Teaching Environmental Studies Human Health And Disease / मानव स्वास्थ्य और रोग Notes - Health and Disease

 

Health and Disease

 

Health does not simply mean absence of disease or physical fitness. Health could be defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. "Health also increases longevity of people and reduces infant and maternal mortality. Good health is more than being free from disease. Several other factors like cleanliness and sanitation of house, surroundings, quality of food, drinking water, purity of air, exercise, sleep and rest are also very important.

 

5.1 Diseases

Disease is an abnormal conditions of an organism which interrupts the normal bodily functions that often leads to feeling of pain and weakness and usually associated with symptoms and signs.

 

5.1.1 Types of Diseases

Generally, diseases are of two types

 

1. Diseases by Birth

These diseases are from birth e.g. haemophilia, colour blindness, turner's syndrome, aebinism etc.

 

2. Acquired Diseases

These diseases are acquired in one's life span through surroundings e.g. diarrhoea, dysentry, cholera etc. Acquired diseases are of two types

 

Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are illnesses that are 'contagious' meaning they can be spread from one person to another. Infectious diseases are caused by microorganism called pathogens.

Virus, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, helminthes and insects are common cause of infectious diseases.

Disease carrier could refer as a person or organism injected with an infectious disease agent, but does not display symptoms.

  

Non-infectious Diseases

Disease that are not caused by any infectious agent. These diseases are chronic diseases which last for long periods of time and progress slowly e.g. cancer.

Some of the communicable diseases and causative agents are listed below

 

S. No.	Examples Diseases	Examples
1.	Bacterial diseases	Pneumonia, Typhoid, Dysentry, Plague, Diptheria, Tuberculosis
2.	Viral diseases	Influenza, Common cold, Dengue fever, AIDS, Japanese encephalitis
3.	Fungal diseases	Ringworms
4.	Protozoan diseases	Malaria (Plasmodium) Kalazar (Leishmania) Sleeping sickness (Trypanosoma)
5.	Helminths diseases	Ascariasis (Common roundworm/Ascaris) Filaria/Elephentiasis (wucheria)

 

DPT Vaccination is for \[\Rightarrow \] Diptheria, Pertusis

(whooping cough) and Tetanus.

BCG is for tuberculosis.

 

Deficiency Disease

Diseases that occur due to lack of nutrients over a long period are called deficiency diseases. Deficiency can be of one or more nutrient in the diet.

 

Vitamin Deficiency

Vitamins are required in very small amount so called as micronutrient. Main function of vitamins is to protect our body against diseases. Vitamins help in keeping our body parts like eyes, bones, teeth and gums healthy.

 

Various types of vitamins, its source and deficiency diseases are given below

 

Vitamin	Deficiency Diseases	Symptoms
Vit. A (Retinol)	Night-blindness	Poor vision, loss of vision in darkness (night).
Vit. B, (Thiamine)	Beri-Beri	Weak muscles and little energy to work
Vit. \[{{B}_{2}}\] (Niacin or Pellagra acid)	Pellagra	Insomnia, Red skin lesions
Vit. \[{{B}_{5}}\] (Pantothenic acid)	Acne, Paresthesia	Abnormal sensation (numbness, weakness, tingling, burning and cold)
Vit. \[{{B}_{6}}\]Pyridoxine	Pink eyes, Epilepsy, anaemia	Dandruff like eruption
Vit. \[{{B}_{7}}\]Biotin	Growth and neurological disorder in infants	Scaly red rash around eyes, nose, mouth and  genital area
Vitamin Bq (Folic acid)	Macrocytic Anaemia	Loss of apetite, birth defects.
Vitamin \[{{B}_{12}}\](Cynacobolamin)	Pernicious Anaemia	Weight loss
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	Scurvy	Bleeding gums, joint swelling, wound take longer time to heal.
Vitamin D (Calciferol)	Rickets/ Osteomalacia	Pain in bones and joints
Vitamin K	Lack of clotting of blood,	Gum bleeding, nose

           

           

Dengue/breakbone	Fever, rash, jointpain,  headache	Aedes aegypti (Yellow fever mosquito)
Chikungunya (Viral, infection through mosquito carrier)	Fever, jointpain	Aedes albopictus Aedes aegypti
Malaria (Plasmodium infection)	Fever (with shivering) vomiting,	Female Anopheles mosquito

 

·         Most commonly drug used in fever is peracetamol.

 

·         Number of Leukocyte cells increases during infection.

 

Mineral Deficiency

Minerals are inorganic substances presents in our food. They do not provide energy, but they are required for growth, repair and regulation of important body function. Brief information about minerals and its deficiency given below

 

(i) Calcium Deficiency Calcium is used for building bones and teeth in the body.

Deficiency of calcium may cause porous and fragile bones, tooth decay, loss of sleep and irritability. Calcium is mainly found in milk, egg, green vegetables, almonds and walnuts.

 

(ii) Phosphorus It is very important for development of body. Teeth and bones become weak due to its deficiency, phosphorus is found in abundance in cereals, pulses, nuts, egg yolk, milk, apple and green vegetables.

(iii) Iron Deficiency It gives red colour to the blood and transmits \[{{O}_{2}}\] to body. Its deficiency causes anaemia and other symptoms such as fatigue, loss of apetite, pale yellow colour, white nails etc.

Y Subba Row discovered the role of Vit \[{{B}_{12}}\] in curing pernicious anaemia.

 

(iv) Iodine Deficiency I deficiency can cause goitre and also retailed growth and mental disability.

 

Carbohydrate Deficiency

 

·         When balanced diet is consumed carbohydrate short fall does not arise. Due to excess of carbohydrate, weight of body increases result of which is obesity. Lack of carbohydrate will - decrease the body weight which result the reduction of work efficiency.

 

Protein Deficiency

·         Body uses protein to build and repair tissues.

Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles cartilage, skin and blood. It is an estimate that around 10 lakh children are dead every year due to lack of protein in India.

 

·         Marasmus It occurs due to deficiency of both protein and carbohydrate simultaneously. The child suffering from marasmus becomes lean and thin. His growth is completely stopped. Even the child not able to move due to lack of energy.

 

·         Kwashiorkor Kwashiorkor is a life threatening and debilitating form of malnutrition. Common symptoms are change in skin and hair colour, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of muscle mass, protruding belly.

 

·         Insulin is basically a protein act as hormone. This hormone is formed in pancreas, this allows to use sugar from carbohydrates present in our food.

 

Diseases Caused Due to Lack or Excess of Fat

 

·         Fat helps in absorption of Vitamin A, D, E and K (so called fat soluble vitamins) and proper functioning of nerve and brain. Fat is the source of energy and also it is energy store in the form of adipose tissues.

·         Lack of essential fatty acids lead to stunted growth, fertility- loss and many skin diseases. If we are taking excess fat it will accumulate in lower layer of skin in the form of adipose tissues, so body weight increases and leads to obesity.

·         It can also lead to heart problems if we consume milk, cream, butter, cheese, ghee etc (animal fat) in excess then it to increase cholesterol level, it will block the blood vessels. It will increase chance of heart attack/stroke.

 

Deficiency of Water in Body

·         Our body uses water in all its cell, tissues and organs to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions.

·         Our body loses water through breathing, sweating and digestion, it is important to rehydrate by drinking fluids and eating food that contain water.

·         Sometimes, children suffer from severe loss of water due to loose motions, heat stroke, or excessive vomiting. In such case, doctors recommend ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution).

 

Some important diseases and their home remedies

 

Diseases	Home Remedies
Fever	Tea of fenugreek
Wound	Mixture of turmeric
Sprain	Coating of turmeric and lime
Toothache	Clove oil
Eye burning	Pure rose water, cucumber
Ear ache	Drop of garlic oil
Cough	Ginger and jaggery
Dengue	Papaya extract
Chikungunya	Giloy extract
Taste buds present of our tongue
sweet	On the tip of the tongue.
Salt	Either side of the front of the tongue.
Bitter	Back of the tongue.
Sour	Behind salt taste buds.

 

5.1.2 Digestive System

 

In order to get nutrient from the food, food which we eat need to be broken down into smaller particles and then digested. Digestion involves following steps

 

Ingestion

·         It is the process by which food, water etc is taking to the gastrointestinal tract. This process starts in buccal-cavity (tongue and teeth).

·         Teeth help in chewing the food and tongue secrete saliva and help in swallowing the food.

 

Digestion

In this process, food is broken down in its smaller components. Digestion starts from mouth and last in small intestine. In mouth digestion of carbohydrates starts, small intestine is around 7 m long and help in digestion of carbohydrates, fat and proteins.

 

Absorption

·         In this process, absorption of useful material takes place by the body. This process takes place in intestine.

·         In small intestine carbohydrate, fat and protein get absorbed and in large intestine water and mineral get absorbed. Inner wall folding of small intestine called Villi, help in absorption of food.

 

Assimilation

The absorption of nutrients into the body after digestion in the intestine and its transformation in biological tissues and fluids.

 

Egestion

It is the process by which undigested food is passed to exterior through an opening called anus. Rectum stores undigested waste in the form of faeces.

 

5.2 Excretion

Elimination or expelling waste undigested products from body processed by excretion. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs kidneys and skin.

·         Rectum stores undigested waste in the form of

·         Fareces are sent out through anus.

 

Kidney	Excretion of urea and uric acid into urine.
Skin	Sweat glands secretes fluid waste in the form of sweat.
Lungs	Excreate carbon dioxide.
Liver (largest glands and biochemical factory of body)	Convert ammonia into urea.
Rectum	Store undigested waste and expell out through anus.