Friday, August 31, 2012

Stay away from stone!


Every day of your life, your kidneys are hard at work, cleansing your system, removing the toxic build-up of chemicals (that are the natural by-product of digestion) and keeping you fresh. Unfortunately, sometimes due to the kinds of food we eat and the nature of our own bodies, a hardened mass can form in our kidneys from the crystals that are naturally present in urine. These pebble-like 'stones' can hinder kidney function. They can also travel to the ureter (the tube that links the kidney with the bladder) and lodge themselves there. Eliminating this can be excruciatingly painful. "Kidney stone formation can happen to anyone and usually, 5-10% of our Indian population (over 50-100 million people) are affected by this condition," says Dr MG Rajamanickam, member of the Urological Society of India, Professor of Urology (Academic head), Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital, Porur, and Consultant urologist at St Isabel's Hospital, Chennai. "Men tend to be more vulnerable than women. Women are protected by the hormone estrogen which plays a vital role in preventing stone formation." But they too are at risk after menopause and sometimes, a family history can make you prone to the condition, regardless. Lifestyle factors too are to blame. For instance, lack of sufficient fluid intake, obesity, eating deep fried foods--all this can aggravate stone formation, especially if you have a tendency for it. Here's how you can fight the condition.

Fluid intake

"Dehydration remains a major cause," explains Dr Rajamanickam. "Chronic dehydration causes a super-saturated urine output, which can put you at risk. Everyone should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water and fluids (2-2.5 litres) a day. If you've suffered from stones before or have a family history, you require a daily fluid intake of 3 litres. Fluids can include fresh fruit juices, buttermilk and tender coconut." "It's best to keep a record of what you are drinking and use a small cup or glass," says Dr Nupur Krishnan, clinical nutritionist and Director of Bio-logics Nutrition Clinics, based in Mumbai. "Most of your fluid intake should be from water. Remember, the less concentrated the urine is, the better."

Food myths and misconceptions

Kidney stones are formed from the deposits of many different kinds of chemicals, but the most common one, making up nearly 80% of all stones, is calcium oxalate. For this reason, many people tend to think that cutting down on your calcium intake can help you prevent the formation of this kind of stone. "This is very widespread misconception and is just not true," says Dr Rajamanickam. "Cutting back on calcium can actually be harmful because inadequate calcium in your system (apart from causing other deficiencies) can have the opposite effect and even hasten stone formation. For this reason, be sure to make calcium (from natural sources) an important part of your daily diet, especially if you are over 50. Buttermilk (with minimal salt) is highly recommended. You can even have curd without the cream. Avoid animal proteins (from non-vegetarian food sources), junk foods, chat items, pickles, processed and packaged items, deep fried foods and salty fare." Vegetables and fresh fruit juices are ideal, but even here there are some restrictions. "I ask my patients to avoid the chickoo fruit and grapes that have seeds (the seedless kinds are alright). In all, home-made fresh foods are the best."

Another popular dietary recommendation for those with stones (and one that you may have heard of all too often) is the juice from the plantain stem (vazhathandu in Tamil). "Too much of this juice can actually cause the formation of oxalate, so the raw juice is best avoided," says Dr Rajamanickam. You can however, enjoy the lightly sautéed form of the vegetable.

Avoiding other ‘Oxalate’ foods

Some research suggests that limiting high oxalate foods may help reduce the risk of your forming oxalate stones. "Foods that are high in oxalate include: peanuts, tea, instant coffee (more than 8 ounces a day), rhubarb, beets, beans, beets, berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries), chocolate, Concord grapes, dark leafy greens, oranges, tofu, sweet potatoes and draft beer," says Dr Nupur Krishnan.

Risks from metabolic factors

If you have parathyroid disease, this will change the way your body metabolizes calcium. With such a condition, regardless of your diet or lifestyle, you will be at risk to developing calcium oxalate kidney stones. Nearly 15 per cent of kidney stones are the result of uric acid deposits. If you're affected by gout (an arthritic condition that affects the small joints of the body) you would be more prone to such uric acid stones. Obesity and diabetes can leave one vulnerable as well. "Treating these metabolic conditions and going in for regular screening for stones by taking an ultrasound of the abdomen and the kidneys every year is important," says Dr Rajamanickam.

Help at hand

Most smaller stones pass by themselves, but today, help is at hand for chronic sufferers and invasive treatment is kept to a minimum. "Open surgery for stone removal is now redundant," says Dr Rajamanickam. "The most preferred method of stone removal is called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). In this technique, small stones (less than one cm) are broken down into fragments by high energy shock waves from a device outside the body. For larger stones, treatment options include Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, (PNL) which involves making a small perforation or hole, inserting a tube to endoscopically disperse the stone, without affecting kidney tissue. But even as technology advances, prevention remains the best medicine!

Ref. The Hindu

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Orchid Pharma enters...


Orchid Pharma enters into agreement to transfer its Penicillin & Penem API business & its API facilities in Aurangabad to Hospira for approximately US$ 200 million
Deal to help Orchid de-leverage its debt position and fund new growth plans
Chennai-based global pharma major, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals (Orchid) today announced that it had entered into a Business Transfer Agreement (BTA) with Hospira for the sale and transfer of Orchid’s Penicillin and Penem API business and the API facility located in Aurangabad (Maharashtra) together with an associated Process R&D infrastructure located in Chennai for a total cash consideration of approximately US$ 200 million.
This business transfer includes the related Penicillin and Penem product portfolio and pipeline. Approximately 830 employees would be transferred to Hospira, as part of this business transfer.
As some of Orchid’s API requirements for the Non-penicillin, Non-Penem, Non-cephalosporin (NPNC) business were supplied by the Aurangabad facility, Hospira will supply such NPNC API to Orchid through a long-term agreement that both companies have entered into. This agreement builds on the existing product development and commercialization relationship between Hospira and Orchid.
Orchid would continue to supply its Cephalosporin APIs to Hospira in accordance with the long-term supply contract.
This business transfer agreement also demonstrates Orchid’s ability to build value in its chosen product domains and successfully monetize them to create value for the stakeholders.
The proceeds from this business transfer will be utilized for de-leveraging Orchid’s debt position and also pave the entry for the company’s foray into newer product verticals.
From the Chairman & Managing Director
“Orchid’s business model has crossed many milestones over the years. With investments across the pharma value chain ranging from research to API & FDF manufacturing, we have harnessed key product opportunities and built a strong revenue base. Moving on, we would like to replicate this success by creating more niche product and therapeutic verticals which will continue to power our growth. This business transfer agreement with Hospira will help us fast-track our future growth while maintaining a healthy debt profile in our balance sheet. Given the current scenario, it is a prudent decision for Orchid to monetize these verticals and bring in cash to de-leverage its debt position and fund newer growth horizons,” said Mr K Raghavendra Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Yoga tips for beginners


Yoga isn’t just a fitness regime,it’s a way of life. Beginners shouldn’t start off a course looking to lose weight or get into great physical shape. The most important thing for beginners is that they should keep an open mind and be ready to experience positive changes in their mind and body. Never feel discouraged by lack of flexibility or other health issues. Any specific medical issues should be discussed with the teacher prior to beginning the class. This will help the teacher tailor the lessons to suit the medical condition and specifications of the student. Here are some tips they should keep in mind:
Maintain consistency
As Swami Sivananda once said, one doctor gives you a prescription, the other gives you an opinion and the third gives you your cremation. It is not advisable to jump between different schools and styles of yoga or even different teachers as this will create instability in the self and nullify the benefits.
Be patient
 Progress is not immediate but gradual – beginners should not expect results immediately and keep moving on even if the progress is slow. It is imprudent to compare one’s own progress with that of others as every person is at a different stage in the practice and in life.
Find the right guru
Choose a good teacher who is knowledgeable about the subject in order to gain the maximum benefit from the practice.
Wear loose clothing and maintain proper hygiene 
Beginners should preferably wear loose, cotton clothing as it aids the circulation of pranic energy within the self. Lycra material, tight clothing and dark colours constrict the flow of energy and do not allow one to benefit fully from the practice. It is advisable to shower before the class as it cleanses the body and makes it more receptive to positive energy. If there is no time to shower before the class, there should be a 30 minute gap between the end of the class and the shower.
Some other pointers include: 
  • Only fruits can be consumed 30 minutes prior to the class or 15 minutes after the class.
  • Avoid wearing perfume disturbs the breathing exercises and is therefore not advisable.
  • Cell phones and other electronic devices should be switched off or on silent and kept at a considerable distance so as to avoid distractions.
  • Preferably, one must not practice under an electric fan.
  • Every person should carry his or her own mat. This is not only for hygienic purposes but also to avoid mixing one’s personal vibes with those of another student.
  • Students should make the most of every minute in the yoga class by arriving on time to avoid disturbing the teacher and the students. They should always be thankful to the teacher at the beginning and end of each class.
Dear friends in Aurangabad and all, like I mentioned before, yoga is not a fitness regime. It’s a way of life, a spiritual quest to find oneself. Try to realise that and don’t think of it as an alternative to gymming.  When a person practises yoga, he or she embarks upon a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth and experiences both physical and mental changes over time.

Courtesy : www.india.com