PCOS affects a major part of a menstruating person’s life than many of them are aware of. The lack of information about the condition and the reluctance of people to talk about the matter makes it worse. As we kick off World PCOS Awareness Month, we try to understand the proper repercussions and the best ways to manage your periods. As science progresses each day, many women have taken the initiative to further the research on PCOS and the reproductive health of women. We spoke to Dr Prarthana Shah, a doctor who specialised in preventative CVD medicine and an Integrative Health Coach to get a better understanding of the vital role nutrition plays in a woman’s reproductive cycle.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder affecting millions of women worldwide. Characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen production, and the presence of cysts on the ovaries, PCOS can lead to a range of health issues, including infertility, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and endometrial cancer.

Role of Nutrition in PCOS Management

A balanced diet plays a crucial role in managing PCOS symptoms and reducing the risk of associated health complications. By focusing on nutrient-dense foods and avoiding certain triggers, women with PCOS can significantly improve their overall well-being.

According to Dr. Prarthana, “The first thing is B12. So, a common deficiency, even otherwise, which can affect a woman's hormonal balance, because it helps regulate your hair length, and so it's important to make sure that you're getting enough B12.” There are important nutrients that women must have for healthy menstrual cycles.

• Vitamin B12: Essential for hormonal balance, hair health, and regular menstruation.
• Vitamin D: Helps regulate hormones, supports ovarian function, and improves insulin sensitivity.
• Iron: Crucial for preventing anaemia, which is common during menstruation.
• Electrolytes: Help maintain fluid balance and prevent fatigue.
• Amino acids: Provide building blocks for proteins and support overall health.

Dietary Recommendations for PCOS

As Dr Prarthana mentioned, the key nutrients that women lack are the reason why their periods might be irregular and make it difficult for them to handle it. She suggested that it's essential to prioritize a nutrient-rich diet. Focus on consuming whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Minimize your intake of processed foods, sugary drinks, processed meats, and refined carbohydrates, as these can contribute to inflammation and hormonal imbalances. Consider limiting or avoiding dairy products, as they may contain hormones that can disrupt your hormonal regulation.

She also emphasised the importance of seasonal fruits. While many people have expressed their reservations with cross-contamination and germs from fruits she says, “You have to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Greens and salad leaves, all of these things for vitamin B12. Now, of course, there will be some vendors that cut it up. So, don't buy it from there. one tip I personally suggest is that I use something called Veggie Wash where I wash my salad leaves in that at home. You can also wash it with salt or apple cider vinegar.”

When enjoying seasonal fruits and vegetables, be mindful of potential contamination from vendors who cut and sell them. Wash them thoroughly at home to ensure safety. Finally, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day to support overall health and prevent dehydration.

Lifestyle changes you should make for PCOS

According to Dr Prarthana, your lifestyle plays a really important role in PCOS, “So, I know most women, even though they regularly exercise, I mean the ones that do, also kind of skip it during the period and that is the wrong thing to do, ideally.”

She also expresses how much it actually helps with period pains and relief for women, “It's okay. You should go and do some sort of exercise. Go for a walk. It could be lighter if you're, you know, tired. But something in some form of movement, maybe yoga, stretching, whatever works for each person depending on how much pain they have. It really opens up the muscles and gives you relief.”

Other changes include,

• Manage stress: Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing.
• Prioritize sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.
• Consider supplements: Consult with a healthcare professional about potential supplements, such as vitamin D and iron, to address specific deficiencies.

Anemia remains one of the least talked about threats to a safe pregnancy in India. The National Family Health Survey-5 data shows that 52.2% of pregnant women in India were anemic. This translates to at least one in two expectant mothers entering pregnancy with insufficient hemoglobin to meet her own and her baby’s needs.

Pregnant women with iron-deficiency anemia may feel unusually tired, weak or short of breath. Some women may suffer from dizziness, headaches, palpitations or reduced ability to concentrate. However, symptoms can be subtle and this is why routine antenatal screening is important even if the woman feels well.

Left unaddressed, it raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, postpartum haemorrhage, and maternal fatigue severe enough to affect daily functioning and recovery after delivery.

Severe anaemia can also reduce a woman's ability to tolerate blood loss during delivery, making even an otherwise uncomplicated birth potentially more challenging.

Why pregnancy makes it worse? Well, blood volume expands by nearly 50% during pregnancy, and the growing fetus draws heavily on maternal iron stores, especially in the second and third trimesters. Most Indian women begin pregnancy with iron stores already depleted by poor dietary intake, frequent pregnancies, or heavy menstrual blood loss. So, the added demand tips many into overt anaemia.

Do's:

1. Start Antenatal Care early. You should get a baseline haemoglobin test at your first antenatal visit, and repeat this each trimester or more if needed.

2. Iron and folic acid tablets must be taken in accordance with the prescription given. It is best to start with them before conceiving or as soon as possible in the pregnancy process, preferably in discussion. The dietary consumption may not always be sufficient to cater to the increased demands during pregnancy.

3. Pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C. A squeeze of lemon with dal or leafy greens meaningfully improves absorption. Indian gooseberry (amla), guava, oranges and tomatoes improve absorption of non-heme iron from plant based foods.

4. Include iron-dense foods regularly like leafy greens, jaggery, dates, legumes, eggs. If non-vegetarian, eat lean meat or fish, meat or poultry.

5. Treat underlying causes. Get heavy periods, worm infestations or unexplained fatigue evaluated before conception if possible.

6. Ask about your ferritin level, not just haemoglobin, since ferritin reveals depleted iron stores earlier.

Anaemia is not always caused by iron deficiency. B12 or folic acid deficiency, problems with haemoglobin production, infections, and many other medical conditions can also be contributing factors.

Also read: 'My Periods Are Painful' Is Not Always Normal: When Could It Be A Sign of Endometriosis?

Don'ts:

1. Do not stop iron supplements simply because you feel better. Treatment usually needs to continue for the recommended period to replenish iron stores.

2. Don't take iron tablets with tea, coffee or milk. These block absorption. Space them at least an hour apart.

3. Do not skip supplements because of nausea or constipation. Ask your doctor for alternate formulations instead of foregoing the supplements.

4. Don't assume fatigue is ‘normal pregnancy tiredness’ without a haemoglobin check. Persistent breathlessness, dizziness or a racing heart need evaluation.

5. Don't self-medicate with over-the-counter iron doses. Both too little and too much iron can cause harm.

6. Don't ignore mild anaemia on the assumption that it will ‘sort itself out’. It typically worsens as pregnancy progresses and has to be actively treated.

Anemia in women is mostly preventable and treatable early. Regular antenatal check ups, proper supplementation, balanced diet and timely treatment can go a long way in reducing its impact on the mother and baby. The key message is simple, really. Screen early, do not wait for symptoms, treat appropriately and maintain adequate iron stores throughout pregnancy.

Blood tests are often a source of dread for people in our society. While many people dread the needle stick, most are scared of what the results may show. Even before consulting a physician, most people nowadays would consult an AI-powered platform to verify and interpret the values of their blood tests. However, such online searches most often give rise to more uncertainties and confusion rather than answering the basic queries. Thus, this article is an attempt to shed some light on the basics of common blood test results.

LIPID PROFILE

Lipid profile is one test that everyone should do, at least occasionally, after the age of 40. This is a silent epidemic, and without blood tests, no clinical symptoms can reliably identify raised lipid parameters. There are multiple parameters printed in the report, but the main values we are looking for are total Cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL. There are many others, but the interpretation of those is best left to your physician. Total Cholesterol should be less than 200, triglycerides less than 150, and the “bad” cholesterol, or LDL, should be below 100. On the other hand, HDL, the “good” cholesterol, should be above 40 for men and above 50 for women. So, for HDL, we want the values to be higher! However, whether deranged lipid parameters warrant treatment and, if so, for how long, will be the clinical decision of your doctor.

CBC

CBC means complete blood count. This is the most basic test done for every patient. In this test, we check for levels of haemoglobin, total leukocyte count, differential white cell count, platelet count, and ESR. Besides, there are numerous other parameters printed in your report, like MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, and PDW. But let’s first look at the basic parameters. Haemoglobin is perhaps the most important parameter to look at. It shows how much oxygen your blood can carry. Low hemoglobin is called anemia. If you have anaemia, you need to get treatment ASAP. The standard normal values of hemoglobin depend on age and gender and also physical states like pregnancy. The normal hemoglobin of an adult male will be different from that of an adolescent girl. There are many different causes of anaemia in our society, like iron deficiency, worm infestation, thalassemia, and kidney disease. Your doctor will do further tests to elucidate the cause.

The next most important parameter is total leukocyte count. This gives an indication of whether you have any infection or inflammation. Conversely, in some conditions like Typhoid, the counts may be low despite fulminant infection. Platelet count is also important in infections like dengue, where it may get dangerously low. We need to check platelet count repeatedly, sometimes even twice or thrice the same day, in dengue infection. Platelet count may be low in some forms of blood cancer too.

The other parameters like MCV and RDW are too complex to be discussed in this short article. Suffice it to say, they are deranged in conditions like Thalassemia, sickle cell disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hereditary Red cell membrane disorders.

Also Read: BTS’ V Opens Up About 2-Year Battle With Hearing Loss

And finally, the ESR is a very non-specific parameter. It can be raised in multiple conditions, ranging from cancer to inflammation. It is usually interpreted in unison with other necessary tests.

Dr Rudrajit Paul, Consultant Physician, Manipal Hospital, Kolkata

“All That” star Christy Knowings has died after reportedly suffering an asthma attack that led to cardiac arrest and brain damage.

The 46-year-old actress was hospitalized on August 7 after the attack and placed on life support, TMZ reported.

According to TMZ, citing family sources, Knowings suffered cardiac arrest following the asthma attack. Her family decided to take her off life support on August 11.

Knowings, who was born on February 25, 1980, in the Bronx, is the second former All That cast member to die this year, following the fatal hit-and-run death of Kianna Underwood in January in Brooklyn.

In a Facebook post, Knowings’ aunt wrote that her niece was an “outstanding actress, comedian, twin sister” and an “amazing daughter.”

Knowings’ reported death after complications from an asthma attack is a reminder that while asthma can often be managed, it should not be taken lightly, health experts told HealthandMe.

What Is Asthma? How Severe Can It Turn?

Dr. Abhijit Ahuja, Consultant Pulmonologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, explained that asthma is a condition that makes it difficult to breathe because the airways become inflamed and narrow.

Many people with asthma can control their symptoms with medication. However, an asthma attack can sometimes become severe and life-threatening.

During an asthma attack, symptoms suddenly worsen and usual medication may not provide enough relief. A person may experience difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, severe coughing or trouble speaking.

“If you use your inhaler but still have trouble breathing, you need to go to the hospital right away,” Dr Ahuja said.

When the airways become so narrowed that the body does not receive enough oxygen, the asthma attack can turn severe. The lungs may also be unable to remove carbon dioxide properly.

“If this keeps happening, it can hurt parts of the body like the brain and the heart,” Dr Ahuja said.

A severe asthma attack can lead to difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, brain injury and cardiac arrest.

When Can an Asthma Attack Be Deadly?

Dr. Taniya Mehta, Consultant Respiratory Medicine, Sterling Hospitals, Gujarat, told HealthandMe that while most asthma attacks can be treated, a very severe attack can become deadly when the airways become so tight that the lungs cannot get enough oxygen.

“If treatment isn't given quickly, low oxygen levels can cause the lungs to stop working, damage the brain, cause the heart to stop and lead to death,” she said.

Signs That an Asthma Attack Is an Emergency

Seek emergency medical help if a person has:

• Breathing difficulty or wheezing that is rapidly getting worse.
• Trouble speaking more than a few words because of breathing difficulty.
• No improvement after using a quick-relief inhaler.
• Blue, grey or very pale lips, fingernails or skin, which may indicate low oxygen.
• Severe confusion or loss of consciousness.

Who Is More Likely to Have a Severe Asthma Attack?

People may be at greater risk if they:

• Have had a severe or life-threatening asthma attack before.
• Need to use their quick-relief inhaler frequently.
• Do not use their asthma medicines as prescribed.
• Do not have their asthma under control.
• Cannot recognise when their symptoms are getting worse.

Do Not Wait Out a Severe Asthma Attack

Deadly asthma attacks are uncommon, but they can happen quickly, the doctors warned.

Taking asthma medication as prescribed, knowing how to use inhalers correctly, attending follow-up appointments and undergoing lung tests when needed can help keep asthma under control.