Sheetali pranayama, a cooling pranayama is best known for its calming and relaxing nature, widely used for many conditions like depression, anxiety and hypertension. The aim of the study was to evaluate the immediate effect of the practice of Sheetali pranayama on heart rate and blood pressure parameters in healthy volunteers.Apparently, 60 healthy volunteers were involved, from both sexes. They were split into pranayama (n=30) and control (n=30) groups at random. Sheetali pranayama was performed for 5 min (5 cycles) in the pranayama group and normal breathing (12-16 breaths/min) was permitted in the control group. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were recorded with RMS polyrite in the supine position after 5 min of rest.The HR in the pranayama group significantly decreased (p=0.04). Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood (DBP) pressure, pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased significantly (p<0.05) relative to control after pranayama practice. Pre-Post inter-group results has also shown that the pranayama group has substantially decreased HR and BP indices.Present study shows that the practice of Sheetlai pranayama creates a relaxed state, and parasympathetic activity overrides sympathetic activity in this state. It indicates that in healthy volunteers, pranayama strengthens the resting cardiovascular parameters.
Background: Assessing the clinical and biochemical profiles of patients is vital for improving the management of diabetes. The present study aimed to assess the profiles of adults (>18 years old) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) enrolled in a one-year diabetes management program in Pune, India.Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 18,950 records from the Freedom from Diabetes Clinic between November 2015 and June 2023. Baseline data, including sociodemographic, biochemical, and anthropometric parameters, were extracted from the electronic medical records, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. A gender-wise comparison was performed for biochemical and anthropometric measurements. Statistical significance was set at p < 0·05.Findings: Poor glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7%) was reported by 70·0% of the patients at baseline, despite the majority (80·2%) being on oral hypoglycemic agents. The prevalence of overweight (BMI 23·0 – 24·9 kg/m2 and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) were 21·5% and 57·2%, respectively. Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were reported in 24·8% and 25·7% of the patients, respectively. A significant association was observed between comorbidities, such as hypertension, overweight/obesity, and poor glycemic control (p<0·05). Additionally, significant gender-wise differences were observed for clinical parameters including HOMA- IR, fasting insulin, and micronutrients (p<0·05).Interpretation: This study highlights the high prevalence of poor glycemic control, overweight/obesity, and comorbidities among patients diagnosed with T2D enrolled in a one-year diabetes management program in Pune, India. Significant gender-wise differences emphasize the need for tailored approaches for effective T2D management. These findings underscore the critical need for comprehensive lifestyle interventions targeting better outcomes for glycemic control and comorbidities to mitigate the risk of complications in the Indian population.Trial Registration: The study is registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) (CTRI/2024/03/064596). Funding: This study was not funded by any source.Declaration of Interest: All authors declare no competing interests. Ethical Approval: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (Ref. No. FFDRF /IEC/2024/7). The retrospectively extracted data were anonymized and handled with strict confidentiality to ensure the privacy of the individuals involved in the study. Personal identifiers were removed to prevent the identification of individual subjects. Due to the retrospective nature of the study, the requirement for informed consent was waived by the Ethics Committee.
Pain is a primitive human instinct that alerts the body’s defense mechanism to prevent damage. Hydrotherapy is the most common modality of treatment used for pain management in naturopathy. This review aims to scientifically evaluate the analgesic effects of hydrotherapy used for pain management. A thorough literature search from inception (1 January 1946) until 16 March 2022 was performed with electronic databases such as Scopus, Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE using the keywords “Hydrotherapy” OR “Balneotherapy” AND “Pain” OR “Analgesic effect.” Seven articles were identified in total. The available evidence suggests hydrotherapy to have significant analgesic effects, attributed to the physical and thermal properties of water.
Background: The application of cold to the spine is documented as favourable for reducing blood pressure in patients with hypertension (HTN). However, hydriatic application in the form of a cold spinal spray (CSS) has not yet been explored.Objective: To find the effectiveness of CSS on cardio autonomic variables among males with HTN. Methods: One hundred male patients with HTN visiting the outpatient service were included in this randomized controlled trial. A single session of CSS (15°C–19°C) was given to 50 patients for a period of 20 minutes for the study group, and the control group was made to lie down on the spinal spray tub for 20 minutes without any intervention. Baseline blood pressure and short-term heart rate variability (HRV) measurements were obtained prior to the intervention, followed by a subsequent assessment after a 20-minute interval for both groups. Results: Following 20 minutes of CSS a significant decrease was observed in systolic blood pressure (136.48±14.15 mmHg to 126.20±13.18 mmHg, p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (87.96±6.77 mmHg to 84.06±6.84 mmHg, p<0.006), pulse pressure (48.44±11.99 mmHg to 42.08±10.88 mmHg, p<0.007), and mean arterial pressure (104.09±8.12 mmHg to 98.05±7.88 mmHg, p<0.001). No significant changes were noted in HRV variables in either of the two patient groups. Conclusion: The current study findings suggest that a single session of CSS intervention could lower both systolic & diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure in male hypertensive patients. Further studies are needed to find the long-term effect of CSS among patients with HTN.
Introduction: Obesity has emerged as a critical public health issue in India, with a notable rise in prevalence, particularly among women. The relationship between obesity and cognitive function remains underexplored, especially in non-Western populations. This study aims to investigate the association between obesity and cognitive function in middle-aged women in Chennai, South India. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 healthy female subjects aged 40-60 years, categorized into four groups based on BMI: Normal (18.5-22.9 kg/m²), At Risk (23-24.9 kg/m²), Obese 1 (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and Obese 2 (>30 kg/m²). Anthropometric measurements were taken, and cognitive function was assessed using the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE) questionnaire, covering domains such as attention/orientation, memory, verbal fluency, language, and visuo-spatial abilities. Data analysis was performed using R statistical software, with ANOVA and post hoc tests to compare groups, and Pearson correlation to examine associations between anthropometric values and cognitive scores. Results:Significant differences were found in height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and neck circumference across BMI groups (p < 0.001). Cognitive scores significantly decreased with increasing BMI across all domains (p = 0.0001). Orientation/Attention, Memory, Verbal Fluency, Language, and Visuo-Spatial Ability scores were lowest in the Obese 2 group. Strong negative correlations were observed between BMI (r = -0.84, p = 0.0001), waist circumference (r = -0.49, p = 0.0001), hip circumference (r = -0.54, p = 0.0001), neck circumference (r = -0.41, p = 0.0001), and cognitive scores. The waist-hip ratio did not show a significant correlation with cognitive scores. Conclusion:This study demonstrates a significant association between obesity and cognitive impairment in middle-aged women. Reducing excess weight through interventions such as diet and physical activity may improve cognitive function and reduce morbidity and mortality. Early intervention is crucial for optimal benefits
Introduction: Obesity has emerged as a critical public health issue in India, with a notable rise in prevalence, particularly among women. The relationship between obesity and cognitive function remains underexplored, especially in non-Western populations. This study aims to investigate the association between obesity and cognitive function in middle-aged women in Chennai, South India. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 healthy female subjects aged 40-60 years, categorized into four groups based on BMI: Normal (18.5-22.9 kg/m²), At Risk (23-24.9 kg/m²), Obese 1 (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and Obese 2 (>30 kg/m²). Anthropometric measurements were taken, and cognitive function was assessed using the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE) questionnaire, covering domains such as attention/orientation, memory, verbal fluency, language, and visuo-spatial abilities. Data analysis was performed using R statistical software, with ANOVA and post hoc tests to compare groups, and Pearson correlation to examine associations between anthropometric values and cognitive scores. Results:Significant differences were found in height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and neck circumference across BMI groups (p < 0.001). Cognitive scores significantly decreased with increasing BMI across all domains (p = 0.0001). Orientation/Attention, Memory, Verbal Fluency, Language, and Visuo-Spatial Ability scores were lowest in the Obese 2 group. Strong negative correlations were observed between BMI (r = -0.84, p = 0.0001), waist circumference (r = -0.49, p = 0.0001), hip circumference (r = -0.54, p = 0.0001), neck circumference (r = -0.41, p = 0.0001), and cognitive scores. The waist-hip ratio did not show a significant correlation with cognitive scores. Conclusion:This study demonstrates a significant association between obesity and cognitive impairment in middle-aged women. Reducing excess weight through interventions such as diet and physical activity may improve cognitive function and reduce morbidity and mortality. Early intervention is crucial for optimal benefits
A quote from the great physician, Sir William Osler says ‘the medical teacher is not at a high pedestal pumping knowledge into passive receptacles, but a senior student eager to help his juniors”, from Student life. All doctors should gain a basic understanding of skills in teaching and learning during their undergraduate and postgraduate education and training. However, those with significant involvement in teaching and training will need more specialized skills. Medical Education principles have evolved as a prime area of education to students, and faculty members in recent times. Post graduate medical curriculum is usually devoted to developing competencies in the specialty concerned, patient care and submitting dissertations. Good Medical Practice says if you are involved in teaching you must develop the skills, attitudes and practices of a competent teacher. Being a teacher is not innate and the skills and attributes can be acquired. Post graduate students serve as undergraduate medical students primary teachers especially for practical and clinical skills and more than 20% of the postgraduate's time is spent on teaching activities and provide 20–70% of clinical teaching for medical students. Studies have shown that postgraduate student's knowledge increases by teaching UG students than by self-study.1Wilson F.C. Residents as teachers.J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001; 83: 1441-1443Crossref PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar The importance of postgraduate students in undergraduate medical education is that they have a positive impact upon students, their knowledge base is considerable and growing rapidly, they are where the learners (undergraduate students) want to be, they may not be the expert but they can serve as the bridge and facilitate self learning in students. Despite this critical role as teachers very few PG programs provide this kind of formal training in teaching methods, but our medical college has been a forerunner in medical education. The regulatory bodies like MCI have developed norms and guidelines to be adopted by Universities and Health care institutions for Medical College Faculty by conducting Faculty development workshops and Advanced Training in Medical Education. One of the obstacles identified in teaching effectiveness by Postgraduates/residents is lack of knowledge of the principles of adult learning and teaching techniques and importance of learning objectives.2Weiss V. Needlman R. To teach is to learn twice: resident teachers learn more.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998; 152: 190-192Crossref PubMed Google Scholar While postgraduates receive good training in their core subjects and reasonably adequate exposure to research and patient care, it is ironical that the need to horn their teaching skills, which is an indispensable requirement of any medical college, is not given due importance. Our medical college has taken the initiative of providing teaching skills training during the postgraduate training period itself as Postgraduates are the first teachers to the undergraduate students. While structured faculty development programs under the preview of the MCI are being conducted for faculty since 2009, this workshop aimed at training future medical teachers assumes significance. A systematic review has identified that there are limited studies in evaluating residents as teachers after providing them training.3Post R.E. Quattlebaum R.G. Benich J.J. Residents-as-Teachers curricula: a critical review.Acad Med. 2009; 84: 374-380Crossref PubMed Scopus (86) Google Scholar RAPTS (Ramachandra Annual Postgraduate Teaching Skills Workshop), as we have named it is to develop teaching skills in order to get the rapt attention of the UG students. Workshop for Postgraduates was conceptualized to train the medical postgraduates on medical education principles and skills. This training program will make a meaningful contribution to the scientific community by improving the teaching skills of postgraduate students of medical college who will become teaching faculty of several medical Colleges. This workshop is the first of its kind to be undertaken by any medical college, targeting faculty development of postgraduates. This training program was initiated in the year 2014 and is going on successfully till date. We have received appreciation and positive feedback from the students. This workshop is aimed at providing interactive scientific sessions and group activity sessions on key Medical Education topics that will promote teaching skills among postgraduate students and also to emphasize on motivation, Communication, team work and collaborative leadership that are some of the healthy trends in medical education. The sessions of this workshop include importance of learning objectives and hands on session on preparation of learning objectives, Different teaching learning methods with interactive demonstration of small group teaching as teaching techniques vary with content, venue, and group size. Small group teaching differs from the lecture format in that, in the former, content is delivered in small bites based on data generated from the patient, and opportunities to display collaborative, motor, and attitudinal behaviors are more frequent, Use of different teaching learning methods and media, Learning styles in education, E-Learning as technology enables teaching and learning especially in current tech-savvy students, Mentoring - ability to support, motivate, encourage and mentor students, and enthuse them about caring for patients, Good communication, including presentation and listening skills. This training workshop has an elaborate microteaching session, helping the postgraduates in improving their pedagogic skills. The session on reflection and feedback enhances self‐assessment, learning from experience and developing critical thinking skills. Sensitizing the postgraduates on medical education principles is also the need of the hour as the undergraduate medical curriculum has undergone substantial revision in its methodology and is now competency based undergraduate medical curriculum incorporating several innovative teaching learning methods.4https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/information-desk/for-colleges/ug-curriculumGoogle Scholar Postgraduates are the first contact teachers for undergraduates and the undergraduate students look upon them as the mentors. Teaching is an inherent skill that has be developed in postgraduate who will be teaching the undergraduates during their post graduation and also are the future teachers. Hence it is important for the postgraduates to have a program like the RAPTS as part of the postgraduate curriculum. With such training programs during post graduation followed by FDP, more teachers and trainers can be enabled to provide high quality teaching. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.
Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a simple and noninvasive technique capable of assessing autonomic nervous system modulation on heart rate (HR) in healthy as well as disease conditions. The aim of the present study was to compare (validate) the HRV using a temporal series of electrocardiograms (ECG) obtained by simple analog amplifier with PC-based sound card (audacity) and Biopac MP36 module.Based on the inclusion criteria, 120 healthy participants, including 72 males and 48 females, participated in the present study. Following standard protocol, 5-min ECG was recorded after 10 min of supine rest by Portable simple analog amplifier PC-based sound card as well as by Biopac module with surface electrodes in Leads II position simultaneously. All the ECG data was visually screened and was found to be free of ectopic beats and noise. RR intervals from both ECG recordings were analyzed separately in Kubios software. Short-term HRV indexes in both time and frequency domain were used.The unpaired Student's t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient test were used for the analysis using the R statistical software. No statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the values analyzed by means of the two devices for HRV. Correlation analysis revealed perfect positive correlation (r = 0.99, P < 0.001) between the values in time and frequency domain obtained by the devices.On the basis of the results of the present study, we suggest that the calculation of HRV values in the time and frequency domains by RR series obtained from the PC-based sound card is probably as reliable as those obtained by the gold standard Biopac MP36.
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