Author Archives: Dr Charandeep Singh Sahni

If the reports are to be believed, Tricity residents are increasingly investing in therapy for mental wellbeing. While this is a great move to keep a tab on your mental health, it is alarmingly unsettling for the next generation. For the city beautiful to see a surge in people seeking professional help for their mental health is a matter of concern. This only tells how stress has engulfed the city in its grip.

The problem is so grievous that even children including teenagers and middle school students have started to complain of irritable mood, lack of focus, and poor behavioral health. The situation led to the launch of a dedicated helplineby the UT education department.

In light of this situation, Dr Adarsh Kohli, professor of clinical psychology at PGIMER says Children are being deprived of social learning and learning by observation and parents have to ensure that more interactive methods of play and study are practised at home.

How to Relieve Stress?

Regardless of how the dedicated departments are taking care of this situation, the rise in stress levels at an alarming rate should not be neglected. Take a look at simple anti stress ways to combat stress levels.

• Talk it Out

Nothing better than opening up. If you are feeling stressed, chances are you have been bottling up emotions for quite some time.  The best way to tackle this is by banking on a close friend, parent or colleague you share a good relationship with. Talk about everything that bothers you.

Sometimes all you need is assurance and the right company; enough to stir a warm conversation to make you feel better.

• Introspect

Most times stress is due to an underlying reason, situation or trauma that never came to the surface. Be kind to yourself and do not judge this process. Either calmly talk yourself through it or think about what is causing the stress or anxiety.

It could be something as minor as a project deadline or as grave as childhood trauma. Either way, you are halfway through the process once you detect the cause behind it.

• Right Diet

We often vouch for chocolates to help with the pain and sorrows. While it does help to an extent, it cannot be the ultimate go-to remedy. If your stress levels are on the rise, you should immediately observe your eating habits. A lot of people dealing with food addiction suffer from trauma and stress. Junk food and binge eating become a safe lifestyle for them.

Fatty, sugary foods not only leads to weight gain and grave health problems, but it also increases the symptoms of stress. Eating fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables will uplift your mood, fix your metabolic rate, and help you stay active.

• Exercise

Exercising here relates to staying physically active. Stress has a lot to do with endorphins that get released when the blood flows throughout the body. It improves the mood and helps you get rid of toxins.

A brisk walk in the evening or taking the stairs is a great way to get active.

• Medical assistance

Nothing tells you more about your body than health test reports. Chronic stress puts your health at risk with the increase in the primary stress hormone, cortisol. Apart from that, the other two major stress hormones, norepinephrine and adrenaline also play a crucial role in inducing stress in the body.

A great way to keep a check on stress levels is by getting tested for stress by a NABL accredited lab like Helix Pathlabs.

Mental illness or stress should not be taken lightly. One should be careful of the daily habits and activities to curb stress levels. Keep a tab on your stress levels by getting tested regularly and visiting a specialist.

Everyone wants to be healthy. When you are healthy, you feel great! And you want to make sure you feel great most of the time – which is probably why you are reading this article. An important way to make sure you stay healthy is to get regular lab tests. That’s because, without lab tests, it is hard to know exactly what is going on in our body.

When we are not feeling well, there is only so much the doctor can conclude based on the symptoms we have. More importantly, many serious health problems can be without any symptoms for years before they become recognizable. That is why doctors rely on blood tests to find out what’s going on in our bodies. And so should you!

Taking blood tests on a yearly basis is one of the best steps adults (those of us over 25) can take to maximize well-being and prevent serious diseases. Blood tests can warn you before your health take a turn for the worse. You can identify and address many issues before they become more serious, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, or other chronic illnesses that plague our modern society. This proactive approach to health could add years to your life, even decades in some cases.

Regular lab testing can also take you a step further than just disease prevention. Taking these tests annually can help you stay on top of your game and maximize the quality of your life. You can use them to improve your mood, libido, cognitive function, and overall energy levels.

10 Essential Blood Tests Everyone Should Be Getting Regularly

1) CBC (Complete Blood Count)

CBC lets you know when you have issues with infections or inflammation, but it will also signal when your diet is not balanced. When you are missing certain micronutrients, your body won’t be able to produce blood cells normally. It is important to keep track of your CBC values because many of them have a strong impact on your quality of life and longevity.

2) CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel)

As the title suggests, a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) is a group of blood tests. A CMP lets you and your doctor know how healthy your liver and kidneys are. It will also alert you if there are disturbances in your blood sugar levels, protein levels, and the overall acid/base balance in your body.

A CMP is comprised of glucose, liver function test, kidney function test and electrolyte

3) Lipid Profile

A lipid panel measures your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These markers are strongly linked to heart disease. To keep things simple, you want to make sure that your good cholesterol (HDL) is high and your bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides are low.

4) HbA1c

While a blood glucose test shows your current glucose levels, HbA1c will tell you your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. If you are healthy, you should check it at least once a year, while people with diabetes may want to do it as often as 4 times a year.

Apart from being a risk factor for diabetes, high HbA1c levels (even when still in the normal range) can increase a person’s risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality. This is one of those markers that you definitely want to keep in the optimal range.

5) hs-CRP

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein that fights bacteria and viruses and increases in response to infection. But it also increases in response to chronic stress. You will have higher CRP levels if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, have diabetes, smoke, have periodontal (gum) disease, don’t exercise, and/or are exposed to emotional stress.

Hs-CRP can help predict your risk of heart disease. When both hs-CRP and cholesterol levels are high, your overall risk of heart disease can increase up to 9-fold

6) Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D)

Why test your vitamin D levels? Well, because vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies, Vitamin D can get depleted if you haven’t been leading the healthiest lifestyle or you are suffering from chronic health issues. Do you experience fatigue, low back pain, muscle aches, digestive problems, obesity, mood swings, and weakened immunity? These are all symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.

7) Iron/Ferritin

Iron deficiency is another common nutritional deficiency and the leading cause of anemia. According to both the WHO, iron deficiency affects up to 60 – 80% of the world’s population. On the other hand, some chronic diseases can cause iron overload, which is extremely toxic to our bodies.

8) GGT

GGT is an enzyme doctors often use to assess liver function. However, it’s not a part of the CMP. A growing body of evidence has established the link between higher GGT levels and inflammation and oxidative stress, showing that this test is useful beyond estimating liver health.

9) Uric acid

Uric acid is a tricky one. Too much uric acid causes kidney stones and gout and can increase an individual’s risk of heart disease and diabetes. So the lower the better, right? Not quite. Uric acid is also a natural antioxidant – it makes up to 60% of the blood’s antioxidant capacity. Also, studies show it may protect the brain from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. That’s why you want to keep uric acid in a narrow optimal range. Uric acid test is part of kidney function test.

10) Thyroid hormones (TSH)

Thyroid hormones control the rate of your metabolism. They affect your cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity. An underactive or overactive thyroid can cause issues with weight, energy levels, and mood.

TSH is one of the most commonly tested markers to check thyroid function. A higher-than-normal level of TSH could mean your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), while a lower-than-normal level could mean it’s overactive (hyperthyroidism).

Helix Pathlabs has various packages available for professionals.

A TSH test can be conducted to evaluate the performance of your thyroid gland. TSH levels can help in seeing if your thyroid gland is functioning the way it needs to. TSH levels can tell you if your thyroid gland is underactive, also known as hypothyroidism, or overactive, also known as hyperthyroidism. The TSH test can also help in detecting a thyroid disorder even before you develop any signs or symptoms. This can help you in getting your thyroid treated early so you can avoid the development of any health issues. Here is all you need to know about TSH levels:

The TSH levels test: Everything you need to know

What you need to know about the TSH levels test

Before taking the test

To take the TSH test, you simply need to submit a sample of your blood to a medical practitioner. This blood is then analyzed in a laboratory. The TSH test could be performed at all hours of the day. You don’t need to prepare before taking the TSH test, for example, you don’t need to fast overnight. The TSH test is completely safe and you won’t feel any pain at all. Although in some cases, there is some slight bruising involved.

Factors that may interfere with your TSH levels chart

Generally, you wouldn’t have to stop taking any medications before you take the TSH levels test, however, you need to let your doctor know beforehand. Some drugs could affect the levels of TSH in your blood or interfere with the way your thyroid functions. For instance, your thyroid function needs to be monitored when you are already taking lithium. When you are taking the lithium regularly, there could be a chance that your medication affects the way your thyroid functions and even cause it to stop functioning properly. It’s advised that you should get your TSH levels checked before you even start this medicine. Once your TSH levels are normal, you would just need to get your levels examined every 6 months or even every year, as suggested by your medical practitioner. However, if your TSH levels are abnormal, you need to get them treated.

High TSH levels symptoms    

Your TSH levels are typically between around 0.4 and 4.0 milliunits per litre (mU/L), as per the American Thyroid Association. This range may vary among various laboratories with the upper limits usually being around 4 to 5. However, if your TSH levels are higher, you may suffer from an underactive thyroid. Symptoms include-

• Weight gain
• Thinning hair
• Swelling in the neck or face
• Heavy or irregular menstrual periods
• Fatigue

Low TSH levels symptoms    

If your TSH levels come back lower than the normal levels, you may suffer from an overactive thyroid. An overactive thyroid can be caused by:

• Your immune system attacking your thyroid, also known as Graves’ disease
• A lot of iodine present in your blood
• Taking a lot of thyroid hormone medication

Symptoms include-

• Weight loss
• Clouded or confused mind
• Bulging eyes

If you have been taking medications such as opioid painkillers (for example morphine), dopamine, or steroids, your TSH levels chartcould have a lower reading than normal. If you regularly consume vitamin B supplements or biotin, your levels can come out lower as well.

Conclusion

TSH is short for “thyroid stimulating hormone” that is produced in your brain, specifically in the pituitary gland and its levels are used to measure the levels of this hormone in your blood. The pituitary gland asks your thyroid to produce and liberate these thyroid hormones right into your bloodstream. Even though there are other tests available to diagnose a thyroid disorder in your body, the TSH test can indicate it even before your symptoms have developed. Of course, prevention and treatment is important, but the ideal thing to do is to get tested regularly.

The A1C test, also known as an HbA1C, hemoglobin A1C, glycated hemoglobin, or glycosylated hemoglobin test, is a blood test used to diagnose and monitor diabetes. It shows your average blood sugar levels for the past two to three months. This is a broader test than conventional glucose monitoring, which measures your blood sugar at any given moment.

Importance of HbA1c Test

Do you regularly measure your fasting and after meal blood sugar to keep a check on your diabetes? Think that is enough?

Not actually!

Though the fasting and post meal tracking of blood glucose is important, these tests can only check your blood sugar at a certain point of time. Their results might vary depending on what you had eaten over the last night or in the previous meal. However, the HbA1c test looks at the 3-month data and cannot be biased.

For persons having diabetes, HbA1c numbers give a fair idea of how controlled their diabetes is. As per scientific evidence, having a smaller HbA1c number means lesser risk of developing complications due to diabetes. Raised HbA1c value has also been regarded as an independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke in people with or without diabetes.

Screening for Diabetes

If you’re overweight or obese and you have one or more other risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, your healthcare provider will likely order an A1C test as part of your annual medical exam.

Such risk factors include:

• A parent or sibling with diabetes
• Being physically inactive
• Being overweight or obese
• Having a high waist measurement
• High blood pressure
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL cholesterol
• A history of heart disease

The majority of people who end up with type 2 diabetes have prediabetes first, which means that their blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. The A1C test can help monitor for this condition. 

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) also recommends that everyone age 45 and older have the A1C test, regardless of other risk factors, because age itself is a major risk factor. If your test results are normal, you should have the A1C at least every three years.

If you were diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant) that resolved after you had your baby, you will need to be tested at least every three years for the rest of your life as well.

The A1C test can be used to screen high-risk pregnant women for undiagnosed pre-existing diabetes too, but only in the first trimester. During the second and third trimesters, diabetes needs to be screened with a glucose challenge test (also known as an oral glucose tolerance test) instead.

Diagnosing Diabetes

If you have symptoms like needing to urinate more often, feeling excessively thirsty and drinking more than normal, an increase in appetite, fatigue, cuts or bruises that heal slowly, and/or blurry vision, your healthcare provider may order an A1C test to check you for diabetes. Other symptoms may include weight loss or pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands or feet.

Monitoring Diabetes

If you’ve been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you’ll periodically have an A1C test or other glycemic tests to monitor how well your disease is controlled and how your treatment is working.

How often you’ll be tested will depend on what type of diabetes you have, how controlled it is, and what your doctor recommends, but it will likely be at least twice a year.

HbA1c Results

The results of the A1c test are presented as a percentage. The test result shows the amount of hemoglobin that glucose has bound to in your blood.

For diagnostic purposes, the test results may be as follows:

• Normal/ Healthy: Below 5.7%
• Pre-diabetes: 5.7–6.4%
• Diabetes: 6.5% or more

There are certain factors and some medical conditions that can change the HbA1c result slightly and even lead to a higher reading. Some conditions that can cause a false A1c number include:

• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Recent blood loss or transfusion
• Low iron levels
• Certain blood-related conditions

Your doctor is the best guide to analyse the results.

High A1C, No Symptoms of High Blood Sugar

If your A1C was high but you don’t really have symptoms of high blood sugar, you may have another A1C test done.

Alternatively, your doctor may decide to do a fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or a two-hour glucose tolerance test right away instead.

In order to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes without the obvious symptoms of high blood sugar, two test results have to be abnormal. That could be two results of the same test (A1C, FPG, or two-hour tolerance test), or one result of one and one result of another.

High A1C With Symptoms of High Blood Sugar

If you do have symptoms of high blood sugar and your initial A1C is high, this will confirm a diabetes diagnosis—especially if you also had the random plasma glucose test done and that was high.

This means that your doctor will need to see you as soon as possible to discuss starting a treatment plan to manage your diabetes.

This plan will depend on whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but may involve insulin supplementation, medication, glucose monitoring, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

Your healthcare provider will likely repeat the A1C soon after you’ve started treatment to see how it’s working and how well you’re complying.

Borderline/Prediabetes

If your A1C, FPG, or two-hour tolerance test results are borderline, your healthcare provider will

repeat them at least every six months, as recommended by the ADA, to monitor your condition.

They will likely also talk to you about lifestyle changes you can make that can help prevent diabetes.

COVID 19 and HBA1c

The entire pandemic situation has made managing diabetes well more important than ever for people having diabetes. HbA1c gives you a sneak peek into how well your blood glucose has been doing over the past 2-3 months. Look for trusted labs and safe services when you have to take an HbA1c test. Have to get tested and not sure where to get it done? Book an HbA1c test and get tested within the comfort of your home.

According to research conducted to assess the status of prediabetes and diabetes in the combined population of Chandigarh and Panchkula region based on both Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) and Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c).

• Out of 1215, a total of 444 subjects were found to be at high risk (≥60 or known diabetes status) which were further assessed according to HbA1c levels.

The final prevalence of diabetes was found to be 12.67% and prediabetes 11.69% in the combined population of Chandigarh and Panchkula

The hs-CRP test stands for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test. It is a blood test that is done to check the levels of C-reactive protein in your blood. The levels of the C-reactive protein (CRP) can increase if there is some inflammation present in your body. A coronary artery disease must be diagnosed as soon as possible by a medical checkup as it can even lead to a heart attack.

What is the purpose of a C-reactive protein (CRP) test?

C-reactive protein is a particular element created in the liver in reaction to any inflammation present in the body. An elevated level of the C-reactive protein also shows the indications of inflammation, infection of particular kinds of cancer, or heart arteries. Even though particular blood tests help map the levels of C-reactive protein in the body, the hs-CRP is a very specific test, and therefore, these days, it is among one of the major tests recommended by doctors to check C-reactive proteins during a medical checkup.

What does a CRP level of 7.5 mean in a blood test?

Heart diseases have an inflammatory element that can be linked to elevated levels of C-reactive protein. Nonetheless, based on the current data available, it simply cannot be deemed as an independent risk when it comes to cardiovascular disease.

Based on the recent studies conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the CDC, here are the recommended guidelines to help you assess the risk of cardiovascular disease:

• Low risks for cardiovascular diseases are indicated by 1 mg per liter or even lower CRP levels.
• Moderate risks for cardiovascular diseases are indicated by 1-3 mg per liter CRP levels.
• High risks for cardiovascular diseases are indicated by a level higher than 3 mg per liter CRP levels.
• Acute risks for a coronary process such as acute myocardial infarction or a heart attack are indicated by a level higher than 10 mg per liter CRP levels.

What are the symptoms of high C reactive protein?

The symptoms of elevated CRP levels are based completely on the condition underlying that is driving them.

Most people who have a moderate injury or an infection, or an underlying condition that causes chronic inflammation, might experience identical symptoms.

These symptoms include:

• unexplained pain
• unexplained exhaustion
• weakness, soreness, or muscle stiffness
• chills
• fever of a low grade
• headache
• indigestion, loss of appetite, or nausea
• unexplained weight loss
• insomnia or difficulty sleeping

People who have a very high level of CRP most probably have a critical bacterial infection.

Some typical signs of an acute infection include:

• rapid heart rate
• high fever
• shaking, chills, uncontrollable sweating
• diarrhea, retching, persistent or uncontrollable vomiting
• difficulty breathing
• hives or rash
• parched skin, mouth, and lips
• lightheadedness or dizziness
• soreness, stiffness, body pain, a severe headache
• loss of consciousness

Why people should opt for regular health checkups?

Adults and probably elderly people with comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease, heart problems, hypertension, and diabetes are at more risk of suffering from COVID-19 due to low immunity. People need to take good care, get regular health checkups, stay healthy, and reduce mortality and morbidity rates.

Conclusion

The hs-CRP blood test is much more sensitive as compared to a standard CRP test. The increased sensitivity means that the hs-CRP test can detect a slight increase as well within the standard range of normal CRP levels. This blood test could be used to check your risk of acquiring coronary artery disease which is a condition in which your arteries get narrowed.

We are in the year 2022, time flies fast. Almost three years after the coronavirus pandemic struck the world, we are still reeling from what felt like a modern-day apocalypse. Covid-19 had the world come to a halt but with the access to the vaccine, the new normal final came to the surface.

Until now.

The emergence of a new variant, Omicron that has been officially labeled as a variant of concern has everyone’s attention.

What is the Omicron variant?

Along with the fact that this variant is potentially dangerous, it is comparatively faster in terms of transmissibility. Vaccinated or not, this variant can spread to others with the probability of severe illness and reinfection risk.  Yet, the research is still underway.

How did the Omicron variant develop?

COVID-19 was the beginning of virus mutation at a global level.  The more it spreads, the more it undergoes “changes”. The newest variant is massive evidence of how COVID-19 India still has its grip on the nation.

Where is the Omicron variant present?

Although the variant has been detected in many parts of the world, there is a good chance that it is present in most countries.

How many Omicron variants of COVID-19 cases are there in India?

As India records its first death due to Omicron, India has reported more than 1000 Omicron cases with the highest number of cases from the National capital New Delhi.

How to prevent the Omicron variant?

Protection from this variant is possible through simple precautionary measures. This is only possible if you and your family diligently follow the following steps-

1. Mask up

• Make sure to cover your nose, chin, and mouth. Double mask if possible.
• Do not forget to sanitize your hands before wearing and taking off masks.
• Mask is the new normal, therefore, make sure to be responsible while handling it. Store your mask in a separate plastic bag.
• Make sure to wash your fabric mask every day, regardless of usage time. In the case of a medical mask, dispose of it after every use.
• Don’t use masks with valves.

2. Social distancing

   • Social distancing is an important step to follow in public areas. Make sure to keep a physical distance of at least 6 ft. (approx. 2 arm’s length) from other people.
   • Avoid physical contact with symptomatic people. This does not mean getting close to the ones not showing any symptoms. Follow social distancing with everyone. Anyone, including you, can spread the virus.

3. Avoid closed spaces

   • Make sure to avoid crowded or poorly ventilated spaces at all costs.
   • Make sure to improve the ventilation at your home as well.
   • Fresh air is important, wherever you are. Limit your time in areas with zero or less ventilation.
   • Avoid hosting parties or small gatherings at your home.

4. Sanitization

   • Hand sanitization is crucial. Make sure to wash your hands after each outdoor or indoor activity.
   • Make sure to keep your house clean, disinfected, and sanitized.

5. Health Monitoring

   • Carefully watch out for even the mildest symptoms. Shortness of breath, cough, fever, and throat pain/irritation.
   • Keep a tab on your temperature.
   • Most importantly, do not shy away from getting tested. It is an essential and responsible act.
   • Get vaccinated if you have not, a single dose is not enough. Get a booster shot if you are a healthcare worker.

Regardless of the severity, we at Helix Pathlabs, believe, that despite the chaos, being informed and updated will help millions combat Omicron.  Following each of the measures mentioned above and staying updated on the Omicron variant will keep you and your family protected against the COVID-19 virus.

Yet, we at Helix Pathlabs, believe, that despite the chaos, being informed and updated will help millions combat Omicron.