Coffee and health

Coffee and tea have been consumed for hundreds of years and have become an important part of cultural traditions and social life. 

Health effects

• Consumption of 3 to 5 standard cups daily is associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

               A standard cup defined as 240 ml.  

• It does not increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

• It increases wakefulness and work productivity. 

• It improves energy balance by reducing appetite and increasing the basal metabolic rate 

• Repeated intake during the day  were associated with slightly less long-term weight gain

• A modest beneficial effect on body fatness

     Moderate consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

      You cannot recommend coffee intake for  

      disease prevention. There is no evidence 

A standard coffee mug (240 ml)
Not more than 5 mugs/day

     

  Adverse effects

  High caffeine intake (more than 5 cups) can have various 

  adverse effects,  

• Consumption later in the day can increase sleep latency and reduce the quality of sleep

• Caffeinated beverages that are high in calories, such as soft drinks and energy drinks and coffee or tea with added sugar, may lead to excess weight gain.

•  Caffeine can induce anxiety in persons with high anxiety or bipolar disorders. , 

.

       Adverse effects in pregnancy

• Caffeine readily passes the placenta

• High caffeine intake is associated with lower birth weight

• There is a risk of pregnancy loss .

 A pregnant lady should avoid coffee intake as far as possible, 

Why mask is necessary to prevent the corona?

.mask is mandatory

• Because we can’t tell who’s infected in the crowd 

• An effective way to limit transmission . 

• It prevents larger droplets from evaporating into smaller droplets that can travel farther

Do masks protect the people wearing them or the people around them?

• The best benefit is for people who have corona to protect them from giving it to other people,

• An healthy person will also be protected from wearing a mask  

  you could still catch the virus through the membranes in  
  your eyes, a risk that masking does not eliminate.

How many people need to wear masks to reduce community transmission?

• You want 100 percent of people to wear masks, but even 80 percent wear it, we would achieve more than a strict lock down.

• The latest forecast suggests that 33000 deaths could be avoided by October 1 if 95 percent of people wore masks in public.
• .

.Hong kong is doing a good job

It has kept its outbreak relatively under control because a vast majority wear a mask

Even if you live in a community where few people wear masks, you would still reduce your own chances of catching the virus by wearing one, 

You should always wear masks and socially distance,
 . 

Mask is a must

             
 
Spread of emission of sneeze cloud 

A video film analysed it

• Largest droplets rapidly settle within 1 -2 meters away from the person
• The smaller and evaporating droplets travel the dimensions of the room and land up to 6 - 8 meters away from the person

     The droplets in aerosols from coughing travel with  
     airspeed of 8 m/sec

Center for Disease Control (CDC) in U.S. observed:

Both symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission are  common. 
viral load peaks  before symptoms begin 

 Just speaking is enough to expel virus-carrying droplets.

Two compelling case reports:

•  A man flew from China to Toronto and then tested positive. He had a dry cough but he wore a mask on the flight, All 25 people closest to him on the flight tested negative  . 

• Two hair stylists in U.S. had close contact with 140 clients while sick with corona.

      Everyone wore a mask and none of the clients tested     

      positive.

A mnemonic is the “Three W’s" 

• wearing a mask,
• washing your hands, 
• watching your distance.

Cleaning your iPhone or wiping down your groceries are “just distractors.” They are not a major source of transmission.

Most important is wearing a mask

                 

Can flushing the toilet Spread corona virus?

A study points out that flushing a toilet generates “strong turbulence within the bowl” and expel aerosol particles containing viruses out of the bowl with a upward velocity of 5 m/second to the height of 106 cm from the ground

 when an infected person uses it, 

There will be a large amount of viruses within the toilet bowl and therefore, toilets are a source of infection 

Home isolation 

The patient usually remains at home and the same toilet is used by the members of the family.

What about public washrooms?

Large number of people use it and a positive case can cause a massive number of infections.


  

Precaution:

Close the lid before you flush

Toilet seats should be put down before flushing and seats should be cleaned before using it, since floating virus particles could be present on the surface. .

P.S.

No doubt, we should wear a mask but also be aware of the spread of corona from the toilets.

Does the type of mask matter?

        

• Studies have compared various mask materials 
• The most important consideration is comfort. 
• The best mask is one you can wear comfortably and consistently. 

Surgical masks are generally more protective than cloth masks, and some people find them lighter and more comfortable to wear.

Experts have cautioned against N 95 masks with valves

• They are commonly used in construction to prevent the inhalation of dust
• But they do not protect the people around you. 
• The valve is one- way. It closes when the person breathes in, but opens when the person breathes out, allowing unfiltered air and droplets to escape. 

• The city of San Francisco has specified that masks with valves do not comply with the city's face covering order.

The bottom line

Any mask that covers the nose and mouth will be of benefit.
You can use a handkerchief or a dupatta or a gamcha

The concept is risk reduction rather than absolute prevention,” 

Now we know more about Corona

It started just with cold, fever,cough and breathlessness.

Now we look for body ache, loss of smell and taste,headache, dizziness and fatigue.

Sometimes there is only weakness and no other symptoms.

It will become more challenging for the physician to suspect and diagnose Covid19

The virus is not confined to lungs. It has effects outside lungs

• It blocks oxygen supply to many organs. 

• It triggers a clot formation,which travels to heart, brain and kidneys.Many need a dialysis

• Those who have recovered may need oxygen at home because their lungs are in bad shape. 

• Some complain of dry cough,(due to scars in lungs)

• Some complain of weakness and having no energy to go back to work.
•  Physiotherapy is needed to improve lung capacity 

Elderly people should prevent a fall

       

One of my patient who is 78 yr old, was leading a normal life, except the age related weakness. He went for a picnic along with his friends and fell down while going down the stairs. He developed fracture of the shoulder and hip joint.

He was brought to Mumbai in the ambulance and was hospitalized and operated and resting at home.  

However, he developed complications like pneumonia, bed sores and died within 15 days.

This is what happens to many elderly people.

They are more prone to fall and likely to have a fracture. 

They should take care and family members can help them.by ensuring the following:

• Check their vitamin B12 levels .If it is low, they could have balancing problems while walking. Injections of B12 will help them

• They need to go to the bathroom in the middle of night,They are not fully awake at that moment and should take care at that time

• Keep the bathroom dry day and night.

• Fix a rod to the wall of the bathroom.

These simple measures will help the elderly to prevent a fall and live with comfort