Category: Medicine Hat News

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Regular Physical Exercise Makes You Smart and Healthy

One step at a time. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
One step at a time. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

Who wouldn’t like to be smart and healthy?

An article in the Scientific American Mind (July/August 2009), titled “Fit Body, Fit Mind?” says your workout makes you smarter and you stay sharp into old age.

“We are used to thinking of intelligence as largely a matter of genetic inheritance, but that is not the whole picture. What you do affects your mental wellbeing: staying physically and mentally active helps us stay sharp as we age,” says the article. Your brain and body – either use it or lose it.

A review of dozens of studies shows that maintaining a mental edge requires more. Other things you do – including participating in activities that make you think, getting regular exercise, staying socially engaged and even having a positive attitude – have a meaningful influence on how effective your cognitive functioning will be in old age, says the article.

Sometime ago, researchers from Denver presented their research at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. Their conclusion: being more physically fit means kids will do better in school. They found that this can be achieved by increasing school’s physical education program to 40 minutes a day, five days a week, from 40 minutes once a week. The performance improved by about 70 per cent. Amazing!

A healthy and smart child will one day become a parent and hopefully instill the same kind of healthy attitude to the future generations. A person can workout at school, at a public or private gym or at home.

To be smart and healthy one has to have enough sleep everyday. Sleep scientists say that we need one hour of sleep for every two we stay alert. This allows the brain to regenerate and repair itself. A student needs that to stay fresh and study more. A good night’s sleep also makes driving safe.

To be smart, a student has to study. Without studying you don’t get the grades. So how many hours should one study? That requires time management skills. We all have 168 hours in a week to use as we wish. Common sense says that more time you spend studying better your academic performance will be.

Most universities recommend that students study at least two hours outside of class for every hour spent in class, although some recommend even more.

Finally, boost your memory and brainpower with healthy food like fruits, vegetables and fish.

It is not difficult to be healthy, happy and smart. Mental and physical power depends on how much time and effort we put into it. Have fun.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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Heartburn is the Most Common Gastric and Intestinal Symptom Seen by Family Physicians

Looking for something deer? (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
Looking for something deer? (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

Heartburn is due to the reflux of stomach acid and food into the esophagus, the throat, or the lungs. It is the most common gastric and intestinal disorder seen by family physicians. The condition is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Occasionally, patients with gastric reflux may present with chest pain. It is not a good idea to tell a patient with a history of reflux that the chest pain is due to GERD. It is imperative that the patient should be first investigated for a heart condition. If that is normal then the patient should be investigated for GERD.

Some patients with GERD may present with symptoms of chronic cough, asthma and laryngitis. Other atypical symptoms include dyspepsia, upper abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and belching, though these are symptoms also seen in other conditions. So each patient should be evaluated carefully.

Most patients with GERD are in the age group 70 to 79 years. Lowest incidence of GERD is in the age group 20 to 29. As the person ages the frequency and duration of esophageal acid exposure, and severity of esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) increases.

There are many reasons why GERD symptoms get worse. Some medications and posture may aggravate the symptoms. Obesity is a major risk factor for acid damage to the esophagus. Patient should be immediately investigated with endoscopy (scope test) if there is a history of weight loss, difficult or painful swallowing or there is presence of anemia.

Endoscopic examine of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum is a good diagnostic test for patients with a history of reflux. Patients with uncomplicated reflux may not need a scope test unless the diagnosis is not clear. But patients with complicated reflux should be scoped.

Treatment of reflux is mostly medical. Start with lifestyle changes. Avoid food that gives you heartburn. Lose some weight. Weight loss has been shown to be beneficial in patients who are overweight.

Elevation of the head of the bed and avoidance of late evening meals, particularly with high fat content, has shown to be beneficial for individuals with nocturnal symptoms or sleep disturbance.

Avoidance of food triggers such as chocolate, caffeine, citrus foods, spicy foods, carbonated beverages, etc., has been shown to be beneficial only if an individual can identify a specific trigger.

If a patient presents with typical symptoms of GERD then a trial of medication is indicated. Most commonly used pills fall under the category of proton pump inhibitors (PPI). Some examples of PPI are pantoprazole (Tecta, Pantoloc), omeprazole (Losec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Pariet). There are no clear differences between PPIs in terms of symptom relief or healing of inflamed esophagus (erosive esophagitis).

For best effect, PPI should be taken 30-60 minutes before the first meal of the day. Symptoms more likely to respond to PPI therapy include upper abdominal pain, early sense of fullness and belching. Antacids have a relatively short duration of action and their use can be associated with significant side effects.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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Remember, 70 is the New 50! Happy Birthday, Friend!

Echo Dale Regional Park, Medicine Hat, Alberta. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
Echo Dale Regional Park, Medicine Hat, Alberta. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

Today is August 25th. It is my friend’s birthday. He turns 70. We have been friends for a long time. Like me he was born in a small town in Tanzania. In pursuit of education he traveled through many cities and countries. Eventually he settled in Canada.

Over the years he has learned many lessons. Lessons on how to be happy, healthy and comfortable. He learned the importance of raising a good family and having good friends. He learned the art of working hard and to be happy with his coworkers.

I rarely heard him whine and complain. His principle was to mind his own business but be helpful to people who needed help. He was always funny and courteous. He never brags about himself. In fact, he thrives on self-deprecating humor.

It sounds like he is a perfect man. Not really. His youth was far from perfect. He had his share of ups and downs. From time to time he did disappoint some people and hurt some feelings. He has many regrets. But life is never going to be perfect. His motto is to learn from the past and do better in the future.

Now that he is 70, he wonders how he can make the best of whatever time he has. Who knows what will happen once he goes underground. I don’t think he will find beautiful mermaids. If he is lucky he may find some angels. Nobody has been back from the grave to tell us what to expect down under.

For both sexes in Canada, life expectancy increased on an average from 77 in 1990 to 82 in 2012. Not everyone wants to retire at 65, and very few people want to slow down. Statistics show more than one-fifth of recently retired seniors return to work.

The 72-year lifestyle guru, Martha Stewart, has written about aging gracefully and staying healthy, feats which involve ‘maintaining a tiny waist’, among other factors. According to Stewart, 70 is nothing like the 70 of 20 or 40 years ago. She says, “70 is the new 50!”

Staying healthy goes along with working and keeping mentally and physically active. One way to stay healthy is to read a book written by yours truly and follow the advice given in “Dr. B’s Eight Steps to Wellness.” The book covers topics like healthy eating, no smoking, regular exercise, stress relief, good sleep, sexual empowerment, laughter and regular meditation. I wonder if my friend has the book!

So dear friend, turning 70 is a good time to look forward to life of some comfort and some hard work. That should not be too difficult as long as you can keep your head in the right place.

Happy birthday friend.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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Making a Mountain out of a Molehill to Prevent Skin Cancer

A boat sailing on River Nile in Aswan, Egypt. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
A boat sailing on River Nile in Aswan, Egypt. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

The other day a gentleman asked me, “Doctor B, I have a mole. Do you think I have melanoma?” I didn’t think he had a mole. I thought it was a skin tag. He said, “OK doc, tell me what does a mole look like and when should I worry about it.”

Defining a mole is not easy. People use the word very loosely to describe any blemish on the skin as a mole.

The majority of moles appear during the first two decades of a person’s life, with about one in every 100 babies being born with moles. Acquired moles are a form of benign new growths, while congenital moles, or congenital nevi, are considered a minor malformation and may be at a higher risk for melanoma. Moles are also known as nevi. Most of them have no malignant potential. But real moles and sunburns have a potential to become cancerous.

Real moles are skin growths that are usually brown or black. During sun exposure, teenage years and pregnancy, these cells multiply and become darker. They can be anywhere on the skin, alone or in clusters. Most moles appear in early childhood and by the age of 20, one can have anywhere between 10 to 50 or more moles. Some moles may appear later in life.

Most moles are benign. The only moles that are of medical concern are those that look different than other existing moles or those that first appear after age 20. If you notice changes in a mole’s colour, height, size or shape, you should have these moles checked. If the moles bleed, ooze, itch, appear scaly or become tender or painful then it is time to have them removed and checked for cancer.

The following ABCDEs are important signs of moles that could be cancerous:

  • Asymmetry – one half of the mole does not match the other half.
  • Border – the border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred or irregular.
  • Colour – the colour of the mole is not the same throughout or has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white or red.
  • Diameter – the diameter of a mole is six millimetres or larger.
  • Evolution – are the moles changing over time?

Melanoma is one of the three common skin cancers. The other two are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. If diagnosed and removed early then the cure rate can be excellent. Once the cancer advances and spreads to other parts of the body, it is hard to treat.

Does melanoma occur in children? Yes, approximately two per cent of melanomas occur in patients under the age of 20 years and about 0.4 per cent of melanomas occur in pre-pubertal children.

We can reduce the risk of skin cancer by protecting against sun exposure and sunburn. Natural protection (shade) is considered the best protection. And sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) should be adjunct to natural protection. Wear sun protective clothing. Wear wide brim hats. And use eyeglasses that block both UVA and UVB light.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!