29 June, 2015

Want to keep your heart healthy? Switch to coffee

If you are a coffee lover, this is going to get a smile on your face. A new study has suggested that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day could cut an individual’s cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk by up to 21 percent.

The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee’s study highlights that the lowest CVD mortality risk is seen at an intake of approximately 3 cups of coffee per day, with a percentage risk reduction of up to 21 percent. The study suggests an association between coffee consumption and CVD risk, proposing a ‘U-shaped’ pattern whereby optimal protective effects were achieved with 3-5 cups of coffee per day.

Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to consuming none or less than 2 cups per day. People with diabetes typically have a higher CVD mortality risk and therefore, this association may be linked to a decreased CVD risk. In males, a combination of 5 healthy behaviours (a healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption (10 to 30 g/ day), no smoking, being physically active and having no abdominal adiposity) could prevent 79 percent of myocardial infarction events.

Half of CVD cases in women could be avoided by modifying lifestyle choices, as approximately 73 percent of CHD cases and 46 percent of clinical CVD are attributable to an unhealthy lifestyle. The report concludes that recent research supports the view that moderate coffee consumption at approximately 3 – 5 cups per day may have a protective effect against CVD mortality risk.

It is important to note that results differ between varying populations; it is suggested that 2 cups of coffee per day may offer the greatest protection in a Japanese population, whilst 3 cups may provide the greatest protection in UK and US populations.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

29.06.2015

UK to perform world’s first artificial blood transfusion in 2017

In a breakthrough healthcare step, the world’s first human trial of artificial blood grown in a lab from stem cells is set to take place in the UK by 2017.

UK’s National Health Services (NHS) blood and transplant unit has announced that manufactured blood will soon be used as a part of clinical trials on human volunteers. The research carried out scientists at the university of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant used stem cells from adult and umbilical cord blood to create a small volume of manufactured red blood cells.

Once proven safe for humans this product has the capability to be used as an alternative to blood in cases of  blood disorders like sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia that require patients to get regular blood transfusion.

The clinical trial of manufactured red blood cells is designed to compare the survival of red cells manufactured from stem cells with that of standard blood donor red blood cells. This will involve a group of 20 volunteers who will receive a small volume transfusion of between five and ten millilitre of the lab-produced blood.

‘Scientists across the globe have been investigating for a number of years how to manufacture red blood cells to offer an alternative to donated blood to treat patients,’ said Dr Nick Watkins, NHS Blood and Transplant Assistant Director of Research and Development. ‘We are confident that by 2017 our team will be ready to carry out the first early phase clinical trials in human volunteers,’ Watkins said.

‘These trials will compare manufactured cells with donated blood. The intention is not to replace blood donation but provide specialist treatment for specific patient groups,’ he said. ‘Research has laid the foundation for current transfusion and transplantation practises. Continued investment in research and development is critical to our role in saving and improving lives through blood and organ donation,’ he added.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

29.06.2015

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you

James Allen

26 June, 2015

50% of women with Endometriosis face infertility

Fifty percent of the women suffering from Endometriosis -- a condition wherein the tissue lining inside the uterus grows outside -- are likely to suffer from infertility, a study said here on Wednesday.

"Around 50 percent of women suffering from endometriosis experience infertility. The disease can influence fertility in many ways, including distorted anatomy of pelvis -- scarred fallopian tubes and altered egg quality," said the study conducted by Kshitiz Murdia, fertility and IVF expert.

Murdia is currently associated with Indira Infertility Clinic and Test Tube Baby Centre at south Patel Nagar, in central Delhi.

The study states that endometriosis leads to formation of cysts known as endometriomas or 'chocolate cysts' in the ovaries. In extreme cases, there are possibilities of the growth of endometriosis on the peritoneum, the lining of the abdomen and pelvis.

"In some cases, endometriosis grows deep beneath the peritoneal lining, in the area between the vagina and the rectum. In such circumstances there is often more severe pain," Murdia added.

Murdia said endometriosis is a fast increasing disease. Its symptoms are painful periods, deep pain during penetrative sex, chronic pelvic pain and painful bowel motions or urination during menstruation.

"There also could be no symptoms at all other than having difficulty getting pregnant. There are also cases where a woman suffering from endometriosis have absolutely no symptoms," he said.

This study later stated that due to the complications caused by the disease, many women have to undergo advanced fertility treatment like In vitro fertilisation (IVF). The stage-4-endometriosis, which is known as severe endometriosis, results in extensive scarring and damaged ovaries.

Murdia said women wanting to get pregnant in such situations can go for medical therapy in which the doctor surgically removes the scarred tissue or destroys it.

"This can help increase chances of pregnancy in women. The treatment also helps restore the normal anatomy," Murdia said adding that while the effectiveness of such treatment is highly individualized, IVF work wonders for most women.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

26.06.2015

Stomach cancer will be detected in a jiffy

British researchers have developed a breath test that can detect oesophageal and gastric (stomach) cancer in minutes with 90 percent accuracy.

The test has produced encouraging results in a clinical study of 210 patients, and will now be tested in a larger trial involving three hospitals in London.

Oesophageal and gastric malignancies account for 15 percent of cancer-related deaths globally.

Doctors diagnose oesophageal and gastric cancers by carrying out an endoscopy. This is a procedure where the inside of the body is examined using a probe with a light source and video camera at the end via the mouth and down the gullet.

However, the procedure is invasive and expensive. Moreover, only two percent of patients who are referred for an endoscopy by GPs are diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancer.

"Our breath test could address these problems because it can help diagnose patients with early non-specific symptoms as well as reduce the number of invasive endoscopies carried out on patients, which often lead to negative results," said lead author of the study George Hanna from Imperial College London.

"Diagnosis at an early stage could give patients more treatment options and ultimately save more lives," Hanna noted.

The test looks for chemical compounds in exhaled breath that are unique to patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer.

The cancers produce a distinctive smell of volatile organic compounds (VOC), chemicals that contain carbon and are found in all living things, which can help doctors detect early signs of the disease. To take the test, patients breathe into a device similar to a breathalyzer which is connected to a bag.

The compounds in their exhaled breath are analyzed by a selected ion flow tube mass spectrometer. The researchers used breath samples of patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer from 2011 to 2013.

The study was published in the journal Annals of Surgery.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

26.06.2015

To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often

 Winston Churchill

20 June, 2015

Genes decide how many hours you sleep

Most of us need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function well, but some people seem to need a lot less sleep. The difference is largely due to genetic variability, new research says.

The researchers report that two genes are required for normal slumber in fly models of sleep: taranis and Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1).

"Our research elucidates a new molecular pathway and a novel brain area that plays a role in controlling how long we sleep," said senior study author Kyunghee Koh, assistant professor of Neuroscience at the US's Thomas Jefferson University.

"There is a lot we do not understand about sleep, especially when it comes to the protein machinery that initiates the process on the cellular level." The researchers examined thousands of mutant fly lines and found a mutant, called Taranis, which slept a lot less than normal flies.

The researchers tracked how taranis interacted with other proteins and saw that taranis bound to a known sleep regulator protein called Cyclin A.

Their data suggests that Taranis and Cyclin A create a molecular machine that inactivates Cdk1, whose normal function is to suppress sleep and promote wakefulness.

Previous research has shown that Cyclin A is expressed in a small number of neurons including a cluster of seven neurons on each side of the brain. Koh and colleagues showed that these neurons are located in an area of the fly brain that corresponds with the human hypothalamus - one of the sleep centres of the human brain.

They saw a reduction of overall sleep when Taranis was knocked down only in these 14 neurons and when these same neurons are activated. "We think this may be an arousal centre in the fly brain that Taranis helps inhibit during sleep."

Although the taranis protein has a human cousin, called the Trip-Br family of transcriptional regulators, it is yet unclear whether a similar system is at play in humans.

The study was published online in the journal Current Biology.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

20.06.2015

What not to do on weekends

Are you making any of these health-destroying, wellness-damaging mistakes on your days off?

Did you know that how you spend the 48-hour weekend could make or break the rest of your week? Pursue it right and you will recover from the week gone by, and be fresh and bouncy for the week ahead. Make the following mistakes and you'll probably have a worse one than anticipated.

Binge eating

The weekend calls for movie dates, family dinners and social get-togethers. All this partying naturally leads to indulgence in fast food, greasy meals and drinks. Naturally, you're damaging your health and figure.

Oversleeping

You've slogged it out during the workweek and partied late on Friday night, so you deserve to sleep in late on the weekend. Wrong. Sleep experts call this phenomenon 'social jetlag' and it can do more harm than repair.

Doing too many chores

It's natural to get home so tired that you leave the dishes in the sink and the clothes in the laundry basket for a major weekend overhaul. Add to this, bank documentation, paper work and changing the sheets, and you're swamped!

Restricting your boundaries

Have your weekends become so repetitive that you end up doing the same thing over and over again? The absence of new activities ensures you are stuck in a rut.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

20.06.2015

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence

 Helen Keller

19 June, 2015

Love eating junk food? Your memory may be at risk

Dietary trans fatty acids are commonly used in processed food to improve taste, texture and durability. A new study has linked the high consumption of these trans fatty acids with worsening memory power in young men. Trans fatty acid makes you angry and irritable

Researchers evaluated data from 1,018 men and women, ages 20 to 85, who were asked to complete a dietary survey and memory test involving word recall. On average, men aged 45 and younger recalled 86 words; however, for each additional gram of dietary trans fatty acids (dTFA) consumed daily, performance dropped by 0.76 words. This translates to an expected 12 fewer words recalled by young men with dTFA intake levels matching the highest observed in the study, compared to otherwise similar men consuming no trans fats. ‘Trans fats were most strongly linked to worse memory in men during their high productivity years,’ said lead author Beatrice Golomb, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine in the US. ‘Trans fat consumption has previously shown adverse associations to behaviour and mood — other pillars of brain function. However, to our knowledge a relation to memory or cognition had not been shown.

‘Trans fats were most strongly linked to worse memory in men during their high productivity years,’ said lead author Beatrice Golomb, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine in the US. ‘Trans fat consumption has previously shown adverse associations to behaviour and mood — other pillars of brain function. However, to our knowledge a relation to memory or cognition had not been shown.’ 

After adjusting for age, exercise, education, ethnicity and mood, the link between higher dTFA and poorer memory was maintained in men 45 and younger. An association of dTFA to word memory was not observed in older populations.

The research was primarily focussed on number of men and women in the same age group, which was too small to draw conclusions about whether the link held true for them as well.‘As I tell patients, while trans fats increase the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people,’ Golomb said.

The study was published online in the journal PLOS ONE.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

19.06.2015

One more reason for diabetics to exercise regularly

The importance of exercise cannot be stressed enough, especially in such times, where health usually takes a back seat, and work and careers are at the forefront. Lifestyle diseases like heart disease,hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, etc. are on the rise and exercise plays an important part maintaining them.
A new study has now said that in diabetics, exercise along with helping to shed kilos, also controls blood sugar levels. Here’s an expert diet and exercise tips to manage diabetes

Are there any other benefits of exercising for diabetics?

Researchers found that waist circumference, the percentage of body fat and hemoglobin A1c leveled improved in diabetics who regularly exercised as compared in those who did not exercise. The researchers also found that even if exercising regularly did not improve the exercising capacity, it improved the body’s ability to control diabetes.

How was the study conducted?

Researchers measured the ability of the respiratory system to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. However, a sub-group of exercises were considered non-responders because they were unable to improve the cardio-respiratory fitness levels despite exercise regularly.

What does the study conclude?

According to the study, exercise programmes for type 2 diabetics should measure improvements in glycemic control, waist circumference, and percentage of body fat.

The study is published in Journal Diabetes Care.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

19.06.2015

A problem is a chance for you to do your best

Duke Ellington

17 June, 2015

BEWARE! Air pollution may damage your brain

In a new study, scientist have claimed that air pollution could cut down the white matter in our brains.

For the study, a research team took brain MRIs of 1403 women who were 71 to 89 years old and used residential histories and air monitoring data to estimate their exposure to air pollution in the previous 6 to 7 years.

Older women who lived in places with higher air pollution had significantly reduced white matter in the brain.

The findings suggest that ambient particulate air pollutants may have a deleterious effect on brain aging.

Lead author Dr. Jiu-Chiuan Chen said that their study provided the convincing evidence that several parts of the aging brain, especially the white matter, are an important target of neurotoxic effects induced by long-term exposure to fine particles in the ambient air.

The study is published in Annals of Neurology.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

17.06.2015

If work were so pleasant, the rich would keep it for themselves

Mark Twain

16 June, 2015

Aerobic exercise may cut asthma severity

Aerobic exercise may help curb the severity of asthma symptoms and improve quality of life, says a new research.

While people with asthma often avoid exercise for fear of triggering symptoms, new research suggests that aerobic exercise should be routinely added to the drug treatment of moderate to severe asthma.

"These results suggest that adding exercise as an adjunct therapy to pharmacological treatment could improve the main features of asthma," said the authors of the study published online in the journal Thorax.

Celso Carvalho from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and colleagues compared the impact of aerobic training and breathing exercises on the severity of symptoms in 58 people with moderate to severe asthma.

All the participants, who were aged between 20 and 59, were randomly assigned to either a 30-minute yoga breathing exercise twice a week for 12 weeks, or the breathing exercise plus a 35-minute indoor treadmill session twice weekly for three months.

Their bronchial hyperresponsiveness, or BHR for short, was tested at the beginning and end of the three month monitoring period. BHR indicates the speed of airway constriction and inflammation, a hallmark of asthma. Levels of proteins (cytokines) generated during the inflammatory response were also assessed before and after the trial. And they filled in a validated quality of life questionnaire for asthma.

Forty-three people (21 in the breathing group and 22 in the breathing plus aerobic exercise group) completed the study.

At the end of the study, BHR had fallen in those in the aerobic exercise group. But BHR did not change in those just given the breathing exercises. Levels of some cytokines also fell significantly among those in the aerobic exercise group, while the number of symptom free days increased. And bouts of worsening symptoms were fewer than in the breathing group.

Quality of life score rose significantly in 15 people in the aerobic exercise group, while maximum oxygen intake and aerobic power increased.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

16.06.2015

Signs of excessive sleeping and its side effects

Insomnia and lack of sleep are the biggest factors for developing different health problems. But excessive sleeping can also pose a problem to health. Dr. Ravindra Gupta of Internal Medicine from Columbia Asia Hospital at Gurgaon, explains the signs and negative health effects of oversleeping.

What is Excessive Sleeping? 

According to Dr. Ravindra Gupta, "It is a state is which one feels dozing off in the waking hours and lethargic during the day even after having a sufficient amount of sleep. And feel fatigued all the time. Unpredictable mood swings."

Signs of Excessive Sleeping: 

Fatigue and irritability

Dozing off in office or while driving

Inability to concentrate.

Seen in those who are obese

Those who have obstructive sleep apnoea.

Negative health effects of Excessive Sleeping:

Gaining weight

Irritability

Hypertension

Increase risk of accidents.

Excessive sleeping is also called hypersomina and is caused by medication, inadequate sleep, working in shifts, sleep disorders, and psychological problems.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

16.06.2015

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty

Winston Churchill

15 June, 2015

123% rise in 23 years, India on a diabetes high alert

A recent study had estimated that nearly 600 million people in the world will suffer from diabetes by 2035. India is the world capital ofdiabetes, and poor management and healthcare facilities being one of the major reasons for the high prevalence of diabetes in the country.

The study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington revealed some shocking statistics about diabetes in India. Even though the diabetes rate has gone up by only 45% globally, in India, it has escalated by a 123% between 1990 and 2013.
According to the statistics, diabetes has now become the top ten reasons for various others disorders like obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disease, lower urinary tract infections and stroke. What is worst is that many people are unaware that they are suffering from diabetes and have various misconceptions about the disease.

301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries were analysed, and it was found that trends that were prevalent to rich countries are soon catching up in third world countries.

According to the experts, the rapid economic development of India over the last two decades led to lifestyle changes like changes in eating habits and sleeping patterns of youngsters and hence a lifestyle disease like diabetes is on the rise. Diabetes is highly prevalent also because of increasing stress levels, lack of exercise, irregular working hours, dependence on alcohol and fast food that also leads to obesity and heart disease. Read about the 10 home remedies for diabetes that really work!

The study pointed out that the decline in communicable diseases likemalaria and tuberculosis during a hinting at a rise in cancer and diabetes.

However, the burden of disability for any disease has not increased over the past 23 years and the causes are nearly the same.Depressive disorder, iron deficiency anemia, low back pain, andmigraine were the top ranking diseases in India in both 1990 and 2013.  Diabetes ranked eighth in 2013 whereas it did not feature on the top ten list in 1990.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

15.06.2015

OMG! World’s first FULL HEAD transplant to be done in a Russian man

Dropped your jaw by reading the headline? But this is not a publicity gimmick nor a fake news. In a first-and-first of its kind, a disabled Russian is all set to undergo the world’s first full head transplant. Yes, you read it right — FULL HEAD TRANSPLANT.

Valery Spiridonov is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that affects muscle movement. As reported by News.com.au, Spiridonov said that he is ready to undergo the transplant led by an Italian neurosurgeon, Dr Sergio Canavero. The doctor is already making headlines with his claim, is gearing to do the procedure in the name of science.

Meanwhile, the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons and International College of Surgeons invited Dr Canavero to speak at their meeting in Annapolis.

Here’s Dr Canavero’s transplant strategy

Firstly, he plans to cool the body so the head has more time to survive. Then, he would cut some part of the neck and join the blood vessels, before transplanting the entire head. He would then use polyethylene glycol on the ends of the spinal cord to encourage nerve cells to stick.

Some believe that the entire thing could be an elaborate hoax and medical experts have been casting doubts on the claims. What do you have to say about it?

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

15.06.2015

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle

Abraham Lincoln

12 June, 2015

Eat peanuts everyday to slash early death risk from cancer

A new study has suggested that peanuts can protect against early death from cancer and heart disease. 

The Maastricht University study found that men and women who eat at least 10g of nuts or peanuts and not peanut butter per day have a lower risk of dying from several major causes of death than people who do not consume them, News.com.au reported. 

Researchers in the Netherlands said peanuts and tree nuts both contain various vitamins, fibre, antioxidants and compounds such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that can possibly contribute to the lower death rates. 

They said peanut butter contains salt and trans fatty acids that could inhibit the protective effects of peanuts. 

Women who ate nuts were also often leaner, had never smoked and were less likely to report diabetes. 

Lead researcher Piet van den Brandt said that a higher intake was not associated with further reduction in mortality risk. 

The study is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. 

Source: www.timesofindia.com

12.06.2015

Poor blood sugar control linked to longer hospital stay

Diabetes patients with abnormal blood sugar levels are more likely to have longer, more costly hospital stays than those with glucose levels in a healthy range, says a new study. 

"Data from the new studies suggest poorly controlled blood sugar readings could serve as a marker for better managing the care of patients with diabetes both during their hospital stays and after they have been discharged," said co-author Athena Philis-Tsimikas, endocrinologist and corporate vice-president of the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute. 

"Our research supports having more caregivers in the hospital and clinic settings, who are focused on identifying these patients and working to make sure their diabetes is properly managed," Tsimikas added. 

For their study, researchers used data for 9,995 patients with diabetes, who underwent blood sugar monitoring during their stays. Patients with poor glucose control (one or more readings exceeding 400 mg/dL) had significantly longer hospital stays averaging 8.50 days than those with good glucose control (readings ranging between 70 and 199 mg/dL) who had stays averaging 5.74 days. 

The second study examined blood sugar data for 2,024 patients with diabetes. Patients, who experienced high glucose readings (greater than 180 mg/dL) or low glucose readings (below 70 mg/dL) had significantly longer stays. 

The results were presented at the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Boston. 

Source: www.timesofindia.com

12.06.2015

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope

 Martin Luther King