Why Public Image is Important for Doctors

Medical profession has grown immensely for the last few decades and come up leaps and bounds. Gone are those days when patients had to queue up and wait for long hours to get themselves medically checked. Now is the time when people have choices and lots of options. There are many medical specialities in which professionals make their careers. For every practice, there are several doctors available providing the same services at similar costs. For instance, you need to get your teeth checked and if you go through newspapers, yellow pages or the internet you can find hundreds of them offering dental health services in your locality. The primary point here is that over the years patients have increased many-fold and so as the competition among doctors. Doctors need to be smart thinkers, active entrepreneurs and acute strategists to withstand some of the tough nuts thrown at them by fellow counterparts. Focusing solely on the practice will not do in the 21^st Century. They need to be professional marketers and should know how to sell their services in order to achieve desired results.

Social Image or Public Image plays a conspicuous role in determining whether a doctor truly belongs to the medical area he is practising. Interestingly, in this neck-deep competitive environment, it’s the patients who decide the fate of a healthcare practitioner. Whether his endeavours (in this case the services) will bring a fruitful result depends on the quality and effectiveness of his services. This is the precise reason why most of the doctors are either getting themselves enrolled for social media profiles or creating some of their own and handling at the same time. The internet, here is the perfect platform for them to get identified, make a brand name of their practice. People these days are tech-savvy and believe that a doctor with good reputation and social media profile is better equipped to handle their medical concerns.

Foreseeing this as a regular trend in upcoming years, many companies are offering diligent reputation management services for doctors. And doctors are happily willing to oblige because they know the value of retaining a patient. These companies are making some serious bucks by providing what we can call as “the need of the hour for doctors.” Initially, only handful of companies was offering such kind of services and now even they are facing some serious rivalry.

Coming back to doctors’ reputation, it is imperative that they don’t overdo the reputation management stuff. There is a saying in English, “Excess of everything is bad” and that holds true for this also. Patients believe in a positive word of mouth. That is only achievable when a doctor provides quality healthcare services at an affordable price. You can say that medical profession nowadays isn’t restricted to just practice. Goodwill and how to maintain that goodwill are integral part of a healthcare professional’s success. It’s a slippery path filled with snow. A step away from caution can blow the whole practice!

What doctors will miss by not creating an online presence

There is more than one reason why doctors decide to go against creating a website or involving in the social media. There are also different reasons why that hesitancy could end up hurting their practices.

If you don’t possess a social media presence or not deeply engaged in it, you could possibly miss out on a great opportunity to expand your practice. Nowadays, it’s not all about letting the patients know that you exist; it is about attracting new and retaining old ones.

It’s a different business altogether for doctors since the advent of social media. Patients too have matured along with the technology. Now, they search Google to find best of practising doctors in their area. They visit the website, if any, to gather clinical information about a particular physician. If everything suits their preferences, they quickly book an online appointment. And that’s the latest trend.

However, if a doctor still thinks that having an online presence and maintaining it is time consuming, there are things to know prior to deciding it is the best decision. 

• Your name and contact information is probably listed in Yellow Pages. But without a website, your name will not appear in Google when patients search for local doctors. Even if it does, they will easily pass by knowing you don’t own an online presence. Naturally, they will prefer one with better presentation.
• Because patients frequently throng on the internet for obtaining healthcare information, doctors who are unwilling to contribute miss out a great deal. As a patient, social media acts as a premier source of medical knowledge, particularly about diseases and symptoms. And we would be willing to contact those doctors who are easily approachable online and clear our queries, if any.
• A website is often a place where patients can give their feedback (either positive or negative) about the doctor’s services. It gives them an opportunity to have a say. But not being online prevents doctors from knowing exactly what patients think about their offerings

There was a time when patients just visited the doctor not knowing much about him/her. But times have changed dramatically. Now, patients look for doctors who can stay in touch with them 24*7. Internet provides doctors that opportunity. Those who are smart enough already have an online presence, but those who don’t are losing out big time.

Air pollution wreaking havoc on Delhi

In a latest study done by the World Health Organisation (WHO), India’s national capital Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. According to the reports of the Ambient Air Pollution (AAP), Delhi has the uppermost concentration of PM2.5- kind of air pollution, which is considered most threatening and responsible for causing multiple respiratory issues and other health complications. The condition is menacing in Delhi because it has PM2.5 concentrations of 153 micrograms and PM10 concentrations of 286 micrograms which are way beyond the permissible limits.

In 2012, WHO released estimates about 7 million deaths because of air pollution exposure. This data thwarted previous estimates and substantiates that air pollution is now the world’s leading environmental health hazard. Reducing pollution levels could save countless lives.

The new data reveals a stronger connection between indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and heart ailments, like strokes, as well as between air pollution and cancer. This is in addition to air pollutant’s role in the growth of chronic respiratory infections and obstreperous pulmonary disorders.

Deaths caused by outdoor air pollution

• Ischemic heart disease: 40%
• Stroke: 40%
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): 11%
• Lung cancer: 6%
• Lower respiratory issues in children: 3%

Deaths caused by indoor air pollution

• Stroke: 34%
• Ischemic heart disease: 26%
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): 22%
• Lower respiratory issues in children: 12%
• Lung cancer: 6%

Numerous people are exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution. Dr Carlos Dora (WHO Coordinator for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health) says, “One of the reasons for causing air pollution is mismanagement of energy, waste management and transport sectors. WHO and health sectors have a positive role to play in deciphering scientific proof into result-driven policies that will save millions of lives.”

The release of this data is an important step in creating a road-map for WHO in preventing air pollution related diseases. This includes development of WHO-hosted global platform on air quality and supporting countries through appropriate guidance and information about health gains and key interventions. 

Help your knees: Get these exercises going

If you are suffering from a knee injury, you may think exercising could worsen the condition leading to much more discomfort. But the reality is otherwise. Strengthening the muscles that support knee and keeping them elastic is the perfect way to prevent further damage. Start slowly and build your muscles steadily. You may experience some soreness when you start, but that’s normal. If you still feel the pain, stop immediately and contact your orthopaedic.

• WARMING UP: Stretching can improve your leg functionality. Remember to warm up before stretching. You have the option of 5 min cycling or 2 min brisk walking while stretching your arms and doing 15-20 push-ups. It will significantly lower your risk of injury.
• STRAIGHT LEG RAISES: If your knee is not functioning appropriately, commence with an easy stretching of your quadriceps, the front thigh muscles. This move hardly puts any sort of pressure on the knees. Lie on your back straight and bend one knee and place your foot flat on the floor. Keeping the other leg in a straight line, elevate it to a level similar to the opposite knee. Repeat it multiple times.
• CALF RAISES: Stand facing the back of a chair and take support of another one or back of the wall is also an option. Slowly raise the heels as high as you can. Do this in three sets of 10-15.
• STEP-UPS: Place one foot on a bench or a lower staircase. Keeping your pelvis level, bend your knee and steadily lower the other foot on the floor. Touch your toe slightly to the floor and then rise back up. Repeat it 10-15 times and do vice-versa. If the exercise suits you, you can try touching your heel instead of toe.
• STRICT NO FOR YOUR KNEE: No exercise can cause pain but a little soreness after the workout is completely normal. But any kind of sudden pain in the joints or muscles is a sign that something is wrong. If you feel such a thing, stop the exercise and visit your nearby orthopaedic. 

Top foods that help in breast cancer prevention

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that by the year 2020, number of breast cancer patients will increase alarmingly and one in every eight women would run the risk of developing the disease in her lifetime. However, there are certain foods when consumed regularly can cut-down breast cancer risk in women.

Flaxseed: You can consume flax in the form of whole seed, ground or flaxseed oil. Presence of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans and fibre in flaxseed form a protective shield against cancer cells responsible for breast cancer. You can add flaxseed oil to salad dressings or integrate them into baked goods, such as cookies or muffins.

Brazil nuts: Rich in selenium, fibre, and photochemical, Brazil nuts can help fight inflammation, improve the immune system and prevent tumour growth. And you do not need many of them-a handful can do the trick. Enjoy them as any other nut either with fruits or asparagus (contains the anti-cancer component, chlorophyll).

Garlic: Rich source of cancer-fighting compound called allium, Garlic and its close companions (onion, leeks, scallions, and chives) are shown to slow tumour growth and prevent breast cancer risk among other forms of cancer such as colorectal and prostate cancers. Crush or swallow a piece of garlic every morning and that's all it takes to live a cancer-free life!

Pomegranate: Pomegranate is highly recommended for preventing breast cancer. It contains polyphenol- an ellagic acid with anti-oxidant properties that prevent cancer growth. Include this delicious fruit in your diet and discover effective health benefits.

Dark-green leafy vegetables: From kale, collards to spinach, dark-green leafy vegetables probably are considered the best nutrients your body needs to fend off cancerous cells, i.e. fibre, vitamin B, phytochemicals, chlorophyll and more. It's time to add some greens to your diet.

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts: As a cruciferous vegetable along with cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale; broccoli is rich in sulforophane and indoles, which are shown to regulate cell growth in multiple ways and help fight a range of cancers, including breast, bladder, lymphoma, prostate and lung cancer.

Green tea: Consumption of green tea regularly has been linked to lower incidence of breast cancer. The phytochemicals in green tea can well take the credit for its health benefits. One to two cups of green tea daily can help you keep cancer at bay.

Peppers: Most peppers contain photochemical or nutrient that will help fight cancer. Chilli and jalapeno peppers have capsaicin (an active component of chilli peppers) that fights the growth rate of cancer cells. Green peppers are rich in chlorophyll which can bind cancer-causing carcinogens found in the gut. Red peppers have both capsaicin and antioxidant carotenoids.

Turmeric: A spice commonly found in our country cancer-fighting compound called curcumin can inhibit many types of cancer cells, including breast, gastrointestinal, lung, and skin cancer. Turmeric fights toughest of cancer-causing cells.

Monitoring the Fat in Your Diet

Very little disagreement exists among scientists and researchers about the need to limit fat intake! Everyone agrees that you should eat no more than 30 per cent of your diet as fats. As with protein, the type of fat that you eat needs to be considered as well as the quantity.

Dietary fat comes in several forms

• Saturated fat is the kind of fat that mainly comes from animal sources. For example, butter is made up of saturated fat. Bacon, cream, cheese, pastries, cakes, biscuits and chocolate are other examples that contain saturated fat. Two non-animal sources of saturated fat exist: Palm oil and coconut milk. Eating a lot of saturated fat increases the blood cholesterol level.
• Unsaturated fat comes from vegetable sources such as nuts and seeds. It comes in several forms.
• Monounsaturated fat doesn’t raise cholesterol. Avocado, olive oil, canola oil, olive and canola spreads are examples. The oil in nuts like almonds and peanuts is monounsaturated.
• Polyunsaturated fat also doesn’t raise cholesterol but does cause a reduction in the good or HDL cholesterol. Examples of polyunsaturated fats are soft fats and oils such as sunflower, soybean, sesame oil, oily fish (trout) and sunflower spread.

Protection against heart disease comes from including essential fatty acids, found in fish oils, in your diet. If you dislike fish or just can’t eat the required two to three serves of it each week, fish oil capsules are a good substitute. Just make sure when buying the capsules that they contain sufficient quantities of the two active ingredients (EPA) and (DHA). Diabetologists recommended you take between 1,200 milligrams and 3,000 milligrams of a combination of these active ingredients each day. To make it easier, many formulations of fish oil are now concentrated, meaning you only need to take one or two capsules per day to reach the 1,200 milligrams per day target.

Getting Enough Vitamins, Minerals and Water

Your diet must contain sufficient vitamins and minerals for good health, but the amount you need may be less than you think. If you eat a balanced diet that comes from different foods, you generally get enough vitamins for your daily needs.

• Vitamin A: Needed for growth and development, immune function, bones and healthy skin; helps with night vision. Found in eggs, oily fish, dairy products, orange and green vegetables and orange fruits.
• Vitamin B1: Converts carbohydrate into energy. Found in wholegrain cereals, meat, fish, nuts and yeast extract.
• Vitamin B2: Needed to release energy from food. Found in milk, cheese, fish, almonds, eggs, green vegetables and fortified cereals.
• Vitamin B12: Keeps the red blood cells and the nervous system healthy. Found in Animal foods only; for example, meat, seafood, eggs.
• Vitamin C: Helps maintain supportive tissues. Found in Fruit and some vegetables; for example, tomatoes and capsicum.
• Vitamin D: Helps with absorption of calcium. Found in oily fish, egg yolk and fortified milk. Also made in the skin when exposed to sunlight, although this process declines as you age.

Minerals are also key ingredients of a healthy diet. Most are needed in tiny amounts, which, with a few exceptions, are easily consumed from a balanced diet. These essential minerals are as follows:

• Calcium, phosphorous and magnesium build bones and teeth. Milk and other dairy products provide plenty of these minerals, but evidence suggests that people aren’t getting enough calcium. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should have 1,000 milligrams, particularly in the final three months of the pregnancy and throughout the breastfeeding period.
• Iodine is essential for production of thyroid hormones. Iodine is often added to salt in order to ensure that people get enough of it. In many areas of the world where iodine is not found in the soil, people suffer from very large thyroid glands known as goiters.
• Iron is essential for red blood cells. Iron is obtained from red meat and iron-fortified breakfast cereals. Green leafy vegetables provide small amounts of iron; however, it’s not in a form that’s easily absorbed by the body. 

Water is the last important nutrient but it’s by no means the least important. Your body is made up of 60 per cent water and all the nutrients in your body are dissolved in it. You need to drink about six to eight glasses, or one and a half to two litres, of fluid per day — more if the weather is very hot or you’re exercising a lot. Your thirst will tell you how much you need.

Psychiatry: Approaching Mental Health Problems

Grappling with phobias

A form of anxiety that occurs only when you’re in a certain situation is called a phobia. If you suffer from a phobia, you typically try to avoid the situation that provokes your symptoms and you may become anxious even just thinking about getting into that situation. Some examples of phobias are as follows, starting with simple phobia and followed by the more complex ones:

• Simple phobia: You’re inappropriately anxious when faced with an object such as a spider or mouse, or in certain situations such as flying or being in enclosed spaces. Simple phobias commonly start in the early years of life following a stressful situation or some frightening life event, although experts don’t always know why this type of phobia occurs.
• Agoraphobia: You feel panicky or may even faint when you’re part of a crowd, out of the house or in a situation from which escape is difficult. To avoid these situations, you may avoid going out altogether, which can sometimes lead to depression and other mental health problems. It is thought that life experiences, genetic reasons and changes of chemicals in the brain may all play a role in causing agoraphobia.
• Social phobia: You have a strong and persistent fear of being negatively seen by others, and so you try to avoid social situations such as talking to groups, speaking on the telephone or going out with friends. In contrast to just being shy, social phobia can be quite disabling. Previous anxious or intense experiences in certain social situations may cause social phobias, particularly if you’ve always been shy since childhood and haven’t been able to fully develop your social confidence.

To avoid a phobia getting out of hand, consult your psychiatrist to discuss the many forms of treatment and therapy that are available. If you’re in a situation and start to feel anxious, try to relax and take control of your breathing. Open and stretch your hands, which can help release tension – our natural reaction to stress and anxiety is to close our hands or make a fist.

Handling panic attacks

Panic attacks are when you suddenly experience an intense feeling of apprehension or impending disaster. You’re likely to become anxious very quickly – often without warning and for no apparent reason. These attacks affect a lot of people and can be very frightening. Nobody really knows why panic attacks occur, but experts think that traumatic life experiences like the death of a close family member, unpleasant childhood experiences or changes in the chemicals within your brain, for example, may play a role.

If you suffer from panic attacks, you may recognise some of the following symptoms, at least four of which typically show during an attack:

• You suffer from a fast heart rate or palpitations.
• You feel short of breath or that you’re choking.
• You notice chest pain or discomfort.
• You feel dizzy, unsteady on your feet or faint.
• You feel sick or have stomach pain.
• You feel flushed or suddenly cold.
• You feel shaky and tremble.
• You’re afraid of doing something that you can’t control or that may seem crazy to other people.
• You feel like you’re not yourself.
• You may feel as if you’re about to die.

During a panic attack, try to tell yourself that you’re not coming to any harm, and that the symptoms you experience are due to anxiety. Remind yourself that attacks will pass, and ‘ride it out’. Try not to leave the situation that is causing you to have a panic attack and ‘confront’ your fear. By staying in the situation you give yourself the opportunity to discover that nothing serious is going to happen to you.

If you feel that you may suffer from panic attacks and that these attacks impact on your life, consult your psychiatrist. She/he can then exclude any potential underlying physical causes and discuss the different management options with you.