Prevent diabetes with just a few lifestyle changes
Diabetes is a silent killer and is more dangerous than most people think it is.
But making lifestyle changes can prevent type-2 diabetes, simply, effectively
and cheaply, a new study says.
Diabetes is a chronic and complex disease marked by high levels of
sugar in the blood that arise due to problems with the hormone insulin, which
regulates blood sugar levels. It is usually caused by an inability to produce
insulin (type 1) or an inability to respond correctly to insulin (type 2).
The study involved 230 people in poor, urban neighbourhoods in the San
Francisco Bay Area cities. Contacted by phone about once a month, half of them
received specific dietary guidance and other lifestyle counselling.
After six months, those who had received the counselling had on average
lost more weight, were consuming less fat, were eating more fruits and
vegetables and showed more improvements in lowering in their blood
triglycerides, a key risk measure for type 2 diabetes, the American Journal of
Public Health reported.
“Diabetes is not something you are necessarily going to get just
because it runs in your family,” said Alka Kanaya, associate professor of
medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and senior study
author. “It is very preventable, and lifestyle changes can really impact the onset
of diabetes.”
“You can do something about it,” said Anita Stewart, professor at the
UCSF Institute for Health & Aging and the Centre for Aging in Diverse
Communities, senior study co-author, according to a university statement.
A major health concern in the US, diabetes of all types affect an
estimated 8.3 percent of the U.S. population — some 25.8 million Americans —
and cost U.S. taxpayers more than $200 billion annually.
Previous studies have shown that counselling and other lifestyle
interventions are effective at preventing type 2 diabetes, but those
interventions have generally been designed for clinical settings and include
separate sessions with numerous health professionals.
Source: http://health.india.com
19.06.2012
Best time for birth of twins is 37 weeks
Twins born to women in the early birth group at
37 weeks were significantly less likely to be small for their gestational age,
according to a new study. The advice is based on the world’s biggest study
addressing the timing of birth for women who have an uncomplicated twin
pregnancy. Studying 235 women in Australia, New Zealand and Italy, researchers
found that babies born to women in the early birth group (37 weeks) were
significantly less likely to be small for their gestational age compared with
babies born to women in the standard care group (38 weeks or later), the
British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology reported.
Jodie Dodd, professor from the University of
Adelaide’s Robinson Institute and the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, who
led the study, said: “Infants of a twin pregnancy are recognised to be at risk
of problems during pregnancy, particularly from a slowing of the rate of growth
in one or both twins.” ”This slowing of the growth rate can result in low birth
weight, which is associated with an increased need for care in the neonatal
nursery in the short term and increased risk of health problems in later life,
including heart disease and diabetes. There is also the risk of one or both
twins being stillborn.
“This is why we’ve taken such a great interest in
the optimal time for twins’ birth. We found that at 37 weeks, elective birth is
associated with a significant reduction in the risk of serious morbidity for
infants, without increasing complications related to immaturity or induction of
labour,” said Dodd. Dodd says there has been a lot of uncertainty in clinical
practice about the optimal time for twins’ birth.
“We hope this study will help clinicians to make
recommendations to women with healthy twin pregnancies that lead to less
complications at birth, and therefore lead to happier, healthier lives for
their babies,” added Dodd.
Source: http://health.india.com
19.06.2012
Are you prepared for rains?
Monsoon is the most enthralling season of them
all, with the rain showers giving everything a sparkling clean look and feel.
However, it is also a season where infections
spread very easily. With torrential downpours and floods followed by phases of
intense humidity and sunshine, we are much more susceptible to diseases.
This makes it essential to take precautions in
every facet of life. From the food consumed to the products that keep us clean
and healthy to the items that keep us looking smart, everything has to be
selected keeping this aspect in mind.
The food items need to be healthy yet appetizing
and packed in a way that the moisture cannot penetrate. Bathing gels and body
washes, shampoos and conditioners, hair oils and colouring agents, every single
item has to be designed to tackle monsoon conditions. Even deodarants,
perfumes, anti-ageing products, acne treatment options, hair fall remedies, the
entire spectrum of items used on a day-to-day basis must be rain ready.
The reality is that you can love it or hate it,
but there is no way to ignore a Mumbai monsoon. Amidst the concrete jungle,
lush foliage becomes visible overnight, washed clean by the initial showers.
There is a certain joy in sitting by the window and watching the city get a
makeover while sipping hot ginger tea or soup to ward off the chill.
Obviously, to ensure good health these are
months when raincoats and water-resistant jackets should score over the
dictates of fashion. Suddenly there's a scramble for umbrellas and all-weather
shoes. Waterproof bags should replace
jute and denim variants while the enclosed interiors of malls are better option
than gardens and newspaper stands as meeting points.
Water logging results in longer road commutes
while delayed trains add to the uncertainty of when one would eventually reach
home. But then that too has a special charm of its own and that's what a Mumbai
monsoon is all about, isn't it? So ensure that you take all necessary
precautions to avoid infections. Keep water bottles and some snacks handy in
case monsoon floods extend your commute from a few minutes to a few hours.
Children look forward to schools being cancelled
and pray for the heavy rains to continue all night whereas the college crowd
assembles at the canteen regardless of what the weatherman predicts. In both
cases, it's important to ensure that they get hot, nourishing food and change
into dry clothes on reaching home if they have been drenched in the rains on
the way.
Get ready for the rains because what we have
experienced so far are only pre-monsoon showers. When the monsoon begins in
earnest, it makes sense to be prepared for it.
Source: www.dnaindia.com
19.06.2012
The worst part
of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you
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