Sometimes the food you eat or the behavior you exhibit can be a sign of a deficiency and condition you may have. It is similar to when your stomach growls, which signifies that you are hungry. Other signs you may not know about are feeling fatigued when you do not drink enough water, and if you are experiencing a headache then you may need to eat etc. These things happen because they are connected in one way or the other, when you body lacks a specific nutrient you need throughout your day, it can manifest in different ways, let’s take iron for example.

Iron is like the delivery truck for oxygen in your body. It helps your red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all your tissues. The Red Cross Blood Donation explains that when you don't have enough iron, your body can't make enough of these oxygen-carrying cells. This is called iron deficiency, and it can lead to anemia. You might feel very tired, look pale, or get dizzy easily. Headaches, cold hands and feet, and weak hair and nails are also common signs. Because iron is so vital for many of your body's functions, a lack of it can really affect your overall health and energy levels. It's important to recognize these signs and get checked by a doctor if you suspect you might have an iron deficiency.

What is Pagophagia and Pica?

Sometimes, your body sends strange signals when it's missing something important. One unusual signal for iron deficiency is wanting to eat ice, which doctors call pagophagia. This is part of a bigger problem called pica, where people crave things that aren't food. Other examples of pica are wanting to eat dirt, clay, or even starch. It's not just these things; some people crave things like coal, chalk, paper, or hair. While kids get pica more often, adults with low iron can have it too, even if they don't have anaemia. This weird craving is your body's way of trying to tell you something's wrong, even if it seems odd.

Eating things that aren't food can be risky. For example, eating dirt could expose you to harmful germs or heavy metals. Eating large amounts of ice might not seem dangerous, but it can sometimes hurt your teeth or gums. Ingesting non-food items can lead to serious problems like poisoning, where harmful substances build up in your body. It can also cause blockages in your intestines, which can be very painful and dangerous. Symptoms like stomach pain, bloating, feeling very tired, nausea, and diarrhea can signal that something is wrong. If you find yourself constantly wanting to eat ice or other non-food items, it's really important to talk to a doctor. They can help figure out why you're having these cravings and make sure you stay safe.

How Can You Make This Better?

If you're craving ice or other non-food items, it's important to see a doctor. They'll ask about your symptoms and might do some blood tests to check your iron levels. It's possible that your cravings are caused by iron deficiency, but they could also be related to other nutritional deficiencies or even emotional problems. Things like stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or developmental issues can sometimes cause pica. The doctor will try to figure out the root cause of your cravings. If it's an iron deficiency, they might suggest taking iron supplements or changing your diet. If it's an emotional issue, they might recommend talking to a therapist. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment is important for your health and well-being.

Kidney disease is rising at an alarming pace worldwide, and it’s now among the top causes of death. A Lancet study highlights that the number of people living with chronic kidney disease jumped from 78 million in 1990 to nearly 788 million in 2023. That’s a massive tenfold spike, and a reminder that our kidneys need more attention than we realize.

The tricky part? Kidney problems often progress silently. Many people don’t realize anything is wrong until the kidneys are already significantly damaged. That’s why experts strongly emphasize early screening. According to nephrologists like Dr Arjun Sabharwal, a few simple tests — often quick and inexpensive — can help catch kidney issues early and improve treatment outcomes.

Below are the four key tests everyone should know about, especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney disease, or you’re simply trying to stay proactive about your health.

Creatinine Blood Test & eGFR: Your First Kidney Health Check

eGFR uses creatinine values along with age and other factors to estimate how well your kidneys are functioning overall. Doctors often say, “Creatinine is just a number — eGFR tells you how much your kidneys are working.”

An eGFR below normal may be an early signal that your kidneys aren’t filtering efficiently, even if you feel fine.

Cystatin C: A More Accurate Indicator for Some People

Cystatin C is a protein produced naturally by all cells. When kidneys are healthy, its levels stay stable; when the kidneys struggle, the levels rise.

Experts highlight that Cystatin C can be more reliable than creatinine for people with very high muscle mass, those who work out intensely, or individuals taking supplements that may affect creatinine readings. If creatinine results seem unclear or inconsistent, this test adds clarity.

Urine Dipstick Test: Quick and Tells You a Lot

Before kidney function takes a major hit, the body often shows early warnings — one of which is protein leakage in urine. A urine dipstick test is one of the fastest ways to detect this.

A chemically treated strip is dipped into your urine sample, and if proteins like albumin are present, the strip changes color. It’s simple, non-invasive, and helpful for spotting early kidney damage.

Urine Protein-to-Creatinine Ratio (UPCR): How Much Protein Is Leaking

If a dipstick shows abnormalities, the next step is often a UPCR test. This test measures exactly how much protein is leaking into the urine relative to creatinine. Higher levels may signal worsening kidney function or underlying disease. Doctors use UPCR to assess the severity of kidney damage and monitor progress over time.

When to See a Nephrologist

If any test shows rising creatinine, an abnormal eGFR, protein in urine, or blood detected on a dipstick, it’s crucial to book an appointment. Lifestyle tweaks, home remedies, or detox drinks cannot reverse kidney damage. Expert evaluation is essential.

In 2025, thanks to climate change, rapid urbanization, and frequent travels, new viruses, their strains, and infections have spread frequently. Infections have affect millions and some diseases have come back with their new strains, which have been more contagious, whereas other diseases are finding new ways to emerge.

As we look back at the year, which is about to end in just another month, let us look back at the top 5 infectious diseases of 2025.

Respiratory Infections

In 2025, respiratory infections were the most widespread, with new COVID-19 variants emerging every now and then. Along with this common flu too has emerged. This has weakened immunity and made elderly and infants, and people with comorbidities more vulnerable to the diseases.

The new COVID variants in India are linked with the JN.1 variant and its sub-variants like LF.7 and NB.1.8. The COVID variants in the UK which were active were XFG, NB.1.8.1, or known as the Stratus and Nimbus variants. Other variants were XFG.3, XFG.5, and XFG.3.4.1.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis still continues to be a major infectious disease in 2025, especially in countries like India. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis caused 1.25 billion deaths in 2023. It becomes the world's leading infectious disease after COVID-19.

Each day, close to 3,425 people lose their lives to TB, and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. About 10.8 million people got TB in 2023, which include 6 million, 3.6 million women, and 1.3 million children.

Dengue and other mosquito-borne infections

Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika continued to rise in 2025. The reason being changing weather patterns. Dr Sanjeev Bagai, Chairman of Nephron Clinic, and Senior Consultant Pediatrician and Nephrologist points out that earlier the mosquito-borne diseases were seasonal, however, due to rapid urbanization and climate changes, these diseases have stayed all round the year.

Hepatitis Infections

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are among the most common Hepatitis infections in 2025. However, there have been outbreaks of Hepatitis A and E in unsafe water and food. Chronic hepatitis can also damage liver and also lead to cancer. It is a concern because it spreads through contaminated food, unsafe water, blood, and sexual contact. While many people may not show symptoms until serious liver damage occurs.

Symptoms also include jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Gastrointestinal Infections

Food- and water-borne infections are still common across the world. Illnesses like salmonella, cholera, rotavirus, and norovirus often spread in areas where hygiene, sanitation, and food safety are poorly maintained.

Why are these infections risky?

They can spread extremely fast, especially among children and older adults. Severe diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dangerous dehydration if not treated in time.

What symptoms should you look out for?

Persistent diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever, and signs of dehydration. The best prevention is simple: drink clean water, wash hands regularly, and eat properly cooked food.

Genes not just shape our looks but also hold our health clues. Today, technology powered by genomics and data analytics is decoding these hidden health patterns, translating family history into actionable foresight. This shift has marked the rise of predictive, personalized healthcare, where prevention is the main goal and treatment has become truly tailored. This marks a quiet but strategic revolution in healthcare!

For India, a hotspot for lifestyle diseases, this transformative shift would be immensely helpful. As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1 in 4 may develop any of the lifestyle diseases, like hypertension or diabetes, in their lifetime. Here, genomic insights would help to identify individuals who are at higher risk, thus enabling targeted interventions even before the disease sets in. Moreover, powered by artificial intelligence and big data, genome sequencing is now capable of reading the entire genetic code of a person faster than ever before. Considering the advantage of predictive healthcare and the indispensable role of genome sequencing, the government-backed Genome India Project was launched in 2020. Additionally, many Indian start-ups have joined the field and are leading the revolution.

Various biotechnology firms and diagnostic labs are offering full-spectrum testing from whole-exome sequencing and whole-genome sequencing to targeted gene panels. These are powered by proprietary algorithms and significantly vast variant databases. The outcome is tremendous as it can identify disease causing mutations, inherited risk factors with remarkable accuracy, and even drug response markers.

Not just individual genes but thousands of genetic variants can be analysed simultaneously to predict the rise of polygenic risk scores. This model has already been applied across various diagnostic labs for predicting complex diseases such as certain cancers, heart disease, and even diabetes. It is expected that by 2030, the PRS market will exceed $3 million, signalling the mainstreaming of precision health tools.

Clinical Value and Real-World Impact

Across multiple specialties, genomic insights are now driving tangible benefits:

Cardiology: Predispositions to conditions like arrhythmia, familiar hypercholesterolemia can be identified long before the symptoms appears through genetic testing. This would allow offering preventive interventions to those high-risk individuals.

Oncology: The Role of genes in cancer development is well studied and documented. Therefore, hereditary cancer testing that covers BRCA1/2 and other multi-gene panels will support risk stratification and the development of informed surveillance strategies. Cascade testing, which includes screening family members of affected patients, not just aids in earlier diagnoses, but also in improved survival outcomes.

Pharmacogenomics: Another interesting impact of genetic variations is that it also influences how patients metabolize medications. If a clinician has this information, then they would be able to prescribe a personalized prescription, reducing the adverse drug reactions, a problem that costs the U.S. healthcare system nearly $30 billion annually.

Neurology and Psychiatry: Genetic profiling in the treatment of depression and APOE genotyping for Alzheimer’s risk are leading the way for early interventions and customised care.

In fact, the cumulative effect is profound: targeted therapy, fewer side effects, and more informed decisions across the continuum of care.

Navigating Risks, Ethics, and Regulation

As genetic data is becoming valuable and genomic testing is becoming mainstream to combat diseases, healthcare organizations must take the responsibility to protect the privacy of the data while following the ethical principles deliberately. Compliance frameworks like the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (GINA) in the U.S. and HIPAA privacy standards set the platform for responsible use of data. Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) in India is available, but a specific gene data safeguarding policy is yet evolving.

Other aspects to consider include informed consent and genetic counselling for responsible implementation. Patients must be aware of the test being done, how it would benefit them, and their family members. Further, genetic databases are key targets for cyberattacks. Thus, enterprise-grade encryption and data governance are significantly essential. In turn, it will ensure that the benefits of genomic medicine also reach the underserved and diverse populations.

The Road Ahead

The 21st-century medicine is driven by the fusion of biotechnology and big data, which has positioned genomics at the core. Owing to the advancements in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, it has been possible to coordinate AI models with genetic profiles, common lifestyle data, environmental factors, and electronic health records. Cumulatively, all these are delivering holistic risk predictions. It won’t be surprising if, in the future, the health records include more than blood test and X-ray data.

This development would be really a book for a country like India with diverse genes meet diverse lifestyles. Predictive healthcare would not only help to reduce the burden of chronic diseases but could also pave the pathway to improve healthy lifespans while making wellness truly proactive. Thus, the genomic revolution has made the invisible visible. Organisations embracing this transformation will play a vital role in patient outcomes. They would also lead and define the next era of healthcare- predictive, preventive, and personalised.