How Vitamin D can protect you from COVID

Medical experts opine that Vitamin D helps to strengthen immunity and protect yourself against COVID-19. According to Consultant Family Physician Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa, Sri Lankans are known to be Vitamin D insufficient.

Keeping healthy Amidst a Pandemic

The year that passed was a challenging one with a killer virus that took away millions of lives apart from those who fell victim to it and recovered later on. Even at this passing minute, many are in ICU wards, battling life and death. However, life has to go on amidst the pandemic and the best way to brave it is to be aware of your health more than before.

Children fall prey to the Invisible Pandemic

We all love our children and go to great lengths to ensure that they live healthy and successful lives. We as responsible parents keep a keen eye on what children eat and drink and their nutritional value. But unfortunately we fail to grasp the importance of the quality of air we and our children breathe.

Oral cancer: the unseen killer

Cancer is a big challenge that is faced by mankind globally. If we take Sri Lanka the two most common cancers are oral and breast cancer.

Focusing on non-surgical methods and preventing complications

Do you often feel fatigue for no reason, even if you get your daily dose of sleep? Do you find it difficult to tolerate cold weather when everybody else is complaining of the weather being warm? Or do you experience increased unusual perspiration or frequent bouts of hunger with relatively less weight gain? If the answers to any of the above are yes, you are most likely to have a hormonal imbalance related to the thyroid gland.

Impact of new COVID variant on children investigated

Scientists are urgently investigating hints the new variant of coronavirus spreads more easily in children. Children almost universally shrug off the virus, but the variant could alter the role they, and schools, play in spreading the virus.

PCR tests on children

PCR testing is not a pleasant experience. This is because PCR tests typically test the fluids in the nasopharyngeal area where the highest volumes of the virus are present. But could this invasive test damage the delicate nasal interiors in infants and children?

Learn to handle and prevent bedsores

Pressure ulcers or bedsores happen when one’s body remains in contact against a surface for too long due to immobilization. When you lie or sit in a position for too long, the weight of your body against the surface of the bed or chair cuts off blood supply to that area.

The battle against Leukemia

Cancer is not just a zodiac sign, but a terrifying term which makes the heart race, as it can turn one’s life upside down in a spur of a second. Most of the late stage cancers are not curable, so it is always better to stay aware of early signs and symptoms and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Covid: Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill

A study in Nature of more than 2,200 intensive care patients has identified specific genes that may hold the answer.

Can COVID-19 transmit through food?

These days people harbour some fear of getting infected with the coronavirus through food. As a result most people are afraid to dine outside. However, it is better to avoid susceptible food which can bring illnesses and infections. In this article we are going to discuss whether there is a possibility of COVID-19 being transmitted through contaminated, unprocessed or processed food.

Dietary influence on premature skin ageing

The skin has been accounted to reflect the general inner-health status and ageing of a person. A young and a beautiful appearance may have a positive influence on our social behaviour as well as for the reproductive status.

A cancer that can be prevented by a vaccine

According to the WHO, cancer is the second leading cause of death. But, did you know that you can prevent a certain cancer by just a vaccine? Most types of cervical cancers can be prevented by the HPV vaccine.

WHO launches ‘Commit to Quit’

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of tobacco users saying they want to quit. The campaign will support at least 100 million people as they try to give up tobacco through communities of quitters.

Take the HIV test at least once in your lifetime

Sex is a physiological need according to Maslow’s hierarchy, apart from food and breathing. Therefore, there’s nothing to be ashamed of wanting to engage in a basic human need.

Febrile Fits: Separating Myths from Truths

A previously healthy child suddenly developing a seizure attack will be a nightmare for a parent. But that is exactly what happens in a child having febrile convulsions, also known as ‘febrile fits, which is the commonest condition causing seizure attacks in children.

COVID through the lens of disability

COVID-19, the first truly global pandemic in modern days, has affected most parts of the world in a debilitating manner, affecting several aspects of our lives.

Covid-19: Lung damage ‘identified’ in study

Covid-19 could be causing lung abnormalities still detectable more than three months after patients are infected, researchers suggest.

Donate blood and be a superhero

Almost all of us have dreamt of being a superhero and saving lives in our childhood. Though it was only a fantasy, did you know that you can actually save hundreds of lives throughout your lifetime, with very little effort, by becoming a blood donor? Blood is an essential component to sustain human life. Until the discovery of transfusion of blood and blood products, thousands of people used to die daily due to blood loss during accidents, childb

Diagnostic Tests to detect Coronavirus

COVID-19 is the most common word which can be heard these days. As per the Epidemiology Unit, over 20,508 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. Among them 5720 patients were under medical care as at November 25.

Don’t ignore bladder health!

We tend to turn a blind eye to matters that seem trivial such as passing urine. But ignoring one’s bladder health would lead to discomfort in our day to day lives and may lead to further complications that would prove to be detrimental to one’s wellbeing. According to Consultant Urological Surgeon at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Dr. Manjula Wijewardena, the human bladder is a dynamic muscular structure with sensors and effectors u

Earwax could reveal stress levels, study finds

A study conducted at the University College London Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience has shown that a build-up of the stress hormone cortisol can be measured from the oily secretions around your ear canal.

Managing lung cancer during COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares cancer as one of the leading causes of death globally. According to the WHO, globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is caused due to cancer and lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer related deaths.

How overuse of antibiotics negatively affects treating COVID-19

At present people are afraid of contacting even a common flu due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is because our society harbours fears that a common cold may manifest to COVID-19 or it will be early symptoms of that.

Ayurveda for a healthy life

Ayurveda is considered as the oldest healing science originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. This is compiled in Sanskrit language and term ‘Ayurveda’.

Ill-effects of trauma could be eased with sleep, study finds

A new study conducted by researchers at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine revealed that increasing the amount of time spent asleep immediately after a traumatic experience may ease any negative consequences.

Mouthwash can reduce oral COVID-19 virus load

As we are all aware of human to human transmission of COVID-19 has been reported to occur through close contact with an infected person.

Diabetes and COVID-19: Are diabetics more susceptible?

Being Diabetic alone does not necessarily mean that one is more likely to get infected with COVID-19. Everyone is exposed to an equal risk of getting infected. However, the likelihood of adverse outcomes after being infected is increased in persons with Diabetes, compared to a healthy individual due to the immunocompromising nature of Diabetes Mellitus.

Telemedicine services during the pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many have second thoughts about visiting hospitals for checkups. Although it is only a few hospitals that have been converted to specialised centres treating COVID-19 patients and even after many doctors themselves asked patients to get their routine checkups done, they may not do so. However, opting for telemedicine services could be the future of medicine in this pandemic-stricken era.

COVID ‘raises new psychiatric disorders risk’

One in every 17 people who have had Covid-19 could be diagnosed with anxiety, depression or insomnia for the first time, a study of millions of US patient health records suggests.