What Is The Relationship Between DNA And Diabetes?

What causes diabetes? Why do some people in the same family develop diabetes even though they all follow the same lifestyle? The answer to this is - DNA.

 Your DNA can increase your risk of diabetes.

 

Genetics and type 2 diabetes

People who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there’s always someone in their family who has diabetes, especially one of their parents or siblings. The gene mutations linked to diabetes can interact with your environment and lifestyle to further raise your risk.

 

However, not everyone who has a mutation will develop diabetes. 

 

Genes behind type 2 diabetes

Mutations in any of the genes that are involved in controlling the glucose and insulin levels can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. Some of them are listed below:

• Gene that affects glucose production, and insulin secretion and regulation

• Gene that helps the movement of glucose into the pancreas

• Gene hormone that is involved in glucose regulation

 

Know your risk for developing type 2 diabetes

These factors can increase your risk for diabetes:

• Having more than one gene mutations related to type 2 diabetes

• Being prediabetic

• Family history of diabetes

• Existing high blood pressure

• Obesity or being overweight

• Ageing 

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Gestational diabetes 

• Having high levels of triglycerides

• Personal history of heart disease or stroke

• Existing polycystic ovary syndrome 

 

Know your risk for type 2 diabetes with genetic testing 

Your genetic test can provide important insights about how your DNA influences your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and report your risk score and recommendations for it.

Your report lists your genetic risk for 30+ chronic health conditions along with more knowledge about signs and symptoms, associated diseases, and risk factors associated with that condition. The report also has recommendations for diagnostic screenings and lifestyle actions that help you be proactive about managing your health. Genetic testing is an important tool for early detection, prevention, and treatment. 

 

Know your genetic risk score for diabetes now.

Which is More Dangerous or Heart Health, High Triglyceride or High Total Cholesterol ?

 

The difference between triglycerides and cholesterol

Triglycerides are defined as the type of blood fat that is used for energy. On the other hand, cholesterol is a fatty, wax kind of matter produced by your liver. Cholesterol is used by the body to build cells, vitamins and hormones. The levels of triglyceride and cholesterol are important health markers. Monitoring their levels can help you keep them in a healthy range and prevent many diseases.

Triglycerides ranges

• Normal: less than 150 mg/dL

• Borderline: between 151–199 mg/dL

• High: more than 200 mg/dL

• Very high: more than 500 mg/dL

High levels of triglyceride can be a sign of other health conditions and as well as increase the risk of some diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and inflammation of pancreas.

Cholesterol ranges

• Normal: 199 mg/dL or less

• Borderline: between 200–239 mg/dL

• High: more than 240 mg/dL

High cholesterol in the blood can put you at risk of a heart attack and other heart diseases. Cholesterol build up in the arteries can cause atherosclerosis - the formation of plaques which can restrict the flow of blood.

Effect of combined levels of triglyceride and cholesterol 

The combination of high or low cholesterol with high triglycerides levels is a cause for concern. It can result in fatty build up in your arteries that can in turn increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

How to prevent diseases due to irregular triglyceride and cholesterol levels

Your food, exercise and complete lifestyle habits play a significant role in maintaining your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. High or low levels of cholesterol or triglycerides, or a combination of both indicate health disorders. It can put you at risk of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions. 

Regular full body health checkups are important for analyzing, assessing and identifying the changes in your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Health screenings also identify other underlying health conditions that may have arisen due to the improper levels of triglyceride and cholesterol. 

Get your full body health checkup done now and modify your lifestyle to prevent the health conditions you are at high risk.

What are Some Signs To Tell When The Aortic Valve of The Heart is Not Functioning Well?

 

Heart valve issues are related to many different conditions that obstruct the functioning of one or more of the valves in the heart and hinders proper circulation. If not treated in time, heart valve dysfunction can impact the quality of life and be fatal. Identifying a malfunctioning heart valve can help in treatment and restoration of their normal function and healthy life.

The function of heart valves

There are four valves in the heart - mitral, tricuspid, aortic and pulmonic. They ensure the blood flow in only one direction uniformly through your heart. The valves are made of flaps of tissue that open so that the blood can move forward through the heart during the first half of the heartbeat. During the other half of the heartbeat, they close to prevent blood from flowing back. These tissue flaps are called leaflets. In the mitral and tricuspid valves, there are fibrous strands of tissue that connect them to the papillary muscles inside the walls of the ventricles. They keep the leaflets sturdy against any wrong flow of blood.

 

Heart valve disease

Heart valve disease happens when the valves of your heart do not function correctly. Some birth defects, Rheumatic fever, over time degeneration, and infections can cause heart valve disease. 

 

Symptoms of heart valve disease

When the heart valves begin to function improperly, the heart needs to work harder to compensate for the decreased blood flow. With passing time, the valves malfunctioning progress and symptoms begin to show. Some of the signs are mentioned below:

• Discomfort in the chest

• Palpitations 

• Shortness of breath

• Swelling of the ankles, feet or abdomen (Edema)

• Dizziness

• Weakness 

• Unexplained weight gain

 

How is valve disease diagnosed?

Regular physical examinations are essential to find out about fluid in the lungs, enlargement of the heart, and heart murmur. Heart valve issues can be diagnosed by several medical tests that are included in the full body health checkups:

• Echocardiogram: it is the ultrasound of the heart where a moving image of the valves and chambers are displayed using sound waves 

• Angiogram: it is the x-ray of the coronary arteries, heart’s chambers and valves done by dye injected into a catheter in your limbs

• Electrocardiogram: the electrical activity of the heart is recorded in graphs using small electrode patches 

Depending on your current health and any existing health conditions, your physician might suggest some more tests like stress echocardiogram, MRI. Your doctor can monitor the progress of your valve issues and help you in making decisions about prevention or treatment plans. Check your heart valves now with a heart health checkup.

5 Ways To Prevent Kidney Stones Naturally

Following a healthy lifestyle is the key to preventing kidney stones naturally. Make these easy changes in your diet and nutrition plan and help your kidneys function healthily.

1. Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to prevent kidney stones. Drinking less water lowers your urine output - your urine becomes more concentrated and is unable to dissolve the salts in your urine that cause stones. If your urine is not clear or pale yellow, you need to drink more water.

2. Reduce your sodium intake: A diet with a high amount of salt increases your risk of developing calcium stones in the kidney. Consuming less salt keeps urine’s calcium levels low. Read processed and packed food labels carefully before eating.

3. Consume foods that are rich in calcium: Low calcium diets can increase your risk for kidney stone as well as osteoporosis. Have low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt for your calcium intake.

4. Reduce foods that have too much oxalate: Oxalate is a natural food compound that binds with calcium in the urine to form oxalate kidney stones. Limiting your intake of oxalate rich foods to prevent these kidney stones from forming.

5. Get your health status checked on a regular basis: Having one kidney stone can increase your risk of developing another. It can also increase your risk of chronic kidney diseases, like kidney failure. That is why you should get your body’s functioning checked twice a year. A full body health checkup reports your current health status and helps you plan your lifestyle and medical actions for prevention.

The best way to prevent kidney stones and keep your kidneys in good health is to do all that you can to prevent them from developing in the first place. Want to know more about preventing chronic kidney ailments? Read here.

Want To Know How Fit You Are? Get A Fitness Health Checkup Now

Health and fitness should be a priority for everyone irrespective of age and gender. Being fit can help you prevent chronic lifestyle health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and more. 

 What constitutes fitness?

Your overall fitness can be measured by physical abilities that include your balance, endurance, strength, flexibility, and body mass index (BMI). It also includes the health and functioning status of your body.

 

Importance of being fit

These days, our lives are fast paced and full of hustle. We are on the run, yet sedentary! Our lifestyles are becoming lax, we consume more processed foods, don’t sleep enough, don’t find time to be active, and inhale polluted air! The result of these manifest in our health and cause chronic illnesses that have the ability to decapitate us in discrete ways. 

 

The way out of this is to become aware of your health and understand the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. It is pretty easy to live a fit and healthy life - all you need to do is make healthy food choices, exercise daily, take care of yourself, manage your stress, and sleep better. 

 

How to know if you are fit? 

Your body and its functioning is affected by your daily lifestyle and environment. Hence, it is essential to get your full body health checkups every six months to understand your bodily changes, and overcoming actions you should take for your lifestyle. No matter if you are young and you think you are healthy - you should get yourself screened at regular intervals. The age span of most of the chronic non-communicable diseases are reducing - young people are also being affected by them. Another reason is that such diseases do not show signs or symptoms in their early stages, and they become quite grave and untreatable when they start showing symptoms. Early detection is therefore the key to prevent and manage these diseases.

 

Fitness health checkup package for your 20s

Find out more about your body and its health status with 62 tests that screen you for diabetes, infections, lipid levels, and diseases of the liver, kidney, abdomen, heart. You can lower your risk of these health conditions or manage them if they have already developed by planning a healthy lifestyle. 

Get your fitness checkup along with doctor’s counselling at an equipped medical facility near you.

10 Common Invisible Disabilities You Should Know About

 

What is an invisible disability?

Invisible disability includes various medical health conditions that are not detectable by the eye. They are, therefore, a hidden disability that can be present in different symptoms, like dizziness, debilitating pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, loss of hearing and vision, and neurological impairments. These disabilities need advanced diagnostic techniques to be found. Invisible disabilities can hamper the ability to perform daily tasks, deteriorate the quality of life and cause chronic diseases like diabetes. 

 

10 common invisible disabilities

1. Chronic pain: It can be caused by injuries, bone, joint and/or back health issues, arthritis.

2. Chronic fatigue: It makes people feel tired all the time without any apparent reason. It severely affects the ability to perform everyday activities. 

3. Fibromyalgia: It is one of the leading causes of chronic musculoskeletal pain and it can also impair a person’s daily functioning.

4. Diabetes: When the body is unable to manufacture enough insulin, it can not process glucose causing diabetes. If not effectively controlled, it can lead to cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and kidney issues. 

5. Mental health disorders: They can’t be seen but their symptoms are extreme. Conditions like depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, schizophrenia, ADHD, cause profound impact on a person’s overall health and functioning, and degrades the quality of life. 

6. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): It is a specific mental health disorder that is activated by a painful and traumatic event or experience.

7. Multiple sclerosis: It is a chronic neuromuscular disease that progresses over time and can render the person unable to do daily tasks.

 

8. Lyme disease: It is a tick-borne illness that can cause heart problems, eye inflammation, hepatitis, and severe fatigue if allowed to progress.

9. Crohn’s disease: It is one of many health conditions that are due to irritable bowel disorder. Sometimes, it can lead to life threatening complications.

10. Traumatic brain injury: It is a bBrain dysfunction that results from an outside force, like a violent blow to the head - mostly caused by car accidents or sports injury.

Invisible disabilities affect a person’s ability to even perform day to day activities like brushing hair, etc. Therefore, it is imperative to adopt early detection and preventive healthcare in one’s lifestyle. Yearly complete body health checkups can help in detecting any abnormalities developing in the body at an early stage. Finding out debilitating health conditions like diabetes early helps in making appropriate medical interventions and lifestyle modifications to manage the condition, and live a better quality of life.

Causes Of Blood Clots In The Lungs And Preventive Tips

 

A blood clot in the lung can be due to pulmonary embolism. It happens when a blood clot from another part of the body moves through the blood and lodges in the lung's blood vessels. Pulmonary embolism can obstruct the blood flow to the lungs and increase the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary embolism can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

Risk factors

The risk for developing a blood clot increase;

• When you have a prolonged inactive and sedentary lifestyle

• If you have a personal or family medical history of a blood clotting disorder or pulmonary embolism

• If you had a long period of bed rest after surgery

• If you have a personal history of cancer 

What causes a blood clot to turn into pulmonary embolism?

• When blood pools in the arm or leg due to a long period of inactivity like bed rest post surgery

• Injury of the veins from a fracture or surgery 

• Existence of a medical health condition like cardiovascular disease or stroke

Investigative tests for detecting pulmonary embolism

• Blood tests including D-dimer

• Computed tomography  (CT scan)

• Tests and scan of the lungs

• Pulmonary angiogram

• Ultrasound of legs

• Magnetic resonance imaging of the legs and lungs

How to prevent pulmonary embolism?

• Be active and exercise daily

• After recovery from surgery, try to move your arms and legs for few minutes at intervals

• Keep yourself hydrated, drink lots of water and fruits juices, however, avoid caffeine and alcohol

• Quit smoking

• Don’t keep your legs crossed for long

• Avoid wearing tight clothes

• Manage a healthy body-weight

• Keep a check on the current functioning and health of your body

Pulmonary embolism is difficult to diagnose, and in case of an existing underlying health condition such as heart or lung disease can make it worse. This is why you should get yourself screened regularly for these diseases. Find the best full body health checkup at a high end medical facility near you.

Disease Awareness And Preventive Healthcare Tips

What is disease awareness?

Understanding the implications and impact of various health conditions, both communicable and non-communicable and following preventive methods for avoiding them. Being aware of these diseases or health conditions is quite essential for your health and wellness. Knowledge is power, disease awareness can help you understand the reasons that causes diseases, their symptoms, and how to prevent it. 

 

The importance of disease awareness

A stitch in time saves nine! In the same way, early detection helps in saving lives. However, not everyone is aware of this. That is why awareness of diseases is important - it helps you with your preventive healthcare.

• Knowing the symptoms of diseases helps you keep an eye on them

• You can get timely help from your doctor

• Your doctor can plan a proper investigation and treatment for your condition

• You can make healthy lifestyle modifications that can help you in your wellness

• You save out of pocket expenses

 

How to prevent diseases?

Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes are fatal health conditions that can be prevented. Regular full body health checkups are the key to know your risk levels, and the basis to take preventive actions. Your health checkup reports your current health status - based on your health report, you can start healthy lifestyle habits. 

 

Prioritize your preventive healthcare over everything else

Your health is the most important thing in the world - do not neglect it because of your work or other liabilities. It just takes a day to get yourself checked for serious diseases, all you need to do is book a checkup package suitable to your age, online. Your report will be electronically delivered to you - knowing your health status, and making appropriate changes in your food and exercise can add happy years to your life. Book a world class preventive health checkup with all tests under one roof.

How Eating More Fruits And Vegetables Benefits Your Health?

 A diet rich in nutrition is needed to keep the body healthy and reduce the risk of health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and digestive problems. Consuming fruits and vegetables help in lowering blood pressure and sugar, and also keeping them under control. Not just that, eating vegetables and fruits even promotes weight loss. 

The health conditions that can be prevented with a diet full of fruits and vegetables:

Cardiovascular diseases: studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help in lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Green leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach; cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage; citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits are most helpful in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Cancer: eating fruits and vegetables can protect you against cancer too. Non-starchy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, garlic, and onion have the ability to prevent several types of cancers, including oral and stomach cancers. 

Diabetes: fruits such as grapes, blueberries and apples can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. However, consuming the fruit in the form of juice can increase your risk of diabetes. 

Weight management: increased consumption of fruits and vegetables can make you lose extra fat and help in managing a healthy weight. Berries, pears, apples, soya, cauliflower are some foods that are associated with weight loss. On the other hand, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas, and corn can result in weight gain. Another important thing to remember is that consuming all these fruits and vegetables along with refined carbohydrates and sugars won’t help your health journey.

Vegetables and fruits are sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre such as folate, vitamin C, potassium, and more. They also help in maintaining a healthy gut, thereby preventing digestion issues. Apart from eating a nutritious diet, you also need to screen your body’s health to know about its functioning. Your full body health checkup report helps you in understanding what you should be including in your diet. Know more about health checkups.

Tips For The Seniors For Maintaining A Healthy Body And Mind

 

Follow these easy to practice tips for aging happily, and make your golden years fit and healthy.

• Be regular with your health screenings

Preventative care needs to be frequent as you progress in age. Get your full body screened for cholesterol levels, cancer, heart health issues, vision changes, and more. Schedule your annual medical checkup at a state of the art facility.

• Visit your dentist every 6 months

The risk for dental cavities increases with age, and other mouth infections can develop because of existing health conditions like diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

• Be physically active

Staying active is important for your overall well-being. Other than keeping your healthcare needs in place, elderlys should be active. Small changes like taking the stairs instead of escalator can help. Exercise not only alleviates depression but improves energy and memory. Exercising or long walks can help in keeping the seniors healthy.

• Take care of your mental health

Activities that stimulate your mind and help you engage with the world around you are good for keeping your mind strong, and avoid conditions like forgetfulness. Try out crossword puzzles, draw, read, write or try new hobbies. Catch up and spend time with your family, friends and grandchildren.

• Get enough sleep

If you have difficulties in falling asleep, try out things that are conducive for a good sleep. Turn off lights to induce drowsiness and keep your bedroom’s environment comfortable, clean, cool and quiet.

• Eat a nutritious diet

Digestive system and metabolism tends to slow down with age that is why eating healthy becomes an important part of your lifestyle. Consume high-fiber foods, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and energized.

Being healthy is just a matter of following healthy lifestyle habits. By following these tips you can strengthen your immune system, and live a healthy, happy and longer life. Book your full body health checkup now.