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all that you need to know about COVID-19

Corona Conundrum

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Publishing director & editor in chief V. Bhargava bhargavavicky@rocketmail.com Publisher, Printer & editor Ravi Pathak consultant editor Ratan Mani Lal contributing editors Dipna Kriplani, Ahmedabad Daya Kingston, Chennai Khusboo Singh, Kolkata Kriti Gupta, New Delhi editoral desk Shweta Malviya, Manoj Singh, art director Raj Bhagat Visualizers & illustrators Nitesh Kushwaha, Rituraj Raman, Sushmita Singh, Prachi Singh PrinciPal PhotograPher Nilendra Singh PhotograPhers Aditya Goswami (New Delhi) Nilanshu Khatri (New Delhi) Mandeep Lamba (NCR) Babar Ali (Mumbai) APS Vijendran (Chennai) Prabhu (Pondicherry) Subhamoy S. Roy (Kolkata) Akhil Ranjan (Bhubneshwar) Aakash Jagtap (Pune) Anoop Taneja (Jalandhar) Bejoy Viswas (Kochi) Renjith M (Calicut) Gurmeet Singh Sidhu (Kota) Syed Shakeel Hussain (Hyderababad) Nitin Arora (Lucknow) Bindu (Tirupati) Sanjay Kapur (Nagpur) Utpal Barua (Guwahati/N.E.) Kishore Raj (Raipur/Chattisgarh) Zafar (Kolhapur) Ravi Shankar (Patna) Licensed images: Shutterstock/Canstock Printed & Published by Ravi Prakash Pathak for Pugmarks Media, from 63/9A, South Lokpur, Naini, Allahabad 211008 and Printed by him at Bhargava Press, 11/4, Bai ka Bagh, Allahabad 211003.

Editor: Ravi Prakash Pathak

Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of. Stephen Hawking

IVF India does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Allahabad only.

Opinions expressed in the articles are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

Content credits: webmd.com, nature.com, bestlifeonline.com, who.org, covid19facts.com

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Covid-19 Facts Are children with COVID-19 at risk of a severe inflammatory reaction?

in kolkata, a 4 month old boy with symptoms similar to kawasaki has also tested positive for covid-19.

In general, children tend to be only mildly affected by the novel coronavirus. However, recent news reports have described a rare and potentially serious inflammatory syndrome in children that has been linked with COVID-19, with 100 cases reportedly identified in at least six countries.

The syndrome is said to share features with other paediatric inflammatory reactions of the blood vessels and other organs, such as Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome.

The UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has advised doctors to be alert to children presenting with high temperature, low blood pressure and other signs of inflammation such as swollen glands or rash.

It is important to highlight that this syndrome, although serious, is very rare. Professor Russell Viner, president of the RCPCH, has said: ‘Parents should be reassured that children are unlikely to be seriously ill with [COVID19] but if they are concerned about their children’s health for any reason, they should seek help from a health professional.’

Myth: It is only spread by a few ‘super-spreaders’ term ‘super-spreader’ is vague and Those that infect more people usually do so fact: The unhelpful. It does not have a clear scientific because they come into contact with a large definition. When using the term, people are normally referring to a person that infects more people than usual. But we should be guided by the statistics. On average, the carrier of the infection infects two to three people with the virus. This is an average and some infect fewer whilst some infect more.

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number of people due to their work or living conditions and that often occurs before they show any symptoms.

Source: Dr Narendra Saini, Chairman, Scientific Committee, Delhi Medical Council

{

COVID-19 (more specifically, a coronavirus) is the disease identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

There is significant global media attention on the spread of coronavirus, which has led to justifiable public concern about the risks from COVID-19 and an Infodemic. Using trusted expert sources, we provide clear and up-to-date facts on the disease, to dispel myths and provide clear guidance on spotting symptoms and prevention. For more info visit: www.covid-19facts.com

Myth: Good nutrition can prevent the coronavirus need to be reminded of cannot prevent coronavirus infection fact: People taking adequate nutrition. through diet. However, a healthy life-style including balanced diet has a positive significance in maintaining an immune system against virus attack.

From clinical observations, the mortality of some patients with underlying diseases is relatively high, which is partly due to insufficient nutritional support. Especially for novel coronavirus patients, they are often observed with problems of olfactory failure and poor appetite. At this point, patients

For critically ill and emergent patients, enteral and parenteral nutrition support is particularly important.

Source: Dr Zhong, Kai, Director of China Food Information Center (CFIC)

Myth: Products are ineffective against this strain of

Coronavirus and nothing can protect you. fact:

“People are understandably concerned about the novel Coronavirus strain and keen to understand the steps they can take to best protect themselves. It is incorrect to claim that there is nothing that can be done in this regard as it’s reasonable to make assumptions based on previous experience.”

As this is a new strain of Coronavirus, no commercial products can yet be tested by any company for effectiveness against this new strain. That does not mean that they won’t be proved to be effective once companies are in a position to carry out the appropriate tests. Until such tests are complete, the best we can do as individuals is to rely on proven best practice hygiene, taking prudent steps to mitigate risk based on

the experience from previous Coronavirus strains and similar viruses. From that perspective, there are products that have demonstrated effectiveness against pathogens from the same family as the new virus, such as SARS and MERS. Based on the evidence available to us, and knowledge of the new virus we would anticipate the same measures and products to be effective against the new strain. Definitive scientific confirmation of effectiveness can only be provided once testing against Covid-19 has been conducted, following release of the strain by relevant health authorities.”

Source: Dr Bruce Charlesworth, Chief Medical Officer – Relief, Hygiene and Wellness, RB HE & SHE

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In brIeF Behind the jokes are genuine worries about weight – and a lot of people are feeling guilty about finding comfort in food and eating differently right now. But with so many other things to worry about right now, give yourself some grace.

Here are some things to do right now: scraP the diet. If you were cutting carbs or fasting before the pandemic hit and are struggling to stay consistent, please let it go. Dieting is an extra stress you don’t need, especially right now. Restrictive dieting is a physical stress to your body and a mental burden. be kind to yourself. “This is an opportunity to practice self-compassion,” says Jennifer Carter, PhD, a sport psychologist at The Ohio State University who previously worked at an eating disorder recovery center. Some stress eating and emotional eating is natural right now. embrace the silver linings. There are a lot of heartbreaks and hardships in this crisis.

But for many people, there’s also more time to prepare meals and more time to really savor food. Slowing down while eating can help you enjoy your food even more and recognize when you’re full. have faith in routines. This pandemic has drastically changed day-to-day living. You may have more opportunities to eat, fewer fresh foods and more convenience products. But this situation won’t last forever – and when it ends and your routine changes, your eating habits probably will too.

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Food Mistakes That Expose Avoid doing these You to COVID-19 mindless things when you grocery shop, cook, and eat.

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You're touching Your face while grocerY shoPPing

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You're not cleaning and sanitizing Your kitchen counter correctlY You're eating food without washing Your hands first

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You're sharing food with the PeoPle You're in quarantine with

You're not wearing a mask to Pick uP Your food

You're eating heaVilY Processed foods - often HE & SHE

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Annual COVID-19 Vaccine May Be Necessary People will likely need to take a coronavirus vaccine annually to protect themselves, similar to the annual flu vaccine, an Oxford University scientist working on a COVID-19 vaccine said on Sunday.

The coronavirus doesn’t mutate as quickly as the flu does, but it’s tough to create “longstanding immune responses” to it, said Sir John Bell, a professor of medicine, on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I suspect we may need to have relatively regular vaccinations against coronaviruses going into the future,” he said. “That, of course, remains to be seen, but that’s my bet at the moment.”

That means research teams will need to develop a seasonal coronavirus vaccine.

Bell is part of the Oxford team that began testing a vaccine in a clinical trial and is aiming to have a vaccine available for distribution by September.

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Should you wear rubber gloves?

People will likely need to take a coronavirus vaccine annually to protect themselves, similar to the annual flu vaccine,

The virus does not infect you through your skin. The virus can also stick to those gloves just as it can stick to your fingers. If gloves remind you not to touch your face, then OK. But don’t let them give you a false sense of security because otherwise they offer no protection.

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Obesity New Risk Factor for Young COVID Patients Jennifer Lighter MD wanted to better understand if there really was a link between coronavirus and obesity, so she and Anna Stachel, assistant director of the Department of Infection Prevention and Control at NYU Langone Health, did a study of 3,615 patients under the age of 60 who tested positive for COVID-19. They found that body weight did not significantly raise the risk of hospitalization or more severe illness for people over 60. But it did in patients younger than 60, compared to those with a healthy body mass index, which is less than 30. The research showed: • Patients with a BMI of 30-34 were twice as likely to get admitted to the hospital or to be admitted to acute care.

• Patients with a BMI of 35 or higher were twice as likely to be admitted to the hospital and three times as likely to end up in the intensive care unit.

• Patients with a BMI of 30-34 were twice as likely to get admitted to the hospital or to be admitted to acute care.

• Patients with a BMI of 35 or higher were twice as likely to be admitted to the hospital and three times as likely to end up in the intensive care unit.

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The Invader How COVID Attacks Every Organ We have underestimated and misunderstood COVID-19 since it first appeared.

And as we learn more, it’s clear that COVID-19 can be more than just a respiratory disease.

It is the “great imitator” diseases that can look like almost any condition.

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Great ABOUT It can be a gastrointestinal disease causing only diarrhea and abdominal pain. It can cause symptoms that may be confused with a cold or the flu. It can cause pinkeye, a runny nose, loss of taste and smell, muscle aches, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, whole-body rashes, and areas of swelling and redness in just a few spots.

In a more severe disease, doctors have also reported people having heart rhythm problems, heart failure, kidney damage, confusion, headaches, seizures, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and fainting spells, along with new sugar control problems.

It’s not just a fever and coughing, leading to shortness of breath, like everyone thought at first.

This makes it incredibly difficult to diagnose and even harder to treat.

How It Invades When viral particles land in our eyes, nose, or mouth, “spike proteins” on the virus connect with a specific receptor, known as ACE2, on the surface of our cells, allowing entry. ACE2 receptors make a great target because they are found in organs throughout our bodies. Once the virus enters, it turns the cell into a factory, making millions and millions of copies of itself - which can then be breathed or coughed out to infect others.

In order to evade early detection, the coronavirus uses multiple tools to prevent the infected cells from calling out for help. The virus snips off distress signal proteins that cells make when they are under attack. It also destroys antiviral commands inside the infected cell. This gives the virus much more time to make copies of itself and infect surrounding areas before it is identified as an

invader. This is part of the reason why the virus spreads before immune responses, like fever, begin.

Direct Attack Many with mild or no symptoms are able to fend off the virus before it gets worse. These people may have symptoms only in the upper airway, at the site where they were first infected. But when someone’s body can’t destroy the virus at its entry point, viral particles march deeper into the body.

The virus seems to take a few paths from there, either setting up camp in the lungs, fighting its way into the digestive tract, or doing some combination of both.

COVID-19 is proving to be far more dangerous to far more parts of the body than previously believed.

Once the virus is deeply embedded in the body, it begins to cause more severe disease.

This is where direct attack on other organs that have ACE2 receptors can occur, including heart muscle, kidneys, blood vessels, the liver, and potentially the central nervous system. This may be one reason for the vast array of

31%

of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 got clots while on blood thinners

symptoms COVID-19 can cause.

The brain and nerves may also fall prey to direct attack. There are many routes a virus could take to invade the central nervous system. One somewhat disputed view is that the loss of smell could indicate that the nerve responsible for smell is infected and can carry the virus into the CNS, including the brain.

However, there is no evidence to date establishing that this actually occurs with COVID-19.

Early findings, including those from autopsy and biopsy reports, show that viral particles can be found not only in the nasal passages and throat, but also in tears, stool, the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and heart.

And in one case viral particles in the fluid around the brain in a patient with meningitis.

Collateral Damage That Kills Severe damage to the lungs may be one trigger that activates and overstimulates the immune system through a barrage of signaling chemicals, known as cytokines.

The flood of these chemicals can set off what is referred to as a “cytokine storm.” This is a complex interplay of chemicals that can cause blood pressure to drop, attract more killer immune and inflammatory cells, and lead to even more injury within the lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain. Some researchers say cytokine storms may be the cause of sudden decompensation, leading to critical illness in COVID-19 patients.

There may be another deadly culprit. Many doctors are discovering that abnormal clotting, known as thrombosis, may also play a major role in lethal COVID-19. Doctors are seeing clots everywhere: large-vessel clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs and pulmonary emboli (PE) in the lungs; clots in arteries, causing strokes; and small clots in tiny blood vessels in organs throughout the body. Early autopsy results are also showing widely scattered clots in multiple organs.

Adam Cuker, MD, a hematologist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in clotting disorders, says these clots are happening at high rates even when patients are on blood thinners for clot prevention. In one study from the Netherlands, 31% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 got clots while on blood thinners.

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Though the reason for the clotting is still not clear, it seems to be playing a much larger role in death than previously understood.

Double-Edged Sword Even though researchers are learning more each day about the virus and how and where it attacks the body, treatment geared toward these targets also pose significant problems. Many drugs come with a risk of destroying the delicate balance that allows the body to help fight the disease or to manage inflammation. The ACE2 receptor that the virus uses to enter cells is a key player in lowering inflammation and reducing blood pressure. Targeting or blocking this receptor as a treatment strategy to prevent viral entry into cells may actually worsen blood pressure, increase the risk of heart failure and kidney injury, and increase inflammation that may worsen lung injury.

Drugs that target the immune response to lower the risk of a cytokine storm may also tamp down the immune response, making it hard to kill off the virus over the long run.

Using medicines to prevent clotting may end up causing severe bleeding.

Timing is likely to be key in treatment strategies. For example, patients may need a drug to boost the immune system early on in the disease, and then one to tamp it down if the disease progresses and cytokine markers begin to rise.

Just the Tip of the Iceberg Cuker says that what we know about clotting and almost everything else when it comes to COVID-19.

Sanober Amin, MD, PhD, a dermatologist in Texas, agrees. She’s been tracking the wide variety of skin findings that dermatologists across the world have been noting.

She recently posted images on social media that show the wide variety of skin findings she has been seeing and hearing about. Her post received a massive response. Amin says that “dermatologists from around the world, from Turkey to France to Canada to the U.S., are sharing information about rashes that they’ve observed in people with COVID-19.”

Some rashes seem to be consistent with what’s called a viral exanthema, which is a term for a general rash that can happen with almost any virus. But, Amin

viral

particles can be found not only in the nasal passages and throat, but also in tears, stool, the kidneys, liver, pancreas, semen, brain fluid and heart.

says, “some skin findings are more consistent with superficial clotting in blood vessels close to the skin.

This is what some have started to call “ COVID toes,” also called pernio. Dermatologists are seeing more cases of these small clots in toes and fingers, especially in children.

It’s hard to know which skin conditions are related to COVID-19 because a lot of people without “typical” symptoms are not being tested, Amin says. Researchers will still need to work out which symptoms may be caused by the virus and which may just be unrelated early findings.

Unanswered Questions For now, much of the information we have about the symptoms of COVID-19 come from hospitalized patients who are very sick by the time they seek care and may not be able to share information about the early signs and symptoms they may have had.

Because of the lag in testing, we still don't know the full extent of what mild and moderate versions of the disease look like, or what effects the disease has on people who have many symptoms but aren’t quite sick enough to be hospitalized.

One open question is what the long-term effects may be for survivors. What does life look like after being on a ventilator or suddenly needing dialysis?

Will we see decreases in heart, lung, and kidney function that is long-lasting and permanent, or will patients eventually recover?

We also don’t know how people will clear infections. If the new coronavirus ends up being an acute infection, like other coronaviruses, most recovered people should develop at least a shortterm immunity. It’s also possible that the virus may persist as a latent infection, like chickenpox, lying dormant in the body, only to reemerge periodically as shingles does, or become a chronic infection, like hepatitis B, living within the body for a sustained period of time, causing long-term damage.

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Healthy Actions That Help You Feel Better get outside

get more than 5,000 steps a day

goals can help you stay focused and give you a clearer purpose go easy on Yourself

keep a journal to help you process this unusual time watch for unhealthy Patterns

think of the big Picture. You are not alone. across the globe, this virus has disrupted billions of people’s lives

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be active throughout Your day

call or text someone

limit news or social media

limit news or social media take time to relax

give and receive help try something new

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When you go back to the gym

if You enjoY a good gYm workout, You’re ProbablY hankering to get back to it. but with the Virus swirling around, there are a few things to keeP in mind.

gym Must Do’s social distancing is a must there should be at least 6 feet between you and your any treadmill buddy. ask the gym about their disinfecting practices. how often do they disinfect the machines, dumbbells etc? don’t use a machine next to someone else wear a mask. while it might be tough when huffing and puffing in an intense workout, wear one any time you can stand it and remember, don’t touch your face! when you’re done with your workout, wash your hands! use a paper towel to turn off all faucets and open all doors until you’re out of the gym. toss it in the trash

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Unproven herbal remedy against COVID-19 could fuel drug-resistant malaria

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina tries Covid-Organics at a launch ceremony in Antananarivo on 20 April. Several other African leaders have expressed an interest in the unproven treatment.

At its launch last month, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina claimed the tonic had passed scientific scrutiny and cured two patients of COVID-19.

The island nation has 151 confirmed coronavirus cases and no deaths.

A herbal tonic developed in Madagascar and touted as a cure for COVID-19 could fuel drugresistant malaria in Africa, scientists warn. Several African countries have said they are placing orders for the brew, whose efficacy has yet to be shown.

Branded Covid-Organics, the therapy was developed by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA). Its chief ingredient is reported to be sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua), a plant of Asian origin that gave rise to the antimalarial drug artemisinin. At its launch last month, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina claimed the tonic had

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passed scientific scrutiny and cured two patients of COVID-19. The island nation has 151 confirmed coronavirus cases and no deaths.

But it’s unclear how Covid-Organics is prepared, and IMRA has not reported any data on its efficacy or side effects. (The institute did not respond to a request for comment.) “It is a drug whose scientific evidence has not yet been established, and which risks damaging the health of the population, in particular that of children,” the National Academy of Medicine of Madagascar cautioned in a statement last month.

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strong antibody response common in people who’ve recovered Nearly everyone who recovers from COVID-19 makes antibodies against the new coronavirus, according to a study of more than 1,300 people who had symptoms of the disease.

Ania Wajnberg, Carlos Cordon-Cardo and their colleagues at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City found that more than 99% of the study participants who had been infected eventually developed antibodies suggesting that they are immune from reinfection for an unknown length of time. The immune

response could be slow: some study volunteers didn’t produce detectable antibodies until one month after they first started feeling ill. The team found that a person’s age and sex didn’t affect their chance of developing antibodies.

Almost 20% of study volunteers tested positive for viral RNA two or more weeks after their symptoms ended. This might mean that the presence of viral RNA is not a good indicator of whether the body has cleared the virus. The study has not yet been peer reviewed.

According to a study of more than 1,300 people who had symptoms of the disease, more than 99% eventually developed antibodies HE & SHE

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FDA Approves First At-Home Saliva Test People wanting to know if they have the coronavirus should soon have an alternative to going to a doctor's office and having a cotton swab shoved deep into their nasal cavity.

The Food and Drug Administration has given Rutgers University's RUCDR Infinite Biologics the first emergency use authorization for an at-home saliva test, the agency said in a news release.

Up to now, most coronavirus testing has involved nose or throat swab samples performed in a doctor's office or at a testing site. People who use the new test would spit into a vial at home and mail the vial to a lab, which would tell them if they've got the virus. A doctor would have to prescribe the test.

This will continue to increase patient access to testing for COVID19 and provides an additional option for the easy, safe, and convenient collection of samples required for testing without traveling to a doctor's office, hospital, or testing site.

The at-home test should increase the speed and the number of people tested, said Andrew Brooks, chief operating officer and director of technology development at RUCDR, in a news release from Rutgers.

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People who use the new test would spit into a vial at home and mail the vial to a lab, which would tell them if they've got the virus. A doctor would have to prescribe the test.

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FDA Authorizes First Antigen Test for COVID-19 The FDA has issued the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 antigen test, which is a new type of test that detects virus proteins. It is a diagnostic test that indicates whether someone has the coronavirus at the moment.

Samples are taken with a nasal swab.

The authorization was issued on 8th May 2020 to Quidel Corporation, the FDA said in a news release. The test will be available for both point-of-care testing and high capacity labs.

The antigen test differs from the other two tests currently available, which include a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and a serological test. The PCR uses a nasal swab and detects genetic material from the coronavirus to diagnose an active COVID-19 infection. The serological test uses a blood sample and detects antibodies to the virus to identify people who developed an immune response.

The new antigen test is a diagnostic tool like the PCR test, but instead of looking for the genetic sequence of the

coronavirus, it looks for antigens, or molecules on the surface of the virus. On the positive side, antigen tests can be run quickly and may produce results within minutes. On the negative side, antigen tests may not detect everything or be as “sensitive.” Positive results tend to be accurate, but the tests can have a higher number of false negatives.

The Quidel test is 85% sensitive, or able to correctly identify patient samples with the coronavirus, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“Negative results do not rule out infection,” according to the FDA statement. “With this in mind, negative results from an antigen test may need to be confirmed with a PCR test.”

Despite the drawbacks, antigen tests are important for the overall COVID-19 response, the FDA says, because they're simple and cheap to make and can be produced by multiple manufacturers. This type of test has the potential to scale to millions of tests per day.

This development could “better identify infection rates closer to real time,” the statement said.

The new antigen test is a diagnostic tool like the PCR test, but instead of looking for the genetic sequence of the coronavirus, it looks for antigens, or molecules on the surface of the virus.

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What Kills Your Immunity ?

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anxietY

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lack of sleeP

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low Vitamin d

certain medications They include drugs to treat allergies, cancer,arthritis, lupus, IBS, and organ transplant.

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smoking

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high-fat diet

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too few fruits and Veggies

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lack of exercise

alcohol Just overdoing it once slows your body’s ability to fight germs for up to 24 hours. Over time, drinking too much blunts your body’s ability repair itself.

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FAQ on Food and COVID-19 as much as people are feeling worry and fear about coVId-19, they’re also experiencing confusion – particularly over what’s safe and what’s not and how to navigate this new-normal. that goes for food too. here are some of the biggest questions and some sciencebacked answers

do I need to WIpe doWn my grocerIes? No. We have heard stories of people spending 45 minutes after each grocery trip thoroughly wiping down every single package, but that’s actually not necessary. Wash your hands well after unloading groceries. You could let non-perishables stay put overnight. And you could still wipe down packages if it makes you feel safer (just be sure to not get any of the disinfectants on the food itself).

What’s the best Way to Wash produce?

Under plain running water. Despite what viral online videos suggest, there’s no need to use soap – and please don’t use bleach either, as some residues may remain and some fruit and veggie skins may absorb some of the cleaners. Water does the trick just fine. Gently rub firmer produce while rinsing and use a vegetable brush for thick-skinned produce like melons and avocados, even though you won’t be eating the skin.

one study did find that the virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours, but according to the fda, there’s no evidence of coVId-19 being transmitted via food packaging (and in the study, the amount of virus on cardboard diminished significantly after just eight hours).

Is gettIng take-out safe?

Yes. Since the virus isn’t spread through food or food packaging, it’s perfectly safe to get take-out.

Transfer food to your own dishes instead of handling the cartons and wash hands well before eating.

In brIeF Pfizer Starts Clinical Trials of COVID-19 Vaccine

As of early May, 123 vaccines for COVID-19 are under study, in various phases of development, according to Faster Cures, a center of the Milken Institute, which tracks vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.

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Pfizer has launched a phase I/II clinical trial for a vaccine for COVID-19. It is collaborating with an immunotherapy company, BioNTech, and testing four different vaccine candidates at once, the company says.

It expects to produce millions of vaccine doses yet in 2020.

The platform under study is similar to the one used by Moderna, which hopes to begin a phase II study by the summer.

According to Pfizer, the dosing of the first group of volunteers was done in Germany last week. Stage 1 of the phase I/II trial in the U.S. will enroll up to 360 healthy people in two age groups, 18-55 and 65-85.

Older adults will be immunized once a safe a dose level is established.

Sites include NYU and the University of Maryland.

Enrollment is scheduled to begin at the University of Rochester and Cincinnati Children's Hospital soon.

These types of vaccines use messenger RNA to convey genetic information to the body's cells. Once mRNA in a vaccine is in the cell, the cells can translate this genetic information to create an immune response.

Because the companies are evaluating four different mRNA candidates at once, they can shift gears quickly if one does not work, says Litjen (L.J.) Tan, PhD, chief strategy officer for the Immunization Action Coalition. “These mRNA ''cassettes" or platforms ''use recombinant DNA technology to drop in pieces of RNA that will be used by the cell to make the protein to stimulate the immune response," he says. If one doesn't work, they can move on to another.

"I would say in about 2 months, they will know immediately if the vaccine is safe and if the vaccine stimulates the immune response."

USA has

33% & 5% of world’s Covid cases

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of world’s population

Vitamin D May Save You from COVID-19 A recently published medical study is showing a strong correlation between this key supplement and mortality rates that have come with the coronavirus.

A Northwestern University-led research team looked at COVID-19 cases from hospitals and clinics across China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They discovered a strong correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates from the deadly COVID-19 contagion.

Patients from Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom that had high COVID-19 mortality rates had lower levels of vitamin D compared to patients in countries that were not as severely affected. The study found a strong correlation between vitamin D levels and something called "cytokine storm."

What is a cytokine storm? It is a hyperinflammatory condition caused by an overactive immune system.

According to Science, a cytokine storm is a driving force in COVID-19 mortality rates.

Countries that had high COVID-19 mortality rates had lower levels of vitamin D compared to patients in countries that were not as severely affected.

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In brIeF Avoid saying phrases— or asking questions—like these to the person delivering your order.

7 Things You Should Never Say to a Delivery Person "whY would i tiP if there's alreadY a deliVerY fee?"

"what took You so long?"

The delivery fee is not the same as the tip. In fact, the delivery person doesn't receive any of the delivery fee. Be sure to tip to ensure that the delivery person receives some money from the transaction. People who do deliveries for a living are often paid minimum wage so every tip is much appreciated.

"this isn't what i ordered."

"whY is the food cold?" "mY order is incorrect.

You had one job and it was easY."

"would You like to come inside?"

During a pandemic, this one should be obvious.

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"can i haVe Your number?"

Seriously? This is so inappropriate!

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Life in China Post-Lockdown schools reoPen, in Phases PeoPle are still afraid to go to restaurants there are temPerature checkPoints on the roads You are regularlY asked to self-quarantine businesses had to meet a series of requirements in order to reoPen and there are requirements to staY oPen testing is free and frequent

In brIeF dangerzone the study's researchers discovered that speaking in a loud voice can introduce thousands of uid droplets containing viral material into the air every second. scarier yet, these droplets are still detectable in the air for up to 14 minutes in an environment with stagnant air.

This is particularly troubling because many people infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic carriers, meaning a normal conversation in close quarters with another person could easily cause the virus to spread

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speaking can transmit COVID-19 A study, reveals that the act speaking can transmit COVID-19.

My husband purchased a world map and then gave me a dart and said, "Throw this and wherever it lands—that's where I'm taking you when this pandemic ends." Turns out, we're spending two weeks behind the fridge.

Why Are Men More Susceptible to Severe COVID-19 Than Women?

Why are men so much more susceptible to severe outcomes from COVID-19 than women?

Suspicions naturally turn to the sex hormones, and there have been suggestions that estrogen may be protective against COVID-19 in females and/or that androgens worsen COVID-19 outcomes in males.

New data supporting the androgen theory come from a study in Italy.

These researchers found that patients with prostate cancer being treated with androgen

deprivation therapy (ADT) were less likely to become infected with COVID-19 and die from the disease than other groups, including other patients with cancer. The findings suggest that androgens somehow make the virus more virulent and that this exacerbates the severity of disease in men, they say. They also speculate that ADT may be protective against COVID19.

The study was published online May 7 in Annals of Oncology.

Is Coronavirus Also Sexually Transmitted?

Traces of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been found in the semen of some severely infected men, raising the possibility that the virus might be sexually transmitted, a new study from China claims.

Researchers found evidence of the virus in six men out of a group of 38 COVID-19 patients at Shangqiu Municipal Hospital in China who provided samples.

The six men included four who were still infected and two who were recovering, the researchers said.

The study was led by Dr. Weiguo Zhao of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing, and findings were published May 7 in the journal JAMA Network Open.

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SEX AND CORONAVIRUS FAST FACTS: • COVID-19 is passed on through droplets that come out of your mouth and nose when you cough or breathe out.

• COVID-19 is not a sexually transmitted infection, however, it can be passed on through kissing and close contact, including having sex.

• If you or a partner have COVID-19 symptoms, you should not kiss or have sex.

• There are lots of ways to have sexual pleasure without physical contact– try having fun with lone masturbation, and phone or webcam sex.

• If you don’t have symptoms, having sex with a partner you live with is OK. • If you decide to have sex with someone who doesn’t live with you, then you should take precautions to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

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Is COVID-19 sexually transmitted?

Based on current evidence, coronavirus - the virus that causes COVID-19 illness - is not passed on through vaginal or anal intercourse.

However, coronavirus is passed on through contact with droplets from the nose and mouth, including the saliva of an infected person, which can happen through close contact with others. This means there is a significant risk of passing on COVID-19 through kissing and physical touching if one person has the virus. There is also evidence that the virus is present in poop (faeces) and can be transmitted through anal intercourse.

Can I have sex during the pandemic?

Here are some things you should know concerning sex.

Sex with symptoms If you or your sexual partner are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 – a dry persistent cough, temperature, or difficulty breathing – you should limit all close physical contact to stop the spread of the virus.

This means avoiding physical intimacy, such as kissing and cuddling, as well as anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

Sex with someone you live with If you live in the same house as a regular sexual partner and you both have no symptoms, then you can continue having sex (with consent) as normal for your relationship.

Sex with someone you don’t live with During the pandemic, some countries are actively discouraging hooking up or having sex with people you don’t live with. This is because there is a heightened risk of picking up COVID-19 or passing it on to others, which undermines public health efforts.

High-risk groups and sex If you have a medical condition that puts you at greater risk of getting severe COVID-19, then you should be extra careful with all aspects of your life – including your sex life. You may want to consider stopping in-person sex or limiting your sex to just one partner who lives with you and is also taking extra precautions.

Partnered or not, masturbate while you isolate There’s no risk to masturbating.

In fact, orgasming is an incredibly healthy thing to do while self-quarantined or isolated.

Experts agree that masturbation can: • reduce stress • help you sleep better • strengthen immune system • boost your confidence

fact check

Coronials are babies made during the coronavirus pandemic

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In brIeF Antibodies Found in Nearly All Infected by Covid 19 Virus

How Safe Are Your Pets?

And since the novel coronavirus causing the current pandemic is thought to have originated at a live animal market in China, some people have wondered if they need to worry about their own pets.

The good news is that any risk to humans from Fluffy or Fido is very low, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bad news? Humans with COVID-19 infections could pose a slight risk to certain animals, such as cats or ferrets., but not dogs "There have really only been a handful of known domestic animal infections in the entire world," said Dr. John Howe, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"There are reports of a few cats in China and two dogs tested positive there, too," Howe said. Several cats in the United States have also been diagnosed with the virus. Howe added that the animals all had minor symptoms.

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Nearly all people who've been infected with the new coronavirus have antibodies to it, according to a new study.

The antibodies could provide these people with some protection against reinfection by the new coronavirus, possibly making it safe for them to return to work.

However, it's unclear how long this protection might last, The New York Times reported.

The Mount Sinai findings were posted online on Tuesday but hasn't been reviewed by experts.

The study included 624 people who'd tested positive for the new coronavirus, recovered and volunteered to donate convalescent plasma - coronavirus antibodies extracted from the blood, The Times reported.

The analysis was conducted on the first set of donors in the project, which has enrolled 15,000 people so far, said study leader Dr. Ania Wajnberg. Only 3% of these first donors were seen in an emergency department or hospitalized, while the rest had only mild or moderate symptoms. of the 624 people tested, 511 had high antibody levels, 42 had low levels and 71 had none. however, 64 participants who initially had low or no antibody levels were retested more than a week later and all but three had at least some antibodies.

That suggests that when people are tested for antibodies can significantly affect the results, according to the researchers.

In brIeF Baby Boom After Pandemic Lockdowns? Maybe Not A new survey from researchers at the University of Florence in Italy suggests the same probably won't unfold during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers conducted nearly 1,500 online interviews.

The survey was conducted in the third week of the lockdown in Italy and included men and women in a stable heterosexual relationship for at least one year.

82%

didn't plan to conceive during the coronavirus pandemic.

33%

abandoned their intentions when the pandemic struck.

11.5% 4.3%

expressed a new desire for parenthood during quarantine

actually tried to get pregnant during the lockdown

reasons

58%

fear of imminent and future economic instabilities and any potential consequences on pregnancy from the new coronavirus.

Depression, Anxiety, PTSD May Plague Many COVID-19 Survivors The ordeal faced by critically ill COVID-19 patients likely won't end even if they pull through and survive their lifethreatening infection, experts fear. Most of these survivors will be emotionally scarred by their time spent in an ICU. One study from Wuhan, China, in which more than 700 COVID19 patients were given a standardized test for symptoms of PTSD details:

96% indicated they were suering from post-traumatic stress

25% of patients on a mechanical ventilator end up developing Ptsd

HE & SHE

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In brIeF COVID-19 and Skin Conditions Growing evidence shows that COVID19 can affect almost every organ, including the skin. Dermatologists around the world are sharing images and information about various kinds of rashes and skin-related effects that may be associated with COVID-19.

There are so many different types of skin findings being reported that the American Academy of Dermatology has created an international registry to collect and evaluate this information from around the globe.

One study published with data from Italy described the skin findings from 88 patients. About 20% had some sort of rash; 8 people had skin findings at the beginning of their infection and 10 people had skin findings after they were hospitalized.

The types of rashes ranged from red areas over large parts of the body, to widespread hives, and one finding of a chickenpox like blistering rash.

In another study from Thailand, researchers describe a rash in a patient that was initially thought to be Dengue, but the patient later tested positive for COVID-19.

Recently, ICU patients in New York City were found to have another type of skin manifestation that could be part of the increased blood clotting that doctors are seeing in severely ill patients. Skin biopsies from the rashes in these patients have been linked to tiny blood clots under the skin.

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HE & SHE

Diabetes and Coronavirus

Early studies have shown that about 25% of people who went to the hospital with severe COVID-19 infections had diabetes. Those with diabetes were more likely to have serious complications and to die from the virus. One reason is that high blood sugar weakens the immune system and makes it less able to fight off infections.

If you do get COVID-19, the infection could put you at greater risk for diabetes complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA happens when high levels of acids called ketones build up in your blood. It can be very serious. what to do if You get sick If you start feeling sick, stay home.

Check your blood sugar more often than usual. COVID-19 can reduce your appetite and cause you to eat less, which could affect your levels.

You also need more fluids than usual

when you're sick. Keep water close by, and drink it often.

Some over-the-counter medicines that relieve virus symptoms like fever or cough can affect your blood sugar levels. High doses of aspirin or ibuprofen can lower blood sugar levels. Acetaminophen can cause falsely high readings on a continuous glucose monitor.

Many liquid cough and cold medicines are high in sugar, which can raise your blood sugar levels.

Before you take them, check with your doctor or diabetes team. Tell your doctor if you've taken them and your blood sugars are out of control. call your doctor if you get coronavirus-like symptoms such as a dry cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Have your most recent blood sugar and ketone readings available to share with your doctor. get medical help right away if you have: Moderate or large ketones DKA symptoms like tiredness, weakness, body aches, vomiting, or belly pain Severe shortness of breath

I never thought the comment "I wouldn't touch him/her with a six-foot pole" would become a national policy, but here we are!

In brIeF

Smoking & Covid - 19 it kills...

Smokers and vapers who get COVID-19 are more likely to have complications, so this might be a good time to quit, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons says.

An early study from China looked at 78 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Researchers found those with a history of smoking had 14 times the risk of needing a higher level care, requiring a ventilator, and/or dying.

"As COVID-19 is a virus that primarily attacks the lungs, anything that harms the lungs can weaken patients and result in more severe effects if people do become infected. It is well-known that smoking results in worse outcomes in people with pneumonia or influenza, and we are learning that smoking can pose significant risks in those with COVID-19," thoracic surgeon Dr. Matthew Steliga wrote in a patient guide from the society.

...not really There has been a hypothesis, by researchers from a number of leading French institutions. In hospital data, they found that the proportion of smokers among Covid-19 deaths (4.4-5.3%) was much lower than the proportion in the general population (25.4%). They hypothesised that the reason might be in protein structures, called nAChR, that are found in the nervous system, muscle and certain tissues.

Nicotine is known to bind with nAChR; the hypothesis is that if nicotine is already present on human cells, it may block SARS-CoV-2. To test the hypothesis, the researchers are conducting human trials.

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In brIeF This Is Where You're 19 Times More Likely to Get Covid 19 A study out of China from researchers at Southeast University, the University of Hong Kong, and Tsinghua University, which has not yet been peer reviewed, looked at 318 outbreaks in China in which three or more cases were identified. They divided the outbreaks into six categories: homes, transport, food, entertainment, shopping, and other. They found that homes were "the dominant category," with 254 of the 318 outbreaks stemming from houses. Most home COVID-19 outbreaks involved three to five cases, the report noted.

Researchers identified only a single outbreak in an outdoor environment, suggesting COVID-19 is much more contagious indoors than outdoors.

A second study out of Japan, from the country's National Institute of Infectious Diseases, also aimed to get a better understanding of what environments promoted transmission of COVID-19.

Their findings, were very similar. After looking at 110 cases across 11 outbreaks, the scientists found that the odds that a primary case transmitted COVID-19 in a closed environment was 18.7 times greater compared to an open-air environment.

Try to avoid crowded & unventilated areas, where both studies found high levels of the virus. And if someone in your home has symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive, be sure they isolate themselves, staying as far away from other family members or roommates as possible.

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HE & SHE

The 7 Most Dangerous Spots You Can Catch Coronavirus inside an eleVator

taking crowded subwaYs and buses

at the grocerY store checkout counter

going to Public restrooms

riding on airPlanes

Visiting hosPitals

staYing too close to a familY member with coVid-19

In brIeF

British cigarette company claims tobaccobased coronavirus vaccine ready for human trials

• The

race towards finding a coronavirus vaccine is intensifying • World's

number 2 cigarette company has claimed that their tobacco-based vaccine against COVID-19 is now ready to enter human trials • The

company says it can manufacture 1 to 3 million doses per week if given the right support from manufactures

British American Tobacco, on Friday, said that it was ready to test its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, made with proteins from tobacco leaves, on humans.

The vaccine has reportedly produced positive results in pre-clinical trials. The makers said that once they get an approval from the USFDA for the vaccine, it can progress into the Phase 1 trials, or commonly known as human trials.

The company had been in the news in early April when they announced the development of the tobacco-based vaccine.

They had said that they can produce 1 to 3 million doses per week if given the right support from government agencies and manufacturers.

On 16th May, 2020, the company said that it had submitted a pre-investigative new drug application to the FDA and that the approving body had acknowledged the submission. The company said that they will also talk to other government agencies around the world for the development of the vaccine.

More than a hundred vaccines are currently under development, globally, against the novel coronavirus, while about only 10 of them are in the human trials phase. Experts have suggested that it can take 12-18 months to develop a vaccine, while some have also suggested that a vaccine against coronavirus may never be found.

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37

In brIeF

YOUR BLOOD TYPE COULD BE MAKING YOU MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO COVID-19 In a recent study out of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, scientists examined the blood types of nearly 2,200 COVID19 patients in hospitals in China, along with the blood types of about 27,000 individuals who didn't have COVID-19 in the same areas. The results showed that those with A blood types are at a signiďŹ cantly higher risk of contracting the coronavirus compared with other blood types. People with O blood types had a lower risk of getting the infection, the scientists noted in the study, which has not yet been peerreviewed.

Another recent not-yet-reviewed study out of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center also sought to examine the relationship between the coronavirus and blood type. The scientists looked at data from New York-Presbyterian Hospital on 1,559 individuals who were tested for COVID19, 682 of whom were positive.

Similarly, they found that those with A blood types were 33 percent more likely to test positive than other blood types. Additionally, they also deduced that people with O blood types were less likely to test positive.

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HE & SHE

A blood types - High risk o blood types - low risk

In brIeF

Ways You're Spreading Germs All Over Your Home Without Realizing It not sanitizing Your cell Phone when You return home

You're bringing in Your mail immediatelY

using a non-hePa Vacuum

You're touching Your face before washing Your hands

You're wearing the same gloVes at home as You wore outside

using a moP bucket

using the same cleaning cloth on eVerY surface

You're oPening Packages in Your liVing sPace

You're wearing shoes inside Your home

emPtYing Your Pocket or Purse without cleaning its contents

wearing clothes You'Ve worn in Public inside Your home

In brIeF FROM HOW WE EAT TO HOW WE WORK, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.

Grim Realities of Life After food shortages will affect the world for Years to come

Coronavirus the team at Your office will be cut dramaticallY

You maY neVer attend a Packed concert/moVie theatre again

Your doctor maY go out of business

kids will haVe their temPeratures checked before entering school— and theY won't go eVerY daY

In brIeF

How Long Coronavirus Lives on Everything You Touch Every Day PaPer moneY: up to three hours

tissues: Up to three hours

refrigerator: Up to three days

mail: Up to three hours

cutting boards: Up to three days

Plastic containers: Up to three days

Plastic water bottles: Up to three days

drinking glasses: Up to four days

Packages: Up to 24 hours

coins: Up to four hours

FItness turmeric

Ginger This pungent root is probably best known for its anti-nausea, stomach-soothing properties. But ginger can also fight pain, including achy muscles from exercise as well as menstrual cramps. A study found ginger capsules worked as well as overthe-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen at relieving period pain.

The compound in the spice that gives curry its bright orange-yellow color can affect several processes in your body, including inflammation. Studies of people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis who took supplements of curcumin found they could walk better and without the side effects of taking drugs. Black pepper can help your body absorb it, so try a blend of the spices, steeped with ginger and honey into a tea.

Pumpkin Seeds

extra virgin olive oil

Pepitas are a terrific source of magnesium, a mineral that may cut the number of migraines you get. It may also help prevent and treat osteoporosis. But despite what you may have heard, it doesn't seem to stop leg cramps at night. For more magnesium, add almonds and cashews, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and lentils to your diet.

Extra-virgin olive oil has lubricin, which keeps joints sliding smoothly and protects cartilage from breaking down. It might help people with osteoarthritis. Stick to lower temperatures (less than 410 degrees) when you cook with olive oil so you don't lose any of its many benefits.

Foods That Fight Pain

chilli pepper Capsaicin, the stuff that gives chilies their heat, is well known for its painkilling properties in creams and patches. Some early research suggests that eating hot peppers, instead of putting them on your skin, may reduce and prevent inflammation, too. The "burn" also tricks your brain into releasing endorphins, which block pain signals.

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HE & SHE

Research suggests a compound in the skin of red grapes, called resveratrol, could ease the disk swelling that can lead to back pain. But don't drink that whole bottle for your stiff bones yet. (Women, stick to one glass; men can have two.) While resveratrol is promising, we need more studies to come up with a treatment.

Home Workouts

It is not always necessary that you have to go to the gym, lift heavy weights and use hi - tech machinery to build muscles and workout effectively.

Results are also possible with just using body weights. With that in mind, here are five exercises that will have u building muscle and looking great in no time.

d l i bu k l u b

squats squats are one of the best exercises you can do. its easy to progress to more diďŹƒcult versions overtime from basic squats to sumo squats to jump squats. it helps to strengthen leg muscles which helps in improving balance and stability in the body.

wide squats

Push-uPs Push-ups are a complete upper body workout exercise. it works on your chest, shoulders, triceps and core. Push-ups are the best muscle building exercise and lots of variations can be done to increase the diďŹƒculty levels for eg, jump Push-ups, elevated Pushups, one arm Push-ups, etc.

Home Workouts

d l i bu k l u b

target Your lower abs with reVerse crunches another great move for putting extra emphasis on the lower abs is the reverse crunch... the basic version can be done by any beginner with no special equipment

crunches: crunches help with core strength and tone your mid section. crunches should always be included as a small part of overall workout plan to develop core strength, which is important for overall body strength and muscle building.

Text By: Mr Hitesh Chhabria Assistant PT Zonal Head, Gold’s Gym, India

Home Workouts

triceP bench diPs the tricep dip engages the overall triceps muscles, but it also works the shoulders and requires strength from core and arm muscles to complete the motion. hence, with this exercise you are working on multiple muscle groups.

Models: Sani Mallick @musclebuddy_sani Rajib Roy @rajibroy_charmingboy

Photographer: Nil Kobita @nil.kobita

lunges lunges are another best exercise for strengthening the thigh and glute muscles. Variations include static lunges, dynamic lunges, walking lunges.

You can begin with the basic static lunges and progress it to dynamic and walking lunges once your body understands the movement and develops better balance.

side lunges

Venue: Golds Gym Sodepur, Kolkata

glute bridges

y a st fit e Workouts

glute bridges are a killer butt workout. this exercise works your butt muscles and hamstrings, while simultaneously strengthening your lower back and improving overall hip mobility.

Hom

the suPerman the superman exercise works on your lower back. this workout is incredible for building major sacrum and spinal strength, and it'll honestly make your back work in ways you didn't even know were possible.

scissor kicks in this workout, you will be swinging your legs back and forth in a scissor-like motion. scissor kicks work your transverse abdominis (aka the deepest muscle in the stomach) and your hip flexors, so you'll be putting in some serious work.

stay fit donkeY kicks donkey kicks pretty much work all of the muscles in your glutes. so it’s perfect finisher for your glute workout.

toe touches toe touches works on the upper abdominal muscles. not only the abdomen, it also targets the muscles in your lower body, burning calories, and improving speed, and balance.

s t u o k r o eW

Hom

Text By: Hitesh Chhabria Assistant PT Zonal Head, Gold’s Gym, India

Model: Shivam Jaiswal

Photographer: Nil Kobita

@shavy_here

@nil kobita

Home Workouts

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HE & SHE

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Home Workouts

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Best buys Facial Moisturisers

neutrogena oil free facial moisturiser, sPf 15, 115ml, rs 389/- www.amazon.in

l'oreal Paris men expert hydra energetic turbo booster, 50ml, rs 539/www.amazon.in

Face Wash

o3+ men tea tree mela derm cleansing gel face wash rs 285/www.nykaa.com

charcoal face wash - Ylang Ylang & argan rs 349/www.themancompany.com

fitlife HE & SHE

Easy Skincare Tips for Men

think warm, not hot, in the shower On a cool morning, nothing feels better than steaming hot water. But turning the temp down just a bit can help keep your skin from getting flaky, dry, scaly, and itchy. The hotter the water (and the longer you stay in the shower), the more natural oils get stripped away. If you can’t stand anything less than a scalding scrub, stay in the shower less than five minutes. moisturize!

Men’s faces tend to be oilier than women’s, but to help avoid wrinkles, it’s still smart to use a daily moisturizer. Men with normal to oily skin can get enough moisture from a light lotion or hydrating gel. If you have dry skin, try a heavier cream. face facts: cleanser, not soaP If your face is sensitive or flaky, use a cleanser that doesn’t have sodium lauryl sulfate, which makes things foamy but can dry your skin. Also look for ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, sunflower or soybean oils, or petrolatum, which moisturize. If your skin is oily, try a cleanser with natural bacteria-fighters like citrus, tea tree oil, or eucalyptus. Typical deodorant soaps are just too drying.

to simplify things, just look for a few helpful key words: “Noncomedogenic” means a cream or lotion won’t cause zits; “alcohol-free” means it’s likely to be gentle and won’t dry you out; a cleanser or lotion with “antioxidants” or vitamins A, C, or E may help skin repair itself from everyday damage. skiP the scents Fragrances in skin care products are usually man-made chemicals, which can irritate and dry. So if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to go for unscented lotions and cleansers. Some men do better with a scent that comes from natural ingredients like citrus or lavender. tame crow’s feet If you have little lines around your eyes or mouth that bother you, try a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid, which smoothes skin. For deeper wrinkles like crow’s feet, look for an anti-aging eye cream with retinol or glycolic acid. dab on a little sunscreen One of the main causes of age spots and wrinkles is sun damage. Even if you get only five minutes of sun each day, it adds up and can age your skin. Add sunscreen - or a moisturizer that contains at least SPF 30 - to your morning routine. Make sure the product says its sunscreen is “broad-spectrum,” meaning it protects from both burning rays and the skinaging rays.

soften uP before You shaVe For an easier shave, keep things moist. That’s why it’s smart to do it when you’re fresh out of the shower and coarse beard hairs are wet and more flexible. And if you’re prone to razor burn, try a shaving gel rather than a foam. The newest gels soften hairs even more, so you're less likely to have redness, razor bumps, or ingrown hairs afterward. Other ways to fix uP Your feet avoid ingrowns: Always shave in the direction of hair growth, As you get older, the skin on your feet thickens and can crack. and use as few strokes as possible.

To fix it, start by getting a cheap drugstore pumice stone, and scrub your soles in the shower daily. Then rub on a thick skiP aftershaVes with alcohol cream or ointment. If the cracks are really bad, swipe on a Shaving scrapes away the top layers of skin cells. That’s good thick layer of cream before bed, then put on socks to lock in for clearing up breakouts and dryness, but it can irritate your the moisture overnight. face. A moisturizer will soothe the sting. Avoid alcohol-based aftershaves, which can make it worse. Traditional aftershaves be careful down below were meant to kill germs and prevent infection from nicks.

For trims and general clean up, use an electric razor or clipBut with today’s razors, cutting yourself is less common. pers, since blades can cause ingrown hairs down below or on your back or chest. (A study found that 83% of genital inPat, don’t rub juries treated in the ER are from shaving, and 40% of them After washing up, pat dry - especially the thinner, more deli- are in men.) But if you do decide to go with a regular razor, cate skin on your face. Rubbing too hard with a towel can irri- clear away dead skin cells in the shower first with a loofah or tate and dry it out. fruit-acid scrub, and use plenty of shaving gel to ward off ingrowns and irritation. For the hairless look, consider getting read labels before You buY waxed - it lasts longer than shaving and makes for softer Skin care product labels can seem confusing at first, so stubble.

shaVe gel - lemon oil rs 349/www.themancompany.com

sunscreen sPf 50 for oilY, acne Prone, sensitiVe skin rs 460/www.reequil.com

after shave lotion - Paul Penders botanicals rs 1186/www.seniority.in Philips bg1025/15 showerproof body groomer rs 1149/- www.tatacliq.com

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Psychotic Disorders WHAT ARE PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS? They're a group of mental health conditions that change your sense of reality. They make it hard to know what's real and what isn't. When you have these disorders, you might see and hear things that don't exist or believe things that aren't true.

founding member of the Beach Boys, has schizoaffective disorder.

SCHIZOPHRENIFORM DISORDER It has the same symptoms as schizophrenia, but they're temporary. Hallucinations and delusions last between 1 and 6 months, although sometimes your symptoms WHO'S AT RISK? can return later. This disorder is much less common Scientists don't know exactly what causes psychotic than schizophrenia. It most often affects teens and disorders, but they've got some theories. Viruses, prob- young adults. Schizophreniform disorder can turn into lems with how certain brain circuits work, extreme full-blown schizophrenia even after it's treated. stress or trauma, and some forms of drug abuse may play a role in some people. You also may be more likely BRIEF PSYCHOTIC DISORDER to get a psychotic disorder if you have a family member When someone has it, they suddenly get symptoms like who has one. hallucinations and delusions. One possible trigger is extreme stress after things like an accident or the death SCHIZOPHRENIA of a loved one. If you're a woman, it can happen after If you have this condition, you might have hallucinayou give birth. Sometimes there's no obvious cause. tions, which means you hear voices or see things that Usually, your symptoms go away on their own within a aren't real. You could also have delusions - strong bemonth. In some people, brief psychotic disorder turns liefs in things that aren't true. John Nash, the Nobel into schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. prize winning mathematician whose story was told in the movie A Beautiful Mind, had schizophrenia.

DELUSIONAL DISORDER In this condition, you have a false sense of reality about SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER one or more of your beliefs. For instance, you might This condition mixes symptoms of schizophrenia with think a friend is plotting to kill you, your partner is a mood disorder -- mania or depression. If you have cheating, or a celebrity is in love with you. These false the depressive type, you often feel sad and worthless. If beliefs start to affect your everyday life. For example, if you have the bipolar type, you have periods of mania -- you think someone is going to harm you, you might be racing thoughts and extreme happiness. Brian Wilson, afraid to leave the house.

SHE 5866HE &fitlife

psychotic disorder may start after a head injury or during one of these illnesses: • Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia • Brain tumor • HIV or AIDS • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) • Lupus • Multiple sclerosis • Stroke • Syphilis

SHARED PSYCHOTIC DISORDER It's a rare condition where two people in a relationship have the same untrue belief. For example, a mother and son might both think they're about to be abducted by aliens. The condition is also called folie à deux, which means "madness between two."

SUBSTANCE-INDUCED PSYCHOTIC DISORDER When you start or stop certain drugs, you may get substance-induced psychotic disorder. The symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. Drugs that can bring it on include: • Alcohol • Amphetamines • Cocaine • LSD • Marijuana • PCP • Opioids • Sedatives The symptoms should go away once you stop the drug or go through withdrawal. The condition can return if you take the drug again.

celebrities with Psychotic Disorders

DISORDER DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION Sometimes, symptoms that seem like a mental health disorder are actually due to a medical condition. Your

michael PhelPs - adhd Winner of 19 Olympic medals during his swimming career lives with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

leonardo dicaPrio obsessiVe comPulsiVe disorder

WARNING SIGNS The first symptoms can be hard to spot. You might not realize you have a problem right away. So see a doctor if you notice any of these changes: • You can't concentrate or think clearly.

• You're suspicious of people around you.

• You see or hear things no one else can.

• You pull away from loved ones and spend more time alone.

• You have strange new beliefs, and no one can convince you they're untrue.

• You stop bathing or caring for yourself.

HOW ARE THEY TREATED? You'll have the best chance of recovery if you get treated during your first outbreak of symptoms. Your doctor may suggest medicine and talk therapy. A therapist helps you understand your thoughts and behaviors, and teaches you healthier ways to manage your problems. Antipsychotic drugs can help ease hallucinations and delusions.

Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants if you also have symptoms of depression, like despair and sadness.

LIFE WITH A PSYCHOTIC DISORDER Lean on friends, family members, your doctor, and a support group in your community to help you get through treatment. Find out all you can about your condition and what to expect. Take the time you need to recover. Don't try to push yourself too hard. If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, get help from your doctor or a substance abuse program.

daniel radcliffeocd The boy who made Harry Potter a household name at the age of ten has been struggling with OCD since he was ladY gaga-Ptsd five.

Lady Gaga admitted to her fitlife struggles with post HE & SHE traumatic stress disorder

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Number

2 You &

Do you have a very intimate relationship with toilet paper? Do you ever think you’ll meet your demise on the toilet (with or without a T-Rex)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you probably poop a lot.

But how much is too much? Is it normal?

Let’s find out.

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HE & SHE

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH

How often should you really be going No. 2?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, there actually isn’t a golden rule for poops per day. Normal dumping frequency can be between three times per day to three times per week.

woman, you’ve likely got less toilet time on the horizon than your male friends.

According to a 2016 study, how “regular” you are really depends on your diet, exercise, and lifestyle, as well as the microbes present in your gut.

If you’re in sync with your PPP and notice you’ve been getting in a few extra It’s all about your personal pooping pat- dookies, something is probably going on tern (or PPP as we like to call it). with your bowels.

Chances are you probably know your You should be concerned about pooping PPP pretty well. Some of us might take a a lot if you notice the typical consistency post-coffee poop (PCP) after a strong and look of your poop changes. cup in the a.m. and be clear for the day.

The Mayo Clinic outlines red-flag poop Others might drop some bombs after as “narrow, ribbon-like stools” or “loose, each meal or have a single watery stools.” Additionally, frequent No. afternoon/evening cleansing poop to 2 associated with abdominal pain, prep for a new day (aka every dad in the blood, mucus, or pus in your poop are history of existence). signs that it’s time to call your doctor.

If you’re a person pretending you don’t So, you’ve determined your bathroom poop (looking at you ladies), do yourself trips are increasing, but what exactly is a favor and own up - we all do it. And the causing your excessive pooping? Hold good news? Studies have shown women onto your butts, we have quite a few anpoop less than men, so if you’re a swers.

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reasons for frequent BMs

1. diet You are what you eat, and what you eat turns into poo. Eating spicy Thai food or a giant raw salad can lead to a few extra trips to the bathroom.

Eating a vegetarian diet is also associated with more pooping, and that’s just science. Plant foods contain a lot of fiber, which makes you go. It’s even more frequent for vegans.

2. illness More visits to the porcelain palace are often connected to illness. This could be bacterial, viral, parasitic, or even complications from bodily functions or organs that are making you sick.

3. exercise There’s a reason seasoned runners say “never trust a fart.”

Exercises like running can get things moving. Researchers chalk up gym-goers pooping more to the contracting and stretching of the digestive tract paired with secretions and decreased blood flow.

Additionally, what you eat with exercise can mess with your colon. A 2015 study found that triathletes who consumed caffeine, energy, or carbs pre-race were more likely to have increased GI stress when exercising. Competitors who drank caffeine in the morning had even more GI tract distress when they started to run.

4. coffee Does drinking your grande cold brew make you bolt for the bathroom? Coffee makes you go more for a few reasons, but caffeine is a big one.

A study from the University of Iowa College of Medicine reported participants who drank caffeinated coffee recorded 60 percent stronger colon activity compared to drinking water.

7. lactose intolerance Eating what disagrees with your body can also make you visit the toilet more frequently. If you’re lactose intolerant, eating dairy can cause some pretty explosive dookies, or if you’re lucky, just increase your number of trips to the bathroom.

8. celiac disease and gluten People find a lot of reasons to hate on gluten these days, but if you’re pooping a lot, gluten might be the culprit.

Someone who has non-celiac gluten sensitivity can’t process gluten properly, potentially causing GI irritation that leads to gas and frequent No. 2s.

Celiac disease is a lot more serious than a gluten sensitivity.

The disease is actually an autoimmune disease where eating gluten causes an immune response that attacks the small intestine.

9. ibs If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) you’re prone to abdominal pain and bowel movement changes like diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of the two. So, if you have IBS and a frequent pooping schedule, the two could definitely be connected.

10. crohn’s disease Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that leads to inflammation of the digestive tract. It can even spread to layers of bowel tissue causing more pain and problems.

Crohn’s can cause a bunch of uncomfortable symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhea. Bloody stools are also an indication of Crohn’s disease.

11. medication Medications can also affect your bowels and rev up your 5. stress colon. Beyond the obvious laxatives or stool softeners (duh), Stress can mess up a lot going on in the body including hor- there are a few medications to look out for: mones, weight, and your immune system. No surprise it can • Antibiotics also affect your bowel movements and can make you poop • Antacids more.

• NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen • Metformin (diabetes medication) 6. Period • Immune system suppressing drugs That time of the month can also really eff up a bathroom schedule. A 2014 study of 156 women found that 73% of 12. drinking women experienced GI distress during or pre-period and Most of us have probably experienced the beer sh*ts after a 28% reported diarrhea. booze fest. Also known as day-after-drinking stool (affecWhen Aunt Flo comes to visit, the body releases hormone- tionately called DADS for short), the bathroom trips after like substances called prostaglandins that help the uterus drinking can be a nightmare. contract (hello cramps!). Those pesky prostaglandins can Lower alcohol content beverages like wine and beer espealso make your bowel muscles contract more, leading to cially accelerate your GI tract to empty out. bowels. more trips to the loo.

HE & SHE

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Do You Know What Happens When A Fly Lands On Your Food

Flies cannot eat solid food. To soften it, they vomit on it.

Stamp in the vomit till the food is soft.

They also stamp in germs and drop excrement and suck it all back.

When they finish eating; Its your turn.

Falcon/Ald/0099

Your littering and wrong disposal of waste attracts flies. And the food you eat is their nourishment.

Ensure proper disposal of waste.

STAY HEALTHY

Awareness Initiative