Dr Adeel Rahat - Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

31/01/2024

🔔 *WHO Weekly Update*
_31 January 2024_

Did you know that 99% of the world breathes polluted air?

Air quality is closely linked to the health of the natural environment and our communities. Some common sources of air pollution are:

• Cooking with open fires 🥘

• Pollution from vehicles 🚗

• Burning waste 💨

• Powering homes and factories 🏙

• Wildfires 🔥

Policies to fight air pollution are a win-win for climate and health.

*Learn more here* 👉🏼

Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. WHO is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality.

10/01/2024

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
_10 January 2024_

Dementia is a syndrome that affects memory, thinking, and your daily activities. It’s more common in people over 65.

If you're worried about yourself or a loved one who has been more forgetful lately, look out for these signs and symptoms:

• Losing track of time ⌛

• Seeming confused in familiar places 🤔

• Feeling anxious, sad or angry about memory loss 😥

• Withdrawing from social activities 👥

• Experiencing difficulty solving problems or making decisions 🔍

For support with these symptoms, speak to your healthcare provider.

*Learn more:*

WHO fact sheet on dementia providing key facts and information on signs and symptoms, rates, risk factors, social and economic impacts, human rights, WHO response.

29/12/2023

🔔 * World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update*
_27 December 2023_

Many families and friends enjoy delicious meals together during the holidays. Here are some ways you can celebrate the festivities while making nutritious food choices:

• Include fruits and vegetables with every meal and snack 🥕

• Steam or boil instead of fry 🥘

• Pick foods with the least salt (sodium) on the label 🧂

• Listen to your body when it’s full and save the rest for another day 🍽

Let's prioritize health, especially through the holidays ❤️

*Learn more:*

WHO fact sheet on healthy diet with key facts and information on essential dietary elements, practical advice, salt, sodium and potassium, sugars, health diet promotion, WHO response.

20/12/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
_20 December 2023_

Many people drink alcohol, especially during the holiday season. Although consuming alcohol is never perfectly safe, here are some ways to stay safer:

• Choose an alcohol-free drink like juice, water, or mocktails 🧉

• Stay hydrated by drinking water regularly💧

• Never leave drinks unattended ❌

• Always pre-plan your travel and never drive after drinking 🚘

• Listen to your body — you can always say no👂🏽

Keep an eye out for loved ones and make sure they know these tips — they could be a life-saver 💛

*Learn more:*

Fact sheet on alcohol providing key facts, who is at risk, ways to reduce the burden, WHO response

27/10/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Update
_26 October 2023_

*Nutrition for mental well-being* 🍏

A healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition, non-communicable diseases, and boosts mental health.

*Per day, a healthy diet includes*:

• Fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and wholegrains 🥦

• Less than 30% of energy intake from fats 🥓

• Less than 5 grams of salt 🧂

• Less than 10% of energy intake from sugar 🍬

*Learn more*: https://bit.ly/3s39d1w

Tap the "Well-being" button to join WHO’s *free* Well-Being Challenge and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you 💪🌟

WHO fact sheet on healthy diet with key facts and information on essential dietary elements, practical advice, salt, sodium and potassium, sugars, health diet promotion, WHO response.

25/10/2023

*🔔* *WHO Mental Health Update*
_24 October 2023_

*Join WHO’s Well-Being Challenge* 💛

It's finally here! Good mental health is vital to our overall health and well-being.

This *free* challenge aims to provide you with the tools and tips to:

• Manage stress - Cultivate inner calm with proven techniques 🍃 🧘‍♀️

• Eat better - Learn how to nourish your body 🍏 🥙

• Stay active - Boost both mental and physical well-being 🚶‍♀️💪

Tap the "Well-being" button to join the challenge and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you 💪🌟

13/10/2023

🔔* World Health Organization (WHO) mental health update*
_13 October 2023_

*Managing stress*

Stress is feeling anxious due to tough situations. Everyone experiences stress, but how we manage it impacts our overall well-being.

*Ways to manage stress*:

• *Keep a daily routine* - A daily schedule can help us feel in control 📅

• *Get plenty of sleep* - Getting enough sleep is important for body and mind 😴

• *Connect with others* - Keep in touch with loved ones and share your concerns and feelings 🤗

• *Eat healthy*​ - Eat a balanced diet and at regular intervals 🥦

• *Exercise regularly* - Daily exercise such as walking can reduce stress 🏃‍♀️

• *Limit time following news* - Too much time following news on TV and social media can increase stress for some people⏰

*Learn more*: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress

Stay tuned for WHO's *free* Well-Being Challenge coming soon! Tap the "Wellbeing" button to get notified when it's live and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you 💪🌟

What is stress? How can we manage it? Find out in these Q and As.

12/10/2023

🌎This , European and global organisations are united under the call for greater focus on prevention and early detection!🔍

12/10/2023

🔔 Important Alert from World Health Organization (WHO)
11 October 2023

WHO's free Well-Being Challenge 💛

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme Mental health is a universal human right to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone's mental health as a universal human right.

WHO has developed a free Well-Being Challenge, designed to support you in improving your general health. The challenge is made up of three sections:

• Stress Less 🍃
• Move More🚶
• Eat Better 🥙

This course helps you learn & practice well-being techniques over the span of a few weeks.

We'll send you daily reminders to help you along your journey.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/48LS0KA

Tap the "Well-being" button to get notified when the Well-Being Challenge is live and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you 💪 🌟

Find out about this year's World Mental Health Day campaign (10 October) and how you can get involved.

20/09/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO)
20 September 2023

How better sleep reduces stress 😴

Getting enough sleep is important for both body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes and rejuvenates our body and can help reverse the effect of stress.

*Here are 5 tips to help you get a good night's sleep*👇

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends ⏰

• Make your sleeping area quiet, dark, relaxing and a comfortable temperature 🛌

• Limit your screen time before bed 📺

• Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bed ☕

• Get exercise during the day 🏃

*Learn more*:

What is stress? How can we manage it? Find out in these Q and As.

30/08/2023

🔔WHO Weekly Update
30 August 2023

Empower yourself with WHO's women’s health chatbot on Viber 🌸

WHO’s interactive chatbot on women’s health features important topics such as heart disease, endometriosis, cervical cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes, with many others in the pipeline.

When you subscribe to the chatbot on Viber, you'll get:

1️⃣ Weekly updates to guide your healthy choices

2️⃣ Fun quizzes to test your health knowledge

3️⃣ Always-on access to life-saving info

4️⃣ An opportunity to vote for topics you’d like to see next

*Subscribe here*: https://bit.ly/3Ed1519

16/08/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
_16 August 2023_

*Worried someone you know may be considering su***de?* 💛

More than 700 000 people die by su***de every year.

*Here are warning signs that someone may be thinking about su***de:*

•Severe mood changes 🌬️

•Social withdrawal 👥

•Expressing thoughts about ending their life 🗣️

•Saying goodbye to close family and friends 👋

•Saying things like: "No-one will miss me when I'm gone." 💬

•Giving away valued possessions 🎁

*Learn more:*

Every year close to 800 000 people die as a result of su***de. This is one death every 40 seconds. Beyond this, su***de has a ripple effect that impacts on societies, communities, friends and families who have lost a loved one to su***de. So, yes, su***de really is a serious public health problem.

10/08/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
_10 August 2023

*Stronger protection against to***co* 🚭

A new WHO report on the global to***co epidemic has been released, with a focus on protecting the public from second-hand smoke.

Here are a few highlights:

- 5.6 billion people (71% of the world) are now under effective anti-to***co policies 👍

- Global smoking rates have dropped in the last 15 years, with 300 million fewer smokers today 📉

- Nearly 40% of countries have smoke-free indoor spaces 🌬️

- Around 1.3 million people die every year from second-hand smoke 🚬

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3DMqeiN

Join the thousands of people who have freed themselves from to***co use and smoking with WHO's *free* Quit Programme now.

To take part, tap ‘Quit’ below.

A new World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights that 5.6 billion people – 71% of the world’s population – are now protected with at least one best practice policy to help save lives from deadly to***co – five times more than in 2007.

02/08/2023

🔔 WHO Weekly Update
2 August 2023

Prevent heat stroke ☀️

As many parts of the world face extreme heat, it’s important to know how to protect yourself and others – especially babies, the elderly, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and those with underlying medical conditions.

Heat stroke is a medical condition that happens when the body is not able to cool itself down quickly enough. It requires immediate medical attention. Its symptoms include dizziness, nausea and headaches.

⚠️ During extreme heat, make sure you, your patients and community at large:

• Drink lots of water throughout the day
• Spend as much time as possible outdoors, in the shade.
• Use a fan to reduce indoor temperatures, unless it's hotter than 40 degrees (104°F) - in which case using a fan can actually make things worse and speed up the heating of the body.

💡 Learn more:

Protecting health from rising temperatures and extreme heat - WHO factsheet on heat and health.

19/07/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
19 July 2023

Diving into sweeteners: what you need to know 🍯

WHO recommends reducing the amount of sweeteners – alternatives to sugar – in your diet.

*Here are 5 things you should know about them:

1️⃣ Long term use of sweeteners may not assist in weight loss efforts, & could increase the risk of diabetes or heart disease.

2️⃣ WHO recommends reducing intake of both natural and artificial sweeteners.

3️⃣ When you cut back on sweetener & sugar, your craving for sweet things will decrease.

4️⃣ Those living with diabetes should speak to a doctor before using sweeteners.

5️⃣ Choose unsweetened food items, and eat more natural sugars (from fruits, for example) to reduce sugar without relying on sweeteners.

14/07/2023

🔔 World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Update
12 July 2023

How to help someone having a seizure ✍️

Epilepsy is a common chronic brain disease and affects people of all ages. It is *not* something you can catch from others, and can cause episodes called seizures.

Along with calling for assistance, here are 5 steps you can take to help someone having a seizure:

1️⃣ Lay the person down, on their side, head turned to help breathing.

2️⃣ Loosen clothing around their neck and remove eye glasses if necessary.

3️⃣ Place something soft under their head.

4️⃣ Stay with the person until the seizure stops and they wake up.

5️⃣ Do not restrain the person or put anything in their mouth.

*Learn more:

Epilepsy is the most common chronic brain disease and affects people of all ages. More than 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy; nearly 80% of them live in low- and middle-income countries. An estimated 70% of people with epilepsy could be seizure free if properly diagnosed and treated, yet ab...

07/07/2023

Researchers discovered that sucralose, a chemical found in Splenda, is "genotoxic" and causes DNA damage. The findings show that sucralose is harmful to gut health, and may lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, and even cancer.

05/07/2023

🔔 WHO Weekly Update
5 July 2023

*Stay smart in the sun* 🌤️

No matter the season, don't forget to protect yourself from harmful UV rays with these easy tips:

• Stay in shade whenever possible 🌴
• Apply sunscreen often 🧴
• Cover up with clothing, sunglasses, and a hat 😎
• Download the free SunSmart Global UV app to get advice and five-day forecasts on sun protection 📲☀️

Download the app now:

📱 Android:
https://bit.ly/44v9LuQ

📱 iOS:
https://bit.ly/44oZtMw

This app tells you when to protect your skin wherever you are in the world.