Diseases

Time to Work on your Eyes while at Work!!!

March is an important month for vision or eye health because it is designated as National Save Your Vision Month. During this month, eye health organizations, healthcare providers, eye specialists, researchers come together to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of your eyes and maintaining good vision.
There are several reasons why March was chosen as the month to focus on vision and eye health. For one, it falls at the beginning of spring, which is a time of renewal and growth. This makes it a natural time to think about renewing your commitment to taking care of your eyes and making sure that you are seeing your best. This is also called “Workplace Eye Awareness Month” typically observed with a purpose to raise awareness about the importance of eye safety in the workplace. Eye injuries can be extremely serious and can lead to long-term damage or even blindness. The month aims to encourage both employers and employees to take steps to prevent eye injuries and to promote eye safety in the workplace.

During Workplace Eye Awareness Month, employers are encouraged to provide eye safety training to their employees, to make sure that they have access to appropriate eye protection, and to ensure that their work environments are free from hazards that could cause eye injuries. Employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their own eye safety by wearing appropriate eye protection when required, reporting any hazards or safety concerns to their employer, and getting regular eye exams to monitor their eye health. This is mostly seen in an industrial setting and workplace related eye injuries are also a concern mostly in those settings.

Since the pandemic and the work from home or distance working model the most strained was the eyesight. Studies have shown that there was typically a high rise in the Eye or Visual issues due to constant use of gadgets, technology, smart phones, internet etc during the pandemic days. The usage of internet, social media, online portals was on the rise especially during the lock-down period. Now we all are so used to the new set-up that we feel working from home is the best solution. 

But the toll it is taking on our eyesight is high. We need to include usage of the internet, screen time, technology also as a part of “Workforce eye awareness month”. Employers and employees need to devise a 20-20-20 rule to help with “Screen time detox” in a day.

Adapting a no screen time day or a screen time off day should be a must when it comes to helping the Employees. This could lead to a major economic loss to the company, employer and in turn to the employee but this could just be one step closer to adapting and adopting a new way of Visual or Screen detox for a day, to help create a new way of working in the office. One can promote preparing for spring and summer activities that may require good vision, such as sports, gardening, and outdoor recreation. By emphasizing the importance of eye health during this month, people are encouraged to take steps to protect their eyes and make sure that they are seeing their best for these activities.
Overall, March is an important month for vision and eye health because it provides a focused time to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of your eyes and maintaining good vision, and it helps to remind people that their eye health is equally important part of their overall health and wellbeing. So, it’s the month of spreading awareness and adapting a new regimen to detox your eyesight for better eye lifespan. Time to work on your eye-sight vision while working!!

Author -

Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni

Research & Product Domain Expert

(Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.)

Chief Nutrition Counseller (Germany)

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World Sleep Day: Take the “New Mantra” to Good Health!!

Awareness of Health & Sleep-related Issues

Happiness is waking up, looking at the clock & finding that you still have the last 10 more minutes to snooze off to sleep. Yes, I know that feeling. What would be the best day to talk about our favorite hobby ‘Sleeping to dream’ rather than World Sleep Day?

World Sleep Day is an annual event celebrated on Friday, yes, it is Friday as it comes close to a weekend, how better it could be? Jokes apart, it falls before the Spring Equinox each year. The motive of celebrating ‘World Sleep Day’ is to raise awareness of the importance of sleep and to promote better sleep habits and practices. The event was first organized in 2008 by the World Sleep Society, a non-profit organization that aims to advance sleep health worldwide. I think it could have been such a great thing to do. With so many people talking about wanting to sleep well but not being able to do so, this day has come out like a winner for all. Sleep issues have been a global problem now, earlier, it was an issue of old age and is now a problem for small children to even adolescent kids. Though all have reasons for not being able to fall asleep, still the problem needs to be assessed and emphasized to promote good sleep habits which can be sustainable & relatable. 

With this aim in mind just like each year, World Sleep Day has a different theme this year too which focuses on a specific aspect related to sleep health. The themes in previous years have included “Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet”, “Sleep Soundly, Nurture Life”, and “Sleep Well, Grow Healthy”. The theme for World Sleep Day 2023 is “Sleep is essential for good health”, which emphasizes how consistent sleep is essential for maintaining good & optimal health for all.  A global solution for a global problem.

So, World Sleep Day is celebrated around the world with events, seminars, and workshops conducted on sleep health and how it is the most important aspect of great health. Sleep experts and health professionals are emphasizing the benefits of sleep, the effects of sleep disorders, and tips for improving sleep quality. The goal of these events is to educate everyone about the importance of sleep and to provide the knowledge and tools to get better & harmonious sleep.

On World Sleep Day, let’s just relax and sleep like a baby if you want to have great health today, tomorrow, and forever. Sleeping well is the new mantra to good health, so just keep sleeping!!

Author -

Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni

Research & Product Domain Expert

(Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.)

Chief Nutrition Counseller (Germany)

 

For regular updates, like and follow:

Save your Vision !!

The sensory organs are needed to create more liveliness in humans and other animals’ lives. They provide information about the surrounding environment to behave accordingly and may make an alert. During and after the pandemic, vision has been affected more than any other sensory organ.

All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) studies and observes these changes. ‘Prevent Blindness’ is one of the organizations that declares March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to provide Sight-Saving Resources to employees and their employers to improve Eye Wellness and Eye Health conditions at the Workplace.

During the pandemic, everyone adapted to the lockdown and shifted their daily routine of regular work and academics to online mode. This involved the use of laptops, desktops, and mobile phones, which increased screen time more than the pre-pandemic situation for all age groups.

These new norms give rise to stress and strain on the eyes leading to various eye issues like excess dryness, eye redness, and burning sensation of the eyes that may result in chronic eye disorders. 

To reduce the effect of more screen time on eyesight and also to prevent further damage, the Prevent Blindness organization has advised numerous ways to overcome this. They are Eye exercise, using eye safety gear, ergonomics, nutrition, nutritional supplements, etc.

How does visual perception occur?

The eyes are wonderful and special sensory organs. Eyes can visualize all sorts of things – big or small, near or far, smooth or textured, colors and dimensions. The eyes have many parts – all of which must function to see properly, such as the retina, optic nerve, eye muscles, eyelids, and cornea.

Vision perception occurs through the retina and travels from the eye to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain combines these two images it receives to get a complete picture.

What are the visual complications among children?

Children are more vulnerable as they are in the developmental stage. Eye muscles are not that strong enough to adjust to the rapidly changing, harsh, and intense light from the screen. 

To further add to this, their meals are not balanced. Thus eye tissues are not properly nourished, and it may lead to numerous eye disorders like night blindness, lazy eye, ptosis, farsightedness, etc.

What are the visual complications among adults and old age?

In adulthood, compared to old age, adults have fewer complications. On the other hand, in old age, people have weakened their eye muscles, and cellular integrity, thereby naturally they may have poor eyesight.

Food habits and lifestyle plays an important role in adults as exposure to screen is more. Continuous gazing causes excessive dryness, which invites many other visual complications. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are major complications during early adulthood. 

As age advances due to muscular degeneration and the presence of other comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, there is a higher chance of getting affected eyesight.         

Glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are major visual complications with advancing age.

Unfortunately, eyesight cannot be improved naturally and there is no way to change a refractive error, such as myopia, hyperopia, or presbyopia. These types of visual conditions can be treated with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.

However, there can be other reasons for diminished eyesight. Macular degeneration causes diminished eyesight but can respond favorably to nutritional changes. In that instance, there are foods that may improve eyesight without glasses.

How can one take care of nourishment for healthy eyesight?

Aging is irreversible and no one can escape it. But eating the right foods can protect your vision and keep you healthy. Research says that foods rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids help to keep eyes healthy.

But what does this nutrient-rich diet look like? Let’s break it down:

Vitamin C: Foods with lots of vitamin c are oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, strawberries, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and broccoli.

Vitamin E: Healthy sources of vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, and avocados.

Zinc: Legumes (beans and lentils), seeds, meat/seafood, dairy, and eggs are all good sources of zinc.

Lutein and zeaxanthin: Both of these nutrients are found naturally in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. This is why boosting your diet with lutein and zeaxanthin is a win for your eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin—often found. 

● Together with many foods like leafy green vegetables, kale, spinach, and swiss chard. Broccoli, asparagus, and colorful fruits like raspberries, papaya, peaches, and mangoes are also chock-full of eye-healthy carotenoids.

Vitamin A: egg yolk, fish, nuts, milk, and meat are sources of Retinol. Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, apricot, mango, and peach are sources of carotenoids.

Antioxidant-rich foods: A diet rich in foods with antioxidants is helpful for healthy eyesight. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and selenium (pasta, bread, and grains) are packed with antioxidants.

Omega 3 and Omega 6-rich foods: These foods help in the lubrication of the eyes. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish (like salmon, trout, and sardines). Nuts and oils like walnuts and sunflower oil are great natural sources of omega-6 fatty acids.

Ayurveda perspective on eye health:

According to Ayurveda, the eye has domination of fire element and pitta dosha. Thus, eye disorders are mainly caused by the aggravation of pitta dosha.

Ancient texts in Ayurveda have mentioned various causes of eye disorders such as getting exposed to the heat of the Sun for a longer duration, physical, mental, and eye strain, excess grief, excess anger, excess weeping, excessive smoking, eye injury, constant viewing of minute objects, etc.

Ayurveda common remedies for eye health:

1. Massage of the eyes with a wet palm immediately after having food will protect vision from harmful effects.

2. One should neither induce natural urges forcefully nor suppress them (suppression of tears, vomiting, etc.) as it may lead to eye diseases.

3. Pouring warm water over the body bestows strength, but the same overhead makes for the loss of strength of hairs and eyes.

4. It is good to apply Anjana (Collyrium) for eye health.

5. One should regularly consume Ghee, Barley, Wheat, Shastika shali (old rice), Saidhava Lavana, Draksha (black raisins), Dadima (pomegranate), use of Shatavari (Asparagus officinalis), Green Gram.  

6. Padabhyanga (oil massage of the foot), use of footwear, and application of medicated Lepa (paste) to the Pada (foot) are useful to protect vision.

Yoga for eyes:

There are many yoga postures and eye exercises to keep your eyes healthy and improve your vision. They are Trataka, Bhastrika pranayam, Kapalbhati pranayam, Bahya pranayam, Anulom-Vilom Paranayam and Shavasan. These poses should be done under expert advice.

Thus we can conclude –

The eye is the jewel of the body and it’s important to take care of eye health as Your eyes show off the strength of your soul.


Author –

Vaidya Shilpa Venkatesh Jamdarkhana

(Certified Ayurveda Wellness Coach)

Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.


Archana Amol Patil

(Nutrition Wellness Coach)

Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.

For regular updates, like and follow:

Glaucoma in Ayurveda

‘World Glaucoma Day, which takes place on the 12th of March of every year, is a unique initiative that puts a spotlight on Glaucoma as the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide. The timely diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma can prevent needless vision impairment.
In India, many people are unaware of this disease related to the eyes and its preventive care and treatment.

What is Glaucoma ?

Generally, glaucoma disease is caused when the aqueous humor, a natural fluid produced by the eye, fails to drain out naturally from the eye. This extra pressure from fluid inside the eye causes damage to the optic nerve. This is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment worldwide.
This disease is mentioned in Ayurveda under the heading – Adhimantha. Adhimanth, which is very similar to glaucoma, is well explained by Sushruta in Sushruta Samhita around 5000 years ago under Sarvagata Netraroga.

Samhita says that it is a dreadful disease that causes excessive churning of the eyes and is associated with the particular dosha. An early diagnosis, Ayurvedic herbal formulations for correcting imbalances of dosha, and special local eye-related procedures are three pillars of the treatment of Glaucoma.
The late-stage damage to the optic nerve leads to irreversible, permanent blindness. Therefore, early diagnosis is an important factor.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India, with at least 12 million people affected and nearly 1.2 million blinds. More than 90 percent of cases of Glaucoma are undiagnosed in the community. With increasing age, Glaucoma prevalence increases.

It is therefore important to raise awareness about the symptoms of glaucoma, its treatment, and diagnostic tools related to this disease. .

Here are 4As related to Glaucoma which everyone should know about:
1.  Awareness about symptoms 

The most common type of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma, often has no symptoms other than slow vision loss. The most common complaints associated with glaucoma are seeing halos around lights, slow vision loss, eye redness, whitening/haziness of the cornea, eye pain, headache, etc.
Therefore, it is important to consult with the doctor immediately for all of the above complaints.

2.  Awareness amongst more susceptible groups 

People over the age of 60, people with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes and hypertension are more susceptible to glaucoma. The above group requires regular screening.

3.  Awareness about diagnosis 

After the age of 40, it’s recommended to get an eye checkup every year. Tonometry, Gonioscopy, Visual field test, and Optical nerve assessment can be done along with proper eye examination by the doctor.

4.  Awareness about treatment

Ayurvedic principles and procedures are very effective in treating Glaucoma. The use of herbal medications and panchakarma therapies helps patients reduce eye pressure and restore normal functioning. Panchakarma therapies, such as Virechana, Leech therapy, and Raktamokshan, and special eye-related therapies, such as Anjana, Netratarpan, and Nasya, play a key role in increasing ocular pressure.

Ayurvedic medicines are given for reducing hypertension and pacifying vitiated Dosha. The symptoms associated with glaucoma are also reduced by systemic medicines and local procedures. Surgery is recommended at the end stage of Glaucoma.

Help spread the word about Glaucoma because when eyes get blurry, life gets blurry.

The world is bright, save your sight.

Author:
Dr. Gayatri Kulkarni – Mulye

MD (Ayurved)
Blogger @ Turyaa Wellness

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“Devil in Disguise”: Did you know Lifestyle factors can cause Cancer!

“No matter what the statistics say, there is always a way”. But the fact is that all stats Globally say, there is a high rise in the number of cases of most non-communicable diseases, especially Cancer is at high risk across ages and continents. It’s high time that we really focus on some important Lifestyle factors that could be totally avoided. Each year we hope to see these statistics of Incidence rate going up and each year we fail…. it’s getting to be like a “Devil in disguise” always waiting for us, wanting us!!!

What we need to have been a change in the way we think, our attitudes…It’s pretty easy and common to say “Chalta hain na bhai, kuch nahi hota hain. Daily thoda alcohol pene se kya problem hoga, iss se Cancer nahi hota?
Or “I like to have a suntan every year in the Caribbean, I use sunblock, so I don’t have a risk of skin cancer??”
Or “Isn’t it true that people who smoke more than a packet of cigarettes get cancer, I mean I actually use E-cigarette!! “
Or “At night I utilize my time by listening to podcasts on my Wireless speakers, come on, speakers dont emit radiation, ok???”
Have you heard people around you saying this with a “ignore maro” tone? And do you also with a big question mark attitude think of “jane do bhai, aapane ko iss kya lena dena” and “just moved on” by thinking nope, these wrong or ignorant lifestyle inclusions cannot be a risk factor for we are getting closer to Cancer…what I am thinking!! Well then, my friend, you really need to get your knowledge updated.

The truth is we have the power to minimize the effects of these lifestyle factors around us, kind of lurking around us-captivating-pulling us towards them, and but we do maximize the chance of keeping our health good and live a long and happy life under constant thought and pressure and that longing for “Living happily ever after”. Let’s give it a thought today and know how our changing Lifestyle factors are now the true risk factors for Cancer just like the “Devil in Disguise”?

Smoking fashion: We all know “Smoking Kills’ ‘…then whether it’s 1 cigarette to a pack of cigarettes or even new age E-Cigarettes or flavored Hookahs’. They all have tobacco or nicotine like substances being the leading cause of death due to Lung cancers or Oral cancers worldwide, on usage over a period of time. With prosperity, power comes money and money attracts all these upend mindsets. We need to inculcate the habit that with good money you may follow your dreams of traveling around, pursuing new hobby’s and still be followed & liked on Instagram or Snapchat by your group of friends & Followers, with a bonus of living a long life and saving the money you would have smoked away otherwise!!

Alcohol fad: With the rise in “Happy Hours’ & “Good Times” we all embraced the saying “Alcohol is man’s worst enemy. But the Bible Says’ Love thy enemy”. I mean we have really accepted this worst enemy of ours and the rising numbers of incidence rates of Liver damage, pancreatic cancers or colorectal cancers have been on the rise too. Not to forget deaths due to “drink & drive” and falls and violence. Ethanol or Ethyl alcohol in small or large quantities is fatal to your heart, brain & liver. Whatever brands big or small, local or imported, all types of Alcohol fads affect your health in a big way. Your body, your genes and the type of diet you consume with alcohol all have shown to have a high correlation with developing cancers in later ages. Staying away from Alcohol is simply & truly “Living Life King-Size ”.

Gadget Freak: “Your cell phone has replaced your friends, your adventures, your memory… but don’t let it replace You”. We have all become gadget freaks. All ages from babies to oldies all are constantly with their smartphone. We cannot imagine our lives without our cell phones, internet, social media, even the blog I am writing is using my laptop. It has spanned our lives, our homes, offices, schools, everywhere we go. 

There is no life without them. We sleep with our phones next to our pillows nearing the charging points. We eat dinner around the table with eyes on the TV or iPad screens. We go out for a run and our smart watches are paired with our Bluetooth headphones because we are relaxing with music…. we are never ever without our gadgets…. But we forget that these are electronic devices, and they breathe out or emit radiation and some can be extremely hazardous. The radiation exposure in the long term may cause serious health conditions like brain tumors, blood cancer and some have already shown birth-defects in babies. We read about this so many times and we also follow a thorough “Digital Detox” on a weekly or monthly basis, just like any other “Fad”. Can we come out of this “Digital mode” and turn on the “No-gadget mode” for just 1 moment of our life and for the sake of our health. “Time to get into a digital lockdown, it’s Time to think”.

Bold Beauty: “Wear the Real You!!” This saying has become the new “Skincare Mantra” of the decade. Most daily cleansing materials, skin care products, cosmetic goods all speak this one language. “Explore our best, organic, non-comedogenic, paraben free, cruelty free products and we will make you feel 10 years younger just like a “Baby’s skin-The Real You”. To a great extent new age skin care products are getting really good, highly advanced, organic, expensive. But excess use of these skin care products can cause skin cancers or extreme skin issues. So, trust me the Instagramable “No Make-up” is the new look and a good weekly detox is a must for a perfect Skin care routine. Go ahead flaunt that clear skin and be the New “Bold & Beautiful”.

There could be several reasons, elements or issues that could be the risk factor for having Cancer. But it is said by the wise “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows”. So, staying natural, being yourself, sleeping well & trusting your body signs are some great ways to early prevention of any disease, even the worst of the Cancers. Let’s pledge in honor of all those amazing Cancer Survivors that we will “stay safe, be calm & fight on” this Devil in Disguise together!!!

Author: Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni
B.Sc. (Foods & Nutrition), M.Sc. (Public Health)
Clinical Nutritionist, Diabetes Educator & Counsellor, Ph.D. scholar
Research & Product Domain Expert (Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd)
Chief Nutrition Counsellor (Germany)

 

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