WHAT IS DIABETIC OBESITY ?

DIABETIC OBESITY

1. OBESITY

·         It is a disease of excess body fat.

·         You are classified obese when you weigh 20% more than the average weight for a given height.

2. TYPE 2 DIABETES

·         It occurs when cells become insensitive to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.

·         It usually affects older people, but now younger people too.

·         It is a progressive disease affecting every system in the body. 

·         It can cause adult blindness, limb amputations, and kidney failure too.

3. THEIR CORRELATION

·         Over 80% Type 2 diabetics are obese, hence the term ‘diabesity’.

·         Both are strong risk factors for heart disease.

·         Patients need effective treatment to control diabetes and obesity.

·         Theoretically, losing weight is the best option.

·         Conventional weight loss methods are low-diet food consumption, exercise, increased activity, lifestyle changes, and medication.

·         However, Type 2 diabetics fail to lose weight beyond a point with conventional weight loss methods.

4. SURGERY FOR CURING DIABESITY

·         People with a BMI of 32.5 kg/square metre (Body Mass Index = Weight/Square of Height) generally fail to lose weight the traditional way and might require surgery to control their obesity.

·         Two common low-risk laparoscopic surgeries for treating diabesity are Gastric bypass and Sleeve gastrectomy.

·         These surgeries are effective in weight loss as well as a cure and control of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

·         The quality of life of people with diabesity improves and they add several years to their lives.

TIPS FOR SELECTING A BUSINESS SCHOOL

TIPS FOR SELECTING A BUSINESS SCHOOL

A. DECISION ENABLERS

1. Location

·         Except for the top-ranked 25 business schools, location matters.

·         So prefer a metro-based business school to a non-metro one, other things remaining equal.

2. Faculty & Accreditation

·         Prefer a blend of academics and practitioners.

·         Look for the number of faculty members with over 10 years of work experience.

·         Accredited business schools are always preferable.

·         ISO certification does not mean much.

3. Peer groups & impressions

·         They are the most important.

·         From last year’s brochure, see the kind of colleges your seniors came from.

·         Academic and gender diversity, too, matters a lot.

4. Average salary potential & fees charged

·         Very few institutes tell you the absolute truth.

·         So discount average salary by about 25%.

·         See if the fees justify the average salary.

·         Also do not be too restrictive.

·         MBA has a long earning horizon.

·         So go for schools with better brand equity even if the fee is slightly higher.

5. Job profiles

·         Companies recruit freshers at multiple levels with different packages.

·         See the profile of jobs offered at the B-schools.

·         If it is a Tier 3/ Tier 4 school, ask if the companies recruit through their Direct Sales Agents.

·         If yes, be very careful.

B. WARNING BELLS

1. Management quota

·         If you are offered a seat in this quota without asking for it, the institute is trying to make extra money.

·         So check them out carefully.

2. Discounted fees

·         If a school offers you a discount (or even a scholarship), see if it comes on the basis of competitive criterion.

·         Or else the institute is just trying to fill its seats.

3. Listing of ‘companies associated with us’

·         These people may have only given a guest lecture.

·         Specifically ask for a list of companies who recruited during the last year.

4. Multiple-degree offers

·         Many schools offer a range of MBAs within the same campus, but may not have flagship status.

·         If you are offered admission to a program you have not applied for, be warned as it may not be worth it.

5. Foreign trips / complimentary laptops

·         Unless the trip is for a trimester or so, it will just be a pleasure trip, and is not worth your time and money.

·         The same applies to free laptops.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR AN OVERSEAS JOB

CONSIDERATIONS FOR AN OVERSEAS JOB

·         An overseas job brings a notion of better salary and lifestyle

·         However, the realities have undergone a significant change.

A. Why work abroad?

·         A major factor is economic benefit from higher compensation.

·         People also look for a global exposure as a significant addition to their curriculum vitae.

·         This helps in higher benchmarking and upgrading of the individual’s skills.

B. Things to consider

·         Analyse it in terms of growth, career prospects and opportunities.

·         Opting for an overseas job is a change in your professional life.

·         It is also a change in your culture, environment and geography.

·         Be clear what your interests and expectations from yourself are.

·         Decide whether you want to shift with your family, as it could affect your spouse’s career and your children’s education.

·         Consider the hidden costs of an overseas job, like commuting, accommodation, utility and household cost of living, besides taxes, while evaluating the higher offered salary.

C. Do your homework with a checklist

·         Be wary of abnormally high salaries or improper selection criteria.

·         Research your destination’s political and economic conditions and prospects in your sector.

·         Research the company by finding out about its market share, vision, past record of treating employees, and seek direct employment with it.

·         If you have to go through an overseas consultant, check whether he is registered and has the license from the ministry of overseas Indian affairs to recruit for international assignments.

·         Otherwise, choose a registered placement agency.

·         Check with respective embassies about the authenticity and past records of the company.

·         Get in-depth details of contract duration, terms and conditions.

·         Get the job contract in hand before leaving the country.

D. Job opportunities

1. USA – Environmental engineering, biotechnology, healthcare, software, information technology, network system analysis, financial services.

2. Europe (UK, Germany, France) – Legal services, insurance, defence, real estate, banking, healthcare.

3. Middle East (Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Libya) – Oil and gas, energy, construction, real estate, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, retail, general functions in HR, sales and accounts.

4. Africa – Oil and gas, manufacturing, telecom, mining, civil and mechanical engineering, hospitality, CAs and management level professionals.

E. Ground facts of job prospects

1. USA – tough H-1B restrictions, hiring in small numbers for highly qualified professionals for niche and domain specific skills.

2. Europe (UK, Germany, France) – tough point-based immigration system putting a higher weightage to skills and earning potential, for getting a work permit.

3. Middle East (Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Libya) – things have slowed down post-downturn and after the Dubai crisis.

4. Africa – hiring numbers are less post-downturn, but better prospects than the rest of the world, but some countries are politically disturbed.

EASY STEPS FOR RIGHT HAIR TREATMENT AT HOME

EASY STEPS FOR RIGHT HAIR TREATMENT AT HOME

Step 1

·         Shampoo your hair every alternate day to remove dirt and grime.

·         Always lather with a moisturizing shampoo enriched with pro-Vitamin formula that nourishes your hair.

·         Shampoo by gently massaging your scalp to improve blood circulation.

Step 2

·         Always condition your hair after every wash for adding moisture to your hair.

·         Take a coin sized amount in your palms and rub them together to spread evenly.

·         Then apply ear-down to the tips.

·         Leave it in your hair for at least 3 minutes and then comb to untangle the knots.

Step 3

·         Treat your hair once a week by indulging in deep-conditioning.

·         It contains concentrated pro-Vitamin formula that undoes past damage and repairs hair so that you can style it the way you want.

Step 4

·         Do not brush your hair when it is wet, and let it dry naturally.

·         If in a hurry, make sure you use a blow dryer on the lowest heat setting.

·         Blow dry using a paddle brush, while keeping the dryer 6 inches away from hair to avoid burning it.

SAFE SKIN TREATMENTS

SAFE SKIN TREATMENTS

1. PHOTO-REJUVENATION

·         This is a procedure that uses intense pulsed light to take care of colour imperfections in your skin.

·         It is an excellent solution for a sun tan, uneven skin tone and ageing spots.

·         Ideally, this treatment should be done for about 3 months to actually obtain the desired results.

2. GLYCOLIC ACID PEELS

·         These exfoliating peels use glycolic acid to remove dead skin.

·         A 2-month treatment helps to achieve glow and rejuvenation.

3. SKIN POLISHING (MICRODERM-ABRASION)

·         It is done either with aluminum crystals, or diamond tip probe.

·         This treatment exfoliates the skin and has deeper action than peels.

·         It helps get rid of acne scars, black heads, and open pores while giving a polished look to your skin.

·         It can also be done for your back, tummy, hands and legs.

4. MESOGLOW

·         It brings back the glow to your face, especially after the daily grind leaves it dull and lifeless.

·         With tiny injections and a vitamin concoction, your skin will regain its moisture in just a couple of sessions.

5. LASER HAIR REMOVAL

·         It can be used to permanently remove facial hair as well as hair from the surface of the body.

·         You can thus avoid the pain of waxing or threading every month.

6. BOTOX AND FILLERS

·         Botox is a natural protein from a bacteria called clostridium botulinum.

·         Its cosmetic effect relaxes wrinkles, frown lines between eyebrows, crow’s feet and horizontal forehead lines.

·         Results vary, and can last up to 8 months, creating a smoothed rejuvenated and youthful skin.

·          Excessive sweating in the underarm area or on the palms can also be easily resolved with botox treatment.

·         When taken around the eyebrow area, a shapely pair of arched eyebrows can also be gained.

·         A slender neck with no loose bands of flesh is also possible with the Nefertiti Neck procedure using botox.

·         Defined jaw lines with no excess facial fat, sensual lips and high cheek bones are all possible.

·         The jaw can be contoured with botox and full cheek bones and a perfect pout can be created using fillers.

·         The new-age hyaluronic acid dermal filler is a magical invention that can change your face completely.

·         The material is absolutely safe and is found in the ground substance of our skin, eye chamber and in the joints.

·         Skin tightening using the thermage is a great way to gain taut skin on the face and body.

7. IMPORTANT

·         These treatments with non-invasive magical tools – botox and dermal fillers – should ideally be done around one month prior to the required date to achieve best possible results.

·         The effects achieved are fairly temporary, but on an average, can last about 6 months.

·         A personalized diet plan and a specific skin-care regime, as suggested by qualified dermatologists, needs to be followed in order to maintain the effect.

8. UNDOING A COSMETIC PROCEDURE

·         Many times, the final results are not what you had expected.

·         You can’t undo permanent fillers, but temporary fillers can be reversed.

·         However, even temporary fillers can’t be undone completely to your original state because they are not concentrated in one place and go into various tissues.

·         In any case, temporary fillers only last an average of 4-6 months, after which your face returns to its normal state.

·         Even for early removal, it can be undone only after 4 days of getting the original procedure, after the initial swelling subsides.

·         In cosmetic surgeries, you have to wait at least 3-6 months for proper healing before going in for corrective surgery.

·         Procedures that cannot be undone are: abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), rhinoplasty (nose job), face lift, liposuction, breast enhancement using your own body fat, and breast reduction.

·         As cosmetic surgeries are artificial, you can’t have a trial and error approach towards them, so it is better to be well-informed and thoroughly aware about them beforehand.

LOWER BACK PAIN (SCIATICA)

LOWER BACK PAIN (SCIATICA)

·         Sciatica is a symptom caused by lumbar disc herniation and the pain generally affects the back, hip and leg.

·         Simply put, the disc between two lumber vertebra compresses over existing nerve routes and causes pain in one or both legs.

·         Symptoms of sciatica include

o        Tingling and numbness in one or both legs,

o        Increase in pain while walking and standing, and

o        Partial or complete relief while resting on it in a lying down position.

·         The condition can arise from

o        Irritation of sciatic nerve or its fibres,

o        Lumber disc herniation,

o        Degenerative vertebra and muscle inflammation,

o        Injury or a tumor.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

·         When you experience any of these symptoms, take rest, preferably even bed rest for a few days.

·         Avoid bending forward, lifting weights and sitting on the floor.

·         Doing back exercises and eating a healthy diet are helpful in treating sciatica.

·         Pain management includes treating such diseases with a technique called intervention.

·         Intervention is a small injection technique for the root cause of the problem so as to avoid surgery.

·         There are two lines of treatment for sciatica: transforaminal block and percutaneous disc decompression.

TRANSFORAMINAL BLOCK

·         A lumbar epidural injection near the nerve roots decreases swelling of the spinal nerve and gives relief to the patient.

PERCUTANEOUS DISC DECOMPRESSION

·         For chronic severe pain, part of the disc is removed through a technique called percutaneous disc decompression.

·         In this technique, that provides long term relief, a special instrument is used under x-ray guidance to remove a slipped disc from the back.

·         Using this procedure, hospitalization, surgery and intense rehabilitation, which are required in conventional surgery, are avoided.

HOME REMEDIES

·         Gently massage the muscles around the spine with oil at the point of pain, without pressing the spine, cover with a sheet and rest after switching off fans and ACs.

·         Using a hot water bottle or sitting in a warm water bathtub helps.

·         Avoid direct breeze of fans and ACs on your back.

·         Eat light and easily digestible food, and avoid rice, curd, and lemons till the pain reduces.

·         Keep your spine strong with calcium intake and walk in the sun for your daily dose of vitamin D.

·         Avoid becoming pessimistic and grumpy, as back pain can also be psychosomatic.

·         Lose your extra weight to reduce pressure on your back muscles.