Indiscriminate Use of Medication During Dashain Festivities Can Worsen Health

 Indiscriminate Use of Medication During Dashain Festivities Can Worsen Health

Warnings have been issued that health risks may increase during Dashain due to careless dietary habits, the use of medication without medical advice, and the skipping of regular doses of prescribed medicine.

Dashain is a major festival for the Nepali people. Family reunions, delicious food, joyful gatherings, and long journeys make this festival special. However, the excitement of the festive season can lead to health risks—stemming from poor dietary choices, irregularities in taking regular medications, and the tendency to use drugs without consulting a doctor.

Often, when people experience a headache, fever, cold, or indigestion, they immediately purchase medication from a pharmacy. It is also common for people to use old medicines that have been lying around at home for a long time, or to recommend such medications to others.

Such habits are risky from a health perspective.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the inappropriate use of medication as a significant public health challenge. According to the WHO, the misuse of medicine not only increases health risks but also leads to the wastage of resources intended for medical treatment.

Indiscriminate Use of Medication for Pain and Fever

During Dashain, factors such as long-distance travel, fatigue, lack of sleep, and an unbalanced diet can lead to issues like headaches, body aches, or fever. It is unwise to take medication the moment such symptoms appear without first understanding the underlying cause.

Consuming medications like paracetamol in doses exceeding the recommended amount can cause severe damage to the liver. Since many combination medicines used for colds and flu contain paracetamol, taking different medications simultaneously can lead to an excessive dosage of the same active ingredient.

Similarly, the indiscriminate use of pain relievers like ibuprofen and diclofenac can cause stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, or kidney damage. Extra caution is required, especially for the elderly, individuals with pre-existing kidney or heart conditions, and those who are already taking regular medication.

**The Misuse of Antibiotics: Another Challenge**

The tendency to take antibiotics immediately upon experiencing a sore throat, cold, flu, or fever is a major public health concern. Since most colds and flu are caused by viruses, antibiotics are ineffective in treating such infections.

Taking antibiotics when they are not needed can lead to side effects such as allergies, diarrhea, and other adverse reactions. Furthermore, their improper use can contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance. In such cases, medications become less effective against the bacteria causing the infection, making treatment significantly more difficult.

Therefore, one should avoid taking antibiotics without medical advice, using leftover medication from previous illnesses, or consuming medicine prescribed for someone else. Medications prescribed by a doctor must be taken in the exact dosage and for the duration specified. If any adverse effects occur, consult a healthcare professional rather than changing the medication on your own. Missing Regular Medication Can Increase Risks

During the Dashain festival—whether traveling home, staying with relatives, or embarking on long-distance journeys—individuals with conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or other chronic illnesses may inadvertently miss their regular medications. Changes in diet and daily routines during the festive season can also lead to irregularities in taking prescribed medication.

Discontinuing medications used to manage chronic conditions—simply because one feels "fine"—is dangerous. It is particularly critical for individuals using insulin, anti-epileptic drugs, blood thinners, or steroids to strictly follow their doctor's instructions.

Before setting out on a journey, ensure you carry an adequate supply of your necessary medications. Keep a record of the names of your medicines and the scheduled times for taking them, and make arrangements to ensure you take them on time. If a dose is missed, do not take it upon yourself to compensate by doubling the dose.

What precautions should individuals with high uric acid levels take during Dashain?

 What precautions should individuals with high uric acid levels take during Dashain?

Since uric acid levels tend to rise during Dashain, it is advised to limit the consumption of purine-rich meats—such as goat, buffalo, liver, and kidneys—and instead incorporate vegetables and salads into one's diet.

The very mention of Dashain brings to mind meat dishes, delicious food, and gatherings with relatives. Many people believe that regardless of what they eat throughout the rest of the year, Dashain is a time to indulge in tasty food and enjoy themselves.

During this period, some people also consume more meat, often accompanied by beer or other alcoholic beverages. Even those who are usually very mindful of their diet tend to overindulge during Dashain.

After all, festivals are meant for eating and having a good time!

However, the dietary experience during Dashain is not the same for everyone. In particular, those prone to high uric acid levels need to be extra careful with their food choices; giving in to the temptation of taste could risk triggering a flare-up of their condition.

Does eating meat automatically raise uric acid levels? Could eating a bit too much cause complications? Such questions can leave many feeling uncertain. It is not the case that everyone with high uric acid must follow the exact same dietary restrictions. Some individuals may have elevated uric acid levels in their blood without showing any symptoms, while others may experience joint swelling, redness, and excruciating pain—a condition known as "gout." Uric acid is produced when a substance called 'purine' breaks down in the body. Typically, the kidneys excrete it through urine. If the body produces an excess of uric acid, or if the kidneys are unable to excrete a sufficient amount, the level of uric acid in the blood can rise.

When this accumulates and forms tiny crystals in the joints, it can lead to a condition known as gout.

Does the diet during Dashain increase uric acid levels?

During Dashain, people often consume large quantities of meat dishes, along with foods that are oily, spicy, or contain items like paneer (cottage cheese). Because these foods are tasty, there is a common tendency to overeat in a single sitting or to consume such dishes consistently over several days. However, those prone to high uric acid levels need to be extra mindful of their diet.

In particular, red meat—such as goat or buffalo—as well as dishes made from organ meats like liver and kidneys, contain high levels of purine.

Consequently, consuming large amounts of these foods can raise blood uric acid levels or trigger a flare-up of gout. Purine is also found in fish and chicken; therefore, one should not assume that 'white meat' can be consumed in unlimited quantities. Rather than avoiding meat entirely during Dashain, a more practical approach is to limit portion sizes and avoid the habit of including meat in every single meal.

Thus, instead of filling your plate exclusively with meat during Dashain, you can manage your intake by incorporating vegetables, salads, and other nutritious foods.

Is it okay to consume alcohol? Although it is common to consume alcohol with friends and family during Dashain, abstaining is the safest choice if you suffer from high uric acid levels. Even if you decide to drink, the general advice to "consume in moderation" does not define a universally "safe" amount for everyone.

If you are experiencing a gout flare-up or have other underlying health issues, you should avoid alcohol entirely. Similarly, you should limit the intake of soft drinks like Coke, Fanta, and other sugar-sweetened beverages; the fructose found in these drinks can increase uric acid levels.

**Legumes and Protein**

Legumes also contain purines. However, purines derived from plant-based foods do not necessarily pose the same level of risk as those found in meat or seafood. Therefore, foods such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, and soybeans can be consumed in balanced amounts.

It is better to focus on a varied diet that includes vegetables and fruits, ensuring your meals provide the necessary nutrition. During Dashain, rather than simply sitting around eating and resting, it is advisable to incorporate some walking or physical activity to help digest what you have consumed.

**Does high uric acid always require medication?**

Not everyone with elevated uric acid levels in their blood requires medication. A condition where no symptoms are present is known as "asymptomatic hyperuricemia." In such cases, medication to lower uric acid is generally not initiated.

However, a doctor may make a decision based on an individual's overall health, kidney function, and other risk factors. The situation is different when uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints, leading to a condition known as gout. The primary symptoms include sudden swelling, redness, and excruciating pain—most commonly in the joint of the big toe. The pain can be so intense that even placing the foot on the ground, putting on a sock, or having a blanket brush against it becomes difficult.

This pain may subside on its own after a few hours or days, and there might be no further issues for months or even years. However, the subsiding of pain does not mean the condition has been cured. Over time, the condition may flare up repeatedly; if left untreated, the accumulated uric acid crystals can form hard lumps in the joints, known as "tophi."

Therefore, it is not advisable to take medication only when pain occurs and stop once it subsides. If a doctor has prescribed medication to lower uric acid levels, you should not discontinue it on your own.

5 Things to Keep in Mind Regarding Diet and Lifestyle During Dashain

1. Stay active: Engage in regular walking, avoid sitting in one place for too long, and incorporate light exercise.

2. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Be mindful of your diet, and adjust your fluid intake based on your specific health condition and bodily needs.

3. Take medication consistently: Do not stop taking your uric acid-lowering medication just because your diet or eating habits have changed during the Dashain festival.

4. Avoid alcohol and an unbalanced diet: It is wise to exercise moderation regarding alcohol consumption and overeating, even during the festive season.

How to check fresh meat in Dashain?

 How to check fresh meat in Dashain?

Many meat shops in Nepal are not constructed and operated scientifically. Due to carelessness there is a risk of bacterial infection in the consumer, the larvae of lice entering the body and different types of diseases. Therefore, you have to pay special attention to some things when buying meat.

Everyone should consider the danger of getting disease instead of nutrition from meat if they get spoiled meat while buying meat. Therefore, consumers should be aware of these things for healthy meat.

Color: Fresh meat should be dark natural color. For example, beef, pork, and chicken are usually dark red, pink, and white, respectively. However, if the color of the meat is light purple instead of red, it means that it has been exposed to oxygen. But it is not dangerous or harmful.

Smell: This is considered to be the easiest way to check the freshness of meat. Fresh meat does not have any kind of smell. There is no particularly strange smell. Strange odors can often be sour, bleach, ammonia or fishy.

Touch: You can also know the quality of meat by touch. Fresh meat is hard to the touch. To check whether the meat is fresh, you should gently press the meat with your fingers. If the meat is fresh, then after a while the meat will return to its original shape, no fingerprints will remain on the meat. If it is not fresh meat, it will have fingerprints on it. If the meat feels slippery to the touch, it is a sign that the meat is rotten.

Check for excessive 'Drop Loss': Drop loss refers to the liquid material that comes out of the meat due to gravity during storage and handling. If the drop loss of meat is excessive, it indicates that the meat is not fresh.

How to check freshness of fish

Looking at the eyes: The eyes of a fresh fish are clean, shiny and slightly protruding. Stale fish have dull and sunken eyes.

Gills: The gills of fresh fish are dark red or pink in color. It is also non-slippery. If the color of the gills is pale or brown, it is a sign that the fish is old.

Smell: Fresh fish has a slight sea or pond smell. If the fish has a strong smell, it indicates that it is stale.

Vent: The vent of the fish should not protrude. This also indicates that the fish is old.

Meat check: Even fresh fish has tough meat. When it is meat, fingerprints should not remain on it. This also indicates that the fish is stale.

(Rai is a teaching assistant at the Central Technology Campus in Dharan. She has a master's degree in food technology.)

Why do cholesterol patients increase in hospital after Dashain?

Why do cholesterol patients increase in hospital after Dashain?

We understand Dashain as a festival of eating and drinking. That is why Manlagdi is eaten at this time. Fish, meat and alcohol are mandatory during Dashain.

Even those who don't drink at other times drink because it's a festival. Drunkenness was a better excuse. They sit and drink from morning till midnight.

On top of that, Sitan was also wanted. Grilled, fried, spicy, bitter, sour meat. Dalmot, chips. What is the habit of most of them is to take vinegar after drinking alcohol.

Such foods may not have an immediate effect. However, with the onset of winter, the number of patients in the hospital begins to increase. Most of them have cholesterol problems. After all, why did they have bad cholesterol? The uncontrolled eating of the same Dashain is one of the reasons behind this.

What happens when cholesterol increases? Why does it increase? Let's understand it in common language.

Cholesterol is a layer of fat in our body. Cholesterol is necessary for proper blood flow in the blood vessels and the structure of the body's cells. However, if the amount of cholesterol in the blood is more than required, it accumulates in the blood vessels, liver and heart.

Blood collects in the blood vessels and narrows the blood vessels. This is why the blood flow is not good. What this does is increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.

This problem is mostly seen in people with heart problems and high blood pressure. However, it does not mean that it is not seen in others.

Cholesterol is such a problem, the early signs of which do not match anything. It suddenly causes problems. Its general symptoms can be seen in anyone. Like white spots appearing around the eyes, black spots appearing on the back of the neck. However, in most cases, this problem is not detected without testing.

When the problem increases, it becomes difficult to handle it. Therefore, it is advisable to find preventive measures before such a problem occurs.

What to do now?

Be alert and take necessary precautions before problems occur. For this, some conditions must be followed.

- Reduce the consumption of red meat. Instead of red meat, white meat and fish can be consumed.

- Do not eat too much ghee, butter, cheese and animal fats.

- Cholesterol contains triglycerides. As carbohydrates increase the amount of triglycerides, eat such foods as little as possible.

- Sugary foods are high in carbohydrates, so eat as little as possible.

- In case of heart disease and high cholesterol level, take related medicine regularly.

- Consuming more fruits and green vegetables than meat.

- Eating less fat and skinned meat.

- Full sleep.

- Don't drink alcohol. Even if you do, consume very little.

Consuming high amounts of fibrous and fiber-rich foods.

Along with diet, you should also pay attention to exercise. At least five days a week you should walk briskly for 30 to 45 minutes.

A medical emergency situation

Eating alcohol and meat indiscriminately increases cholesterol. Apart from that, there are also many people who come to the hospital with a bone stuck in their neck. People are not alert and alert when they are drunk. At that time, when they eat bones with meat, there are many cases of them getting stuck in the throat. This is a medical emergency. In such a situation, if not treated immediately, it can lead to death.

Likewise, people with heart problems, high blood pressure, and those taking blood thinners can also be at risk from uncontrolled eating.

 

How much meat is better to eat on Dashain or any other time? This is what the experts say | Do you eat potatoes? Let's know these are the advantages and disadvantages of eating potatoes: see

How much meat is better to eat on Dashain or any other time? This is what the experts say

Dasain has arrived in Nepalese homes. On the first day of Dasain, Dasain started after doing housework. Most meat dishes are cooked during Dasain. This is why the consumption of meat is excessive during Dasain. It is estimated that almost 10 times more meat is consumed during this time than normal time. It is customary to eat the meat brought especially on the day of Phulpati by wearing it on Dasain Bhari. However, meat consumed in this way is not beneficial for health.