IPL PLAYERS TEAM

FRIDAY KNIGHT FEVER

KKR Geared Up To Face Defending Champions Chargers

        Mumbai: It's not just a winning start that Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking at when they face defending champions Deccan Chargers in the opening match of the third Indian Premier League (IPL) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday.

           To begin their campaign with a positive mindset, shred every bit of negativity that had seeped in such abundance last season, to gel as a team and enjoy their cricket will play equally on their minds.

          In 2009, the south African sojourn turned out to be a disappointing outing for the team. With John Buchanan as coach, who eventually lost his job after facing a lot of criticism, and Brendon McCullum as captain, the Knights never remained in fray for any topslots throughout the tournament. This year, with Sourav Ganguly in charge of the affairs, a fresher outlook is what the team - with Dav Whatmore as the new coach - will be seeking.

           "I don't believe in team meetings and discussions as much as I believe in going out there and executing things. 90% of what we do, has to be the execution and 10% what we meet and discus, " Ganguly said on the eve of the match after a strenuous net session.

           The fact that KKR will be taking on Deccan, the 2009 champions, makes the job relatively tougher. Adam Gilchrist, the DC skipper, is confident of continuing from where his team had left last year. "There are many young Indians this time who want to play aggressive and smart cricket. That is something almost all of them seem to have imbibed. Names like Rohit Sharma, RP Singh and Harmeet Singh will play an important role for us, " he says.

            Meanwhile, both teams are running short on the foreign quotient. For Deccan, only four foreigners - Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs, Chaminda Vaas and Gilchrist - have arrived while KKR have only six - Brand Hodge, Owais Shah, Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Mashrafe Mortaza and Charl Langeveldt - to choose from.

             Last season, Brad Hodge turned out to KKR's most dependable batsman while Gilchrist turned out be the player of the tournament. In the bowling department, KKR can bank on Langeveldt and Mendis who're most likely to make the eleven while Chargers will need to rely heavily on RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha.

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HOCKEY WORLD CUP DREAM FINAL

All set for dream final

            TWO-TIME defending champion Germany and Australia played true to form to set up their third successive title encounter in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup hockey.

           Australia withstood a late rally to carve a 2-1 victory over Holland, while earlier in the evening, Germany's young outfit manifested its clinical efficiency in creating and converting chances through their 4-1 semifinal victory over England to stay on course for a crack at their third successive title in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup.

         The forthcoming encounter would give Australia yet another chance to win the World Cup, which they have not been kable to for the past two editions. Both teams seem to be peaking for the summit clash and it sets up what will surely be a great clash as Germany try to establish as themselves as supreme masters of the game and Australia as theier skilful exponents.

            Earlier in the day, seizing control of the midfield, Germany stamped their domination on the semifinal against the European champions. 

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HOCKEY WORLD CUP

Beware of Argentina

            The Indians play their final game, a play-off for the seventh position against Argentina. The latter is a team that has always troubled India. and the main reason for this is that they play a brand of hockey that is quite similar to India.Like India, the Argentinas play open hockey, and they showcase their skill and fitness by creating a lot of space for their manoeuvres. However, India to have a champions Trophy berth, it does improve their ranking from 12th to 7th - a significant jump.

                 Like India, Argentina too has issues in defence, but also possesses the power to confound the Indian defence because they are very adept at cross running. recently, these two teams met at the Azian Shah tournament. In a preliminary match they beat India 5-3, and three of the goals capitalized on an open defence. Apart from these skills, Argentina is also good at converting penalty coners, and the weak link is their defence. They play physical hockey, but their main problem is that like India they don't have a system of tight marking.

         Without bringing sentiment into it. India must feel that they performed reasonably well, but were victims of inconsistency. Gurbaj singh was the only player who was consistently good through the tournament. Shivendra Singh was also adequate in the games he played. Thought he lacks height and physique, he is a good opportunist and gave evidence of the potential he has.

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HEALTHY BITES PART A

IRENE FERNANDES LISTS OUT A FEW ESSENTIAL FOODS THAT NEED

TO BE A PART OF EVERY WOMAN'S DIET

CRANBERRIES

These red charmers are known to ward off urinary tract infections. A glass of juice daily does the trick. They also help to keep away colds and help fight certain types of cancer. These can be has with your breakfast cereals and smooth less and juices.

NUTS

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids. nuts help reduce inflammation and increase good cholesterol. some studies have revealed that they may even help in curing depression and reduce the risk of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Sprinkle a couple of crushed nuts to your salad and add that crunchy flavour to your meal.

FATTY DAIRY PRODUCTS

I know, it must be quite difficult to imagine that whole milk and full-fat yogurt can be considered as healthy foods. Harvard studies based on women's  health reveal that women who consume these foods (as opposed to low-fat or no-frat dairy)have fewer problems with ovulation. Dairy products also contain a pretty good amount of calcium. do not overdo it, but a bowl/cup a day should serve its puspose. This can also make up for the calories that you have been cutting out otherwise in your daily diet.

TOMATOES

 Tomotoes are packed with lycopene and antioxidant properties. According to several research studies, women with lycopene-rich diets can have as much as a 50 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. Antioidants help in slowing your ageing process as well as lower your blood pressure and bad cholesterol.They also help reduce your risk of getting macular degeneration and a host of cancers.

       Whether on a diet or not, you can combine one or several of these ingredients in your daily meal or snack. Instead of a plain fillet-o-fish sandwich you can ask for extra leafy veggies to be added to them. Walnuts and almonds can be added to your morning breakfasts. The next time you hit your favourite restaurant,  don't deprive of yourself of carbs. Opt for jbrown rice instead.

        Choose your way to a healthy life, you deserve it.

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HEALTHY BITES

IRENE FERNANDES LISTS OUT A FEW ESSENTIAL FOODS THAT NEED

TO BE A PART OF EVERY WOMAN'S DIET

        A woman's diet has to be comprehensive and wholesome for the simple reason that she entails a considerable amount of reponsibilities besides house hold chores.

GREENS

You have heard about this time and again about the importance of greens in one's diet. Packed with antioxidants, which promote general-and reproductive-health. Besides this, certain fruits like oranges, vegetable contain folate, an important nutrient essential for pregnant women to prevent birth defects.

FISH

Seafood is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and if consumed at least twice a week it could reduce your risk of heart disease. These fats help reduce inflammation and increase insulin sensitivity.

WHOLE GRAINS

While most women are conscious for the amount of carbs in their daily intake, you don't have to give them up entirely. Complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads, brown rice, stone-ground cornmeal, and oatmeal have negligible effect on blood sugar and insulin when compared to refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, bleached flout, etc.)

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HEALTH CARE

HELMING

HEALTH CARE

With power comes responsibility. Preetha Reddy, Managing director of Apollo Hospitals, talks about her life and times in an exclusive with Akhila Krishnamurthy

     Everyday, across Apollo Hospitals in all coners of India - Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai,Kolkata,Bangalore and Bilaspur and that is just to name a few - as many as 1,000 patients are anaesthetized. That is, two jump jets full of people. Over the last 26 years since this medical institution found its humble origin and grew rapidly to revolutionise the world of healthcare, as many as 18 million patients have been treated in its premises. Currently, there are 8,000 beds across the many hspitals of Apollo in the country. And amidst the cacophony that is characteristic of any large hospital, Preetha reddy, the hospital's managing director is sitting very calmly in her plush office in Chennai, from where she gets a stunning view of the city's skyline. The morning sun sashaying into the room, probably adds to years, we hope to double that number - from 8,000 beds to 16,000. "

                 It isn't easy being Preetha Reddy, daughter of the visionary. Dr. Prathap Reddy who founded Apollo Hospitals, and who is at ahe helm of a healthcare enterprise of this size and magnitude. she knows that. for years now, Preetha has never turned off jher mobile.

                        "I sleep with the phone next to me. You never know who might need me in the dark of the night, " she says as a preamble to our forty minute long interview, "To tell you the truth, a career in healthcare, is very absorbing. But then, I must confess that I don't know or understand any other vertical or industry. And now, having been part of it this long, I feel responsible for a juge number of people - a million patients who trust our instinct and expertise to cure, the stream of doctors and paramedics, the 65,000 employees who toil tirelessly through day and night, our many stakeholders...It's a long list. "

             The eldest among the four daughters of Dr Reddy. Preetha avers the journey hasn't always been smooth: "Being the boss' daughter doesn't always help in healthcare, " she says. "In fact, my father would keep saying. "If the hospital has a million bricks, we've had a million challenges.' "But in her own way, she has found her feet and is tenaciously carrying forward the group's underlying philosophy - uncompromising care and a happy marriage of medical care and hospitality. On March 5, Apollo Hospitals in augurated its state-of-the-art hospital in Bhubaneshwar. "Over the years, "she observes, "we've built a kind of loyalty among people from all corners of India. Our hospital in Bilaspur, for instance, is a huge success. "

          As a south Indian woman and one who is extremely graceful - the day we meet her, she is dressed in a red tussar silk saree with a bunch of rice pearls around her neck - Preetha reconnises that like most women from this side of the vindhyas, starting isn't always very easy. "I used to be very shy, reticent even, "she says, "But you learn as you go along: I still remember how if more than two people came into my room, I'd want to run away, I've come a long way since. "

           Credit for that must go to her spiritual leanings. "I owe that to my parents, "she says humbly, talking of her belief in a universal god,"I'm hoping to become less ritualistic and not stress as much about many unanswered questions because somehow I feel that a supreme being seems to be leading me always in the right direction. "And then, daily, before she wraps up for the day, Preetha goes on a round of the hospital, taling to her patients, instilling in them a sense of hope, assurance and the promise of "uncompromising care" Guess when you touch lives on that level, it is bound to leave you with a sense of satisfaction. Just look at her face: it shows.

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DON'T USE PAINKILLERS MORE !

PAINKILLERS MAY LEAD

TO HEARING LOSS IN MEN

         IF you are among those who pop a painkiller at the first instance of pain, then it is time you read this report...

       Regular use of painkillers like aspirin, acetaminophen and hon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men below 60. Even mild hearing loss can compromise the ability to understand speech in the presence of background noise, leading to social isolation, depression, and poorer quality of life.

          Investigators from Harvard University, Brigham, Women's Hospital, Vanderbilt University, and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, looked at factors other than age and noise that might influence the risk of hearing loss.Ototoxicity is damage to the ear, specifically the cochlea or auditory nerve by atoxin. The ototoxic effects of aspirin are well known and the ototoxicity of NSAIDs   has been suggested, but the relation between acetaminophen and hearing loss has not been examined previously.

          

     Participants were drawn from the Health Professionals Follow-up study, which tracked over 26,000 men every two years for 18 years. a questionnaire determined analgesic use,hearing loss and a variety of physiological,medical and demographic factors.
            for aspirin, regular users under 50 and those aged 50-59 years were 33 percent more likely to have hearing loss than were non-regular users. However, there was no association among men aged 60 years and older.
             For NSAIDs, regular users aged under 50 were 61 percent more likely, those aged 50-59 were 32 percent more likely, and those aged 60 and older were 16 percent more likely to develop haring loss than non-regular users of NSAIDs.
             For acetaminophen, regular users aged under 50 were 99 percent more likely, regular users aged 50-59 were 38 percent more likely, and those aged 60 and older were 16 percent more likely to have hearing loss than non-regular users of acetaminophen.

          

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GLAUCOMA EYE LEADING CAUSE

GLAUCOMA -

THE SILENT THIEF

 Most people with glaucoma are unaware of this life-long disease. Early detection and control ae the keys to preserving vision, as loss of eyesight due to the disease can never be regained, says Dr L Vijaya...

                   Glaucoma is the second leading cause of proventable blindness in India where nearly 12 million Indians are estimated to be 2010 and 16 million by 2020.

            Most people with glaucoma are unaware of the disease. Early detection and control are the keys to preserving vision as visual loss suffered due to the disease cannot be regained.

             The disease is characterised by changed in the optic nerve (the nerve that connects the eye to the brain) with associated visual field defects (the area seen by the eye). Left untreated, it leads to progressive loss of vision and may eventually result in blindness. The two types of glaucoma are open angle or closure angle glaucoma.

             The disease can also occur in children, though such cases are rare. In these cases, the disease is more severe and often requires surgery.

            As the outer portion of the visual field is the first to be affected, and most types of glaucoma are asymptomatic, the disease is often diagnosed only after significant vision as been lost. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential so as tio ensure that treatment to halt/slow progression can be instituted.

What are my risk factors for the disease ?

• if you are above the age of 40 years
• if you have a blood relative with glaucoma
• if you have a history of unjury to the eyes
• if you are using steroid
• if you are using steroid medication for a long duration

What are its symptoms?
Glaucoma, usually, has no symptoms. More than 90% of glaucoma cases in the country remain undiagnosed. A few warning signs are

• Frequent change in spectacle power
• Attacks of headache and eye pain associated with a decrease in vision or redness
• Difficulty in seeing objects on the side
• decrease in vision
• A large eye in an infant

How is it diagnosed?

• Merely checking the glasses does not help in the detection of this disease
• Also, merely checking the pressure (intraocular pressure) of the eye may result in the failure of detection
• People suffering from cataract may have co-existing glaucome
• Only a comprehensive eye examination including eye pressure check, examination of angle of the eye pressure check, examination of angle of the eye (gonioscopy),examination of the optic nerve and if necessary, checking of the peripheral vision(visual field or perimetry) can help diagnose this disease

What are the treatment options available?
Treatment option include

• Medications (eye drops)
• Laser treatment
• Surgery

         The required treatment has to be decided by the treating doctor. All treatment in glaucoma is aimed at halting the disease progression. Glaucoma can be controlled but not cured. Patients require periodic examinations, and strict adherence to medications. In most patients, glaucoma can be controlled and vision can be preserved for the patient's lifetime. However, a lifelong follow-up is required.
The writer is 
Director,
Glaucoma Services,
Sankara Nethralaya
 

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