Calcium Inhibits Bone Loss

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One of the often asked questions by my patients across all age groups is with related to whether calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements actually protect the bones? People aged 50 and older who take calcium supplements are 12 per cent less likely to fracture a bone than their peers who don't take those pills and that protection rate doubles when calcium supplements are taken correctly. A recent study in the esteemed medical journal Lancet claims that for best therapeutic effect, the recommended minimum doses of 1200 milligrams [mg] of calcium, and 800 IU [international units] of vitamin D (for combined calcium plus vitamin D supplementation. During that time, people who took calcium supplements were not only less likely to fracture their bones, they also slightly reduced their rate of bone loss from their hip and spine, compared with people who didn't take calcium supplements. Taking....

Why is my baby blue?

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Last week I got a frantic call from a friend who had just delivered a "healthy baby". Over the past couple of days she had noticed that the tips of the fingers and toes had a bluish discoloration. I asked her to see her pediatrician the next morning and if he heard a heart murmur to request for a echocardiography to rule out a heart defect. 1% of all children born anywhere in the world may have a congenital heart defect or are born with a heart abnormality. The reasons are multiple and include a host of reasons ranging from genetics to maternal dietary deficits. Parents should investigate a bluish color they spot on their baby's skin. Blue skin means the underlying blood has a blue cast, rather than the nice pink color of blood with lots of oxygen in it. Fortunately, in most cases it's quite normal and....

Lead Poisoning: What It Is, How to Test, What to Do

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The news networks were all ablaze last week as how Chinese made toys were recalled because of high lead content. It made me realize that while lead poisoning is a huge issue in the US, we in India are relatively umaware of the effects! Lead poisoning -- at levels that do not cause immediate symptoms -- can permanently damage kids' brains. Before their second birthday, children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. They are, of course, more likely than older children to put lead-contaminated hands or toys or paint chips in their mouths. Moreover, a child's gastrointestinal tract also absorbs lead more readily than does the adult gut. Most importantly, a child's rapidly developing brain is highly vulnerable to lead toxicity. I strogly brlieve that it is better to be conservative and safe and not ever sorry about excessive lead exposure. Lead poisoning is almost never a....