Author: Dr.Sanjana p Souparnika

  • Green spaces to reduce stress

    dr sanjana p

    In this digital era of extreme climate change and global warming, the green spaces serve as centres for respite which can revitalize mind and body alike. Moreover, recent researches point out their role in reducing stress and improving overall health.

    Green spaces  as a foundation for wellness

      Green spaces are simply defined as open land spaces covered with grass, trees, or other vegetation located within urban, suburban, or rural environments.

    They usually encompass public parks, community gardens, roof top vegetation and any rural or urban setting with a cluster of trees and plants on the avenues.

    Green spaces have garnered more significance in the recent decades particularly for urban population as a means to foster their mental and physical wellbeing in the hustle and bustle of life. These space of lush greenary may be part of public domains as well as private properties including huge corporate offices and educational institutions.

     The greenspaces are emerging as the symbol of enhanced health awareness as well as a solution for achieving wellness in the least expensive way from the foundational levels of health.

    The green environs work as stimulus for improving mental and physical health as well as productivity.

    Rooted in wellness – cultivating health in green outdoors

    • Improves air quality

     Green spaces have crucial role in diminishing the impact of growing air pollution and poor air quality in the urban cities. The suburban villages also bear the brunt of air pollution due to indiscriminate waste dumping and unchecked automobile generated smoke. The consequent poor air quality is the root cause of several chronically incapacitating respiratory diseases including asthma and other COPDs [ chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].

    Green spaces aid in filtering particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide from the air and thus improve air quality.

    Indoor green spaces with perfect ventilation system helps to improve air quality and energy within the homes.

    • Reduces noise pollution

    Plants and trees cause deflection of sounds from environment and thus help in reducing noise pollution.

    • Prevents soil erosion

     The trees and vegetation forming green spaces play a key role in preventing soil erosion and in handling water management.

    • Affect climate change & biodiversity

    Green spaces help to mitigate heat & thus influence climate of the area. They help to reduce the heat and provide cooling shades and furthermore the precipitation and rainfall of an area is closely related to its greenery.

    Natural and man-made green spaces help to add to biodiversity as these niches provide food and shelter for animals and other organisms of the ecosystem.

    Evidence based research data on the positive impact of green spaces on health

    • Stress reduction

    Green spaces have pivotal role in mitigating stress, anxiety and depression

    • Green spaces help to improve mental wellness

    Green spaces provide a platform for social cohesion, communication and spending time together which are crucial for mental well-being of a community or population.

    • Green spaces have key role in reducing cortisol levels

    Cortisol hormone elevation is linked with persistent and prolonged stress which may stem from multiple causes. Green spaces are indeed a respite for people who go through severe stresses in life. The green spaces like parks help to calm mind and help social cohesion and relationship building.

    Educational institutions and corporate offices nowadays build huge green spaces to reduce stress of their students and employees and thus enhance creativity and productivity.

    • Green spaces help to reduce brain fatigue & cognitive decline

    The ageing people as well as those who are exposed to persistent and prolonged stress are predisposed to cognitive decline early. The chronic stress and ageing can have detrimental impact on brain structure and functions. Eventually it leads to oxidative stress, toxin accumulation and mild cognitive impairment to dementia or total memory loss particularly in genetically predisposed individuals.  Green spaces help to mitigate stress and consequent oxidative stress.

    • Green spaces help to reduce heat, improve air quality

    The scorching heat of summers and altered weather conditions predispose people to several health conditions and infections. Green spaces have some role in reducing heat and climate change although a mass campaign and effort is required in this regard to have a substantially positive impact on health.

    • Green spaces foster healthier environment as a space for physical activity

    Physical activity in green spaces is rejuvenating to the body & mind; helps sound sleep

    Green spaces motivate for doing physical exercise & therefore to reduce obesity. Obesity is closely linked with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancers, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver and cardiovascular diseases.

    Walking in lush greenery helps to normalize stress and rhythm of heart and our hormones normalizing cortisol production in the body. This is the foundation or corner stone of wellness.

    We can conclusively state that green spaces definitely help to improve mental health, freedom from lifestyle diseases by fostering physical activity and mitigating stress.

    Mediprecision clinic fosters the concept of green spaces as well as sustainable development goal of United Nations organizations  for better health for all and the sustenance of nonrenewable resources of our biosphere.

    Written by Dr Sanjana p.[copyright]

    References

    • Mental health benefits of long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces: a systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25913182/
    • What Types of Greenspaces Are Associated with Depression in Urban and Rural Older Adults? A Multilevel Cross-Sectional Study from JAGES https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33322467/

  • Health benefits of choline

    dr sanjana p

    Choline is one of the most essential nutrients that your brain  and liver needs for healthy functioning. Choline deficiency may compromise your liver and brain health. Choline is available to human body from your foods such as eggs, meat etc.

    Choline to protect your brain &liver

    Functions of choline in human body

    Choline has a crucial role in metabolic activities of human body. It is a part of our cell membrane also. Choline is needed for the formation of phosphatidyl choline and sphingomyelin in cell membranes. Therefore , choline is crucial for the strength and integrity of cells.

    This essential nutrient is vital for proper functioning of muscles, liver and brain.  Choline is very crucial for the formation of acetyl choline in nerve synapses and hence in controlling muscle functioning. It is also important for the formation of neurotransmitters and memory storage.

    Choline is crucial during foetal development for brain during pregnancy

     Choline can modulate gene expression. Most f the choline is received through the foods we consume. However, a small amount of choline is produced in liver. The choline reaching our body through the foods we consume, is also stored in liver.

    Choline deficiency

    Choline is usually low in people having folate deficiency. Folate is an important vitamin for our body.

    However, extreme deficiency of choline do not happen commonly as choline is released from the cellmembrane phospholipids and some amount is also produced by the liver.

    Choline rich foods

    The major food sources of choline include:

    Eggs

    Choline is abundant in egg yolks.Eggs contain around 146mg/serving

    Meat

    It is also found in meat, fish and beaf. Beaf contains 117mg , chicken breast 72 mg. fish 71mg.

    Plant sources of choline

    Among plant foods, choline is found in broccoli, cauliflower, peas, soybeans &potato.

    Nuts &seeds

     Nuts and quinoa also contain some amount of choline[43mg].

    yoghurt

    Yoghurt is yet another source of choline [38mg].

    Adequate intake for choline daily

    In infants                                        125mg/day

    Adolescents [14-18yrs]              400-550mg/day

    Adults                                             425-5550mg/day

    written by Dr.Sanjana p

    References

  •  Optimize your Insulin like growth factor-1 [ IGF-1] for better health

    dr sanjana p

    Insulin like growth factor -1 or IGF-1 is a principal hormone produced by the liver cells in human body. It promotes growth, cell division and tissue repair. It has multiple roles in brain, musculoskeletal system and metabolism of glucose & in the development of cancer.

    Optimize IGF-1 levels in your body for brain& musculoskeletal health

    Insulin like growth factor-1 [ IGF-1]

    IGF-1 is also known as somatomedin C and it is a 70aminoacid peptide hormone produced by the liver. Under the influence of growth hormone secreted by pituitary gland the liver cells produce IGF-1. The roles of IGF-1 in human body includes:

    • Essential for the strength of muscles and bones

    IGF-1 builds muscles and bones in human body. Therefore, its optimization is crucial for age related muscle loss prevention.

    • IGF-1 is important for growth spurt during puberty

    It helps cell division and growth spurt in puberty under the influence of growth hormone.

    • IGF-1 regulates blood sugar level

    It helps to reduce blood sugar spikes as it can bind to insulin receptors. IGF-1 has structural similarities with insulin.

    • Protects nerves from stress related injury

    IGF-1 has neuro protective functions. They help to protect nerves from stress injuries.

    • IGF-1 is vital for functions of brain in ageing people

    IGF-1 is crucial for brain health &cognitive functions. It helps to prevent age related cognitive decline and memory loss.

    • IGF-1 helps long term memory

    IGF-1 has very important role in long term memory functions as they help to form neuron formation in hippocampus.

    • IGF-1 disintegrate fat and reduce obesity

    Our body fats are stored in adipose tissues.IGF-1 helps fat lysis during fasting. Fat lysis is division of fat and it helps to reduce obesity associated health complications.

    • IGF-1 boosts skin health &wound healing

    IGF-1 has a vital role in the development of collagen on the skin and helps wound healing also. IGF-1 promotes cell proliferation and healing in the body in their optimum levels.

    Optimum levels of insulin like growth factor 1 [IGF-1] in human body

    Puberty – 200ng/ml

    Adults   – 120-267ng/ml

    Old age [above 58 yrs] –48-212ng/ml

    How to optimize or balance your insulin like growth factor?

    You can optimize the levels of insulin like growth factor-1 in the body according to the requirement of age through healthy life style practices and diet.  Avoid certain errors in your diet and adopt a few healthy lifestyle habits. This can simply turn the button towards better health optimizing IGF-1. It is not an arduous task. A few customized lifestyle modification protocols can help you in this journey.

    At Mediprecision clinic we have been helping our patients to do that simply & easily. A few vital steps to be taken for balancing IGF-1 are shared here:

    1. Balancing your protein foods from various food sources

    You can optimize your protein intake by keeping it at normal levels 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg / body weight for muscles, bones and tissue maintenance. People who work out well may require this amount. Similarly pregnant and lactating women may have excessive demand for proteins in the body. But those who are not likely to move much in their space and mostly lead a sedentary lifestyle may not need this optimum amount of proteins. They may need only 1g/ per kg/ body weight for a day.

    Consuming more protein from animal sources may aggravate IGF-1 levels in the body and is associated with adverse health effects.

    If IGF-1 is high on testing it is wise to shift to plant diet immediately for a while.  It is always recommended to take a mix of plant and animal protein foods for good health.

     You can include fish, meat, eggs in your everyday diet in the adequate amount along with tofu, legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds.

    • Exercise regularly and consistently

    Exercising triggers the secretion of growth hormone and it gives instructions to the liver to produce IGF-1 in adequate amounts.

    Exercise can be done in different intensities and ways. Excessive intense training is not recommended. Strength training or resistance training for3or 4 days a week is good. It is important to ensure that when one step into resistance training, the amount of water intake is sufficient for your body demands. If you feel thirst or fatigue drink water sip by sip frequently. Also

    Take a healthy balanced diet in adequate amounts. Healthy carbs [ whole grains] and proteins in the optimum levels are crucial for people doing resistance training.

    • Good and sound sleep is vital for optimizing IGF-1 in your body

    Sleep deprivation as well as poor quality interrupted sleep is associated with high levels of cortisol hormone in the body. Increased cortisol levels may reduce IGF-1 levels in the body.

    To optimize IGF-1 levels in your body keep a regular sleep schedule. Train yourself how to ensure good deep sleep to foster health in general.   Reduce exposure to blue lights from gadgets and devices 2 hours prior to sleep as it can disrupt the quality of sleep upsetting melatonin hormones. Practice sleep inducing breathing exercises of

    yoga such as Bhramari pranayama.  Do not overthink and keep yourself stress free before sleep hours.

    • Improve insulin sensitivity

    It is a comprehensive approach including reducing unhealthy carbs and added sugars, consuming healthy carbs moderately along with adequate amount of proteins, healthy fats and micro-nutrients [ vitamins,minerals ] rich foods.

    Do physical exercise and promote frequent activity for your body by walking, moving. This may help to reduce visceral fats which is stored around body organs. This may help to improve insulin sensitivity which is crucial for optimizing IGF-1.

    • Zinc, vitamin and magnesium are essential for IGF-1levels.
    • Maintain liver healthy

    Nowadays non-alcoholic fatty liver disease impacting a wide range of the population due to faulty erratic life styles. Keep your liver healthy by adopting “healthy living” as mentioned earlier in this section.  Fat accumulation within liver cells may cause cell stress and impaired IGF-1 production in fatty liver disease. Therefore, do not compromise liver health.

    Insulin like growth factor-1 excess as well as deficiency is associated with grave morbidity or life-threatening progressive diseases. Therefore, healthy lifestyle habits and diet can help you boost liver and metabolic health, optimizing IGF-1.

    Switch over to healthy lifestyles today itself for a better productive healthy happy life.

    Written by dr.sanjana.p

  • The Essential Guide to Human Placental Lactogen in Pregnancy

    dr sanjana p

    Human placental lactogen is a peptide hormone secreted by the placenta during pregnancy. Additionally, it helps sustain pregnancy and supports breastfeeding. It also serves as a biomarker for pregnancy-related diabetes and for excess birthweight in babies.

    Human placental lactogen [hPL]

    Human placental lactogen is a hormone secreted by the placenta from the sixth week of pregnancy.

    Additionally, it has multiple roles in the body.

    It can sustain pregnancy raising the levels of estrogen and progesterone and prepare the breast milk ducts for breast feeding. Beyond all these roles ,its primary role is in glucose metabolism for growing fetus, as a constant source of energy.

    hPL also helps to grow milk glands in breasts making the mother’s body ready for breastfeeding. The hPL hormone promotes ductal and alveolar growth in the human mammary gland during the third trimester of pregnancy, in preparation for milk production.

    hPL rises steadily through gestation, and reaches its peak near the 34th week

    How does human placental lactogen affect glucose and fat metabolism in mother and fetus?

    Human placental lactogen has a crucial metabolic role.

    Moreover, it helps maintain glucose in the mother’s blood and influences birthweight of children.

    Human placental lactogen plays a pivotal role in maintaining glucose level in blood working against insulin. Insulin is the hormone secreted by beta cells of pancreas for promoting cellular uptake of glucose from the blood and provide glucose to cells. In normal conditions this blood glucose is taken up by body cells as primary source of energy. The insulin hormone facilitates this in non pregnant state. But once placenta starts secreting hPLhormone it sustains blood glucose levels high and directs it as a source of fuel for fetal growth.

     Here human placental lactogen in mothers facilitate presence of glucose in blood and it reaches fetal blood instead of being taken by maternal cells. Hence it may create an insulin resistance state elevating blood sugar level in mothers.  This function of hPL is ensuring free glucose delivery to fetal cells as source of energy.

      hPL saves glucose for baby and mother’s body may have to rely upon fat stores for energy. The stored maternal fats breakdowns into fatty acids as source of energy.

    Still there is obscurity regarding the conjoined role of other hormones in maintain blood sugar in mothers while hPL levels increase during third trimester of pregnancy.

    Th hPL hormone can be detected in pregnant women’s blood at approximately six week’s gestation. Thereafter the hPL levels begin to increase until the 30th week of pregnancy. By the third trimester of pregnancy it reaches the peak levels of 5000–7000 ng/mL. Roughly, the rate of secretion of hPL near the last term of pregnancy is about 1 g per day which is considerably higher.

    The higher late-pregnancy hPL is linked to gestational diabetes in mother and increased birthweight in the new born baby.

    Human placental lactogen – a predictive biomarker for fetal growth & birthweight

    In some women, during the last term of pregnancy the secretion of hPL may be abnormally high. The exact causes leading to this abnormal hormonal rhythm is still not fully understood. It is believed that hPL is regulated by several hormones conjointly.

    The spike or surge in last trimester or term of pregnancy gives some clues or indication about the excessive birth weight in the baby and gestational diabetes in women. Both are interconnected.

    hPL  hormone secretion disruptions outcome

    Obesity and diabetes during pregnancy is related to the hPL secretion pattern. Obesity is most often associated with lower hPL serum concentrations, diabetes results in increased hPL blood levels.

     Disruptions in hPL secretion by the placenta is linked with several issues during pregnancy such as placental dysfunction, diabetic retinopathy, and abnormalities in fetal growth &birthweight

    written by Dr. Sanjana p

    References

  • Hair loss in women

    dr sanjana p

    Hair loss in women is a common condition triggered by various causes such as genetics, hormonal imbalances, ageing, nutritional deficiencies etc. Hair loss treatment requires a comprehensive approach at the root cause level for better results.

    Women suffer from a wide variety of hair loss patterns at different phases of lives. The causes are multiple and vary from women to women.

    Causes of hair loss in women

    • Acute infections
    • Poor nutrition
    • Ageing
    • stress
    • Hormonal imbalances
    • Thyroid dysfunction
    • Polycystic ovarian syndrome
    • Female pattern alopecia
    • Alopecia areata

    Hair loss in women may happen from mild to severe infections, stress and sudden weight loss. These types of hair loss are categorized as telogen effluvium type hair loss.

    Poor nutrition results in diffuse hair loss in women either from poor intake or from inadequate absorption of nutrients.

    Low levels of proteins, iron, zinc, vitamins D may trigger excessive hair loss as these nutrients are crucial for follicle growth.

    Acute as well as prolonged stress may lead to diffuse hair loss as stress can alter the hormonal rhythms in the body building up cortisol hormones. This may disrupt hair growth cycle and hair enter into resting phase.

    Ageing plays a crucial role in hair thinning and diffuse hair loss from scalp due to declining female hormones. Various physiological states like puberty, pregnancy, child birth and menopause is associated with hair loss from hormonal dysfunction. Physiological thinning of hair starts in 30s and40s.

    Rarely some androgen hormone secreting tumors may cause hair loss.

     Post chemotherapy hair loss is a common adverse effect of cancer treatment which is reversible within a short period of time.

    Thyroid dysfunctions lead to chronic hair loss. Both hypo and hyper thyroid states can have adverse impact on hair.

    Sometimes alopecia areata, an autoimmune mediated hair loss affects women. The body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles and the hairs shed in circular patches.

    Female pattern alopecia

    Female pattern alopecia is a hereditary condition in which there is hair loss from the top and crown area preserving the front hairline.

    It is a chronic type of hair loss in which there is shortening of hair growth [ anagen phase] cycle and lengthening of hair shedding catagen and telogen phase. So, for regrowth of hair long time interval is needed.

    There is shrinking of hair follicle and thinning of hair shaft. A polygenic mode of inheritance for FPHL has now been well established. These genes may determine the age of onset, progression, pattern, and severity.

    It is characterized by widening of the central hair and thinning of hair shaft. The exact mechanism causing female pattern alopecia is still not fully understood. A separate androgen independent mechanism is believed to be in operation.

    PCOS related alopecia & female pattern alopecia – Are they same?

    PCOS and female pattern hair loss share some core features. They are not same or identical but closely linked. Women having Female pattern alopecia commonly have PCOS and women having PCOS have thinning of hair with widening of top of scalp.

     Both conditions involve hair follicles shrinking (miniaturization) when exposed to androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

    Typical recovery timeline from hair loss

    Hair loss from acute causes such as poor nutrition, stress and acute infections may take around 6-9 months to recover. More serious causes such as hormonal diseases may require chronic or prolonged treatment for the underlying cause.

    How to manage hair loss in women?

    • Nutritional deficiency correction with balanced diet and hair growth promoting nutrients in food. Supplements like vitamin D may be prescribed for people who are spending more time indoor.
    • Stress management through mind body relaxation techniques like yoga exercises, aerobic exercises etc.
    • Treat the underlying cause in hormonal disorders causing hair loss.
    • Hair care solutions- Use shampoo and conditioners which are mild to scalp skin and hair. Follow hair care instructions if you have treated hair.
    • Conventional medicine: The modern medical trichologists prescribe commonly minoxidil topical applications and antiandrogen drugs.
    • Integrative medicine therapy at Mediprecision

    We provide homeopathic remedies chosen tailoring to the individual needs and provide customized diet charts and nutritional correction along with some well- chosen yoga poses that help to boost hair growth.

    In advanced irreversible hair loss cases we recommend other therapies at trichology &hair transplantation clinics which can be opted at your own discretion.

    In hair loss treatment the homeopathic drug selection is crucial in female pattern alopecia and hair loss from hormonal causes. Nutrition and exercises may have only adjunct role in cases which are reversible by medications.

    Written by dr Sanjana p

    References :

    1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10334345/
    2. https://ijdvl.com/female-pattern-hair-loss/

  • Manganese health benefits

    dr sanjana p

    Manganese is a mineral crucial for bone formation, collagen formation , metabolism and a very crucial cofactor for an antioxidant preventing serious illnesses.

    managanese foods

    Manganese is the great co factor for antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase. This enzyme protects cells from free radical damage. The antioxidant enzyme can prevent various organ diseases and cancers fighting against superoxide free radicals.

     Other major role of manganese in human body includes

    • Bone formation
    • Carbohydrate &cholesterol metabolism
    • Antioxidant defense
    •  Enzyme co factor in metabolic pathways.
    • Collagen formation.

    Manganese deficiency

    Deficiency of the mineral manganese in human body is associated with poor growth& deterioration in bone health. Joint pain also develops mostly. The deficiency is not so common as the mineral reaches human body from our staple foods.

    Manganese rich foods

    • Nuts &seeds particularly pumpkin seeds &walnuts
    • Legumes
    • Spinach
    • Seafoods- mussels &oysters
    • Whole grains- quinoa, brown rice.
    • Potatoes
    • Pineapple
    •  Berries

    What is manganism?

    Manganese toxicity is known by the name manganism. This neuro toxicity may happen commonly in mining industries. Another probability of occurrence of manganism is for patients in total parenteral nutrition. Usually in chronically bed ridden or acutely ill patients if  nutrients and drugs are given through intravenous route for a prolonged period of time it may cause manganism.

    Manganese toxicity may cause hallucinations and tremor of hands. The manganese toxin affects basal ganglia of brain and cause tremors resembling Parkinson’s disease.  There will be reduction in dopamine neurotransmitter in manganism.

  • Lumbar radiculopathy

    dr sanjana p

    Lumbar Radiculopathy is a lower backpain and weakness associated with nerve root compression. This article deals with solutions to reduce its impact.

    Lumbar radiculopathy- Lower back pain

    Lumbar radiculopathy refers to pain in lower back, precisely in the lumbar region and down the back to the thighs and legs from a pinched or irritated nerve root in the lower back or spine.

    The term ‘lumbar’ means the lower back region of the body, specifically the five large vertebrae (L1 to L5), the spinal discs, and the surrounding muscles.  The term radiculopathy refers to a condition caused by the compression, irritation, or inflammation of a nerve root near the spine that may lead to pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness on the nerve pathway.

    The pain may be sharp, electric, or burning in nature often accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness.

    The nerve root irritation in this condition can happen from several causes. A few are listed below.

    Causes of lumbar radiculopathy

    • Herniated disc
    • Spinal stenosis
    • Spondylolisthesis
    • Nerve root injury
    • Degenerative disc diseases
    • Genetic defect

     Radiculopathy happens from mild to severe causes ranging from disc bulging or herniation, facet or ligamentous hypertrophy in the nearby area of lumbar spine, spondylolisthesis to cancers and infections.

    Herniated disc: it is a common condition in the lower back or lumbar region. The discs forming the vertebral column may leak after disruption and the soft material may cause inflammatory reaction in the area irritating the nearby nerve roots and may also cause compressive force over it.

     According to a study degenerative spondyloarthropathies are the primary cause of lumbar radiculopathy which occur with ageing.

    It can happen from age related changes on vertebra such as bone spurs or osteophytes.

    Spinal stenosis is yet another cause of radiculopathy. It happens from narrowing of the spinal canal or the openings where nerves exit out of foraminal openings of the spine.

    Spondylolisthesis:  This is a condition that happens when one vertebra slips forward over another, it compresses the nerve roots.

    Traumatic nerve injury

    Nerve root injury from trauma and fall is yet another cause associated with fracture.

    Apart from trauma, age itself is a risk factor for degenerative changes in the disc and affects both men and women. Mostly men are affected in their 40s and women after 50s and 60s, however, nowadays it is affecting younger women also. Of late there has been a surge in lumbar radiculopathy cases.

    Symptoms

    Pain radiates down the thigh, leg, and into the top of the foot or big toe. The location or area of pain distribution depends on the nerve root affected in the lumbar region or below that[L1-L5].

    Irritation of nerve roots at specific levels (most commonly L5 and S1) causes the classic pain that shoots down the back or side of the leg. Pain travels down the back of the thigh, calf, and into the outer edge of the foot. This pain is often referred to as sciatica.

    You may feel weakness when trying to push off the foot while walking.

    Pathology of lumbar radiculopathy or nerve root pain

    Mostly the pain in these kinds of nerve pains of spine irritation of a particular nerve happen at any point along the nerve due to a compressive force. Precisely, in case of lumbar radiculopathy [ or lower back pain from compressive forces] this may occur within the thecal sac or as the nerve root exiting the thecal sac within the lateral recess or as the nerve root passes the neural foramina or even after the nerve root emerged out of the foramina. Compression of nerve root is the major cause of pain in other areas of the body, particularly on lower limb and back.

    Diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy

    History taking, physical examination and imaging study investigations conjointly help to arrive at the exact cause of pain.

    Sometimes investigations or image studies such as MRI or CT-myelogram are performed to find out the nerve impingement or area of compression. The clinical symptoms in the patient and physical examination findings are correlated with these findings to arrive at a diagnosis.

    Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocities (NCV), as well as somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) may help to differentiate other causes of nerve entrapment pain from radiculopathy.

    Treatment options

    • Conservative treatment focuses on pain management with medications:

    Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or nerve pain reducing drugs are suggested by conventional medicine

    Epidural steroid injections can provide temporary but significant relief by targeting the inflammation around the nerve root

    • Physical therapy- stretches and some exercises to reduce pain and inflammation. McKenzie exercises has been found to be effective in reducing pain from lumbar radiculopathy
    • Surgery– It is indicated in cases which are not manageable by conservative methods.
    • Homeopathic medications

    Following medications are commonly used for managing pain and allied symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy:

    • Hypericum perfoliatum
    • Rhus Toxicodendron
    • Colocynthis
    • Magnesium phosphoricum
    • Magnesium carbonicum
    • Kali iodide
    • Valeriana
    • A few “mother tinctures” [liquid drops] also are indicated as short acting drugs for managing nerve pain.
    • Homeopathic medicines are selected in an individualized way after comprehensive case taking and physical examination and evaluating the investigative findings. Apart from these common drugs deep acting “constitutional drugs” are chosen tailoring to individual symptoms and characteristic.
    • Yoga & nutrition also have key role in strengthening spine .In mediprecision clinic we focus on integrating the medications with these Yogic nutrition therapy.

    Warning signs for seeking urgent or emergency medical care

    When you experience any of these symptoms, please seek emergency care in a well-equipped hospital with facility to do decompression surgery:

    • Sudden weakness in legs
    • Loss of bowel or bladder control.
    • Numbness in groin or saddle anaesthesia in private parts perineum. All these symptoms point to a condition called cauda equina syndrome which requires immediate decompression.

    Author- dr Sanjana p

    References

    1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17445735/ Tarulli AW, Raynor EM. Lumbosacral radiculopathy. Neurol Clin. 2007 May;25(2):387-405. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2007.01.008. PMID: 17445735.

  • Health benefits of magnesium

    dr sanjana p

    Magnesium is a mineral human body needs critically for health of bones, muscles& nerves. Magnesium has great role in your sleep along with numerous other health benefits.

    Magnesium – The crucial mineral for vital organs of human body

    Magnesium is one of the most important minerals human body needs for proper functioning and maintaining the health of organ systems. Adequate magnesium intake from natural food sources is associated with numerous health benefits to human body and mind.

    Around 60%of the magnesium in the body is located in the bones as a crucial factor in bone mineralization. Bone mineralization is vital for giving strength to the bones & skeletal system. The remaining 39 % of magnesium is in soft tissues and 1% in body fluids.

     Apart from regulating the skeletal system, magnesium plays critical roles in around 300 biochemical reactions in human body. It is one of the key elements in regulating the rhythm of the heart, blood sugar levels, neuronal communication, glutathione production etc.

    Magnesium helps to foster emotional health as well as physical health. Its depletion has been associated with type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. In human body parathyroid hormones and calcitonin regulates magnesium levels. Vitamin D also has crucial role in its absorption from small intestine.

    Magnesium has great role in nerve cell communication and heart functioning as it facilitates transport of calcium and potassium across cell membranes. Nerve impulse conduction is important for the proper functioning of muscular system in the body and magnesium is crucial also for contraction of muscles.

     

    Health benefits of magnesium

    • Bone health

    Magnesium helps bone mineralization and improve bone strength.

    • Glutathione antioxidant production

    Magnesium is an important cofactor in several biochemical reactions in human body and I glutathione production.

    • Regulates heart health

    Magnesium has crucial role in regulating blood pressure as well as the rhythm of heart.

    • Helps to control blood sugar levels.

    Magnesium has some role in regulating blood sugar levels. It is low in diabetic people having poor glucose control.

    • Energy metabolism

    Magnesium has crucial role energy metabolism of glucose and cholesterol.

    • Neuronal communication

    Magnesium regulates nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction.

    • Helps to reduce migraine.
    • Better sleep and good mood

    Magnesium is a natural relaxant that regulate neurotransmitters and cortisol hormone. Thus it can reduce anxiety, insomnia [sleeplessness] and depression.

     

    Magnesium rich foods that are super healthy

    • Green leafy vegetables
    • Nuts – almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts
    • Seeds- pumpkin seeds, chia seeds
    • Whole grains- brown rice, quinoa, oats
    • Legumes
    • Soy milk
    • Potato
    • Banana
    • Dark cocholates
    • Yogurt
    • Salmon
    • Avocado
    • broccoli
    • Meat

    Recommended daily allowance of magnesium is310mg- 410 mg daily.

    Magnesium deficiency

    Some people having a few diseases are at great risk of developing magnesium deficiency and they include Chron’s disease, gluten sensitivity disorders and surgeries performed on ileum. These gastrointestinal tract disorders interfere with absorption of magnesium.

     Vitamin D deficiency also is associated with low magnesium levels in some people as magnesium is absorbed in the small intestine- jejunum and ileum  in the presence of vitamin D.

    Type 2 diabetes is associated with low magnesium levels ,however no studies point out that magnesium supplementation help to improve diabetes. Probably magnesium is lost through urine excretion.

    In people consuming alcohol for prolonged period of time also magnesium is low.

    Magnesium deficiency causes muscle cramps, numbness, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, vomiting .it can also cause seizures. Severe magnesium deficiency may lead to low calcium and potassium levels. It can affect nerve cell communication and rhythm of heart.

    Magnesium supplementation

    Routine intake of magnesium supplements without directions from a health care provider is not recommended. It is advisable in people having gut disorders with malabsorption syndrome. It is prescribed for anxiety, sleeplessness &depression

    written by dr sanjana p

    reviewed by Mediprecision medical team

  •  10 Ways to boost your skin collagen

    dr sanjana vb

    Collagen is a protein which gives your skin, muscles and joints strength, elasticity and firmness. Consumption of collagen boosting foods as well as regular skincare practices are important for ageing skin to prevent collagen decline related sagginess& wrinkles.

    Collagen

    Collage is a protein found in skin, muscles and bones. It is essential for wound healing, skin elasticity and firmness. Although there are several types of collagens in human body Type 1 collagen is the common variety. Two important amino acids glycine and proline are crucial for the formation of collagen in human body. Along with these amino acids vitamin C is very important for the production.

    Omega fatty acids and zinc can reduce collagen degradation associated with ageing. Skin may lose its firmness and elasticity with declining collagen levels, forming wrinkles and fine lines.

    Collagen enhances firmness & beauty of your skin

    Collagen is a protein produced by fibroblasts in the skin which provides firmness and elasticity to your skin and enhance its beauty. Collagen production declines with increasing age. Ageing affects the collagen production adversely and skin begins to sag. Around 24% of collagen is lost by 40 years of age.

    10Ways to boost collagen

    • Foods to boost skin collagen

    Consumption of food rich in proteins, vitamin C , zinc and omega fatty acids are crucial for the production of collagen.

    • Protein

    Collagen boosting amino acids are glycine and proline. Consumption of food rich in proteins help to attain these amino acids and form collagen in your body. The regular intake of chicken breast, bone broth, eggs, fish and legumes help to improve collagen production.

    • Omega fatty acids

    Various types of nuts, seeds, fish and fish oils are rich sources of omega fatty acids. Include pumpkin seeds in your diet to enhance collagen production.

    • Vitamin C

    Include vitamin C rich fruits and green leafy vegetables in your food. Citrus fruits, guava, Indian gooseberry, strawberries, broccoli , kiwi and tomatoes are enriched with vitamin C.

    • Zinc

    Zinc acts as a vital cofactor for the enzymes responsible for producing and structuring collagen. It facilitates the cross-linking of collagen fibers. Zinc  activates lysyl oxidase enzyme for cross linking which gives strength to collagen. Also it protects against collagenase enzyme which degrades collagen. Zn also has repairing and anti-inflammatory properties.

    Food sources of zinc include oysters, red meat, chicken, fish. Legumes, nuts, whole grains, and beans provide zinc.

    • Protect your skin from UV rays of sun

    Use sunscreen while you go outdoor or you get exposed to UV rays of sun even while inside home. UV rays can degrade collagen structure and damage it.

    • Hyaluronic acid to boost collagen

    According to a 2025 study collagen production is enhanced by hyaluronic acid as it hydrates skin, improve elasticity, firmness. Both serums and creams of hyaluronic acids are available in the market.

    • Ensure sound and adequate sleep

    Sleep plays crucial role in the health of your skin. An 8 hours sound sleep without disturbances can boost collagen production.

    • Change unhealthy habits

    Quit smoking and excessive alcohol intake. Avoid harsh chemicals on skin.

    Limit caffein intake

    • Stress management

    Stress can have detrimental impact on your skin as it activates oxidative stress and degrade collagen. Practice exercises for body and mind to de-stress yourself. Yoga, precisely various types of pranayama breathing exercises can have positive impact on your skin, if practiced regularly .

    • Microneedling

    Microneedling is a device uses fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries on the skin. These injuries trigger a natural wound-healing process as it stimulates fibroblast cells to produce new collagen and elastin. This can improve skin texture, reducing wrinkles, and fading acne scars.

    • Collagen supplements

    Recently collagen supplements are used by many people around the globe as an antiaging skin care product. Studies show that collagen supplements help to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Both oral and topical collagen can contribute to reducing or delaying skin aging

    • Topical treatments

    Retinoid creams , vitamin C and peptides help to boost collagen as topical agents.

    • Natural ingredients to boost collagen.

     There are a few natural remedies which boost collagen production such as aloe vera gel and castor oil. Ricinoleic acid in castor oil boosts collagen production, reduce winkles. They also help to reduce melanin pigmentation around eyes.

    written by dr sanjana p [ copyright]

    References

    • Sionkowska A, Skrzyński S, Śmiechowski K, Kołodziejczak A. The review of versatile application of collagen. Polymers for Advanced Technologies. 2017;28(1):4–9. doi: 10.1002/pat.3842. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
    • Choi SY, Ko EJ, Lee YH, et al. Effects of collagen tripeptide supplement on skin properties: A prospective, randomized, controlled study. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2014;16(3):132–137. doi: 10.3109/14764172.2013.854119. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar
    • https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/4/281Hyaluronic Acid and Skin: Its Role in Aging and Wound-Healing Processes by Natalia Chylińska

  • Indian literature

    dr sanjana p

    Indian literature spans across millennia on a vast realms of tradition, time and geography and takes origin from the ancient Vedas, epics to modern multilingual landscape. Let us delve into the vast expanse of the literature of Indian subcontinent to explore its roots.

    Ancient literature of India redrawing the geopolitics of the subcontinent.

    The literary history of the subcontinent stems from rich oral traditions, philosophy, poetry and fiction of ancient Vedic period and now stretch along the vast expanse of literature carved in 22plus languages of the country. In India, the Eighth Schedule of its Constitution has 22 officially recognized literary languages. Sahitya Akademi, India’s highest literary body, also has 24 recognized literary languages.

    Most of the earliest works of Indian literature were orally transmitted. Sanskrit literature era took origin as the oral literature of the Rig Veda, a collection of literature dating to the period 1500–1200 BCE. It delineated the geopolitical environment of the period.

      The canonical Pali literature includes Buddhist discourses (suttas), Abhidharma works, poetry, works on monastic discipline (vinaya), and the Jataka tales.

     Saint or rishi Ved Vyasa penned Mahabharata and rishi Valmiki created Ramayana, in Epic Sanskrit and are regarded as the greatest Sanskrit epics with no parallels to compare till date.

    Classical Sanskrit literature flourished during the first few centuries of the first millennium BCE, and similarly the Pali and Sangam literatures too.The renowned poet and playwright Kalidasa wrote one great epic called Raghuvamsha in classical Sanskrit. Other masterpieces written in Classical Sanskrit and worthy of mention here include Panini’s Ashtadhyayi which set a norm for grammar and phonetics of classical Sanskrit. Yet another significant compilation is Manu smriti, a famous text in Hinduism.

    The sangam literature of Tamil

    The Sangam literature is the ancient Tamil literature of the period in the history of South India (known as the Tamilagam) spanning from c. 300 BCE to 300 CE.

    Most of the available Sangam literature is from the Third Sangam, this period is known as the Sangam period, which refers to the prevalent Sangam legends claiming literary academies lasting thousands of years, giving the name to the corpus of literature.

       The Only religious poems among the shorter poems occur in paripaatal. The rest of the corpus of Sangam literature depicts human relationship and emotions.

        Sangam literature delineates emotional and abstract subjects such as love, war, governance, trade and bereavement.

     A great Tamil scholar, Thiruvalluvar who had written several manuscripts on ethics, virtue, wealth and love lived during Sangam period.

    The Tamil poet Mamulanar, who delved into historical incidents of Indian subcontinent, lived during the Sangam period.

    The Bhakti Movement

    The Bhakti Movement was a prominent religious movement in medieval Hinduism which attempted for religious reforms at all strata of society.It originated in Tamilakam during 6th century CE and gathered momentum through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars and Shaiva Nayanars.

     During the period between 14th to18th centuries, the literary traditions went through a period of huge transformation owing to the spread of the Bhakti movement in the northern parts of India. The period of Bhakthi movement witnessed the emergence of devotional poets such as Kabir, Tulsidas and Guru Nanak.

    The Assamese literature

    The Buddhist Charyapadas are quite often referred to as the earliest example of Assamese literature. The Charyapadas are Vajrayana Buddhist songs composed in the 8th to 12th centuries.

    Hindi literature

    The origin of Hindi literature was from religious and philosophical poems of medieval periods  compiled in dialects such as Avadhi and Brij. The most famous writers of this period were Kabir and Tulsidas. Overtime, the Dehlavi dialect of the Hindi Belt became more prominent than Sanskrit.

    Kannada literature

    The oldest existing record of Kannada prose is the Halmidi inscription of 450 CE, and poetry in tripadi metre is the Kappe Arabhatta record of 700 CE.

    The folk form of literature originated much before the compilation of other literary works in Kannada. Gajashtaka (800 CE) by King Shivamara II, Chudamani (650 CE) by Thumbalacharya are examples of earliest literature works which fell into oblivion and got extinct overtime.

    Kavirajamarga by King Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I (850 CE) is the earliest existing literary work in Kannada.

     The history of Marathi literature began with saint-poets such as Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Ramdas, and Eknath. Modern Marathi literature  emphasized social reform as its main narrative.

    Marathi literature

    Urdu poetry is a fine example of linguistic and cultural amalgamation. Arab and Persian vocabulary based on the Hindi language gave birth to a vast and popular class of ghazal literature, usually written by Muslims portraying various subjects including romance to philosophy of Sufism.

    Bengali literature

    The first evidence of Bengali literature is available as Charyapada or Charyageeti, which were Buddhist hymns from the 8th century.

    Charyapada is in the oldest known written form of Bengali. The famous Bengali linguist Hara Prasad Shastri discovered the palm leaf Charyapada manuscript in the Nepal Royal Court Library in 1907.

    The renowned Bengali writer & Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore,contributed immensely to Bengali literature. He was honored with Nobel prize in 1913 for his work “Gitanjali”. Tagore also compiled the national anthem of India and Bangladesh namely, “Jana Gana Mana” and “Amar Sonar Bangla”, respectively.

    In the medieval period, precisely in the 9th and 10th centuries, Kannada and Telugu literature rose to fame. Followed by the renaissance in these literatures, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, and Maithili literature also started contributing to literature significantly.  Soon after this revived interest in literature, the ripples of it spread across various dialects of Hindi, Persian and Urdu languages. In 1913, Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore became India’s first Nobel laureate in literature.