An Overview of Organ Transplantation

Transplantation is a process that involves the transfer of human cells, tissues, or organs from the donor to a recipient. Organ transplantation is a surgical procedure which involves the removal of the damaged or injured organ from the recipient and replacement with a new functioning one. The different types of organ transplantation are heart, liver, lungs, kidney, intestine, and pancreas.

Go on reading to find out the types of organ transplant, organ donors, and its types.

• Heart transplant: Heart is the hardest working muscle, which pumps blood throughout the body. People with heart diseases such as coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy or weakening of heart muscle may need a heart transplant.
•  Kidney transplant: Kidney’s function is to remove wastes from the body, filter the blood, control the electrolyte balance, and regulate blood pressure. Kidney transplant becomes necessary due to inherited kidney disease such as poly cystic kidney disease. Diabetes and high blood pressure are also common cause of the kidney failure which makes transplantation necessary.
•  Liver transplant: The liver functions to break down harmful substances, detoxify the body, and production of bile for digestion. Any viral infection, genetic disorders or even alcoholism may result in liver failure which leads to the necessity of liver transplantation (the diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy one).
•  Lung transplant: A person can live a normal life, if the lung functions at least 30 percent. People with severe lung diseases such cystic fibrosis, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and emphysema in advanced stages may require lung transplant.
• Pancreas transplant: The pancreas is a gland located just behind the stomach. It produces juice or enzymes that help in the breakdown of food. It also releases the hormone, insulin that helps to control blood sugar levels. People who have pancreas-related problems such as pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, genetic disorder, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer may require pancreas transplant.
•  Intestine transplant: This kind of transplant is rare and is usually done in combination with liver, stomach, and pancreas. People who have short bowel syndrome (caused by lack of function of the small intestine) may need an intestine transplant.

Organ donation is a process that involves the donation of organs to a living recipient (who is in need of a transplant). There are two types of organ donors such as:

• Living donor– The living donor is the person decides to donate his or her organ to the person who in need of a transplant. Living donors have to undergo some medical testing as suggested by the doctors to be selected as the suitable donor.
• Deceased donor-Deceased donors are those whose organs are harvested once they become brain-dead. For this type of transplant, the recipient has to wait till the suitable organ based on the recipient medical profile is available.

After removing the organ from the body, it is stored in a chemical solution. Before transplantation, the donated organ would be stored under controlled conditions, depending upon the varying time length of the organ such as a heart for 4-6 hours, liver for 12-24 hours, kidneys for 48-72 hours, and lung for 4-6 hours.

Before organ transplant, the doctor would suggests some medical test for checking the medical compatibility with donor.

The doctor would suggest taking some precautions after the surgery such as:

• To avoid taking certain foods
• To limit alcohol consumption and smoking

The doctor would suggest follow-up check-up to monitor the proper functioning of the organ. The person may lead a normal and healthy lifestyle after the organ transplant.

Ways Obesity And Hypertension Are Co-related

Obesity is highly linked with cardiovascular disease and hypertension. It is very essential to have both hypertension and weight under control in order to be healthy.

As per survey, excessive body weight is the main reason of around twenty eight percent cases of hypertension in women and twenty six percent in men. Obesity can also lead to coronary heart disease both in women and men. Obese persons tend to have increased fatty tissue which enhances their vascular resistance.
What is hypertension?

Hypertension indicates the pressure, which blood flow applies on the inner parts of the arteries. The disease of high blood pressure cannot be treated if the victim is not in good health.
Several kinds of hypertension:

Generally, there are two kinds of hypertension such as primary or essential hypertension and secondary hypertension. Mostly, people tend to be affected with essential hypertension.

Health care providers often fail to describe the specific reasons of essential hypertension. This condition can be caused by kidney problems, nutritional deficiency, infections, malnutrition, and consuming drugs.

The cases of secondary hypertension are quite common when compared to essential hypertension. This condition is a fusion of pheochromocytoma, kidney disease, sleep apnea syndrome, oral contraceptives, coarctation of the aorta and Cushing’s syndrome.
How to treat hypertension?

People affected by hypertension need to opt for regular health check up. They need to be on medications which are prescribed by the physicians to achieve normal blood pressure level. But it is essential to understand that every individual reacts separately to these medicines and therefore following a healthy lifestyle is a must.

Some common examples of high blood pressure medicine include Low dose diuretic, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blocker.
Low dose diuretic is less costly when compared to the other types of medications of high blood pressure. This treatment has little or zero impact on lipid metabolism or glucose when compared to other drugs.
What are the risk factors of hypertension?

Abnormal obesity is one of the major risk factors of hypertension. Obesity can be measured by the BMI rate which uses height and weight as a parameter. Generally, the basic BMI rate is between 20 to 25 but an obese person is more likely to have a BMI rate which is more than 30. Apart from the BMI rate, the issue of fat distribution is also important for determining the factors of hypertension. Fat distribution in the abdominal trunk is termed as abdominal obesity. This condition is defined by a waist circumference greater than 102 cm.

How To Prevent Childhood Obesity?

Obesity is a serious health concern which triggers other ailments like heart diseases, diabetes, joint ailments, sleep apnea, etc. Obesity is troublesome and its cause goes down to a low nutrient diet and lack of physical activity. For some, it is genetic and hard to control while others develop it with age. Many children become obese while growing up and this is a result of lack of adult guidance during childhood and adolescent years.

Therefore, to keep your child away from this life-threatening medical condition, you need to take steps rather than ignoring the slow transition of your kids towards obesity.

Keep your kid’s body regulated by incorporating these simple tips:

1) Inculcate in your kids a habit of eating salad and having some water right before their meals. The good part of this activity is that half their hunger will be fulfilled in eating fibre rich fruits and veggies and having water will keep them hydrated and promote to eat less.

2) Foster a habit of eating in small proportions after intervals among your kids. Instead of eating heavy meals three times a day and munching snacks, crisps and junk other time, it is better to tell your kids to eat in intervals. They can have rounds of fruits, liquid diets, soups, muesli, dry fruits, etc in regulated amounts and after frequent breaks.

3) Encourage your children to take part in outdoor games and recreation by opening the doors of outside world for them. Kids are more receptive to fun games, and inculcating this habit is better before they get addicted to video games and social media.

4) Kids are more active and lively and seem to not get tired. This is reflected through their activities in the age of 1-3 years. The same can go on for life if parents guide children properly. Do not let your kids develop a habit of sitting in front of desktops and phones. Laziness is the path to obesity.

5) Mentoring your kids to choose their drinks wisely is the need of the hour. Encourage your children to have drinks that are low on calorie and sugar content. Fizzy drinks and sugar sweetened beverages trigger obesity and adversely affect those who are already overweight.

6) One presumption is that breakfast should be skipped so as to reduce fat intake. This is a big myth. Skipping breakfast leads to obesity as the person ends up eating a lot more than needed during the lunch time.

7) Promote eating together as a family. When a family eats together, the children are less likely to eat the snacks or collation meals.

8) Fast food or outside food is last on the list because many people already know that it leads to obesity. This is so because these fats are difficult to break down.

Hence, it is better to incorporate these good dietary habits in your regime than regret later because obesity can shorten your kid’s lifespan. Children are in a phase in their life when their bodies are still developing and inculcating healthy habits at this point will pay of well into adult life.

Best Exercises To Reduce Belly Fat

Everyone is looking for ways to tackle the problem of belly fat. Belly fat can be persistent and even if you are otherwise slim you might be finding it difficult to get rid of belly fat. Fortunately there are exercises that can help you shed the excess fat and regain a trim, toned body.

Start with the basics

Don’t neglect basic workouts. You can start walking, running, swimming, or cycling to give the muscles a workout. If you like sports you can go for tennis or other sports that need plenty of muscle power. This helps burn excess calories and keeps away the flab from the body. Never underestimate the power of brisk walks. Walking can boost the muscles and get you on your way to a fun workout. If you walk for an hour daily, your heart will work extra hard to shed flab and this includes flab on the belly.

Focus on all muscles

Experts suggest that instead of working out only the abdominal muscles you should go for a workout routine that will stretch all the muscles. This includes muscles in your legs and arms, shoulders, back, and other areas of the body. This will make the entire body more adept at burning fat and so, fat will not accumulate at the belly.

Lifting weights

Many women are afraid to work with weights because of the misconception that it bulks up the muscles too much. Fortunately in recent years this misconception has been put to rest. When you lift weights, it strengthens the muscles. Also, it can add more bone density and this will prevent brittle bones in women later on. Also, when you have a muscular build, depending on the amount of weight training you do, you will feel that you fit better into your clothing and look good in whatever you wear.

Crunches

Crunches are great for working the muscles on the abdomen. Also, make sure you start slow, so that your muscles have time to build strength, before you start aiming for more ambitious styles of working out. It is a good idea to do some sideways crunches because then it can give all muscles of the abdomen a workout.

Sit ups

Sit ups are also good for working out the abdominal muscles. This exercise will work on the muscle that also supports the back. If you are prone to back pain, then you need to talk to your doctor or trainer before start any kind of program that involves the back muscles.

Leg exercises

When you are focused on your abdomen, you might forget other parts of the body. However, the muscles of your body are connected, and one muscle often plays different roles. In particular, some people need to shed flab in the lower part of the abdomen. While the exercises mentioned above will work wonders, your exercise routine remains incomplete without a workout for the legs. This is why it is very important to work on the muscles of the thighs and hips, as this can also lead to reduction in belly fat.

Tips to lose Weight With Thyroid Problems

Low levels of the thyroid hormone can be a big problem for people who are trying to lose weight. The low levels of the hormone will make it difficult to the body to use up calories efficiently. However with some effort you can lose weight easily, if you are suffering from thyroid problems.

Eat fiber rich food
When your food has plenty of fibers, your stomach feels full more easily. So you will not be overeating and this will help you lose weight more easily. Eat plenty of whole grains and vegetables to lose weight.

Seafood and eggs

Eggs, fish, and seafood contain minerals that help synthesize and use the thyroid hormone efficiently. Often the lack of these minerals can cause thyroid deficiency in the body. Some plant sources such as sunflower seeds can also supply the body with the right amount of minerals needed to produce the hormone and use it efficiently.

Eat spinach and nuts

These foods contain zinc and vitamins that help the thyroid hormone perform its role more effectively. These foods can be prepared in a variety of healthy ways, and nuts can be consumed raw as well.

Avoid processed foods

Processed foods, particularly those containing refined flour, can be bad for your health. Therefore, you need to avoid overindulging in white bread, cakes, and corn based foods. These foods add to the carbohydrate levels in your body, and can lead to weight gain.

Heat vegetables that can cause thyroid hormone impairment

Some foods can cause the thyroid gland from producing the thyroid hormone. These foods however, supply the body with plenty of nourishment, and so avoiding them may not be possible or desirable. Instead, you can cook the food at high temperatures to inactivate the substances that will impair the thyroid gland functioning. These foods include cabbage and others of the crucifera family such as broccoli, as well as foods such as radish and turnip.

Avoid salty foods

Foods that contain excess salts can lead to more water being retained within the body. This causes bloating and may add to the body weight.

Avoid foods with preservatives

Preservatives may have the same impact as salt on the body, causing retention of fluid in the body, and thus, excess weight.

Don’t drink sodas

Fizzy drinks can be bad for your health, and lead to fluid accumulation in the body.

Drink more water
If you are not drinking enough water, now is a good time to start. The more water you drink, the easier for the body to flush out toxins and reduce bloating.

Avoid excess coffee and energy drinks

These beverages can tire the body out, as your body is already susceptible to getting tired due to impaired thyroid glands.

Exercise often

People with under-performing thyroid glands find it difficult to shed weight because it takes the body longer to eliminate excess fat from the body as compared to healthy people. So it is important to exercise diligently.

Dieting May Not Be A Good Choice For Weight Loss Among Adolescents

Adolescence is an age of body and hormone change. Teenagers tend to become more irritated and anxious during this age. The fact is that in this age, body develops its organs due to which working, sleeping and eating habits of teenagers undergo major changes. Children are more prone to get obese during these years of teenage which last from 11-13 to 17-19. Young children develop a craze of following popular celebs and imitating them and their ways. In the world of social media, kids start trying to imitate their newly found idols. These idols which comprise actors, singers, pop stars and sports persons usually have a perfect body shape which they flaunt every now and then. As a result, children in their adolescence start dieting and copying their favorite stars by hitting the gyms.

A survey was conducted where children in their adolescents were asked how happy they were about their body shape. A whopping 50% of the teens purported that they were not happy with their physique and wanted to change it. As a result of this striking dissatisfaction, teenagers start dieting with an intention of looking thin. Now, while dieting, these growing kids should focus on eating more raw fruits and vegetables, avoid processed foods, fat, and sugar based eatables. Additionally, they should engage in workouts and other physical activities through which they can accentuate the dieting process. Workout also should be moderated by an adult. However, a common myth that not eating helps in getting thin does not let them reach their ultimate aim. The teenagers resort to advice given by their peers and completely cut off their food intake, especially breakfast, or make it minimal. This is rather harmful and reverses the dieting process. This leads to unhealthy weight loss process. Teenagers usually diet with short-term goal and leave it soon as it is difficult to stay away from food. Thus, when they quit the diet, the temptation to eat the food they were craving for, increases. In fact, people who do not diet have a greater chance of staying away from obesity in the later years of their lives; it is proven!

Now this has a scientific theory as to why dieting leads to weight gain, or at a later stage, obesity. When one starts to diet, his mind knows that he is dieting, but the body organs don’t. When the body does not get the adequate amount of food as it normally does, the body transmutes into a survival mode and the craving for food escalates. This is the reason that people who diet, end up depressed and leave dieting feeling that they have lost in the process. So, what’s the solution?

Teenagers suffer from peer pressure, emotional breakdowns and tend to become more sensitive, Out of anxiousness and boredness, they munch occasionally. The solution is, cut short those extra meals when you are not ‘actually’ hungry. Reduce the junk food amount, but always welcome the healthy food. Keep physical exercise pouring in your schedule. This is the only mantra to fitness and weight regulation!

Ways Obesity And Hypertension Are Co-related

Obesity is highly linked with cardiovascular disease and hypertension. It is very essential to have both hypertension and weight under control in order to be healthy.

As per survey, excessive body weight is the main reason of around twenty eight percent cases of hypertension in women and twenty six percent in men. Obesity can also lead to coronary heart disease both in women and men. Obese persons tend to have increased fatty tissue which enhances their vascular resistance.
What is hypertension?

Hypertension indicates the pressure, which blood flow applies on the inner parts of the arteries. The disease of high blood pressure cannot be treated if the victim is not in good health.
Several kinds of hypertension:

Generally, there are two kinds of hypertension such as primary or essential hypertension and secondary hypertension. Mostly, people tend to be affected with essential hypertension.

Health care providers often fail to describe the specific reasons of essential hypertension. This condition can be caused by kidney problems, nutritional deficiency, infections, malnutrition, and consuming drugs.

The cases of secondary hypertension are quite common when compared to essential hypertension. This condition is a fusion of pheochromocytoma, kidney disease, sleep apnea syndrome, oral contraceptives, coarctation of the aorta and Cushing’s syndrome.
How to treat hypertension?

People affected by hypertension need to opt for regular health check up. They need to be on medications which are prescribed by the physicians to achieve normal blood pressure level. But it is essential to understand that every individual reacts separately to these medicines and therefore following a healthy lifestyle is a must.

Some common examples of high blood pressure medicine include Low dose diuretic, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blocker.
Low dose diuretic is less costly when compared to the other types of medications of high blood pressure. This treatment has little or zero impact on lipid metabolism or glucose when compared to other drugs.
What are the risk factors of hypertension?

Abnormal obesity is one of the major risk factors of hypertension. Obesity can be measured by the BMI rate which uses height and weight as a parameter. Generally, the basic BMI rate is between 20 to 25 but an obese person is more likely to have a BMI rate which is more than 30. Apart from the BMI rate, the issue of fat distribution is also important for determining the factors of hypertension. Fat distribution in the abdominal trunk is termed as abdominal obesity. This condition is defined by a waist circumference greater than 102 cm.

However, the issues of hypertension can be treated by seeking the proper medical advice.

7 Exercise Routines That Will Help Reduce Belly Fat

Losing belly fat is one of the most challenging aspects of building a better physique. Performing standard crunches is the route most people take in order to achieve a flat belly. However, there is more to losing that persistent fat than just a few sit-ups every day. Here are some routines that truly exercise your midsection and work towards improving core strength.

1. Pike and stretch    

Lie back on the floor and extend your legs over your hips. Pull yourself up, just as in a crunch, and reach your hand towards your feet. Bring your arms back over your head and lower your right leg. Repeat with the left leg. Perform 20 reps.

2. Bicycle Crunch

Lie back on the floor and bring your hands behind your head. Bend your legs at an angle of approximately 45 degrees and bring your right knee to your chest while simultaneously straightening your left leg. As you perform this, rotate your torso and bring your right elbow to your left knee. Repeat after switching to the other side. Perform 3 reps of 1 minute each.

3. The boat pose

Seat yourself with your knees bent. Extend your legs and breathe comfortably as you do so. Hold this for 30 to 60 seconds. Perform 5 reps.

4. The plank

Lie on your stomach and bend your elbows under your shoulders to clasp your hands. Your feet should be apart along your hips and your elbows should be shoulder-width apart. Contract your abdomen and push off on your toes to lift yourself in a straight line from head to heels. Hold for about 30-40 seconds.

5. Lunge

Stand straight with relaxed shoulders. Keep your chin up. Now, step forward on one leg and lower your hips. Your front knee should be directly above your ankle and your other knee should be kept from touching the ground. Transfer the weight to your heels when you get back to a standing position.

6. Pushups

Get into a plank position and lower your body. Push yourself back up, all the while making sure to keep your core working. Perform 10-20 repetitions.

7. Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your hands in front of you and allow yourself to move towards a sitting position. Keep your back straight and your thighs parallel to the floor. Perform 10 repetitions.

A flat belly is not only a sign of a healthy physiology but also a huge boost to a person’s appearance. However, it requires you to not just work hard but to also work smart. Follow the above exercises to boost your journey towards a flat belly and a better physique.

12 Common Misconceptions About Bariatric Surgery

Being overweight or obese is the underlying cause of many serious health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Bariatric surgery is a great solution to lose body weight and begin the path towards a healthier life. Bariatric surgery is an option for people who have a body mass index (BMI) above 40. It is also an option for those people with BMI between 35 and 40, suffering from health problems like heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

Although there are huge improvements in bariatric surgery, there are some misconceptions about the procedures. Let’s clear up some of the most common ones:

Misconception 1:

Bariatric surgery is very risky.

Fact:

The fact is that every surgery has some potential risks and complications. But some recent advances have been developed to minimize the risks. Before having the surgery, you should ask your surgeon about the risks and benefits of the surgery.

Misconception 2:

Weight loss is the only benefit of bariatric surgery.

Fact:

Yes, bariatric surgery has a significant impact on weight loss. But this is not the only benefit of the surgery. The fact is that it also eases the other conditions like sleep apnea, acid reflux, and even diabetes which can be caused by obesity.

Misconception 3:

Bariatric surgery is a cosmetic surgery, and hence, not covered under any insurance policy.

Fact:

In the past, there was no insurance cover for bariatric surgery. But currently, many insurance companies are covering surgical procedures for weight loss. If you are going for a weight loss surgery, contact your insurance company as every plan is different. Your surgeon may also assist you in working with your insurance company to determine the recommended procedure to be covered.

Misconception 4:

Most people regain weight after bariatric surgery.

Fact:

People may regain weight two years after surgery. However, most of the patients who have undergone the surgery have maintained a successful weight loss. The weight loss or gain mainly depends on the diet you follow. After the surgery, your surgeon may suggest that you avoid the poor nutrition habits that originally led to your weight gain.

Misconception 5:

After the surgery, you can eat anything you want.

Fact:

After the surgery, you need to change your eating habits. While you are with your surgeon, you will learn how to eat for sufficient energy and make healthy choices. You need to eat less, but healthy foods.

Misconception 6:

All bariatric surgeries involve stomach stapling.

Fact:

There are different types of procedures for weight loss, and not all of them would involve stomach stapling. Some procedures would reduce the functioning size of the stomach and others would bypass the parts of the digestive tract to reduce the absorption of the nutrients and calories.

Misconception 7:

After the bariatric surgery, you need to go for plastic surgery.

Fact:

Many people do not know that bariatric surgery is performed through laparoscopy. In this procedure, the scars are small or the procedure is minimally invasive and does not require any plastic surgery.

Misconception 8:

If I have had previously undergone surgeries, I am not the right candidate for laparoscopic surgery.

Fact:

Though you have had open surgery, you are still a candidate for laparoscopic surgery. However, a proper evaluation is needed before undergoing the surgery.

Misconception 9:

All obese individuals are the right candidates for the surgery.

Fact:

The fact is that not every obese candidate is the right candidate for the surgery. Before the surgery, each person has to be thoroughly examined, investigated, and counseled.

Misconception 10:

Bariatric surgery is a fat reduction surgery.

Fact:

Fat reduction surgeries are liposuction and abdominoplasty, and these do not fall into the category of bariatric surgery. Liposuction and other similar procedures are suitable for the reduction of fat and it cannot be done with the whole body.

Misconception 11:

The type of surgical procedure employed doesn’t matter

Fact:

You need to have knowledge regarding the type of surgery that is suggested for you. If you are a diabetic, gastric bypass surgery is preferred to reduce the size of the stomach and bypass some part of the intestine. If your BMI is up to 50, then sleeve gastrectomy is preferred to remove the entire banana- sized portion of the stomach. Gastric banding is preferred for the candidates who have already maintained a strict diet, exercise regimen and are avoiding high calories and those who are willing to have multiple band adjustments.

Misconception 12:

The mortality rate is higher for bariatric surgery rather than obesity

Fact:

Deaths from obesity occur due to comorbid conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The mortality rate due to bariatric surgery has been significantly reduced over years, and the surgery is successful in most of the cases.

You may not accept your weight as an unchangeable condition in your life. Bariatric surgery is a good option to reduce weight. Gain awareness about this type of surgery and how it can benefit you.

If you have any doubts relating to bariatric surgery, feel free to consult our expert bariatric surgeon. Click here to book an appointment now: