Dr. Vikram .R. Lotwala

I have already written about the use of Twitter done by Doctors and other Medical workers to send information to patients as to the place they can visit for their dialysis, medication, injections, etc after the Deadly Earthquake. There are other lessons also to be learned from the Japanese. These are 1. THE CALMNESS - Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated. 2. THE DIGNITY - Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture. 3. THE ABILITY - The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn't fall. 4. THE GRACE - People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something. 5. THE ORDER - No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding. 6. THE SACRIFICE - Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid? 7. THE TENDERNESS - Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alo...

Here's how to stay energized and focused when facing the all-too-common afternoon slump If you're like many people, shortly after lunch your head begins buzzing, your concentration plummets, your eyes droop and the top of your desk begins to look as cozy as a feather mattress. There are many plausible theories for the midday dips: the morning surge of hormones has petered out; some degree of “brain tedium” – in other words, boredom – has set in. Or it may have something to do with what you ate; all meals divert blood from your brain to your gut but some foods also bump up levels of the soporific hormone serotonin. Before and during lunch… • Head outside and sit in the daylight for 10 minutes. Better still, have your lunch outside and divide your break between eating and a walk . Here's why: your office probably has about 500 luxes of light, which is equal to about 500 candles. That compares with 10,000 luxes at sunrise and 100,000 at noon on a July...

Dr. Vikram .R. Lotwala: Post Bariatric/ Obesity Surgery Patient Follow-up

4 simple ways to help your overweight kids exercise more. It's not surprising that overweight kids often don't like to exercise. Exercising in public, especially in front of other kids, can be humiliating if your weight makes it more difficult to move around. In fact, just wearing shorts and a T-shirt in front of other kids can be too embarrassing. A 2006 University of Florida study of 100 children found that bullying is a major reason why overweight kids don't exercise. Overweight children are bullied more than other kids, and they tend to avoid situations where they have been picked on before, such as gym classes or sports. But avoiding exercise isn't the answer. Hardening of the arteries can start during childhood in obese and inactive children. Regular exercise can help children reduce – and even reverse -- the risk of developing heart disease. As a parent, there are ways you can help. WebMD asked fitness experts for tips to help overweight kids find activi...

The world is getting fat. In many countries, the proportion of people at an unhealthy weight has more than doubled in the past few decades. 1 Globally, at least 1.3 billion adults and more than 42 million children are overweight or obese. 2 The consequences are considerable. Excess weight increases the risk of a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers; an estimated 2.6 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Some epidemiologists believe that excess weight will soon rival tobacco as the world’s leading cause of preventable premature deaths—the obesity pandemic’s health effects may wipe out the gains in life expectancy achieved through decreasing smoking rates. 3 The obesity pandemic also has significant economic consequences. The World Health Organization estimates that in many developed countries, obesity now accounts for 2 percent to 7 percent of all health care spending. 4 Yet medical costs are ...

Severely obese individuals with migraine headache may have fewer and less intense headaches after losing a significant amount of weight through bariatric surgery, according to results of a small prospective, observational study. "A number of population-based studies have shown that obesity is associated with migraine, but to our knowledge this is the first study to actually show that weight loss is associated with improvements in migraine," first study author Dale S. Bond, PhD, of The Miriam Hospital Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, Rhode Island, told Medscape Medical News . Although the study can't prove that weight loss is responsible for the easing of migraine, "we think weight loss is definitely playing a role," Dr. Bond said. He noted that a reduction in inflammation, which is hypothesized to be involved in migraine pathophysiology, might also contribute to this phenomenon. "We also know that inflammatory mediators...

Solutions: Improving Methods of Teaching Surgical Skills Dr. R H Bell has suggested seven recommendations to improve surgical education: Insure that the trainee has undergone both cognitive and skills training (simulation) with the procedure before going to the operating room. Have the resident assessed (using validated metrics) before going to the operating room (OR) so the faculty surgeon will know the resident possesses a basal level of ability. Rehearse the operation on a simulator and discuss with the faculty member where major intra-operative decisions need to be made before going to the OR. After the operation, debrief with the faculty member and review areas of accomplishment and parts of the operation that need more work. Grade the trainee's performance and file the report in the resident's portfolio. Have the resident review a video of ...

Obesity is a growing problem in America, and here are some facts about the health issue. Via: MedicalBillingAndCoding.org

The United States has fallen behind other nations, failing to provide affordable health care to its citizens. Americans spend $477 billion a year MORE on health care than other advanced countries. So why do we pay so much compared to other wealthy nations? This infographic is part one in a two part series which dissects the state of our health care system and presents some alarming numbers. Via: Medical Billing And Coding

The United States has fallen behind other nations, failing to provide affordable health care to its citizens. Americans spend $477 billion a year MORE on health care than other advanced countries. So why do we pay so much compared to other wealthy nations? This infographic is part two in a two part series which dissects the state of our health care system and presents some alarming numbers. Via: Medical Billing And Coding

By Reader's Digest Editors Whether it’s a college graduate looking for his or her first job, the smashing intern you had last summer, or perhaps a current or former colleague, it’s likely that at some point someone’s going to ask you to write them a letter of recommendation. This can be a tricky — and stressful — task if you’re not well practiced at it. Here’s what you need to know to write a great letter. Get the facts Have the person asking for the recommendation give you a copy of her resume, a list of recent projects and accomplishments, her special skills and other qualifications, and a few things she hopes you’ll emphasize in the letter. Ask her about the company to which she is applying. Find out its goals, environment, etc. Ask for a copy of the job listing so you’ll know what the gig entails. Keep it short The letter should be no longer than one single-typed page with three to four paragraphs. The paragraphs should include the following: First paragraph: A description o...

DVT prevention form the Important Aspect of Bariatric Surgery. The patient being Obese have high risk for Emboli formation. Its Imperative that some strict regime must be followed for the same. The Prevention 0f DVT-  Measures that we undertake are following : Low molecular Weight Heparin administered at 12 hrs before the Surgery and to be continued for 7 days after the surgery. Leg stockings (measurements according to size of patient) to be compulsorily worn a day before and a week after surgery. Patient can remove it some times but at night to worn strictly. Calf Pump or Sequential Compression device - This is a device which is applied to patients calf, during the surgery and later 1-2 days after the surgery. This machines artificially pumps the bllod through the patients legs ( As in walking) and thus prevents clot formation. The most Important - Walking. We encourage the patient to walk the same day of the surgery. They are usually discharge the next day and asked to ...

This is the series of events shared on Twitter between Sohaib Athar and friends. He is the 1st person to report live the American Abottabad Obama attach (Unknowing). Candidly, they discuss about Powercuts, UFO, Scenic beauty, safety problems in Pakistan. Later do they realize what they were upto and how their life changes in hours. How his Gmail is overloaded with 'following' request, how the world media is after him ( Including NDTV) Life Changed in few Hours !!! The conversation is upside down,( As it appears on Twitter). 1st tweet is at bottom. ReallyVirtual Sohaib Athar and here come the mails from the mainstream media... *sigh* 2 May ReallyVirtual Sohaib Athar Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it. 2 May ReallyVirtual Sohaib Athar I need to sleep, but Osama had to pick this day to die :-/ 2 May ReallyVirtual Sohaib Athar Damn its getting hard to RT some funny Abbottabad tweets, they're scrolling so fast :-( ...