Q Hello doctor, my grandfather was diagnosed with an alzheimers dementia; could u give me more info about this disease? What is the cause? Is it hereditary? Any treatment for the same?

Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia, a serious brain disorder that impacts daily living through memory loss and cognitive changes. Alzheimers is a degenerative disease, progressing from mild forgetfulness to widespread neurological impairment and ultimately death. nAlthough a direct cause of Alzheimers is not known certain common factors are found in the clinical picture of sufferers. These include; prior personality organisation of the individual and stressfulness of their life situation. You are at higher risk, if family history of this disease is there.nAlthough there is no cure for Alzheimers, and various psychotherapies appear to be ineffective, there are ways to treat some of the symptoms of the disease: Use of medications to treat cognitive decline and memory loss. Also appropriate activities such as exercise, recreation, and adult day care services appear to assist in the management of the patient.

Q What is oppositional defiant disorder?

Oppositional defiant disorder is mental condition seen in children. It is characterized by non co-operative behavior, disobedience, anger and annoying behavior towards any one in authoritative position. A child with oppositional defiant disorder will get angry easily, show temper tantrums, will not obey rules, annoy people deliberately, argue with person in authority, etc.

Q After what age children can drink coffee?

Children under 12 are generally recommended to avoid caffeine or to limit its intake. Because, Caffeine is absorbed very quickly into the body and then passes into the central nervous system. In low doses caffeine can affect the body causing decreased appetite, increased urination, hyperactive behaviour and difficulty sleeping. The harmful effects may occur when a child consumes more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight.

Q Will doing swimming during winter days harm kids? and what about clorinated water exposure?

During winter, due to cold environment, children may get flu, cold and cough etc. Children are more sensitive and their immunity is also weak as compared to adults. So, it is advised not to go for swimming during winter. And remember, some children are allergic to chlorinated water. You must keep an eye on your childs health, to identify any symptoms if they do appear.

Q What are low-glycemic index foods?

Foods that are very slowly absorbed are said to have low glycemic index. These don~t affect blood sugar levels much.

Q After my break-up with my girlfriend, i started losing my hair and i am becoming bald day by day is this the reason or some other major problem with me. Please guide me & suggest me some remedy or therapy.

There are many factors that can cause hair loss. Stress, anxiety, and depression are surprisingly common causes of thinning scalp hair, and can be especially difficult to recognize and treat. But apart from these there can be several other causes like hereditary, infection, nutritional deficiency, thyroid imbalance etc.. Once you have noticed that you are losing your hair, the first step is to get a medical evaluation to determine the cause. Either your primary care or a dermatologist is a good place to start. Treatment can then be directed to any of the above underlying causes that are present. But meanwhile you can follow these advices: eat plenty of salads including green leafy vegetables like spinach lettuce, plateful of fruits, buttermilk, milk, curd, fish,egg, increase intake of peanuts and almond and walnut, have proper and sound sleep daily. Concentrating on future rather than dwelling on past can work.

Q Is non-vegetarian food safe during pregnancy?

There is no harm in consuming non-vegetarian food during pregnancy. Infact eggs, chicken, fish etc are packed with nutrients which are beneficial for you as well as your baby. But care should be taken to maintain the highest standards of hygiene because non-vegetarian food is liable to become contaminated easily. Make sure you eat only well cooked non-veg food. Avoid anything that is raw or under cooked. Avoid fish which are high in mercury such as mackerel, swordfish, tuna, etc. As long as you follow these guidelines, you can safely consume non-vegetarian food.

Q What is natural family planning?

Natural Family Planning ( NFP) is the term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid pregnancies. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a womans menstrual cycle. Couples using NFP to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile phase of the womans cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.

Q How to decrease fat over stomach?

Concentrate on loosing overall weight which in turn will help you reduce excess fat from your belly region also. You can do certain exercise like leg raises, crunches which will help you in losing fat over lower abdomen. Avoid outside food, junk food and deep fried foods. Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables. Drink a glass of warm water with 1tsp lemon juice and honey in it every morning on empty stomach. Healthy diet and regular exercise go hand in hand as far as weight loss is considered. Consult a dietitian to formulate a diet plan which is healthy for you.

Q Causes for itching after sex?

One of the reason can be that you are allergic to latex condom. Other reasons include rough sex, fungal infection, vaginitis, vaginal irritation, due to menopause because of less lubrication. Consult your doctor to know exact cause and corresponding treatment.