Authored by Dr. Chethana D, Consultant – Rheumatology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) can be challenging as constant aches, swelling in joints and restricted movement can affect one’s quality of life. While the condition cannot be reversed, weight management and an active lifestyle can help in controlling the disease. Like any other autoimmune disorder, Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system starts attacking your own healthy body tissues. RA causes inflammation of the synovium and as the disease progresses, it gradually destroys the cartilage and bone within the joint. In RA, the joint becomes misaligned and out of shape as the tendons and ligaments holding the joint weaken. Rheumatoid arthritis mostly affects individuals between the age of 30 to 50 years and women are found to be more prone to it than men. Even though the exact cause of the condition is not known, several risk factors exist.  Genetic factors increase risk of development of RA.  Some factors such as sex, age, smoking, obesity and environmental factors too can trigger RA and can increase your risk of contracting this condition. Therefore, adopting healthy practices and using the right management techniques can help you effectively manage the condition. Can weight loss help in managing arthritis? Arthritis can make you susceptible to weight gain, due to reduced physical activity. Losing weight is one of the most critical things that your doctor may advise you as it can prove to be highly beneficial in managing arthritis. Research has proven that obesity and arthritis do not go well together and have established that extra weight can create havoc for your joint health. However, since RA patients have body aches, swelling and fatigue, shedding kilos often becomes difficult for patients suffering from arthritis. Reducing the stress on your joints by losing weight will improve your mobility, decrease pain and prevent future damage to your joints. How can arthritis patients lose weight? Lack of physical activity and use of certain medications make it difficult for people with RA to lose weight. Due to this, many patients struggle to effectively manage the condition. By following some simple tips and practices, patients suffering from RA  have a better chance of losing weight. Avoid crash dieting – People should avoid having unrealistic expectations of their bodies and must not fall for internet fads like “crash dieting” which often do more harm than any good to their bodies. It is important to understand that losing a little weight at a time is a healthier approach and will help you maintain balance. With short-term approaches, they may lose weight initially but results will be short-lived and may weaken their metabolic rate, affect their immune system, disturb bowel habits, heighten immune response and reduce their energy levels that can ultimately cause more inflammation. So, it is advisable to get a fitness regime and adapt a structured diet instead of crash dieting. Intermittent fasting: Develop an eating pattern and create a cycle between the periods of eating and fasting. A balanced cycle can be where you fast for 16 hours and then eat for 8 hours. During these fasting windows your body will get plenty of time to rest leading to reduced inflammation. It is recommended that you discuss your diet plan with your doctor before adopting it. Autoimmune Protocol Diet: This is a relatively new food-based approach that helps in eliminating unwanted inflammation in a person’s body. It is a very restrictive diet which mainly includes meat and vegetables that improves gut health, builds proper nutrient density, determines food sensitivities and regulates blood sugar and the immune system to reduce inflammation and balance hormones. If this diet is followed for almost a month, then it can help you get rid of inflammatory foods, gut irritants, and immune stimulants. Consume adequate water and nutritious foods – Patients suffering from arthritis need to be mindful while eating and should observe their body cues and eat only when they are feeling hungry. Such patients should also keep a strict check on their portions as it can prevent them from emotional eating. Additionally, arthritis patients must consume at least 4 to 5 litres of water to lose weight, boost energy and postpone muscle fatigue. Consuming adequate amount of water can help in feeling full for a longer duration without adding any additional calories. Reduce Sodium intake: For an average adult, only 2,300 mg per day of salt or about a teaspoon of ordinary iodized table salt is recommended. If the consumption is higher, then you will feel bloated and will gain weight. One should limit their sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day to avoid weight gain. For middle-aged and older adults with high blood pressure, about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt per day is recommended. Other measures such as getting adequate sleep, consuming foods rich in vitamin B, D, Omega 3 acids and magnesium and supplementing the body with glutamine can help with the cramps and can ensure proper muscle function.

~ The virtual conference saw 800 delegates from the research community come together to share experiences and discuss topical issues ~ Apollo Research & Innovation, a division of Apollo Hospitals, and the Apollo Hospitals Educational & Research Foundation successfully hosted the “Apollo Clinical Research Conclave”, a two-day virtual conference on December 2 and 3, 2022. This first of its kind Conclave saw the coming together of over 800 stakeholders from across the research community – students, academia, researchers, regulators, pharma, SMOs, CROs, hospitals & research coordinators – onto one common platform. The Clinical Research Conclave saw participation from more than 50 organizations with over 30 eminent speakers sharing their experiences. The conference saw pertinent questions being raised to address key issues in research activities essential for enhancement of healthcare and well-being of the community. The packed virtual event witnessed 20 expert talks, three panel discussions, a poster competition and an interactive Q&A session with each speaker. Inaugurating the conclave, Dr Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “The pandemic saw every stakeholder in healthcare come together and collaborate to jointly defeat the virus. The learnings for us were that cooperation, collaboration and communication must continue to ensure we stay ahead of any future healthcare challenge. I am sure that this conclave will act as a catalyst and fuel similar collaboration among healthcare research bodies.” The two-day event focused on the multi-faceted relationship of clinical research stakeholders and looked at bridging the academic and clinical research gap. The speakers from across the healthcare spectrum included senior representatives from pharma (GSK, Sanofi, Sun Pharma, Astra Zeneca), CRO (IQVIA, THB), Hospitals (Max, Fortis, St. Johns, Medanta, JSS Medical College, Apollo Hospitals, CBCC), Regulators (CDSCO, ICMR) and Accreditors (AAHRPP, NABH), Research Institutes/Academia (NIPER, St. Johns Research Institute, Institute of Life Sciences) along with other distinguished healthcare industry veterans. The Apollo Clinical Research Conclave saw sessions on Clinical Trial management with discussions on the role of a sponsor in clinical trial management, and the evolving model of decentralized clinical trials. Other topics included the robustness of an SMO, CRCs and their role as the backbone of clinical research followed by a panel discussion on the current landscape and opportunities in clinical research in India. The plenary session on Research in Healthcare was delivered by Dr. Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, Ex-DG ICMR and President of AHERF who spoke about healthcare practice improvements through health research and a multi-step process in medical research. Other sessions included discussions on bridging academic and clinical research and the relevance and application of academic research at the bedside.  Enthusiastic participation led to discussions on the ways and means to make academic research a mainstream activity. The speakers acknowledged past errors, stated present realities and discussed cross-stakeholder solutions to drive change. Topics such as what it means to be a clinical research professional in today’s era and the role of the ethics committee and the impact of changing regulations led to fervent discussions. The shift of focus from clinical trials to clinical studies was imminent in all the talks. The role of accreditations in adding value to quality research was highlighted. The Conclave ended on a positive note with all the stakeholders keenly looking forward to collaborate and work together to improve research with a vow to successfully translate it into better clinical outcomes!

Mia by Tanishq, one of India’s most fashionable jewellery brands has unveiled a beautiful ‘Mamma Mia’ collection of matching jewellery pieces for the Mother and the Child. The assortment features the twinning trend of matching jewellery pieces in fun and stylish designs. Mother-Child bond has always been special and holds an extra special corner in our hearts. Celebrate this bond of motherhood and the joyous journey with your kids by twinning with your little one and creating heart- warming moments. The collection showcases delicate and unique matching products in earrings, bracelets, rings and minimalistic pendant designs. Celebrate milestones and show love to your precious little ones with these matching jewellery pieces that make as a perfect token of love and remembrance. Twin in style with golden glitter, some laughter and shine with Mia by Tanishq’s Mamma Mia collection and capture the perfect twinning moment for life. The collection starts at the price range of Rs. 2500 and is available across all Mia by Tanishq stores and on its e- commerce platform https://www.miabytanishq.com/. Speaking on the launch of the new collection, Ms. Shyamala Ramanan, Business Head, Mia by Tanishq, said "Our new Mamma Mia collection celebrates you and the mini reflection of you with pieces that match your bond with your little one. Whether it’s twinning with your kid, gifting them something special or just having a token of your love for your kid strung around your neck, this collection celebrates your love in a multitude of ways. Born with the heritage and the legacy of Tanishq, Mia is a brand of bold, modern and chic jewellery. For the young and at the young at heart and the stylish, Mia crafts gold jewellery in designs that are unique, minimal and extremely versatile. Featuring a wide range, the collections from Mia are designed to accessorize you for every moment and every occasion effortlessly. Crafted in 18kt & 14kt gold the Mia line of jewellery has over 1500 designs starting at Rs.2999/- . Mia is a network of 91 standalone stores and present in leading Tanishq stores. It has a presence from our home page https://www.miabytanishq.com/ and across other online platforms https://www.amazon.com/ https://www.tatacliq.com/.

Dr Sunil Kumar Prabhu, Senior Consultant Dermatologist and Aesthetic Physician, Aster RV Hospital Winter is particularly a challenging time for skin and normal individuals and those with skin disorders face a difficult period. The prolonged chill with reduced humidity impairs our skin barrier function and leads to loss of water from skin that makes the skin dry, brittle and irritated. Winter is right around the corner and it means it is that time of the year that makes us deal with dull, dry, and pale skin, thanks to the cold. Perfect skin is always a challenge in the winter season. Itchy, dry, and generally unhappy-looking skin can all be because of the lack of external and internal nourishment. Some of the common skin concerns during winters are Xeroxis, Ichthyosis, Eczemas, Atopic dermatitis, Psoriasis and all conditions with disorders of keratinization of skin face a particularly difficult situation. Acne or pimple management needs a bit of altered treatment since some medications used for this condition further dries the skin and creates an irritated inflamed face. Anywhere between 30 to 50 % of these skin disorders running into a few hundred patients need specialized management of the condition with additional moisturizers and other medications. A middle-aged patient with Nummular eczema presents to the skin department with multiple areas of itchy and dried skin areas with redness and the skin is inflamed and irritable. A young child diagnosed with atopic dermatitis also has what we call Flare up of the Dermatitis and comes with multiple areas of redness and irritation. An older patient aged 75 years also presents with sudden increasing dryness and irritation of skin with flakiness seen in the arms and body. All these cases represent the worsening of the condition across all age groups and so extra care during this period is needed.  All cases need a good moisturizer and other medications mixed with these agents and proper adequate warm clothing is required provided pure cotton fabrics are used otherwise the other synthetic fabrics may irritate skin. Hair fall is perennial and can happen throughout but during winter quite a group of people develop increased dandruff due to reduced humidity and untreated dandruff can cause itching, an unhealthy scalp and sometimes lead to hair fall which is mainly hair shaft breaks. Management for dandruff is good antifungal shampoos and other medications like oral antifungal in few severe cases. Hair falls due to other reasons like male pattern baldness and Telogen effluviyum also continue during this season and careful management with non-drying medicines and good oral supplements and balanced diet may be needed to balance the hair conditions

Ecom Express Limited, a new-age technology-driven full stack logistics solutions provider to the e-commerce industry, today announced a tremendous seasonal growth this year (2022) in terms of productivity and revenue this festive season. In 2022, overall industry grew by ~30% during the season as compared to last season whereas the volume and revenue of Ecom Express touched a staggering growth of 55-60% as compared to last season. For Ecom Express the shipments in tier-II cities and beyond grew by 160% in the season month of 2022 from the last year’s (2021) season. The delivered productivity across India grew by 25% from season 2021 to season 2022. A. Krishnan, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder, Ecom Express Limitedsaid, ‘’We are delighted to share that our season performance has been significantly higher than the industry growth. Our continuous efforts to better our performance resulted in maintaining and exceeding pace with overall industry and becoming a platform of choice for marketplaces and D2C ecosystem. This season we made advanced preparations across the board and multiple levels of network and service calibrations to achieve these amazing results.” The advanced preparation, 10 months prior to the festive season in developing a highly advanced available tech stack ensured high performance outcome even at 2x volume. 100% availability of tech platform ensured high reliability with peak volume seen multiple times during the season. The robust and scalable systems added to the seamless functioning and ensured there are zero disruptions. The gig registered user base of Ecom Express touched 84,000 workers by the end of the season to cater to deliveries of parcels. The curated campaigns, incentives and user-friendly platform attracted large onboardings. Ecom Express has successfully implemented the shipments and deliveries this year due to which they achieved tremendous seasonal growth. About Ecom Express: Ecom Express Limited is one of India’s leading end-to-end technology enabled logistics solutions providers to the Indian e-commerce industry. Headquartered in Gurugram, Ecom Express was incorporated in 2012 by T. A. Krishnan, Manju Dhawan, K. Satyanarayana and Late Sanjeev Saxena with their 100+ years of cumulative experience in the Indian logistics and distribution industry. Ecom Express has its presence in all 28 states of the country and operates across 27,000+ PIN codes in India. Through its deep reach strategy, the company has the capability to deliver to 95%+ of India’s population. For more information, please visit: https://ecomexpress.in/

In alignment with the UN theme of “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world” Vision Empower has come forward with a special experience center at the Bengaluru International Airport on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities which is on 3rd of December 2022, With support from Microsoft India, Sankara Eye Hospital, Kempegowda International Airport Limited and Young Indians, VE and volunteers engaged with passengers while they await their flight announcements. They had the unique chance to be sensitized about the numerous transformative possibilities being made available to children with visual impairment to pursue Science, Math and Computational Thinking education at the Special Schools for the visually impaired. “Computational Thinking (CT) is predicted to be a fundamental skill used by everyone in the world, just as reading, writing and arithmetic. Microsoft India in partnership with Vision Empower initiated the project VICT (Computational Thinking for persons with Visual Impairment). The aim of the project is to create accessible toys and games that are designed in such a way that children playing these games will acquire CT skills as a side effect.” shared Dr. Swami Manohar, Principal Scientist at Microsoft Research.  Anitta M, Head Vision Rehabilitation, Sankara Eye Hospital Bangalore, “It has been our effort to ensure that Visually Impaired have the same access as sighted counterparts. We look forward to this awareness session becoming a trigger for STEM being adopted. We help students with assistive devices and partner with Young Indians on the storyteller project to convert books to audio formats”. About Vision Empower: Vision Empower (VE) is a not-for-profit trust incubated at IIIT Bangalore in 2017. To empower children with visual impairment through inclusive education, VE conducts research and designs programs to make Science – Technology – Engineering – Mathematics (STEM) and Computational Thinking (CT) education inclusive and accessible for students with visual impairments. VE creates inclusive, modular and fun-filled educational solutions for STEM and CT subjects while catering to the diverse linguistic groups and the large number of persons with visual impairment in India.

Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru is gearing up to host the 4th edition of ‘Apollo T10 Doctors Premier League – 2022’ Cricket Tournament, starting from December 3rd 2022. This tournament will be conducted at the Loayala School grounds at Bannerghatta Road. The tournament has been scheduled for Sundays in the month of December 2022, starting from December 3rd (inauguration) through December 4th, 11th, and 18th, 2022, with the dates of the grand finale likely to be held on 18th Dec 2022. This tournament is open to all the hospital and nursing home community in the city of Bangalore. Through this tournament, the Apollo family would like to thank all the COVID warriors for the immense services offered during such impossibly challenging times and would like to dedicate the tournament to all such selfless and brave COVID warriors. True to its purpose, this tournament is designed to ensure fun along with the basic rules and regulations of this game of cricket. The goal is to meet all our precious doctors in one platform irrespective of their specialty or organization and to keep all our doctors fit and enjoying their high-voltage, high-stress, high-risk profession while still providing invaluable services to humanity. Speaking about the tournament, Prof. Dr. A N Venkatesh, Sr. Consultant & Head of Emergency Medicine, Apollo Hospitals Karnataka Region said, “It is encouraging to see the passionate response from the medical community for this competition, in which 40 teams from various hospitals in Bangalore will take part which includes not only private hospitals but also, Medical colleges and Government hospitals. We are thrilled to welcome the Medical community and give them a platform to get together, build better rapport among their peers,  know each other and also play cricket. The Apollo family would like to express their gratitude to all COVID warriors for their tremendous assistance during such extraordinarily difficult circumstances and would like to dedicate the competition to all of these brave, selfless COVID warriors.” Dr. Manish Matto, CEO, Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka Region, commented, “We at Apollo dedicate this tournament to all COVID warriors. We are grateful to their services and recognise their contribution against the pandemic. With this friendly tournament we expect to engage our doctors in activities to help reduce their stress and build better relationship with in the medical community. We encourage all the doctors from across the city to come and be part of the tournament and revive the younger days of college/school cricket tournaments.”

Thalassemia is a blood disorder, which happens due to a genetic defect in the protein hemoglobin, reducing the transport capacity for oxygen in the blood. In India, every year more than 10,000 children are born with this condition. Thalassemia is a disabling condition because it leads to chronic anemia, requiring regular blood transfusions.  It is also associated with other disabling co-morbidities like organ damage, bone damage, and cardiac complications, leaving the patient struggling to lead a normal life. Thalassemia can be treated with a stem cell transplant from a human leukocyte antigens (HLA) matched blood stem cells from a related or an unrelated donor. Dr Govind Eriat, Consultant Hematology, Hemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant BGS Global Gleneagles Hospital, Bengaluru said “India being the thalassemia capital of the world, has a huge burden of the disease and records over 10,000 new cases every year. People with thalassemia may need lifelong blood transfusions and other therapies (like iron removal medications) which has a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the patient. Regular blood transfusion, checkups, diet and other restrictions reduces the quality of life and at the same time, being prone to various other health conditions has a debilitating effect on the physical and mental health of the thalassemia patient, leaving them disabled from leading a normal life. Some thalassemia patients need transplant, that gives them freedom from recurrent blood transfusions.” In 2016, Government of India recognized Thalassemia and other rare blood disorders as a disability under The Rights of People with Disability Bill passed by the Parliament of India in December 2016. Patrick Paul, CEO DKMS BMST Foundation India “DKMS-BMST has been at the forefront of organizing support to thalassemia patients by helping them find matching donors from within the patient’s family or unrelated donors through the global database of potential donors. To support the cause DKMS has initiated DKMS-BMST thalassemia programme. Under this programme, DKMS-BMST collaborates with NGOs and transplantation clinics to organize thalassemia camps.  During the camps, pediatric thalassemia patients and their family members give buccal swab samples for HLA typing. The swab samples are then sent to DKMS laboratory in Germany and clinical matching reports are provided. DKMS also helps where there are no matching stem cell donors for the patients in their family, by finding unrelated donor in the international stem cell donor data base. Till now DKMS-BMST has tied up with 18 partners, which include 11 Transplant centers, 1 donor registry and 6 NGOs in India.” In 2022, DKMS-BMST and its Thalassemia partners conducted Thalassemia camps in Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Delhi & Neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and collected over four thousand swab samples from patients and their families and their efforts has benefited 1288 thalassemia patients.” “Matching of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) between the patient and donor is required for a successful blood stem cell transplant. But in India, only 30% of the patients are able to find a matching donor within their own family and rest 70% are depended on an unrelated donor. However, Indians only account for 0.04% of total listed unrelated donors globally due to lack of awareness and prevailing myths around the stem cell donation process,” added Patrick. December 3rd is designated by UN as the International Day of persons with disabilities and aims to raise awareness and understanding of various disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. Thalassemia as a disability, can be cured with a stem cell transplant, but there is only 1 in a million chance that someone comes up as a match for a patient, and Indian patients mainly require an Indian tissue match. Blood stem cell donation is a completely safe process and more and more young Indians need to come forward and to register as potential donors. To register as a potential blood stem cell donor please visit: www.dkms-bmst.org/register About DKMS BMST Foundation India: A non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders, such as thalassemia and aplastic anemia. Our aim is to improve the situation of patients suffering from blood cancer and other blood disorders in India and throughout the world, by raising awareness about blood stem cell transplantation and registering potential blood stem cell donors. By doing this DKMS-BMST provides patients in need of a blood stem cell transplant with a second chance at life. DKMS-BMST is a joint venture of two reputed non-profit organizations: BMST (Bangalore Medical Services Trust) and DKMS, one of the largest international blood stem cell donor centers in the world. For more information, please visit dkms-bmst.org

Amrita IAS Foundation program supported by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham ranked 5th Best University in the NIRF 2022 Rankings, introduces online sessions for young civil services aspirants to help in their preparation for the UPSC Exams; plugging the gap by giving students the knowledge and specialized skills they need to succeed. The Programme will be open for students from class 8th to class 12th starting early training, coaching students to help build their character and groom them to perform well in all aspects of the examination. In addition, the training will equip them for other competitive exams of a similar nature. The 10-month-long IAS Foundation Programme introduces the students to 20+ central services like IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. The sessions will be conducted online during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday) for 1:30 Hours via Zoom. Br. Vishwanathamrita Chaitanya, Director, Bengaluru Campus said, “We are molding the leaders of tomorrow, be it an IAS officer, a doctor, or a scientist. The IAS Foundation Programme is designed to help students excel beyond the classroom and school syllabus to gain a competitive edge. Our motive is to help the students strike a perfect balance between curiosity and focused learning.” He further added, “Through carefully planned pedagogy and a rigorous teaching style, the programme sharpens each aspirant’s intellectual development while boosting their articulation, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities. Every student will benefit from it, giving them tools to learn outside of the four walls of a school.” Through this programme students can also prepare for the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGL Exam) conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), along with jobs in the banking sector. The curriculum ensures an extensive exposure required to crack various competitive exams conducted by UPSC, EPFO, CAPF, CDS, RBI Grade B, the Intelligence Bureau, and RRB.

Nissan Motor India today showcases its recently unveiled Global Premium SUV X-Trail, Qashqai and Juke at a multi-city ‘Move Beyond Golf Tournament’ in Delhi NCR which will continue across leading golf courses in other key markets. The first edition of the tournament was flagged off from Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort, Noida today.  Mary Kom, winner of eight world championship medals in boxing, was a special guest at the event, doing the tee off and presenting the prizes. The tournament, which caters to a group of over 120 customers provides the participants with a day of golf and an opportunity to experience Nissan’s global, premium SUVs.  The SUVs – the X-Trail, the Qashqai, and the Juke, which were first unveiled in October. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Managing Director, Nissan Motors India Pvt Ltd, said, “The multi city Nissan Move Beyond Golf tournament offers us a unique opportunity to engage with a diverse range of customer groups and media partners over the showcase of the all-new premium global SUVs from Nissan which are currently being tested in Indian conditions.” The tournament will see members of golf clubs compete under their respective categories. The categories of prizes will be Handicap Category Winners, Overall Gross Winner, Spot Prize Winners – Longest Drive, Closest to Pin, Nissan Powerful Drive Award, and Nissan Most Stylish Player. An added attraction of the tour is Big, Bold, beautiful Nissan Magnite which will be awarded to the winner of the hole in one contest.