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Signs of High and Low Blood Sugar

One of the challenges of managing diabetes is maintaining consistent blood sugar (glucose) levels. Even with diligence, some situations can cause high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, while others can bring on low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.

There’s a lot you can do to minimize blood sugar ups and downs and avoid complications by monitoring your blood sugar levels with a glucose meter. How often to test depends on many factors, including the type of diabetes you have, any complications you’re facing, and the therapies you’re on, says Amber Taylor, MD, director of diabetes at the Center for Endocrinology at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, Md.

It’s also important to know the signs of both high blood sugar and low blood sugar, and what actions to take to bring blood sugar levels back to a desired range.

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Dos and Don'ts: Supporting Loved Ones With Diabetes

Taking an interest in your loved one’s diabetes, whether type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, is one thing; taking control is another. “If you’re constantly telling them what to do or repeatedly admonishing them, they’ll see it as a challenge to their control,” Perlmuter says. A take-charge attitude is rarely the kind of diabetes help your loved one is looking for.

Here are some dos and don’ts for providing diabetes support that works for everyone.

Don’ts When You’re Offering Diabetes Help

• Don’t play doctor. Unless diabetes is your field, you shouldn’t be giving medical advice, especially if it’s unsolicited. You may mean well, but many popular beliefs about diabetes are outdated, and you could be offering bad advice.
• Don’t bring up other people you know. Maybe your grandmother had type 2 diabetes and went blind. Maybe your friend’s mother-in-law had type 1 diabetes and ended up with kidney disease. Though you may know many people with diabetes, it doesn’t help someone trying to manage diabetes to hear other people’s horror stories.
• Don’t stare.
• Don’t be tactless. You might think a comment like “Look at it this way: It could be worse; you could have a fatal disease” offers comfort. But in reality, that’s not the kind of reassurance that will make anyone feel better, says William Polonsky, PhD, of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute in San Diego. It’s a thoughtless remark because it implies that diabetes isn’t serious. Both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have to be taken very seriously so that complications can be controlled and avoided.

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HOME REMEDIES FOR DIABETES

Recent health studies indicate Indians are at greater risk of suffering from diabetes than any other group in the world. It is predicted that by 2025 India will have more than 60 million diabetic patients. In other words, one in five diabetic patients in the world will be an Indian.

It is likely a combination of our food, lifestyle and genetics. Physical inactivity and the consumption of fatty, high-caloric and sugary foods vastly increase the risk of becoming a diabetic. The unfortunate reality is diabetes is extremely prevalent in Indian lifestyle. Research proves that making a few key changes to the diet, such as eating more produce, fewer refined carbohydrates, plenty of lean protein, and more “good” fat—helps improve blood-sugar control and cuts the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Indian kitchen has many ingredients which are effective in controlling diabetes:

Bitter gourd (Karela) can be helpful for controlling diabetes due to its blood glucose lowering effects. It tends to influence the glucose metabolism all over the body rather than a particular organ or tissue. It helps increase pancreatic insulin secretion and prevents insulin resistance. Thus, bitter gourd is beneficial for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. 

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SVR associated with lower risk for diabetes in HCV

ORLANDO, Fla. — Patients with hepatitis C who achieve a sustained virologic response after treatment have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to research presented here at Digestive Disease Week.

Hyder and colleagues used data from the Veterans Affairs Clinical Case Registry to identify patients with HCV, without pre-existing diabetes, who initiated antiviral treatment between 1998 and 2007. They evaluated the incidence of diabetes among patients who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) and those who did not clear the infection.“There are intrahepatic factors and extrahepatic factors that link diabetes and HCV,” Sarah Hyder, MD, a gastroenterology fellow at Brown University, told Infectious Disease News. “Considering this link, we postulated that successful treatment of HCV could decrease the risk for new-onset diabetes in these patients.”

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Understanding RA/Diabetes connection

There’s research that suggests a connection between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and diabetes. But the nature of that connection or even whether it’s actually real is unclear. "There are tantalizing links between the two diseases,” says Daniel Solomon, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a rheumatologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. But "at this point they are mainly speculative."

WebMD asked Solomon and Androniki Bili, MD, MPH, to explore the possible connection between RA and diabetes. Bili is an associate rheumatologist at Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pa. Here is what they had to say and how it might affect the way you manage RA.

RA/Diabetes Connection: What Are the links?

There are a number of theories about the connection between diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. RA is an autoimmune disease. The immune system defends the body from invading organisms and substances that can cause damage. With RA, the body’s immune system attacks its own joints. The result of that attack is an ongoing inflammation, which is a hallmark of RA. Some research suggests that inflammation may also play a role in the onset of diabetes.

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Why you must see an Orthopedic Doctor

Do you suffer from long sinew, muscle, or joint pain? does one have chronic back drawbacks? There ar quite twenty eight million Americans World Health Organization develop some kind of system problem annually. These issues embrace, however don’t seem to be restricted to, sprains, strains, and overuse injuries, likewise as knee, shoulder, and back pain.

Many people believe that the sole resolution for these problems is medication. they’ll have not asked themselves the question: Do i want to visualize Associate in Nursing orthopedic doctor?

An orthopedic doctor focuses on problems, diseases, and injuries relating the system. These doctors play a vital role within the designation, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of system conditions. orthopedic doctors add each hospitals and specialised practices to treat infections, sports injuries, broken bones, joint issues (e.g., arthritis), non inheritable conditions, chronic conditions (e.g., osteoporosis), and bone tumors. They handle everything from minor problems like a sprained gliding joint to complicated procedures and surgeries like a hip replacement.

If you’re experiencing any form of pain in your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, or back, you must take into account seeing AN medical science physician. Symptoms might embody any of the following:

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BEST TREATMENT FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS)

In India, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting women. Reportedly, around 10 per cent of THE women in India are affected with PCOS. Women with PCOS have various symptoms which may be cosmetic, such as acne, facial hair and pigmentation, gynecological such as irregular periods, infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, or endocrinological such as obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. PCOS is not a disease but a syndrome of multiple symptoms and signs and every woman might not have all the possible symptoms.BEST TREATMENT FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can’t be cured, but the symptoms can be managed.

Lifestyle changes: (Lifestyle modifications as a natural treatment for PCOS)

It has been observed that weight control improves many aspects of PCOS. The cycles become more regular, androgen levels are reduced, lipid and glucose metabolism improves, and spontaneous pregnancy may follow. Weight reduction of even a few percent has clinical benefits. This is because visceral fat is metabolically more active, and weight loss of a few percent is associated with significant loss of visceral fat. On the basis of these observations, weight management by dieting and exercise is recommended to all women with PCOS.

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