World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14th of every year with the hope of spreading awareness about this disease which, if left untreated, invariably proves fatal.

Diabetes is a very common disease in India. We are a population at a very high risk for Diabetes!
Diabetes mellitus is primarily a condition where the blood sugar level is high. This occurs mainly due to insufficient/defective insulin or when the body tissues are resistant to the insulin.

Types of Diabetes mellitus:

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: This is due to insulin deficiency. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune reaction where the white blood cells (policemen of our body) mistake a friend for a foe. i.e., The WBCs think that the beta cells are foreign bodies (like the bacteria) that have intruded our body. So the WBCs set out to destroy these cells thereby causing insulin deficiency.
Type 1 diabetes commonly occurs in children, hence it was also known as "Juvenile diabetes". There's another name, Insulin dependant diabetes mellitus (IDDM). This disease is mostly inherited and is treated with insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Also called Non-Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). This type of DM is characterised by insulin resistance which may/may not be associated with insulin deficiency. A number of conditions lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus. The major reasons being lifestyle, diet and stress. This condition is also transmitted via genes.

Are you at risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

• Do you skip your work-out schedule to get extra sleep?
• Does your job put you under a lot of stress?
• Do you have to finish the arduous task of getting rid of the (loads and loads of) left over diwali sweets by eating them on your own?
• Do you smoke?
• Are you a hypertensive?
• Are you obese?
• Does the majority of your diet contain carbs and fats (less proteins)?
• Do you have a family history of Diabetes?

If your answer is "Yes" to any of these questions, yes sir/ma'm, you are at risk for diabetes!The blood sugar levels are brought under control by insulin and tons of other modern drugs which are really effective.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM): This type of Diabetes Mellitus occurs exclusively during pregnancy in some women and disappears after delivery. GDM indicates a high risk pregnancy and these women require constant medical care. GDM is one important cause of sudden fetal death!
GDM affects the fetus in more than one ways. It causes macrosomia (big baby) which can cause difficulty during normal vaginal delivery. GDM also causes respiratory distress in the baby (which is a terrifying condition) among various other complications.
Oral hypoglycaemics (drugs that help to bring down the blood sugar levels) are contraindicated during pregnancy and insulin is the only drug to be given to treat GDM. With proper drug administration and frequent antenatal check-ups GDM can be brought well under control.


Symptoms:

The main symptoms of diabetes mellitus are frequent urination (polyuria), increased thirst (polydypsia) and increased hunger (polyphagia).

Complications:
The increased level of sugar in the blood is such a nuisance! If left as such for long, they may cause one or more of these:

• Cardiovascular problems: Myocardial ischemia (Heart attack)
• Diabetic retinopathy: Usually, the light entering the eye falls on the retina from where the light is carried as neurological signals to the brain by the optic nerve. In prolonged diabetes, the retina may be damaged, leading to blindness. LASER photocoagulation is used to treat retinopathy
• Diabetic nephropathy: The increased sugar levels may damage the kidney and this requires dialysis treatment.
• Diabetic neuropathy: The nerves get damages, leading to numbness or tingling sensation. Now, when this occurs in the legs, due to numbness, the patient is unaware when his/her foot is being injured. Later diabetic foot ulcers occur.
• Any open wound takes a really long time to heal.
  
• Diabetics are prone to infection, especially those patients with open wounds. The foot ulcers are difficult to treat. This may even require amputation.

Prevention:

Prevention of diabetes mellitus involves proper screening techniques and major lifestyle modifications.

• Periodic blood glucose level estimation
• If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, allot time for exercise.
  
• Monitor your BMI
• Watch your diet. Include food rich in fibre.
• Quit smoking. Much better, don't even start smoking.
• Hypertensive patients, keep your blood pressure under control.
• Relax yourself. Music or Yoga helps.

This post is not to scare you in any way. The main aim was to let you know that Diabetes isn't that deadly afterall. Adequate and timely management allows diabetic patients to lead a normal life! It's you who has to take care of your body and stay healthy. Now you can stop being a couch potato and train your way to fitness!

5 things that made me smile...

It has been a while since I blogged. There have been a lot of incidences that made me smile in the last 4 months. It was then when I realized, moments that make us smile will be cherished more than moments than make us laugh. Here I am, recalling some of them.

1. I have an incredible set of friends. We didn't get to hang out much in the past few months. And when we did spend time together, we had so much fun and those minutes were filled with bantering! It usually creeps me out when somebody guesses what I'm up to, and more so, when they say "That's because I know you!". But I realized, a thoughtful gesture from a friend, and when I act surprised, the reply "Hey, I know you!" makes it such a beautiful moment. The most beautiful moment!

2. I spent about a little less than a month in the Paediatric ward. One morning I was just watching a newborn, when he was sleeping. All of a sudden I got to be a spectator to something splendid. I got to see the newborn yawn in his sleep and stretch a little. That made my day. The most beautiful moment!

3. One evening, it was a picture perfect moment here at Tirunelveli. We had a cool breeze, mild drizzle and a tinge of yellow on everything from the setting sun! The most beautiful moment!

4. My day would be incomplete if I hadn't logged into Twitter. Here are some of the most beautiful tweets I got to read recently

• @NeelaVanam To whom does the plant belong~ to the bird that dropped the seed~ or to the master who owns the field?

• @arattaigirl நீ சொன்ன பொய்கள் அனைத்தையும் நம்பினேனே... நான் சொல்லும் இந்த ஒரு பொய்யை நம்பக் கூடாதா?

• @nelsonnium If there's a tear rolling down your cheek, and you haven't the slightest clue why, don't blame it on a tearduct leak, your soul just sighed.
  

• @antoniOanbu வெளிச்சத்தை நோக்கிய ஒரு நீண்ட தேடலே இரவு

• @nandu Your visit to an Indian wedding is incomplete if you've not scaled and proudly installed yourself on a towering stack of plastic chairs.

Since I had a blogpost written on giving up the habit of dealing with stuff in multiples of five, I'm stopping with writing about just 4 of the places where I smiled!

And there are always the freebies, that make me smile! (Read: Grin)

P.S. This post comes after desperate attempts from me to overcome my blogger's block!

மனிதர்களின் 10 வினோத பழக்கங்கள்...

நம்மில் பலருக்கு நம்மை அறியாமலேயே பல பழக்க வழக்கங்கள் உண்டு... அதில் சில வியப்பானவையும்கூட. அதைப் பற்றிய ஒரு பதிவுதான் இது...

(முன் குறிப்பு: இதில் நானே பின்பற்றுவது சிலவற்றை மட்டுமே!!!)

1. அதிகமாக நான் கவனித்து, எனக்கு புரியாத ஒரு பழக்கம், ரூபாய் நோட்டுகளில் தங்கள் பெயர்களை எழுதிக்கொள்வது! இதன் நோக்கம்தான் என்ன?! தான் போகாத ஊருக்கும், மாநிலத்திற்கும் தன் பெயராவது சுற்றட்டும் என்ற எண்ணமா அல்லது இதே ரூபாய் தன்னிடம் திரும்பி வருகிறதா என்ற ஆராய்ச்சியா?! பரிட்சைத்தாளில்கூட பெயர் எழுத மறக்கும் நண்பர்கள், ரூபாய் நோட்டில் பெயர் எழுதுவதில் சலிப்பதில்லை!!!

2. தெருவில் நின்றிருக்கும்போது யாராவது வழி கேட்டால், “நேராக போய் வலது பக்கம் திரும்பி, பிறகு இடது பக்கம் இரண்டாவது தெருவில் திரும்பினால் மூன்றாவது கட்டிடம்” போன்று எதையாவது சொல்வதோடு நிறுத்தாமல், அதோடு கையால் சைகை காட்டி, வழி கேட்ட நபரை சற்றும் பார்க்காமல், வழி சொல்லும் தெருவின் தூரப்புள்ளியை மட்டும் உற்று நோக்குவது என்னாத்துக்கு?!

3. பட்டன் ரிப்பேர், பேட்டரி அவுட் போன்ற தெளிவான காரணங்களால் ரிமோட் வேலை செய்யாது என்று தெரிந்தும் அதை இரண்டு தட்டு தட்டி உபயோகிக்க முற்படுவதும் அது தப்பித்தவறி வேலை செய்துவிடுவதும் எந்த இயற்பியல் விதி என்று தெரியவில்லை! மொபைல் ஃபோன்களுக்கும் இது பொருந்தும்!!!

4. ஏன் வாங்குகிறோம் எதற்கு வாங்குகிறோம் என்று காரணம் இல்லாமல் வீட்டில் அடுக்கி வைப்பதில் இப்போதெல்லாம் திரைப்பட வி.சி.டி.க்களுக்கே முதலிடம். தன்னிடம் என்னென்ன திரைப்படங்கள் இருக்கின்றன, அதில் எத்தனை பார்த்தது, எதெது பார்க்காதது என்று பலருக்கும் தெரிவதில்லை! ஆனால் குறுந்தகடு வாங்குவதும் குறையவில்லை, அதை பார்க்காமல் அடுக்கி வைக்கும் பழக்கமும் மாறவில்லை!

5. தெரிகிறதோ இல்லையோ, கருத்து சொல்வதுதான் இன்றைய ஃபேஷன்! புரிந்தும் புரியாமலும் இருக்கும் அனைத்து வலைப்பூவிலும் சென்று கருத்து சொல்லாவிட்டால் தூக்கம் வராது சிலருக்கு! வலைப்பதிவிலும் ஃபேஸ்புக்கிலும் புரியாத சமாச்சாரத்தை ‘லைக்’ பண்ணுவதும், சம்மந்தமே இல்லாமல் கமெண்ட் செய்வதும் (நான் என்னைச் சொல்லலீங்கோ!!!) யார் சொல்லிக்கொடுத்த கெட்டப் பழக்கம்?!

6. புத்தகத்தின் பக்கங்களின் நடுவில் மயிலிறிகை வைத்துக் கொண்டு, அதோடு நிறுத்தாமல், அது குட்டி போடும் என்று புருடா விடுவதும், அதற்கும் ஒருபடி மேலே போய் இறகுக்கு பசிக்குமென்று அரிசி வைப்பதும் சித்து வேலைகளின் ஆரம்ப நிலை! (இதையெல்லாம் நம்பி சிறு வயதில் ஏமாந்த கேஸ்தான் நானும்!)

7. பரவலாக எல்லோரும் பார்த்திருக்கும் ஒரு பழக்கம், தெருவில் நடக்கும்போது கீழே வசதியான அளவில் ஒரு கல் கண்ணில் தென்பட்டுவிட்டால் போதும், அது ஒரு குழிக்குள் விழும்வரை அதை எற்றிக்கொண்டே நடப்பது சிறு வயதிலிருந்து பலருக்கும் விருப்பமான ஒரு ‘ஸ்டைல்’!

8. வெற்றிலைப் பாக்கு மெல்லும் பழக்கம் எவ்வளவு கெடுதலோ, அதோடு தொற்றிக் கொண்டு வந்துவிடும் மற்றொரு பழக்கம் அதைவிட ஆபத்தாக தெரிகிறது. வெற்றிலை போடுவதற்கு முன் வாய் நம நமவென்று இருக்கிறதோ இல்லையோ, அதை மெல்லும்போது ஒரு வெள்ளைச் சுவர் எதிரே தெரிந்துவிட்டால் பலருக்கும் அதில் துப்பிவிட வேண்டும் என்று வாய் நம நம நம நமவென்று ஆகிவிடுகிறது!

9. எந்தவொரு பட்டியலிட்டாலும் ஐந்தின் பெருக்கல் தொகையாகவே கணக்கிடுகிறோம்... 5 சாப்பாட்டு வகைகள், 10 வினோத பழக்கங்கள், 15 பல் துளக்கும் எளிய முறைகள் என்று எதை எடுத்தாலும் 5! எனவே, இந்தப் பழக்கத்தை துறக்க எண்ணியதாலும் வேறு எதுவும் நினைவுக்கு வராததாலும், 9 பழக்கங்களோடு இந்தப் பட்டியலை முடித்து விடுகிறேன்!

(பின் குறிப்பு: தமிழில் பதிவெழுத வேண்டுமென்ற என் வெகுநாள் ஆசையை இந்தப் பதிவோடு நிறைவேற்றிக் கொள்(ல்)கிறேன்!!! )

Summer, Sweat and Sufferings

Summer is nothing special to us. It is the only thing in this part of the world that is always with us, next to air.
For us, it is always a surprise to hear about places where sunshine is given a 'warm' welcome. Summer is so unwelcome here!
People have been talking about election scenario heating up in Tamil Nadu and about the Indian cricket team being on fire. I don't think its about the spirit. It must be the climate, the heat!
In January, I couldn't wait for the season of cucumber, melons and mangoes to come. But now I hate coming home dehydrated and panting like a dog!
How many of you enjoy drinking water from the fridge every now and then and feeling thirsty already even before you close the refrigerator?! How many of you like getting drenched in sweat immediately after a shower?! Sucks, right?!
To add to the woes, we have lectures at noon. During our travel, the sun would have had enough time to roast us, and add salt and pepper. And when we reach college, we will be asked such questions which will make us feel like we are being thrown into boiling oil. By the end of the day, we would be hung like Tandoori Chicken!
We have 'Sun'days seven days a week, only that it is not as much fun!

Life?

Life is a poem
I get to pick my favourite words

Life is an art
And I am its master

Life is a gamble
I just play my game

Life is a lie
I never take it seriously

Life is beautiful
I let it come to me

Life is a bitch
I get to kick its ass

Life is life
And I am living it!

Writer's woes!!!

I always admire those who are able to write blog posts frequently and fluently because I've had troubles with writing regularly. I am an irregularly irregular blogger.

I had been thinking the reason for it and came up with this post. I don't write very often mostly because I don't have anything worth writing! But I do manage to come up with some crap occassionally!

Another important reason is Twitter! I express anything that I want to, on Twitter, within 140 characters, too often that I don't let it shape up to a sensible blog post!

And more often we all have that tongue-tie, mind block, word block and even nose block, that in no way help us to frame a worthwhile post! If people don't have any of these and still don't write, it means they have a life beyond blogger!

To all those who are able to write then and there, creatively and sensibly... Respect!

Welcome 2011

I know, it's 10th of Jan, a bit late to be giving a welcome party to the new year! But as you know, I've been (pretending to be) busy with my preparations for our University exam, which I'm supposed to be appearing for, one month from now! (Oooh! Now, that gave me a chill!!!)

Since we are having exams in the first week of February, we are expected not to celebrate Christmas (which I've never celebrated so far, just saying), New year's eve (just for the sake of count!), New year and also Pongal!!! All these come during our study holidays. On December first, I usually resolve to study the whole time till Feb and forego all these occasions, only to end up having a gala time on all the above said days! And of course, guilt prevails over me for the next week! (That explains why I'm late at throwing this welcome party, I was feeling culpable all this time for having wasted my time, I actually had huge fun, on 31st Dec and Jan 1st.)

Looking at 2011, I am just curious how this year is going to turn out for me. I usually have an idea at the beginning of every year about how it is going to be. But this year, I'm totally blank (partly because, I don't want to have any expectations, followed by disappointments). And I've realized, it feels good to start something with an empty mind (yeah, neither empty head nor empty brain, just empty mind!). However I wish this year gives me wonderful surprises, like the past 4 years, and treats me like it has, so far! (Yes, I've forgotten the 'bitterness' of 2010 already! :) )

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! :) (Belated! Hehehe)