Telemedicine: A Revolutionary Step in Healthcare

As technology advances at exponential levels, innovative technologies are hitting the market at a break-neck speed. Over the last decade, the healthcare domain has witnessed gigantic transformation by embracing trending technologies, improvising patient amenities, exploring new dimensions in medical research to name a few. The medical fraternity has unearthed new opportunities that continue to streamline and minimize the challenges faced by the patients as well as the doctors.

With the abundance of healthcare providers in the industry, players are now concentrating on developing new delivery models that help to improve medical care facilities. Among the various trending business models that are shaping the current healthcare industry, ‘Telemedicine’stands tall among making a lasting impression and bringing about a break-through change. It comes with a promise of eradicating healthcare’s last mile issue. Although it has been in the industry for quite a while, it has seen a remarkable growth in the past two decades.

An interesting analysis by experts reveals that the ‘doctor-patient’ ratio in India is around 1:921. If compared over the last few decades, this data is actually impressive. However, as a populous nation, several patients living in tier II and III towns along with the people living in rural areas still don’t have the access to quality medical facilities. Inspite of all the advancement in the medical sector, a majority of the people cannot utilize the benefits or fall short of the best medical solutions. This blockade is primarily due to the physical distance from a city along with the unawareness among the rural and underserved population.

This is where telemedicine technology evolves as a boon for the patients living in far-off areas. This technology is the amalgamation of state-of-the-art electronics, ICT, and associated applications that assist in providing education to healthcare professionals.  By connecting the doctors together with the patients, telemedicine is changing the dynamics of the sector at a rapid pace. Simplifying the interaction, this technology bridges the existing gaps and diminishes the obstacle to avail optimum medical facilities – even while staying at any remotest corner of the country!  Right from having a medical consultation, complex ailments, medication reminders, tracking health parameters, transmission of medical records – telemedicine does it all! In general, there are three versions of this technology that can be used as per requirement:

• Collaborative medicine: real-time communication with physicians
• Store & Forward: sharing patient information
• Remote Monitoring: done through mobile monitoring devices

Along with the private players, the Government is providing assistance in the form of initiatives, reforms, unified platform and reliefs. Since 2000, the Government of India has taken various measures to implement this technology at the remote ground levels. This technology is gaining momentum as there is a huge surge in the Indian tech industry. 

Read more info..Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Indian Tempering – There’s more to it than Just Flavors and Aroma

Indian food has a tantalizing aroma and specific mouth-watering taste, take it any kind of dish- from north Indian to south Indian. Ever wondered what the secret behind their distinctive flavor is? Well, the answer is the ‘Indian Tempering’, widely known as tadka. Go anywhere in India, the technique of tempering remains the same and it is used in almost every recipe.

In this technique, several spices and herbs are tempered in hot oil or clarified butter (ghee). The process unlocks the nutritional and medicinal values of these elements. The hot fat also has the ability to extract the aroma and essence of the spices to add a delicious flavor to the food. The commonly used spices and herbs in the Indian tempering are mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Depending on the type of dishes, some other spices are added as well. All of these herbs and values have amazing benefits. As can be incurred for this, the tadka is not just to add the taste value, but it actually has various nutritional benefits as well.

Let’s look into what healthy values these elements have to offer.

Mustard Seeds: Mustard seeds have high nutritional values, high antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, and are low in calories. They increase metabolism rate and hence, are good for digestion. Mustard seeds are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, protein, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and dietary fibers. It is also provides a nutrient called selenium, which is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. There are various other health benefits that mustard seeds bring to a human body.

Cumin Seeds: For long, cumin has been used as traditional medicine. The element offers a basket of health benefits including promoting digestion, reducing blood-sugar and cholesterol, preventing food-borne diseases, aiding in fat reduction and weight loss. It is a rich source of iron, and hence possesses digestive and anti-carcinogenic properties as well as boosts immune system. It also offers benefits to skin and hair, like anti-aging, treatment of skin disorders and boils, preventing hair loss, and so on. Cumin having high medicinal values provides many more benefits than just this.

Asafoetida: Also known as Food of Gods due to its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, carminative, and sedative properties, asafetida has a lot to offer to our health. It can be used to reduce bloating, stomach problems, headache, menstrual pains, and so on. The element also has some beauty enhancing properties, especially related to skin and hair.

Read more info…

Food and Beverage News & Blog

Never Miss a Dose: Medication Apps

Mobile phones, especially smartphones, are doing more than what they were intended to do. Thanks to all the apps that developers around the world are busy making to simplify the lives. These mobile apps come in all shapes and sizes and do a myriad of things for smartphone users. While gaming, social media, and retail apps continue to rule the charts, health apps are surely catching up. With people becoming more health conscious than ever, these apps are also making their mark.

Good health is attributed to many factors.  One needs to have a proper diet, exercise, routine checkups, and the likes. What most people tend to neglect intentionally or unintentionally is the medication routine. Medicines, be it a lifesaving drug or just a vitamin pill, is also essential for good health. Unfortunately, most people tend to forget taking their pills on time. Some blame it on their schedule, some don’t find the time, some are too busy to remember, and some, like the elderly, just forget to take it. According to a report published in Annals of Internal Medicine, September 2012, America loses $100 – $289 billion in a year due to medication non-adherence. The situation is graver in case of chronic illnesses. Treatment of such disease requires long-term use of medicines. But patients are seen not adhering to it due to various reasons. A study from Mayo Clinic states “approximately 50% of patients do not take their medications as prescribed.”  This amounts to not only monetary loss but also health issues. Some patients end up in emergency rooms because they did take medicines on time.  Even small issues turn into serious ones if not treated properly. Doctors have long been advising people to take their medicines as prescribed. But the results just don’t match up.

Keeping a digital eye on health

Mobile apps are now being used to fight this underrated health concern. A huge population of these patients uses smartphones. Mobile apps are now being recommended by doctors and other patients alike to tackle this menace. These apps are easy to use, mostly free, and are designed to perform a lot of things for the patients. These apps have a number of features to assist patients with drug adherence. The process is simple and starts with the patient uploading their prescription or filling in the drugs that they are on. They can then customize alarms, set up emergency numbers, put a tracker, and other such features. Some apps even use games to help patients understand the importance of taking medication on time.

Apps full of features

Different apps offer different features and sometimes address only a particular concern. Some apps are free of cost while some are premium and offer much-advanced features. But most apps do the following:

Set up reminders — Easiest way to get your dose on time is to set up alarms. The apps set off alarms at a definitive time and some even light up the screen with particular colors to remind the patients of their pending dose. Some even auto-adjust to the time zones, so that the patients do not mess up their dosage when traveling to different parts of the world.

Send messages to caregiver — Some apps send messages to the patient’s caregiver (mostly family member) and doctor when they miss a dose. They can then remind the patient to take their medicine.

Manage family health — Some apps can help patients deal with multiple profiles. This allows one member track the medicine habits of the entire family.

Drug Interaction – Few apps have the feature to let patients know about drug interactions i.e. if any two or more of one’s medicines can react and cause issues to his/her wellbeing. This feature can really help if one takes over-the-counter drugs with prescribed medicine.

Medical Jargons – Mobile apps can let patients understand medical terms too. Terms like CR (Controlled Release) printed on the medicine can often be confusing for patients. These apps help them crack such codes.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Balancing Health and Fitness at Workplace

The modern corporate life is very challenging and hectic. Due to the highly competitive business environment, employees have to give their 100% at work, at times even more than that. They have to deal with a variety of issues at the same time in the office including client meetings, deadlines, weekly and monthly goals, and so on. As a result, most of their time is spent either in the office premises or in front of laptops or computers. Employees get very little time because of which indulging in healthy activities like exercise, going to the gym, or other similar institutions often becomes difficult.

Maintaining a Healthy Routine is the Biggest Challenge

These days, employees get very little time to engage in healthy activities. They spend almost 9-10 hours in office. After this hectic office routine, employees find it lazy to go to gym or attend dance or yoga classes. Moreover, many also engage into unhealthy snacking considering it as a stress buster. Also, stress of office work prevents them from enjoying quality time with friends and family.

For many, the prime challenge is not only to meet the deadlines, deal with client demands, and upcoming performance reviews. In fact, for them, maintaining a healthy diet and accomplishing their fitness goals amidst team lunches, short snack breaks, month-end, and birthday celebrations with cakes and fried food is also a big pressure. Being a part of the office fun is essential for building a team atmosphere. But, it creates hindrances for one to accomplish their fitness goals.

Setting Desired Objectives

In order to remain healthy and fit, individuals can set certain goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. They can create a specified framework which can be followed for better health-oriented results. For example, an individual can set a certain time limit within which they intend to shed/gain weight. Following small routine activities like reducing sugar intake or a short walk after lunch can be very helpful.

Steps to Accomplish Health Goals

Maintaining a healthy routine isn’t very difficult and can work wonders if followed properly. Individuals can follow the below mentioned steps to meet their health objectives.

Constant Reminder

Individuals should always remind themselves of why they started following a healthy regimen. People should understand the importance of the goal. Subtle reminders at workplace will help them to stay focused. For extra attention, people can put a sticky note on their desk or on their computer screens. These reminders will help them in controlling their cravings for a pastry or a take-out.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Myths about Caffeine: The Roast Theory

Have you ever heard of light, medium, and dark roast in coffee? Do you think the amount of caffeine in coffee depends on its roast? Well, if you have been wondering, the answer is yes. The repercussions of coffee are quite personal: Jitters, restlessness, nausea, increased alertness, and many more. Even then, for coffee lovers, the feeling of having that warm cup in their hands or even the smell of a freshly brewed coffee is beyond amazing. With so much affection for coffee in our hearts, it’s definitely difficult to give up on it. But, what if you are told caffeine intake can be altered based on different roasts?

The Roast Levels

The coffee beans, extracted from a coffee plant, are green in color. These smell like grass, are soft and spongy to bite, and flavorless. So how does something so tasteless turn into something so delicious? The answer is ‘Roasting’. First, the beans undergo coffee processing. Followed by that, these beans are roasted to transform their physical as well as chemical properties, to bring in the characteristic flavor of coffee. This process is followed by coffee brewing. There are various levels of roasting, but they are broadly characterized into three: light, medium, and dark.

Light roasts, sometimes also called as Cinnamon roast, Light City, Half City, or New England, are light brown, tan in color, and they lack oils on their surfaces. This is because they are not roasted long enough and hence, the coffee oils don’t break through the beans’ surface. They are the most acidic of all the beans and retain the most of the original coffee characteristics.

Medium roasts, also known as Breakfast, American- as they are mostly preferred in the US, City, or Regular roasts, are a shade darker brown than the light roasts and look richer. They also have a non-oily surface, but some of them are covered in small amount of oil- they are called as medium-dark roasts or Full City. The medium roasted beans start developing aromas and flavors while losing some of their original qualities. They have less acidity and fuller body.

Last of these are the dark roasted beans. They go by the name Continental, Italian, French, European, New-Orleans, Viennese, or Spanish roast. These names are due to the fact that dark roast coffee is mostly preferred in Europe. Also, most of the espresso roasts are dark roast. They are dark brown, some almost black, in color, usually resembling chocolate. At this point, oils are clearly visible on the beans. The taste, aroma, and flavors in these roasts are enhanced and the brightness is replaced with the body. Most of the qualities of the original coffee are lost in these.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Turmeric – An Eminent Element of Natural Cures

“Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can heal the patient with your food” – Hippocrates

The practice of Ayurveda has been considered as an ancient one, which is extremely well documented in various historical scriptures. The best part about it is how relevant it is even in the modern world. This form of healthcare finds its origination over 5000 years ago. Essentially, it is not just about consuming an herbal concoction and awaiting results. Rather, it pushes people towards valuing their own body and working towards healing it naturally. There are innumerable remedies mentioned in the Ayurveda which use products that are commonly found in every household. One among them is Turmeric, a root plant and a commonly used spice. Its stark yellow color and the distinct fragrance is how one can identify it. It holds multiple benefits which make it an important substance required to maintain good health.

Unearthing the Unprocessed Goodness of Turmeric

The rhizome’s primarily comprises of curcumin which provides the unlimited benefits present in it. This yellow root also contains over essential oils such as germacrone and zingiberene. It is interesting to note that one ounce of turmeric provides over 26 % of the daily pre- requisite of manganese and 16 % of iron. There are plenty more reasons to implement turmeric into the daily diet. Here’s a glimpse into how important turmeric can be for the overall health of humans.

Natural Painkiller- Turmeric’s primary component curcumin, has anti – inflammatory properties. It assists in the reduction of pain which may be caused due to surgery or even burn injuries. It also provides relief from neuropathic pain and these painkiller properties are said to be similar to an analgesic. This is also why turmeric is advised for those individuals suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Safeguards the Human DNA from Damage – Another function of the herb is to act as a shield for the DNA due to its geno – protective quality. According to a certain study, turmeric in an aqueous form may provide over 80 % protection from any kind of harm to the DNA.

Providing Digestive Benefits – Turmeric is a boon for those facing digestive issues. The spice helps in healthy functioning of the gallbladder, hence producing the required amount of bile to ease digestion. It also assists in relieving the stomach from gas and any acid reflux. Additionally it also soothes any ulcers or inflammation within.

Assures a Healthy Respiratory System- To those who may have a habit of smoking, turmeric is the most significant element to add into their system. The curcumin works excellently as an antioxidant while healing the lungs of any inflammation that may have been caused due to the cigarette smoke. One of the most significant ways that turmeric heals is by aiding in healing cold and cough. It is one of the most ancient ways that the spice has been used so far.

Alleviating Brain Health and the Mood – Various studies have tried, tested and suggested that the curcumin content in Turmeric acts as an antidepressant. Depression is said to be a mental illness that leads to reduced level of brain – derived neurotrophic factor and also shrinks the hippocampus which is related to the learning and memory functions of the brain. Turmeric has the ability to boost these levels and also reverse any effect the illness may have had. It is also said that curcumin may be capable of enhancing the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. If an individual is displaying signs of Alzheimer’s, turmeric can be used as it also functions as an agent to reduce beta amyloid plaque. This may help in slowing down the symptoms and eventually completely eliminate the illness.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Healthcare and Patient Satisfaction – The Essential Elements

The success or failure of any organization depends on the quality of service they provide to the customers. In case of healthcare organizations, patient satisfaction is of prime concern. These establishments work day-in and day-out to improve the quality of patient service, provide exceptional patient care, and enhance the patient experience.

Quality of Service is Indicated by Patient Experience Measures

Patient satisfaction surveys play a very important role in assisting healthcare institutions to transition to value-based healthcare services. Recent research states that quality of care is directly influenced by patient experience. But, in spite of various factors influencing organizations to pay more attention to patient satisfaction, many healthcare providers are still skeptical about it due to conflicting research. Some studies state that patient experience has no relation with the quality of care, while other studies found that it is directly associated with better outcomes.

Major Factors Influencing the Patient Experience of Care

Even though there are many inconsistencies in terms of defining patient experience, research states that improvement in patient experience and development in quality of care are clearly connected. There are five major procedures that can help healthcare organizations in radically improving patient experiences and utilizing innovative technology to their advantage.

Proper Monitoring of Patient Satisfaction and Implementation of Appropriate Measures

Improving patient experience is a basic and necessary approach towards improving outcomes. If a patient is given proper treatment and is receiving proper care from the doctors and nurses, then they will feel better about the hospital authority. As a result, they will properly follow the treatment recommendations. Institutions should use patient satisfaction as a balance measure, and not as a catalyst for outcomes. Balance measures assist health systems in making proper quality of care improvements and also taking care of potential negative impacts. Using patient experience as balance measure also helps healthcare institutions make sure that improvements one area doesn’t hamper another area.

Evaluation of the Complete Care Team  

A major step towards the improvement of patient care experience is to gather data as a whole instead of gathering information about individual care interactions. Surveys should be conducted to assess not only individuals, but also the entire team. They should include individual oriented questions along with questions that concern the entire team, like ‘how well were the nurses and physicians working together’, and so on.     

Judicious Utilization of Healthcare Analytics

Systems have to understand, use, and act on the patient satisfaction data to improve the patient experience. Concerned authorities can use an enterprise data warehouse and patient experience applications to research and identify how patient experience, clinical outcomes, and employee satisfaction are related.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Circadian Rhythms: The Clock that makes us Rise and Shine Every Morning

“A human body can think thoughts, play a piano, kill germs, remove toxins, and make a baby all at once. Once it’s doing that your biological rhythms are actually mirroring the symphony of the universe because you have circadian rhythms, seasonal rhythms, tidal rhythms you know they mirror everything that is happening in the whole universe.”—Michio Kaku

Last year on the 3rd October 2017, three scientists, Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young, won the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine. Their research on circadian rhythm, a regular patterned tempo that all living beings tend to follow, enabled them to win the prestigious award.

Circadian rhythm is the cycle that tends to make one tired at night and wake up in the morning. The internal biological clock pushes the Circadian rhythms, by anticipating the day/night cycles. There are various physiological and behavioral parameters of an organism that are governed by Circadian rhythms. It affects not just the sleep cycle, but large parts of our society from working schedules, school routine, to rush hour traffic— almost everything is in sync with the circadian rhythm.

How it works?

“Circadian” means “about a day”. This biological clock establishes over a period of time during the first few months of the life. It controls the day-to-day changes in the biological patterns, like body temperature, blood pressure, and also the release of hormones. The concept of the biological clock may sound metaphorical; however, there is a distinct region in the brain that is in charge of keeping track of the time. It is an area called as the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (or SCN), placed above the point where the optic nerve fibers cross in the brain. This unique location of SCN near the optic nerves enables it to receive cues directly from light in the environment, and eventually this helps keep time.

There are numerous genes that govern the normal functioning of the internal biological clock. The most important one which was discovered by researchers, who were awarded the Nobel Prize last year, is the ‘period’ gene. The period gene is responsible for production of the protein PER, which in turn inhibits the period gene. This works like a feedback loop, and causes the level of PER protein to cycle incessantly. A high level of PER protein stops more PER from being formed, up until levels are low, and it starts manufacturing more again. This loop works over a period of about 24 hours, therefore it is called the period gene. This mechanism was first discovered in the fruit flies. Humans have a biological clock which is run by the mechanism which is very much similar to that of the fruit flies.

Sleep: The Dynamic Interplay between Metabolism and Relaxation

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”— Benjamin Franklin

Our body’s biological clock is governed by structures inside our brain, which regulates our sleep-wake cycles. Sleep is basically a series and amalgamation of distinctive physiological stages, which a person goes through. Each step has an important function and purpose behind it, that helps keep the brain and body healthy. At night our sleep is alternating between stages of quiet or deep sleep and periods of REM (dreaming) sleep. While the chief function of quite sleep is to restore the body, dreaming sleep helps restore the mind, and plays a definitive role in learning and memory.

Growth, hormonal regulation, and physical renewal all occur during deep sleep. Throughout this period the brain receives a reduced blood flow, which helps cool it down.  The beginning of this stage marks the release of the growth hormone by the pituitary gland, which stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair. Scientists have also found that there is an increased level of constituents that activate the immune system in the blood, during the deep sleep. This has led to the speculation that deep sleep plays a vital role in fighting against infections. The lack of deep sleep may lead to illnesses, depression, and gaining an unhealthy amount of weight.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

New-age Techniques that can Prevent Life-threatening Diseases among Infants

Every parent wants their child to be delivered healthy and live healthy. While living healthy after birth depends upon many factors like nurturing, proper diet, health awareness, exercises, good sleep, and more, the circumstances during the childbirth are quite different. There are things which one couldn’t control earlier, that is the case of some defective genes in father, mother or in both. But with the advent of landmark IVF treatment and successive progression towards its improvements have gifted this world many popular, sometimes controversial but effective medical techniques that can prevent the transfer of faulty genes into the child and ensure a good health of baby on its arrival. Karyomapping and three parents IVF are the few techniques which have even got the acceptance (both in legal and societal aspect) in many countries, including the UK.

Karyomapping

People are often affected with lethal genetic diseases, which many a times transfer to their dear ones and drastically affect their health and well-being. While in the process of expecting a child, its health is always a matter of great concern for the families and especially for the parents. With hectic life schedule, bad food habits, work pressure, loneliness, depression, and more, people often suffer from many life-threatening diseases like diabetes, mental illness, and many more.

No parent, even after knowing that they are suffering from a particular genetic disorder, will ever want to let affect the health of their new baby in a negative way.  Now with the advent of Karyomapping, a couple can avoid passing a genetic disorder on to their offspring. In this revolutionary technique, embryos get screened before getting implanted into the mother’s womb (uterus). This method is also known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis or PGD for short.

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is needed to carry out this technique successfully. In this process several eggs get collected from the ovaries and then are fertilized outside the body using previously extracted sperm, to produce embryos. Each embryo is then screened, on various parameters, to check its health. Karyomapping technique scrutinizes the chromosomes of the mother, father, and the reference at 300,000 different points. Through this method, doctors can find the defective embryos and precisely remove those from the IVF process. Only the embryos that are free from any genetic condition are transferred to the uterus. In this way one can ensure a healthy life for the new born and can also reduce the probability of miscarriage, significantly.

Three Parent IVF or Pronuclear Transfer

Mitochondria are small organelles that sit inside our cells and provide vital energy to it. Mitochondria also play a vital role in the respiratory process. But when this significant organelle of our body gets defected, it invites a plethora of life-threatening diseases.

A recent study revealed that many children every year are born with faulty mitochondrial DNA, caused by mutations in them that affect mitochondrial function. Its symptoms includes: heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, poor growth, loss of muscle coordination, muscle weakness, neurological problems, autonomic dysfunction, and dementia.

Mitochondrial disorder becomes worse when the faulty mitochondria present in the muscles, cerebrum, or nerves as these vital parts of our body require more energy as compared to other parts. Mitochondrial diseases strike early in childhood and get worse steadily and even prove fatal before adulthood.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Nutritional Desideratum during Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a significant moment in the life of a woman. This is the period of time where the individual will need to take good care of herself and ensure that a healthy pregnancy includes an equally healthy diet. This is where the nurturing of the child starts and helps it grow in an ideal environment. The fetus growing inside the womb relies entirely on the food consumed by the mother. It is hence necessary to implement foods containing more calcium, folic acid or folate, iron and proteins. The intake of fruits and vegetables needs to be taken seriously as adding a large variety of them into the diet can prove to facilitate more vitamins and minerals within the body.

Implementation of Nourishment for the Fetus

Food is the element that helps humans live and provides them with energy to carry out their day to day tasks. The ingested nutrients upon getting absorbed into the body start building up the body and repair it from within. Similarly, for women who are expecting, they need double the nutrition as it needs to be balanced out for the growth of the baby as well as energy for the mother. Here are some of the things to add into the diet compulsorily to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Dairy Products – The need to consume foods that are rich in protein and calcium are at its –peak as this is a major requirement for the fetus’ bone health. The high quality protein mainly casein and whey are found in dairy products along with magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. Yoghurt is a rich source of all the above nutrients especially calcium which assures that the babies developing bones, teeth and muscles are healthy. Some variants of yoghurt also contain probiotic bacteria which are very important for digestive health and assist in constipation during pregnancy. Consumption of milk may also help in reducing the chances of pregnancy related complications.

Legumes – These small pods are rich in iron, protein and folate. During the first trimester it is essential that both the mother and fetus receive folate as it is possible that the chances of low birth weight are reduced. The fibers present in it also help in preventing hemorrhoids for the duration of the pregnancy.

Fish – This is also a natural source of vitamin D which is good for the hair as well as nails. Consumption of fish helps in providing the body with Omega 3 fatty acid. The fetus’ brain and eyes are built using this nutrient but fish like salmon should be consumed in moderation. The risk of impurities or large quantity of mercury does exist, but nonetheless, the occasional sea food can help in completing this very important dietary requirement.

Broccoli and Dark Leafy Greens – The presence of fiber, vitamins C, K, folate and potassium in these vegetables holds various benefits for both. These are rich in anti – oxidants that may help in preventing cancer, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease as well. It can also help in reducing the risk of low birth weight. The likes of Spinach, Kale and Arugula are crucial for the purification of blood as well.

Whole Grains – Grains like whole wheat, whole oats, barley and quinoa help a pregnant woman fulfill the daily calorie requirements. This is especially necessary during the second and third trimester as the growth of the fetus is the fastest and the body requires energy to carry out everyday functions as well. They also contain magnesium which may help in relaxing the muscles and also preventing the uterus from contracting prematurely.

Read more..

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Molecular Diagnostics – a Leap of Growth in Medical Analysis

Molecular diagnostics has emerged dramatically over the last two decades, as advanced technologies have driven this industry towards the next level of significance. Companies which already have adopted molecular diagnostic methods are now benefitted by increased accuracy and improved sensitivities in their tests compared to others. These new methods have greatly enhanced the discovery of many microbial infections, as well as genetic illnesses. Those who were hesitating due to the challenges and expense of opening a molecular lab now run the risk of being at a competitive disadvantage.

Molecular Diagnostics Industry

Molecular diagnostics has paved way for collaboration among many companies to add up their strengths. Through the collaboration, they intend to strengthen their hold in the molecular diagnostic market and develop an integrated clinical workflow solution and provide mass access to molecular diagnostics. Tie-ups with companies from other domains are mainly aimed at marketing of diagnostic tests. Only a handful of companies controlled more than two-thirds or more of the market for molecular tests. Companies like Roche will continue to lead the product portfolio includes molecular diagnostic tests for oncology, virology, microbiology, and blood screening. Multiple insurance providers are associated with them as payers of high-end medical tests.

Emerging Market Led by DNA Testing

The global molecular diagnostics market has reached beyond six billion USD in recent times according to some business reports. New technologies, innovations in medical science and expanded applications for tests have been fueling steady growth in the field. The business scope for it has its spectrum is not limited to one field of study. Molecular techniques are utilized in diverse fields like biochemistry, cellular sciences, genetics, infectious disease, oncology, hematology, and pharmacology.

Majority of the market for testing is derived from blood screening and tests related to infectious diseases. Personalized medicine is the new trend emerging with technologies that depend on DNA sequencing and molecular diagnostics. DNA sequencing is becoming a primary reason for the growth of molecular diagnostics. Personalization is the best when the approach to patients care is preventive care, which relies on proper diagnostic care or therapeutic remedies.

Clinical Testing Goes Molecular

Opening a molecular lab is a complex project demanding high-end instruments and expert to operate them. Setting up a sophisticated molecular lab is easier today because of the developments in the technology. Complex tests and bulky equipment are becoming more digital and user-friendly, gradually loaded with automated functioning. It also offers monitoring and control systems to ensure quality results.

It’s been more challenging to demonstrate the clinical utility of tests for broad patient populations. Targeted tests will continue to be the first choice for the majority of the patients. It will be more imperative than ever for clinical labs to have moldable solutions, with both targeted tests available.

A major challenge in the form of Antibiotic resistance is bound to have a long-term impact on the molecular diagnostics space. There are three elements – an integrated approach of rapid testing, antimicrobial stewardship programs, and clear actions based on results, which are required to address such a public health crisis.

Molecular diagnostics is advancing to provide most laboratory tests in infections and genetics. Genome sequence databases within and between species provide the information necessary to develop sensitive and specific diagnostic assays. In fact, microorganisms are nowadays classified on the basis of sequence rather than phenotype.

Read more..

Molecular Diagnostics – a Leap of Growth in Medical Analysis

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals

Emerging Nutrition Trends Attempting to Cure Global Malnutrition and Obesity

Health and wellness trends are changing the consumer point of view towards the nutrition products. They demand the adequate informed choices of products to be made available in the market so that they need not confront situations like malnutrition or obesity. Nutrition thus remains a major concern for public healthcare agencies around the world. On one side the problem of hunger and malnutrition is increasing in certain parts of the world like Africa and Asia while there are regions struggling with obesity in the North American continent. There is a need for implementing and scaling up changes aimed at assuring the access to nutritious foods and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition and ill-health. Some of the recent developments in the field of nutrition are narrated here.

Global Paradox of Two Extremes – Malnutrition and Obesity

It is a global dilemma that under-nutrition and obesity are found to exist simultaneously in many countries. Families with experience of food insecurity may have a higher risk of overweight and obesity. Poor access to food, high cost of nutritious food, the stress of living are common reasons in many regions while physiological variations developed as a result of chronic food deprivation are individual causes illnesses related to malnutrition and obesity.

According to UN reports a number of people suffering from hunger in the world in 2017 were around 821 million or one in nine adults while obese adults are 672 million or one in eight adults. There are 150.8 million (22.2%) children under the age of five affected by low height-for-age ratio while 38.3 million (5.6%) are children under the age of five who are having high weight-for-height.  Moreover, it is also reported that 32.8% of women of reproductive age are affected by anemia.

Adult obesity is worsening as cases of overweight individuals are rising significantly in North America but Africa and Asia are also experiencing an upward trend. Indian situation in nutritional sufficiency can be judged from the fact that it was ranked 100th out of 118 countries. New evidence continues to signal that the number of people deprived of necessary nutrition in the world is growing and there was a slow progress on ending all forms of malnutrition.

Digestive Wellness

Most healthcare professionals believe that the general wellness of a person depends on the health of his digestive system and hence digestive wellness takes the center stage of their efforts. Consumers are now aware and want to experience the maximum benefits from the food they eat and thus create a strong demand for food products that claim to provide digestive wellness. It is propelled by addition of new ingredients and emerging science of preparing the food products. The general trend of ‘free-from’ foods such as sugar-free, free from dairy, free from gluten, free from added flavors is catching. Some of them also want foods with ingredients like prebiotic fibers, probiotics for added benefit. The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) is the agency bringing more awareness and scientific understanding about probiotics. Fermented foods like yogurt are considered as the ‘functional food’ in a diet.

Brands of nutritional supplementary foods like Huel and Innermost are popular items in the Silicon Valley Diet. It is a cult meal alternative drink that the tech community is currently obsessing over. These powdered products offer a complete nutritional meal to live a healthy balanced lifestyle on a daily basis. Similar products can be made available for masses at affordable price if healthcare agencies worldwide take initiative.

Personalized Nutrition

Personalized nutrition is a continuing trend as people realize that everyone has different needs. It is expected to shape the future of health and wellness market. It is the concept of bringing specific customized food pattern on the mass scale which dietitians were doing for each individual. Increased personalization of products requires more inputs for product development and investment in brand building.

Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about the effects of readymade foods and their own dietary requirements. More personalized products such as food allergies and specific food intolerance needs are increasing in demand.

There is a kind of movement for personalized nutrition which is mostly driven by advancements in technology, in many cases just waiting for science to catch up. A nutrition tailored for a specific individual is possible in near future with the help of technologies such as wearable fitness trackers to DNA testing that will drive the demand for such services. Even packaging is getting person-centric in labels and visualizations. For instance, independent studies have revealed that consumers relate more to ‘orange juice’ on the ingredient label than ‘Ascorbic Acid’ or ‘Vitamin C’ though both labels are just different names of same ingredient.

Healthcare Revolution through Technology Enabled Insurance

Many economists support the fact that an employer-sponsored health insurance is hurting the pockets of employees. Almost all experts are recommending the separation of insurance from employment. Though the private insurance systems are available, the dependence on employer-sponsored insurance is very high in western countries like USA.

Self-Insuring the Healthcare Sector

Companies are increasingly looking to self-insure the health care. This can be done in various ways but in the most likely scenario, they will use the reach of technology and mass acceptance of smart devices for developing smart ecosystems such as telemedicine, robotics for surgery, diagnostics network, and clouds of electronic medical records.

Challenges of the Current Healthcare Insurance System

There are sector specific challenges in the current healthcare system as a fragmented ecosystem of suppliers and manufacturers. Healthcare insurance provides face pressures on margins, and regulatory policies are uncertain. A patient does not have enough knowledge and they lack the control over its decisions to make insurance claims. The fundamental difficulty with the system is that it makes the patients vulnerable, unable to make decisions for their own benefits and can’t avoid the potential risks.

The current system induces people to spend more money on health insurance and overall health care spending. It is regressive and expensive and represents the single largest tax expenditure. It makes people dependent on their employers for their health insurance and they are worried about how the exchange coverage may not be affordable to them if they leave the job. Doctors have opinion that the patients are at disadvantage if they don’t have insurance or if the coverage is uncertain. Government can take initiative to sponsor health insurance for all people as a promising alternative to the current system.

Technology Enabled Solutions

The internet has enabled the patients to get online consultations and take second opinions from experts. Technologies such as the mobile applications allow them to monitor their own health. The crucial missing ingredients are provided by these solutions such as the access to their own health care history, diagnosis reports, medical records, and they are able to share information with anyone if required.

Read more..

Healthcare Revolution through Technology Enabled Insurance

Best Healthcare Magazine | Healthcare Industry News & Journals