Monday 26 May 2008

Swimming Pools - Harmful for Children

Swimming Pools - Harmful for Children
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1954
May 26th, 2008 Dr. Avnish Jolly, 26 May :During the summers vocation public / private swimming pools and water thunder zones across the world are undergoing preparations to open, swimming pools and water thunder zones will be filled with millions of people having fun and staying cool. But germs may be in the water, even if it’s treated with chlorine.

Paints - Can make you Infertile

Paints - Can make you Infertile
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1955
May 26th, 2008 Dr. Avnish Jolly,26 May :Every one wants to live colorful life and love to play with colors. But the people who are manufacturing colors for others there life looses color of life, due to the chemicals used during the manufacturing process.

Sunday 25 May 2008

Chantix (Anti-Smoking Drug): Serious side effects such as Depression, Suicidal thoughts, Aggression, Possible Psychosis - Banned for Persons Operating

Chantix (Anti-Smoking Drug): Serious side effects such as Depression, Suicidal thoughts, Aggression, Possible Psychosis - Banned for Persons Operating Vehicles and Heavy Machinery
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1931
May 25th, 2008 By News Team Category: Health Dr. Avnish Jolly,25 May:On last Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal reports to not qualify anyone currently use this medication for commercial motor vehicle licenses. The findings of the study were posted online because its co-author Curt Furberg, a Wake Forest University Medical epidemiologist, thought the findings too important to submit to a medical journal, which could take six months or more to publish.
On Friday, patients using Chantix were warned to stop taking it and to immediately call their health care providers if they experience agitation, depression, behavior changes or suicidal thoughts.
The report linked Chantix to 988 serious events in the last quarter of 2007 alone. The drug, made by Pfizer, was approved in 2006 for sale in the U.S. and the European Union. Sales of the drug were $883 million last year and an estimated 6.5 million people have used it worldwide. The dramatic decisions follow a report by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a non-profit watchdog group based in Horsham, Pa., which warns against “use of Chantix among persons operating aircrafts, trains, buses and other vehicles, or in other settings where a lapse in alertness or motor control could lead to massive, serious injury.”
Following the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to ban use of anti-smoking drug Chantix by pilots and air controllers on Wednesday, now it is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s turn to warn against the medicine. Since approval, Chantix has been under conflagration due to its serious side effects such as depression, suicidal thoughts, aggression, or possible psychosis. Now, the new report also found the drug responsible for potentially lethal heart rhythm disturbances, heart attack, seizures and diabetes in its users. Of special concern for those operating airplanes and trucks, there were 173 serious injuries, some resulting from traffic accidents where drivers were dizzy, mentally confused or became unconscious.
On Friday, patients using Chantix were advised to stop taking it and to immediately call their health care providers if they experience agitation, depression, behavior changes or suicidal thoughts.

Green Cleaning Products : Marketing Strategy - Multi Nationals

Green Cleaning Products : Marketing Strategy - Multi Nationals - I
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1904

May 24th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,24 May:Growing number of Americans are seeking so-called green cleaners products made with natural, nontoxic, and biodegradable ingredients. Sales of natural cleaning products totaled $105 million in the last year– up 23 percent in just one year. Some of these cleaners promise that they contain natural (instead of synthetic) agents, break down quickly in the environment, or pose less of a toxic threat to humans and ecosystems. But critics caution that just because the ingredients in green cleaners are plant-based or natural doesn’t necessarily mean they’re safe.

Green Cleaning Products : Marketing Strategy - Multi Nationals - II
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1905
Dr. Avnish Jolly,25 May:Many companies are just chomping at the bit, eager to reach into the wallets of modern, environmentally concerned consumers who want to live healthier lives, without having to boil their own soap. And by now, everyone should be aware that advertising is all too frequently about making money, not about telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Now there is nothing wrong about earning a profit, after all it is the Modern way, but when you compromise and exchange human health in exchange for profits, most has a major problem with that.

Saturday 24 May 2008

Hair Dyes - Cancer

Hair Dyes - Cancer
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1906
May 24th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,24 May:Hair color is often one of the few cosmetics that people justify using, often to cover up gray hair. Some estimates even say that more than one in three women and one in 10 men over 40, throughout India, Europe, North America and Japan use some type of hair color.

Study - Pretty Girls more likely to be bullied

Study - Pretty Girls more likely to be bullied
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1907
May 24th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly ,24 May:According to Recently published study in the Journal - Aggressive Behaviour. Pretty Girls more likely to be bullied. They wear branded dresses, spend most of the time in front of the mirror, but contrary to conventional understanding, teenage girls who consider themselves attractive are more likely to be the victims of emotionally damaging bullying - including being socially ostracised or having rumours spread about them, says a new research.

Friday 23 May 2008

HRT Patches Poses Less Clotting Risks than Pill Does - New Medium to Earn More

HRT Patches Poses Less Clotting Risks than Pill Does - New Medium to Earn More
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1883
May 23rd, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,23 May:Often you found matching patches on the arms of women wearing sleeveless clothes, this is not trend but a HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy) - Patch. women are conscious to sustain the beauty due to many factors. Under the influence of media glamour, job requirements or family needs etc. Even selling these pills or patches, South Asia is the biggest market. Most of women are conscious about their beauty.

HIV/AIDS – Women and Children

HIV/AIDS – Women and Children
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1882
May 23rd, 2008 Dr. Avnish Jolly,23 May:Women and children, including those who describe themselves as “Living - Positively,” are struggling to come out of the dimness that still hinder the efforts to fight HIV/AIDS.

Study - Erectile Dysfunction due to Heart Problems

Study - Erectile Dysfunction due to Heart Problems http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1828
Dr. Avnish Jolly:According to Journal of the American College of Cardiology, May 27, 2008, the issues related with maintaining an ...

Thursday 22 May 2008

Teen blood donors have complications

Teen blood donors have complications
http://www.theindia post.com/ ?p=1826
May 22nd, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Still donating blood is uneventful for most donors of all ages. Blood Donation Centers in U.S. are relying more on teenage donors to maintain an adequate blood supply, but these donors are more likely than older ones to faint or have other complications, researchers said.

Wednesday 21 May 2008

Self Medication - Busy Life Style and High Consultation Fee of Professionals

Self Medication - Busy Life Style and High Consultation Fee of Professionals
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1692
May 16th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly, 16th May, 2008,Chandigarh: Health is wealth; a saying goes on and on. But now it seems it is coming out of the quotation books to our life practically. People now talk about it, discuss about, spend on it, as there is lots of material available in the market. You name the topic and the book is there even due to net revolution most of the latest information available to the people. Navneet Vermani of Shivalik Book Centre Sector-17, Chandigarh, says there is a sudden increase in the sales of health care books, some times people ask for a particular book, but mostly the customers ask which book is much in sales, we provide them with that but these days they started buying medical books (Medical Journals, Differential Diagnose, Practical Prescriber etc.).

US: California Marriage Ruling for Same-Sex Couples

US: California Marriage Ruling for Same-Sex Couples
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1738
May 17th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,17 May:Scott Long, Director, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program said this decision should push the US government to stop obstructing equal treatment of relationships and families.

Call-center employees are getting stress and breaking traditional life style and living with relationship troubles – needs counselling badly

Call-center employees are getting stress and breaking traditional life style and living with relationship troubles – needs counselling badly
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1762
May 18th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,18 May:Working as counsellor in the City Beautiful from last fifteen years, I find Call-center employees are getting stress and breaking traditional life style and living with relationship troubles.

Around 100 million people - mostly the poor and illiterate - smoke beedi (hand-rolled cigarettes )

Around 100 million people - mostly the poor and illiterate - smoke beedi (hand-rolled cigarettes )
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1758
May 18th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly,18 May,Chandigarh:Around 100 million people - mostly the poor and illiterate - smoke beedi (hand-rolled cigarettes, ) in India and 200,000 tuberculosis deaths are due to these hand-rolled cigarettes, a health ministry report released on last Monday. The report, for the year 2004-05 and termed as the first analytical, scientific and systematic study on the trend, said beedi smoking was more harmful than cigarette smoking.

Drug Fosamax - Not Healing Osteoporosis but also bad for Heart

Drug Fosamax - Not Healing Osteoporosis but also bad for Heart
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1804
May 20th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Fosamax is in the same chemical class (phosphonate) as the cleaners used to remove soap scum from our bath tub. This is a metabolic poison that actually kills your osteoclasts. Osteoclasts are cells that break down your bone so your osteoblasts can rebuild them.

Drug Fosamax - Not Healing Osteoporosis but also bad for Heart

Drug Fosamax - Not Healing Osteoporosis but also bad for Heart
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1804
May 20th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Fosamax is in the same chemical class (phosphonate) as the cleaners used to remove soap scum from our bath tub. This is a metabolic poison that actually kills your osteoclasts. Osteoclasts are cells that break down your bone so your osteoblasts can rebuild them.

Light Governs Sleeping Patterns and Sex -Life

Light Governs Sleeping Patterns and Sex -Life
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1805
May 20th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Biological clock is not the only thing that reminds you to shut eyes; a new study by Researchers, Johns Hopkins University found has found that it’s actually light that governs sleeping patterns and hormone production. Eyes use light to reset your biological clock through a mechanism that is separate from your ability to see. The findings suggest that people who have trouble sleeping or seasonal depression may be having a malfunction that is contributing to their inability to detect light, which in turn may adversely affect their biological clocks.

Study – Suicidal Tendencies among Defense Personnel Wives

Study – Suicidal Tendencies among Defense Personnel Wives
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1807
May 20th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly, Chandigarh, 20th May, 2008:Recently study conducted in the Army which found an increased trend to attempt suicide amongst wives of serving defense personnel. Hence there is urgent need for intervention focusing on the risk factors for suicide related with wives of military personnel.

Kids and Computers

Kids and Computers
Kids and Computers (Physical Problems) - I
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1795
May 20th, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Since computers were first introduced to young children three decades ago, there has been a certain amount of fear and controversy voiced over technology’s “harm” to this young population. In the 1980’s many critics thought computers would isolate children and affect their social skills in negative ways. Today the criticism is even more profound and, through the Internet, publications about computer use are reaching a wide audience.
Kids and Computers (Eyes Problems) - II
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1794
May 21st, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Many eye doctors believe that heavy computer use among children puts them at risk for early myopia. They point to several recent studies as evidence that computers can have a negative impact on a child’s vision:

Implants for Beauty Enhancing - Side-effects

Implants for Beauty Enhancing - Side-effects
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1823
May 21st, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:Beauty is natural and artificial flowers have no fragrance. One can glance better through cosmetic surgery but damage his health in long run.

Attitudinal Change towards Notions of Gender and Sexuality – South Asia

Attitudinal Change towards Notions of Gender and Sexuality – South Asia
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1827
May 21st, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:South Asian region is going through an attitudinal change towards notions of gender and sexuality. In a recent democratic development in South Asia, Nepal became the first country elect an openly gay man working for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people as its representative in the Constituent Assembly.

Capacity Building Workshop to strengthen the service delivery on of

Capacity Building Workshop to strengthen the service delivery on ofRCH - II and NRHM through MNGOs in Haryanahttp://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1833May 21st, 2008Dr. Avnish Jolly:Five day long Capacity Building Workshop to strengthenthe service delivery on of Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) - II andNational Rural health Mission (NRHM) on the following issues i.e.baseline Survey, RCH service delivery Issues and Conducting FGDs forQualitative Data was organized by Regional Resource centre MAMTA,Chandigarh from 12th to 17th May, 2008 at Hotel KC Residency, Sector 35-B, Chandigarh.

Study - Doubts Teen Sex-life in U.S. “Technical Virginity”

Study - Doubts Teen Sex-life in U.S. “Technical Virginity”
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1829
May 21st, 2008
Dr. Avnish Jolly:The Guttmacher Institute, New York studies sexual and reproductive health issues related to teen’s .The researchers conduced a survey examining sexual practices of U.S. teens.

Sunday 11 May 2008

Sex, Competition, Parents: problems for city teens Using Alcohol, Drugs for enhanced Love Life

Sex, Competition, Parents: problems for city teens Using Alcohol, Drugs for enhanced Love Lifehttp://www.theindiapost.com/?p=1552
Sunday, May 11th, 2008 Chandigarh,11 May:My experience through different studies I conducted and interaction with teens and young adults in City Beautiful – Chandigarh. They are drinking alcohol and taking drugs for sexual pleasure and prefers regular nightlife. Also, a substantial number suffer from emotional disturbances and poor social adjustment. They had little knowledge about their physical and sexual growth, resulting in experimentation on themselves, which further created problems in their physical and sexual growth.They drink alcohol to increase their chances of sex,while cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are used to enhance sexual arousal/ gratification or prolong sex.Mostly started consuming alcohol for fun and project them adult and tasted first drink or puff when they were in early teens. Even though many believed alcohol and drugs offered sexual "benefits – excuse for advances", I found that drunkenness and drug use were strongly associated with an increase in risk-taking behavior and feelings of regret about having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Those who’had been drunk in the previous six months were more likely to have had sex partners, sex without a condom, and to have regretted sex after drink or drugs in the past year. Similar consequences were noted in those who’d used cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy. Even they feel condoms are hindrance in ultimate pleasure of love life. They use flavored and vibrating condoms for experiment and new experience.
Who used alcohol, cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy during adolescent period were much more likely to have had sex before that age. This was especially true for girls; their boy friends brought drugs for them and make them feel top of the world. The girls are not in position to buy drugs due to shortage of money andsocial taboo hence their pal bring the stuff for them. Even the girls are emotionally dependent upon their pals and don’t wants to lose them, so they developintimate relations before marriage and anteing adulthood. They are not aware of problems occur due teen sexual life. More surprising for me as a doctor they don’t know they become pregnant in single sexual encounter. Still – A Virgin is shameful in peer group.
Most of young pregnant girls suffer alone during premarital pregnancy at physical, emotional, economical and religious level. They are not aware of their reproductive and sexual rights and duties. The sexual activity is not planned and most of the girls disclose when they went with their boy friend for sex she finds other friends of his pal there and she was forced to have sex with all of them without their wish.Many youngsters now take drugs and drink in ways that alter their sexual decisions and increase their chances of unsafe sex or sex that is later regretted.
Yet despite the negative consequences, they found many are deliberately taking these substances to achieve quite specific sexual effects.Sexual activity accompanied by substance use is not just incidental, but often sexually motivated; Interventions addressing sexual health are often developed, managed and implemented independently from those addressing substance uses, and vice versa.
However, young people often see alcohol, drugs and sex all as part of the same social experience, and addressing these issues requires an equally joined-up approach.Personally I feel that adolescents are highly emotional in nature and do not have a free hand to develop their social and moral values which is why they are generally assertive, explorative and revolt for simple things, thus facing invisible crisis in their tender age. Anxiety and negative approach results in stress and even drug addiction. Most of students reveal that failure to adjust properly with competitive education system results in mental harassment among them. Adolescent period is a period of stress and strain, strife and strong emotionality and suggestibility, daydreaming and adventurous, intense affections.
Adolescents have various needs and problems in their changing life style. It is the duty of parents and teachers to play constructive roles in their lives.Even the latest technology and media played a negative role in their lives because it gave them education without direction. They expressed that the problems being suffered by the adolescents were mainly due to uneducated parents and lack of interaction with them. In response related to their teachers, the adolescents felt that it could be made positive in nature if parents’ interaction was included in their relationship with the teachers.
Nuclear families with smaller space at home with no interaction would have problems of emotional disturbances and mental adjustment with adolescents.It is necessary to have adolescent education at school-level so that children should be well informed for their holistic development and mental changes intheir lives.

Friday 9 May 2008

Young Adults Using Alcohol, Drugs for Better Sex

Young Adults Using Alcohol, Drugs for Better Sex
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050902095.html
FRIDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Many teens and young adults inEurope are drinking alcohol and taking drugs for sexual purposes,according to a survey of more than 1,300 people who are regularnightlife-goers.The results showed that a third of males and a quarter of femalesaged 16 to 35 drink alcohol to increase their chances of sex, whilecocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are used to enhance sexual arousal orprolong sex.Nearly all of the respondents reported alcohol use, with most havinghad their first drink when they were 14 or 15 years old. About three-quarters had tried or used cannabis, and about 30 percent had atleast tried ecstasy or cocaine.Even though many respondents believed alcohol and drugs offeredsexual "benefits," the survey found that drunkenness and drug usewere strongly associated with an increase in risk-taking behavior andfeelings of regret about having sex while under the influence ofalcohol or drugs.For example, those who'd been drunk in the previous four weeks weremore likely to have had five or more sex partners, sex without acondom, and to have regretted sex after drink or drugs in the pastyear. Similar consequences were noted in those who'd used cannabis,cocaine or ecstasy.Respondents who used alcohol, cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy before age16 were much more likely to have had sex before that age. This wasespecially true for girls, who were nearly four times as likely tohave had sex before the age of 16, if they drank alcohol or usedcannabis before that age.The findings were published in the journalBMC Public Health."Trends in recent decades have resulted in recreational drug use andbinge drinking becoming routine features of European nightlife," leadauthor Mark Bellis, of Liverpool John Moores University, said in aprepared statement. "Millions of young Europeans now take drugs anddrink in ways that alter their sexual decisions and increase theirchances of unsafe sex or sex that is later regretted. Yet despite thenegative consequences, we found many are deliberately taking thesesubstances to achieve quite specific sexual effects.""Sexual activity accompanied by substance use is not just incidental,but often sexually motivated," noted co-author, consultantpsychiatrist Amador Calafat. "Interventions addressing sexual healthare often developed, managed and implemented independently from thoseaddressing substance use, and vice versa. However, young people oftensee alcohol, drugs and sex all as part of the same social experience,and addressing these issues requires an equally joined-up approach."More informationThe U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has moreabout alcohol-related risk behaviors among youth.http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/Youth/default.htmSOURCE: BioMed Central, news release, May 8, 2008

India children's health 'ignored'

India children's health 'ignored'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7389283.stm
Indian girls are more likely to die than boys

More than half of Indian children under the age of five do not getthe health care they need, according to a report by Save theChildren.It ranks India alongside Ghana when it comes to providing basichealth care to its children under five years of age.The annual report looks at whether developing countries aredelivering health care effectively to children.It found the Philippines was performing best with almost 69% ofchildren able to get access to health care.Ethiopia ranks last - only 16% of children under five get health carewhen they need it.'Basic measures'The report, called State of the World's Mothers, says girls die atmuch higher rates in India than most countries.Although India has cut child its mortality rate by 34% since 1990,Indian girls are 61% more likely than boys to die between the ages ofone and five.Inequity of health care among male and female children is responsiblefor this situation, the report says.The report says experts predict that over 60% of the nearly 10million children who die every year could be saved by deliveringbasic health services through a health facility or community healthworker."A child's chance of reaching its fifth birthday should not depend onthe country or community where it is born," said Jasmine Whitbread,Save the Children's chief executive."We need to do a better job of reaching the poorest children withbasic health measures like vaccines, antibiotics and skilled care atchildbirth," she said.

"Racial discrimination has different mental health effects"

"Racial discrimination has different mental health effects"
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200805100303.htm

Washington: The first national study of Asians living in the UnitedStates shows that for some individuals, strong ties to theirethnicity can guard against the negative effects of racism. Forothers, strong ties to ethnicity can actually make the negativeeffects of discrimination worse. And the mental health effects ofsuch discrimination may shift over a lifetime as Asian-Americanscontinue to examine their ethnic ties, say researchers.Anti-Asian racism is prevalent in the United States but research intothe psychological ramifications of those experiences is scarce, saidlead author Tiffany Yip, PhD, of Fordham University. Using the firstnationally representative sample of Asian adults in the UnitedStates, Yip, Gilbert C. Gee, PhD, of the University of California LosAngeles, and David T. Takeuchi, PhD, of the University of Washington,examined whether ethnic identity protected a person against thenegative effects of discrimination and whether age and birthplacealso played a role.These findings are published in the May issue of DevelopmentalPsychology, published by the American Psychological Association.Data came from the National Latino and Asian American Study, ahousehold survey conducted between 2002 and 2003 that included 2,047Asian adults 18-75 years old. The interviews were conducted at theparticipants' homes in a variety of languages, including Cantonese,Mandarin, Tagalog and Vietnamese.The participants were questioned about any negative feelings they mayhave had in the previous 30 days. Participants were also asked abouttheir perceptions of racial and ethnic discrimination. They wereasked how often they felt discriminated against because of their raceand how close they felt their ideas and feelings were to other peopleof the same racial and ethnic descent.The researchers controlled for socioeconomic status, gender, age atimmigration and where the participants lived. Overall, theresearchers found that discrimination was associated withpsychological distress; respondents said they felt depressed moreoften if they had been discriminated against.The analysis uncovered an unexpected result when the researcherslooked at age and whether the participant was born in the UnitedStates. For those born outside the United States, embracing one'sethnic identity did not guard against the negative effects ofdiscrimination on psychological wellness. However, for Asians born inthe United States, ethnic attachment did affect whetherdiscrimination made people feel more distressed, and its effectvaried by age. "Among adults in their 40s, feeling strongly abouttheir own background can counteract the negative effects ofdiscrimination," said Yip.Surprisingly, more analysis showed that U.S.-born participants intheir 30s and those above the age of 50 who described themselves ashaving a strong ethnic identity had more mental distress fromdiscrimination than those participants with a weaker ethnicattachment. "This may be because people in their forties, who areentering middle age, cope more effectively with stress and are betterable to deal with emotional reactions to negative events, such asracism," said Yip. However, research has suggested that as peopleenter their 50s, they are actively trying to maximize happiness andminimize unhappiness, so experiencing discrimination during this timemay be especially harmful for people who have a strong sense ofconnection to their ethnic background.The researchers acknowledge that much more work needs to be done tounderstand how discrimination influences psychological well-being. "Abetter understanding of these issues could help us create resourcesthat can protect against racial discrimination in this country,especially for those who are not born in the United States," saidYip.