Category Archives: Health & Fitness

IMRAD in Original Research Articles

Health & Fitness, , ,

IMRAD is nothing but the acronym used for the 4 basic sections of an original research article, namely Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Any original article must include these 4 essential parts. Diagrammatic representation of IMRAD is depicted in Figure 1. Each of these sections are designed to answer certain questions as described below.

Introduction – Why was the study carried out? What is the specific question to be answered? What is already known, and what is being sought? What is the specific objective?

Introduction must be written in present tense. It must start with broad topics and gradually narrow down to the precise study topic. Thus, this section must provide the background information, set the stage for the article, and build-up the reader’s interest. It must highlight how the study intends to fill-in the existing gaps and what it will add to the current knowledge that already exists.

                                                                                          Figure 1. Diagrammatic Representation of IMRAD

Methods – When, where, and how was the study conducted?

Methods must be written in past tense. This section must clearly describe how the study was designed and carried out, what was the sample, and how it was collected. Procedures conducted must be described comprehensively in a chronological order. The methods section must describe the outcomes being evaluated in the order of their relevance to the research question. Statistical analysis methods used must also be described here. Methods must be presented such that the process could be reproducible.

Results – What was found?

Results must be written in past tense. This is the most important part of any research article as it provides answers to the questions asked in introduction section. Results must be presented in a simple structured way so that they are easy to read and understand. Tables and figures must be included to present the results. If required, results can be organized in subsections. All outcomes must be reported in this section in the same order in which they have been mentioned in the methods section of the article. Results must be only reported in this section and not interpreted or discussed. Specific statistical data such as p-values must be included.

Discussion –

What do the results mean? How do the results compare with the existing published literature? What are the implications and future directions?

Discussion must be written in both present and past tense. Established knowledge must be written in past tense and discussion of current results must be written in present tense. This is the most difficult section to write as the author must put everything together in a comprehensive way and should attempt to draw conclusions from the results obtained. Results must be discussed here with an emphasis on the most significant observations. These observations must then be compared with previously published similar studies. Strengths and limitations of the study must be mentioned. Some speculative discussion can be included, which can serve as the source for future research.

Discussion section can be followed by conclusion section where the overall findings can be summarized succinctly.

We, at Turacoz Healthcare Solutions (THS), provide customized medical communication support. Our wing, Turacoz Skill Development Program (TSDP), provides training solutions in various forms to help the healthcare and pharma professionals improve their skills. Although medical writing is a skill and one gets better at it only by practice, equipping oneself with certain basic tools would be a very good start. Here, we share the basic concept of IMRAD in original research articles, which will help budding writers to understand the importance of following this structure while developing manuscripts.

 

World Health Day: Let’s Talk About Depression

Health & Fitness

World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates 7th of April every year, as World Health Day to mark the anniversary of WHO founding. This day provides us with an opportunity to spread awareness about a specific health topic of concern amongst people all over the world and take some action towards it.

Depression: The Theme for 2017

Depression is characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that a person normally enjoys, along with an inability to carry out daily activities. In addition, people with depression normally experience the following symptoms:

  • Anxiety
  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Changes in sleeping patterns and habits
  • Decrease in concentration
  • Restlessness
  • Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

 

Depression may affect people from all walks of life, irrespective of their age group, gender and ethnicity or geographical location. Depression causes mental anguish and inhibits people’s ability to do the simplest tasks in day-to-day life. It may sometimes lead to devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends, and affect the livelihood of a person causing financial damage. At worst, depression can develop suicidal tendency in a person, making it the second leading cause of death among teenagers and young people.

Depression has spread its pangs into our society and grown into a worldwide problem. Looking at the gravity of this psychosocial disorder, the theme of 2017 World Health Day campaign is “Depression: Let’s Talk”.

 

It’s Okay to Talk About Depression and Seek Help

Talking about depression is the first step towards its treatment. Aim of this WHO campaign is to:

  • Make people more informed about depression, its causes and possible consequences, and what help can be given for prevention and treatment
  • Motivate people with depression seek help
  • Support and help family, friends and colleagues of people having depression

It is most important to make the people with depression feel that they are not alone, and that you care for them. Without having this intention and will, one can never help their friends or loved ones get out of depression. People who are facing this problem need great courage and moral support to cope up with this condition.

The more distant one gets from the family, the closer they get to depression. So, it is important to break the silence and speak about it. Let everyone be a part of the war against this mental illness. Turacoz Healthcare Solutions extends its support and cooperation to all those who are fighting depression.

To Eat, or Not to Eat : Is Mediterranean Diet Good for All?

Health & Fitness, , , , ,

A lot of talking about Mediterranean food and its benefits has been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Indeed, there are many advantages of planning for such a healthy diet. But first, we should know about the so-called ‘Mediterranean food’.

What is Mediterranean Diet?

The food habits followed in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea is referred to as the Mediterranean diet. This diet-plan emphasizes on eating fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, food prepared in extra virgin olive oil, herbs and spices, and minimal use of salt. A typical Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grain cereals and cereal products. It also contains moderate amounts of fish, white meat and some dairy produce.

What Are Its Benefits on Health?

Mediterranean diet is a combination of different elements that seem to bring health benefits. It includes healthy fats in the form of monounsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from seeds, nuts, and fish oil. Such a diet plan is good for people who have:

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood cholesterol
  • Cardiovascular disorders

How to Start With?

The most important thing to do is to visit your healthcare provider or a registered dietician for a diet plan. Always seek expert advice from your dietician or healthcare provider before you set to take up a new diet plan.You will know about what to eat and what to avoid. In general, few things one should know about the foods included in Mediterranean diet:

  • Bing on fresh fruits- and vegetable salads
  • Cook food in extra virgin olive oil
  • Have about 100-125 grams fish at least twice a week
  • Have1-3 servings of dairy products daily (one serving equals 1 cup of milk /yogurt or 28 grams of cheese)
  • Include nuts, legumes and sprouted grains(wholegrain bread, pasta and brown rice)
  • Incorporate fermented grains (like, sourdough) for easier digestion and better nutrient absorption
  • Add herbs and spices to your food for taste enhancement
  • Reduce intake of salt
  • Include green tea with mint for antioxidant intake

Why Should we Think Twice Before Starting the Mediterranean Diet?

Mediterranean diet plan is based on the traditional food of the people residing in countries around the Mediterranean Sea which have maritime climate and Mediterranean vegetation. Though it has a lot of health benefits, it has some negative effects also.

  • Risk for Hypertensive patients– Mediterranean diet may not be healthy for all the hypertensive patients. Prefer having a diet which is suitable for your body-type and the place where you reside. Besides, food allergies can make this diet plan unsuitable for you.
  • Not cost-effective-Mediterranean food is not easily available in all countries and the cost of the food is also high. It is also not very easy to obtain the food items at places which have a different climate, or at places where seasonal fruits and vegetables are more easily available.
  • Only Mediterranean diet is not enough– Follow a healthy lifestyle to be fit. Regular physical exercise, staying away fromsmoking and alcohol consumption, and having an overall healthy diet is important for good health.
  • Increased intake of olive oil is unhealthy– Mostly people start with an increased consumption of olive oil in the form of fried food. Overeating of snacks which are deep fried in olive oil is definitely not a healthy way to gain the benefits of olive oil.

 

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions wants to make you aware of the health benefits and risks associated with Mediterranean diet. Mere following a new health trend and a new diet chart is not enough. You should know what kind of foods are suitable for your body. We hope to share more facts on healthcare in times to come.

DASH it for Hypertension

Health & Fitness

Know About the DASH Plan

“DASH” or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is an eating plan which can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, and also manage existing hypertension.

  1. The first DASH diet research showed that it could lower blood pressure as efficiently as the first line anti-hypertensive medications, even with a sodium intake of 3300 mg/day.
  2. Other than hypertension, DASH diet reduces the risk of many diseases like stroke, heart disease, heart failure, kidney stones, diabetes, and even some kinds of cancer.
  3. It can be considered as an Americanized version of the Mediterranean diet, and owing to its specific guidelines it is easier to follow.

 Advise to Follow the DASH Plan

  1. Seek Advice From Experts: The number of servings that is right for you may vary, depending on your caloric need. Hence, it is advisable to consult a nutritionist before adopting DASH diet.
  2. Track Your Diet Plan: A good way to start with the DASH eating plan is to keep a diary of your current eating habits to track down the time where you tend to eat high-fat food, or when you skip meals. Later, make necessary changes in your diet.
  3. Go Slow: Increase your servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains gradually, as DASH diet is high in fibre, and may temporarily cause bloating and diarrhoea.
  4. Know What’s Best for Your Tummy: If you have trouble digesting dairy products, try lactase enzyme pills or drops, or buy lactose-free milk or milk with lactase enzyme added to it.
  5. Look Before You Leap: Carefully read the food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods, as items marked low-fat or fat free are not always lower in calories than their regular versions.
  6. Beat Sugar Cravings: Limit foods with lots of added sugar, such as pies, flavoured yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.
  7. Eat it Right: Instead of snacking on chips or sweets, eat unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn with no butter, and raw vegetables.

“DASH”is a dietary plan which is clinically proven to reduce blood pressure, and the risk of developing hypertension. We, at Turacoz Healthcare Solutions, consider it our corporate social responsibility to share the dietary approaches that can save you from the pangs of hypertension and many other diseases associated with it. Know how to manage hypertension with the DASH plan.

Desktop Workers! Eat it Right!

Health & Fitness

Desktop dining has now become a common phenomenon with approximately 65% of working professionals typically having lunch at their desks on a regular basis. Pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, muffins, momos, and doughnuts are the most preferred meals of this group of busy workers who generally, in order to clock-in extra working hours, avoid extra spends and get hooked to these high fat, sugar and salt diets because of lack of options. This increasing trend of consuming quick-tasty-junk at desk when combined with compulsive snacking, caffeine overdose, and minimal water intake plays a massive havoc on our body.

This unhealthy food habit in sedentary office life is a risk factor for several lifestyle diseases such as:

  • Obesity
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Stroke
  • Lipid disorders
  • Depression
  • Anxiety

Since our body switches-off the fat-burning process when sitting for a longer period of time, we really need to mind the calories and correct our eating habits while at work.Though we require less calories during this period of minimal physical activity, our body needs a well-balanced and proper nutritional diet to function optimally and prevent malnutrition.

The initial area of focus should be on giving our diet a complete makeover by planning in advance for healthy meals and snack options for the entire week. This proactive planning would limit our urge of compulsive binging and thus,help in controlling the habit of going for unhealthy meal options.

Foods to Include in Daily Diet:

  • Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, cereals, pulses, beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables etc.)
  • Good protein sources (eggs, lean meat, poultry without skin, fish and low fat dairy products)
  • Healthy forms of fat (yogurt, cheese, skimmed milk, nuts, olive oil etc.)
  • Dietary fibers and nutrients (dry fruits, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, granola bars etc.)
  • Sufficient quantity of water

Foods to Avoid in Daily Diet:

  • Processed foods (white flour bread and pastas, chips, candies, processed meat, canned food etc.)
  • Food with high-cholesterol content (egg yolk, bacon, butter, seafood, red meat, sausages, cheese, cakes, pies, and cookies)
  • Unhealthy fat (foods rich in saturated fats like beef, lamb, pork, coconut oil, palm oil etc.)
  • Empty calories (foods with no nutritional content like sweets, soft drinks, and high fat salad dressings)

A nutritious and balanced meal gives us a sustained energy flow and optimizes brain oxygen level without getting too hard on our digestive system. This provides fuel to our brain and energy to our body, improves our cognition, and helps us stay focused – all of which increase our productivity and performance at work.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions understands the need to make smarter diet choices while sitting for longer working hours. We aim to increase awareness about the negative health impact of unhealthy eating and suggest the ways to healthy eating. Let’s improve our eating quotient and make the right choice.

Triclosan and Memory Loss in Children

Health & Fitness

What is Triclosan?

Triclosan is commonly used as a disinfectant or an antiseptic to reduce and control the bacterial contamination. It is an organic compound with a slight phenolic smell. It is a very well-known biocide for over 40 years. Although its main application is in cosmetics (maximum allowed concentration 0.3%), triclosan is also ubiquitously usedinanti-bacterial soaps and toothpastes (even upto the concentration0.46%). About 75% of liquid anti-bacterial soaps and 30% of bars use triclosan as an active ingredient. The drug, which was originally used strictly in hospitals and healthcare centres, was adopted by manufacturers of soaps and other home products in course of time.

Triclosan Causes Memory Loss

Triclosan is believed to cause endocrine disruption; even low levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function. Poor thyroid function, in turn, may lead to depression, weight gain, fatigue, and memory loss. Also, triclosan degrades to dioxins in the body, which can destroy brain cells. As a result, neurological disorders and emotional distress might happen.

Triclosan attaches itself to the receptor molecules on the surface of brain cells and leads to increased calcium levels inside the cells. As a result, cells become over-excited, leading to cellular death. Over-excitation of brain cells may lead to developmental delays and autism in children.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) research, along with countless independent studies, have shown that triclosan does not provide any health benefits as compared to the old-fashioned soaps. Using triclosan-containing anti-bacterial soaps does not give any added advantage over triclosan-free normal soaps in providing antimicrobial protection.

The U.S. FDA has issued a proposed rule requesting additional scientific data to support the safety and effectiveness of such active ingredients used in topical antiseptic rubs (including hand sanitizers) marketed over-the-counter (OTC).

How to Reduce Exposure to Triclosan

Anti-bacterial soaps and hand-sanitizers mostly contain triclosan, which is harmful for children. However, you must ensure that children clean theirhands before eating. A few tips can help you to avoid exposure to triclosan:

  • Choose a safer soap or liquid hand soaps which do not contain triclosan.
  • Encourage washing hands with soap and water, the best way to reduce the number of microbes in most of the situations.
  • If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Exposure to triclosan can disrupt normal brain function and cause memory loss in children. We, at Turacoz Healthcare Solutions, consider it our corporate social responsibility to raise awareness for the minimal use of triclosan-containing antibacterial hand sanitizers, especially in children. Protect your children from the toxic effects of triclosan.

Health Hazards of Being a Medical Writer

Health & Fitness

Being a medical writer has a lot of allure, particularly if you are having a flexible work schedule, competitive salary package, and assured growth as a professional. However, having these advantages doesn’t insulate you from some of the hazards that you may face as a medical writer. Medical writing, being a sedentary job, requires sitting behind a desk for long hours, which over a period of time can take a toll on your health.

The Risks

  • Metabolic Diseases 
    Medical writers spend their maximum awake time sitting and working. Sedentary lifestyle and reduced physical activity contribute to the excessive body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels, which are major risk factors for certain diseases like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
    The sedentary lifestyle attributes to abnormal cholesterol level which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, stroke, angina, and heart attack. It is found that the risk of heart disease is increased by 50 per cent in a sedentary worker (who sits for 11 hours or more a day) even if exercise is performed regularly.
  • Posture Problems
    Due to the nature of work, a medical writer usually works in a ‘static posture’ throughout the day that results in a faulty ergonomics. Rotator cuff disease, chronic pain in the neck, shoulder, back or hand, ruptured disks, and pulled or strained muscles/ligaments are the few disorders that might occur due to static posture. Several studies have reported that there is an increased risk of physical injuries if a worker maintains a static posture throughout working hours.
  • Bone and Joint Disorders
    Spending daily 8 hours or more working on a desktop/laptop without any significant movement of the joints and muscles of limbs may result in loss of muscle mass, loss of muscular flexibility, carpal tunnel syndrome, and hand/wrist tendinitis.
  • Eye Problems
    Prolonged working on a desktop or laptop and gazing the screen for hours expose eyes to undue effects of brightness of the screen that later results in eye strain, temporary blurred vision, headaches, and migraines.
  • Psychological Problems
    In today’s competitive world, analogous to any other professional, medical writers also experience several psychological problems like stress, anxiety, exhaustion, depression, and disordered sleep.

 

The Remedies

Overall, being more physically active is the basic remedy to reduce the chances of all the potential health problems that are associated with the sedentary nature of the work of a medical writer. It is recommended that a sedentary worker (e.g. a medical writer) should spend a minimum of 10 minutes in moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise to improve circulation of blood and burn calories. Additionally, there are a few health tips which a medical writer should follow:

  • Take regular breaks during the working hours. After every couple of hours, stand up from the desk and move around.
  • After every 30 minutes of desktop work, do basic stretching exercises at your desk. This will help in maintaining flexibility of the muscles.
  • Avoid getting locked into a static posture. Change your posture frequently by adjusting the angles of your hips, knees, ankles, and elbows while sitting.
  • Be more active: take stairs instead of the lift, prefer public transport or cycle to work.
  • Eat smart. Avoid binging and unhealthy eating habits.
  • Keep your body well hydrated by drinking enough amount of water.
  • Don’t eat while you work. Ensure you eat lunch away from your desk.
  • Adjust the brightness of the screen of your laptop/desktop. Don’t gaze the screen fora long Take regular breaks to relax your eyes.
  • Ensure that you spend at least an hour each week in outdoor sport or leisure activity of your choice.
  • Don’t work hard, work smart.Plan well before you start to work, divide all major tasks into sub-tasks and organise your work schedule. This will help to reduce the chances of having stress and anxiety.
  • Don’t be a workaholic! Make sure you spend a reasonable amount of time with your family and friends, which is important for your mental and emotional well being.

Being sedentary is the root-cause of most of the health problems. Making appropriate lifestyle changes in your daily work schedule may reduce your risk of having these health problems. As a medical communication company, we at Turacoz Healthcare Solutions always encourage our medical writers and everyone to exercise daily and lead a physically active, healthy life.

Keep Your Skin Healthy: Prevent Seasonal Ailments

Health & Fitness

As the cool showers of monsoon bring relief after the torrid summers, the warm humid weather also brings numerous skin problems in trail. Some common skin problems which may cause trouble in this season are:

  • Heat rash: Heat rash is a red pimply eruption caused by sweating that leads to choking or blockage of skin pores.
  • Eczema: It is aterm applied to variety of skin conditions that result from inflammation of the skindue to external and genetic factors.
  • Acne:It is a common skin problem during the rainy season, mainly for youngsters. Itresults from bacterial overgrowth on the face, especially due to exposure to a lot of rainwater.
  • Ringworm and folliculitis: These are bacterial or fungal infections that result from excessive sweating, dehydration, photo-toxic effects of the sun, and humidity.
  • Nail infection: Infections can occur due to long nailsthat attract muck, and can make nailsdiscolored, brittle and dull.
  • Athlete’s foot:It is an itchy painful infection on the feet with well defined, scaly patches caused by common fungi called Candida. The toe nails may get discolored or brittle.

 

Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy

Some easy skin-care tipscan protect your skin from having bacterial and fungal itches during the rainy season:

  • Control sweat: The ideal way to avoid skin problems is to keep it clean and avoid excessive perspiration. Take regular and more frequent baths. Use anti-bacterial soaps, talcum powder and face wash to keep yourself clean.
  • Quick-wash after rain-wash: Children are highly prone to fungal infections during the monsoons. An immediate bath after playing in the rain and application of an anti-bacterial soap is important. Avoid using public toilets, where due to lower hygiene you are exposed to infections.
  • Natural skin-care: Use anti-fungal cream or powder for nail-itches. Calamine lotion is a good option to ease skin-itching. Natural and home-made remedies such as aloe-vera, rosewater and milk can keep your skin fresh.Apply moisturizers to keep your skin hydrated.
  • Check what you wear: Wearcomfortablyloose cotton and linen clothing. Wear slippers and flip-flops as they allow your feet to breathe. Avoid wearing plastic shoes, leather or canvas ones. Wash your feet regularly, and apply anti-fungal powder in shoes and socks.Wear washed cotton socks daily and keep feet clean and dry. One must never stay in wet socks for long hours.
  • Watch your diet: Since the chances of infection increases during the rainy seasons, increase vitamin Cintake as it is an effective immunity-booster.Keep yourself well-hydrated with at least 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of warm water and have it first in the morning. Fresh fruits, salads, sprouts, whole grains and curd must be included in daily diet.
  • Skin care for diabetics: People with diabetic diseases are more prone to skin infections. They must go for a check-up when symptoms like skin rashes or redness appear lest they leave scars and turn untreatable.

Several skin ailments are the result of our ignorance and a care-free attitude towards monsoon—borne microbial infections. These infections may grow into serious problems, if not nipped in the bud. Turacoz Healthcare Solutions wants to share some basic skin-care tips this season. So stay healthy, keep your skin monsoon-proof and enjoy the rains.

Transient Smartphone Blindness: Dark Side of Bright Screens

Health & Fitness

Disturbed sleep and strained red eyes seem to take a back seat as we stand face-to-face with a much more alarming side-effect of the endless smartphone usage, scientifically termed as ‘transient smartphone blindness’. Cradling your smartphone and gazing at it late at night or early in the morning, while lying in bed, leads to this unusual phenomenon of temporary vision loss.

The problem: A recent report published in the New England Journal of Medicine1 outlined the case studies of two women who suffered from impaired vision for months after regularly using their smartphones in the dark.

  • The first case was of a 22-year-old woman with right eye vision loss at night.
  • The second case was of a 40-year-old woman with recurrent monocular visual impairment on waking, lasting up to 15 minutes.

Investigation of both the cases revealed that these patients used smartphone for quite some time in the dark with just one eye while lying in bed and that the symptoms were always in the eye opposite to the side on which the patient was lying.

The Cause: Lying on one’s side while using the smartphone in the dark leads to differential bleaching of the retinal pigments, making the viewer eye light adapted while the other eye, being closed or covered by a pillow, becomes adapted to dark.2 The eye staring at the bright screen is always the one to be temporarily blind when the smartphone is put down because it takes time for the phone eye to catch up with the dark adapted eye.

The Fix: Till now the long-term effect of this strange condition is not documented but viewing screens binocularly i.e. with both eyes, is a quick and simple solution recommended by ophthalmologists.

The global smartphone user-base is exponentially increasing each day with more people going to bed with their phones which puts them at a higher risk of transient smartphone blindness. Luckily enough, the condition is temporary and probably more distracting than dangerous.

 

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions is a medical writing organization which provides assistance in publication of research articles and clinical research documents. We consider it our corporate social responsibility to raise awareness about transient smartphone blindness. The best vision is insight!

 

References:

  1. Alim-Marvasti A, Bi W, Mahroo OA, Barbur JL, Plant GT. Transient Smartphone “Blindness”. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(25):2502-4.
  2. BEC CREW. Science alert. 2016. Available at: http://www.sciencealert.com/smartphone-users-experience-temporary-blindnss-after-looking-at-their-screens-in-bed. Accessed on: 2nd Aug 2016.

Dehydration and Importance of Oral Rehydration Salts

Health & Fitness, ,

Introduction

Dehydration is a condition where free water loss exceeds free water intake. Around 2/3rd of the human body is composed of water, and helps in various functions such as lubrication of the joints and eyes,digestion, flushing out of wastes and toxins, and maintaining the balance of minerals (salts and sugar) in our body. Dehydration may occur due to exercise or diseases, high environmental temperature, not drinking enough fluids, persistent vomiting and diarrhea, sweating due to fever etc.

Causes for Dehydration

There are different conditions which may cause dehydration. Some of them are as follows:

  • Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea and vomiting due to gastroenteritis, cholera, yellow fever or infection of the gastrointestinal tract leads to dehydration as well as an electrolyte imbalance.
  • Sweating:Excessive sweating due to vigorous exercise, sports, fever, heavy manual work, climatic conditions etc. results in fluid loss and dehydration.
  • Alcohol intake: Alcohol is a diuretic and stimulates urination resulting in dehydration.
  • Diabetes: In diabetes, kidney removes extra glucose along with water, which in turn may result into dehydration.
  • Blood loss: Excessive loss of blood can also result in dehydration.

People can tolerate 3-4%decrease in total body water without any difficulty. But 5-8% decrease can cause fatigue and dizziness and above 8% can prove to be dangerous.

Signs and Symptoms

The early signs of dehydration include feeling thirsty and lightheaded, dry mouth,tiredness,having dark colored face, strong smell in urine, passing urine less often than usual etc.

Remedies and Treatments

  • Drink plenty of fluids such as water, squash or fruit juice and avoid caffeinated beverages and fizzy drinks.
  • In illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea, it is difficult to maintain optimum water level in our body. In such cases, it is better to have small sips of water or other fluids.
  • Infants and children who are dehydrated or having diarrhea should be given oral rehydrated salts (ORS)as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) instead of water.This is because water can dilute the already low levels of electrolytes and minerals in the body. ORS is a mixture of electrolytes and sugars mainly given to restore imbalance of body fluids. It is very helpful in adults suffering from dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Importance of ORS

  • ORS is a special combination of dry salts (electrolytes) that are mixed with water. It can help to replace the fluids lost due to diarrhea and vomiting.
  • ORS is important because it helps to rehydrate the body with essential electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium.
  • In severe case of dehydration, when fainting or unconsciousness occurs, ORS can be given through intravenous injections for replenishment of necessary electrolytes and water.
  • In mild dehydration, an oral rehydration can be given which is less painful, and less expensive as compared to ORS given through intravenous route.
  • ORS can be prepared at home by simply mixing 6 level teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 level teaspoon of salt in 1 liter of clean water.
  • ORS is the best treatment option for dehydration

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions is engaged in spreading awareness among people regarding any healthcare issues. We consider it our responsibility to create awareness about any health-related issues in the general public.