10 April, 2013

‘Polio still a threat in India,vigilance is the key’

Though India has not reported a single case of polio in the past two years, there is no room for complacency as the virus still exists in some neighbouring countries, officials said .

‘Polio still exists in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. The virus can travel to India as people move from one country to another. We have to be very cautious and pro-active to ensure that the virus does not re-enter our country,’ said Rajashree Birla, chairperson of Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development. She said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised India to maintain sensitive surveillance and ensure high childhood immunity against the wild polio virus.

‘This is vital to ensure that no strain of polio is imported to our country until eradication is attained worldwide. In India, we have to continue the momentum,’ Birla said. She was speaking at ‘Championing the Polio Eradication Drive’ with Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan here. The drive is being carried out all over India in collaboration with the Government of India’s Health Department, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Aditya Birla Group and Rotary International.

The WHO declared India ‘polio-free’ at a time when the world looked at India as the epicentre of the polio virus. Birla said that around 15 years ago before the nationwide polio eradication drive was launched, nearly 200,000 children were crippled by polio every year. The government, along with social groups and corporates, ensures that every child in the country is immunized and over 170 million children are administered pulse polio drops to tame the virus.

Source: http://health.india.com

10.04.2013

Lazy? Blame it on your genes!

Genes may be responsible for laziness, says an American study. New research from the University of Missouri suggests certain genetic traits may predispose people to being more or less motivated to exercise and remain active. Frank Booth, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, along with his post-doctoral fellow Michael Roberts, were able to selectively breed rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness.

Studies show 97 percent of American adults get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the minimum recommended amount based on federal guidelines, reports Science Daily. They say, in a study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, these rats indicate that genetics could play a role in exercise motivation, even in humans.

‘We have shown that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to being lazy,’ Booth said. ‘This could be an important step in identifying additional causes for obesity in humans, especially considering dramatic increases in childhood obesity in the United States. It would be very useful to know if a person is genetically predisposed to having a lack of motivation to exercise, because that could potentially make them more likely to grow obese.’

Source: http://health.india.com

10.04.2013

If you have the desire, passion and enthusiasm to do something, nothing in the world will stop you

Luke Poyner

9 April, 2013

Fear resides in heart as well as head

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Fear may be felt in the heart as well as the head, a new study has claimed.

The study has found a link between the cycles of a beating heart and the likelihood of someone taking fright.

Tests on healthy volunteers found that they were more likely to feel a sense of fear at the moment when their hearts starts contracting and pumping blood around their bodies, compared with the time when the heartbeat is relaxed, the Independent reported.

According to the scientists, the results suggests that the heart is able to influence how the brain responds to a fearful event, depending on which point it is at in its regular cycle of contraction and relaxation.

The study tested the fear response of 20 healthy volunteers, as they were shown photos of fearful faces while connected to heart monitors.

Sarah Garfinkel, a researcher at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, said that their results show that if an individual sees a fearful face during systole - when the heart is pumping - then they judge this fearful face as more intense than if they see the very same fearful face during diastole - when the heart is relaxed.

She said that from previous research, her team knew that if they presented images very fast then the would have trouble detecting them, but if an image is particularly emotional then it can literally "pop" out and be seen.

Garfinkel asserted that her team demonstrated that fearful faces are better detected at systole, when they are perceived as more fearful, relative to diastole.

To investigate the phenomenon further the researchers used a brain scanner to show how an almond-shaped region of the brain called the amygdale - sometimes called the "seat of emotion" - influences how the heart changes a person's perception of fear.

She said that the team identified an important mechanism by which the heart and brain "speak" to each other to change their emotions and reduce fear.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

09.04.2013

What to avoid daily for high blood pressure?

High blood is serious issue and should not be ignored. There are several reasons why you have high BP in the first place - the most prominent is stress and unhealthy habits.

Mental health therapy can fight stress and healthy habits can control and reduce high BP. In order manage and control high blood pressure, Dr. Arvind Agarwal, Senior Consultant with Internal Medicine from Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute shares a brief list of dos and don'ts for high blood pressurepatients.

When it comes to a healthy and right diet, Dr. Arvind recommends, "Diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low dairy products. Food can include meat, fish, poultry, nuts and beans." This diet seems feasible but find out what you need to avoid control and reduce high blood pressure. Dr. Arvind also adds, "People should avoid red meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed food."

Interestingly if you follow a strict diet to control and reduce high blood pressure to can minus the effect drastically, "If this diet regimen is followed it can reduce systolic BP by 11 and 6 mm Hg in hypertensive population."

Another way to reduce high blood pressure is to up the level of physical fitness. "Exercise is very essential for high BP patients", says the doctor. "It is recommended that one should go for brisk walks for 30 minutes every day for 5 days a week. Also, one should take the stairs whenever possible instead of using the elevator," suggests Dr. Arvind.

In case you are a regular gym-goer or plan to exercise at the gym then this is what he says, "It is advisable that a high BP patient should avoid any form of weightlifting exercises." Inform your trainer of your physical condition, and if you feel uneasy or dizzy stop your workout immediately.
Dedication plus discipline equals success when it comes to lowering high blood pressure.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

09.04.2013

The only thing impossible is the impossibility of the impossible

Michael William Finnegan

3 April, 2013

Junk food can cause genetic changes leading to ill health

Scientists have shown in new research that dietary changes are linked to alterations in gene expressions that could affect overall health and physiology. Even the most health-conscious eaters find themselves indulging in junk foods from time to time. New research by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) raises the striking possibility that even small amounts of these occasional indulgences may produce significant changes in gene expression that could negatively impact physiology and health.

A pair of papers published by A.J. Marian Walhout, co-director of the Program in Systems Biology and professor of molecular medicine at UMMS, describe how metabolism and physiology are connected to diet.

Using C.elegans, a transparent roundworm often used as a model organism in genetic studies, Walhout and colleagues observed how different diets produce differences in gene expression in the worm that can then be linked to crucial physiological changes.

Source: http://health.india.com

03.04.2013

India’s initiative to make healthcare affordable is commendable: Azad

India has made healthcare services more accessible, affordable and equitable, especially for those living in the remotest parts of the country, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said. ‘Government of India has stepped in to make health-care services accessible, affordable and equitable, especially for the marginalised and vulnerable sections of the population,’ Azad said at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences.

He said India has earned accolades for containing polio with the country having been free of polio virus for the past two years. ‘India has earned international acclaim for containing polio, with the longest polio-free period ever since eradication efforts were launched. India has been taken off the list of countries with endemic transmission of wild poliovirus,’ he said.

He also said there has been significant fall in maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. Azad said India has also seen reduction in new HIV cases by 57 percent. The health minister also said that the United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi had launched the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram under which children are screened for disorders, diseases, deficiencies and disabilities from birth up to 18 years.

The programme will cover almost 27 crore across the country, including 17 crore school going children, he added. As India faces acute shortage of human resources in health, the health minister said, they have launched a series of reforms, including investing on medical education sector so that the country could produce more medical personnel to meet the growing demand.

Source: http://health.india.com

03.04.2013

All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them

Galileo Galilei

2 April, 2013

USFDA approves safer diabetes drug which acts on kidneys

A novel anti-diabetic drug that lowers blood glucose levels by acting on the kidneys, instead of the liver or the pancreas, has been approved by the USFDA.

The drug, Invokana (Canagliflozin), works by blocking the reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, increasing glucose excretion and lowering blood glucose levels in diabetics. Its safety and effectiveness were evaluated in nine clinical trials involving over 10,285 patients with type 2 diabetes.

However, FDA has asked for some more safety data from the drug company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, including a cardiovascular outcomes trial, an enhanced pharmacovigilance programme to monitor for malignancies, serious cases of pancreatitis, severe hypersensitivity reactions/photosensitivity reactions, liver abnormalities, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. It has also asked for a bone safety study.

While there are concerns about the cardiovascular and other side-effects of Canagliflozin, the uniqueness of its mechanism of action is expected to spawn a few more of its kind over the next few years.

While marvelling at the uniqueness of Canagliflozin, doctors in India are cautious in their prognosis for its future not just because of the side-effects but also because some of them feel the action through the kidneys is in itself a limiting factor in the efficacy of the drug.

It is only in combination with other drugs with different modes of action that it may achieve good results, they say. However, the possibility of combination drug therapy means that at least some diabetics who are on insulin can take a break from the daily needle pricks.

"Canagliflozin acts through the kidneys and therefore also has a role in weight loss which is vital for diabetes patients. In normal circumstances, kidneys resist removal of glucose from the body until the blood sugar reaches a very high level," said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman of Fortis C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology.

"This drug modifies that mechanism and enables excretion of glucose even when blood glucose level is relatively low. In combination with existing drugs, it may help get at least some patients off insulin therapy but it elevates chances of urinary infection," he said.

Source: www.indianexpress.com

02.04.2013

Vitamin D may lower diabetes risk in obese kids

Vitamin D supplements can help obese children and teens control their blood-sugar levels, which helps stave off diabetes, scientists say.

Being obese puts individuals at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, a disease in which individuals have too much sugar in their blood.University of Missouri researchers studied 35 pre-diabetic obese children and adolescents who were undergoing treatment in the MU Adolescent Diabetic Obesity Programme.

"By increasing vitamin D intake alone, we got a response that was nearly as powerful as what we have seen using a prescription drug," said Catherine Peterson, an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at MU.

"We saw a decrease in insulin levels, which means better glucose control, despite no changes in body weight, dietary intake or physical activity," Peterson said.

All of those in the study had insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels and had similar diets and activity levels. Study participants randomly were assigned either a high-dose vitamin D supplement or a placebo that they took daily for six months.

Those who took the supplement became vitamin D sufficient and lowered the amount of insulin in their blood. "The vitamin D dosage we gave to the obese adolescents in our study is not something I would recommend for everyone," Peterson said.

Vitamin D helps maintain healthy bones, muscles and nerves and enters bodies through sunlight exposure, diet or supplements. Vitamin D insufficiency is common; however, it can be more detrimental to those who are obese, Peterson said. "What makes vitamin D insufficiency different in obese individuals is that they process vitamin D about half as efficiently as normal-weight people," Peterson said.

Adding vitamin D supplements is a natural, inexpensive way to help obese children and teens decrease their odds of developing diabetes and avoid the side effects that might come from taking prescriptions to control their blood sugar, Peterson said. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Source: www.indianexpress.com

02.04.2013

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future

Paul Boese

1 April, 2013

Hypertension second largest killer of pregnant women

A study conducted by the BMC has revealed that hypertension is the second-largest killer of pregnant women, claiming more victims than even tuberculosis and sepsis (a life threatening ailment that can occur when the body reacts to an infection). Excessive bleeding was found to have caused the deaths of maximum pregnant women.

According to data collected by the civic body, out of the 248 pregnant women who died in the city's hospitals from April 2012 to January 2013, most (11 per cent) died due to excessive bleeding during and after childbirth and hepatitis, followed by 10 per cent due to hypertension, tuberculosis (8 per cent)and sepsis (5 per cent).The remaining were attributed to other medical conditions.

Hypertension affects a woman's organs during pregnancy. However, what medical experts dread is the onset of a serious condition called 'Preeclampsia', where the woman starts passing protein in her urine. The condition can affect the placenta as well as other vital organs like the kidneys, liver, and brain. It can also lead to convulsions or seizures. Medical experts pointed out that while there were cases of women have pre-existing hypertension (or high blood pressure), in a majority of the cases, they developed it during their pregnancy. "Pregnancy in many ways alters the mechanism of controlling blood pressure. Soone has to keep a constant watch on the patient's blood pressure," said Dr Y M Nandanwar, head of the gynaecology department of Sion Hospital, which performs 12,000 deliveries a year, the highest in the city.

According to Dr Nandanwar, while BMC's data gave an overall picture, 50 per cent of the pregnant women coming to Sion hospital had hypertension.

According to gynaecologist Dr Suchitra Pandit, attached to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, early detection is the best way to prevent maternal deaths resulting from hypertension. "Constantly monitoring blood pressure and maintaining a chart would beideal.If the mother has a history on hypertension during the first birth, doctors can administer a low dose aspirin, which is an anti-platelet drug during her second pregnancy to delay the onset of severe hypertension," said Pandit. Blood pressure can also be controlled through lifestyle changes like reducing salt intake and exercise, advised Dr Nandanwar.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

01.04.2013

Chewing gum could make you fat

A new study has found chewing gum could make people fat since its minty taste makes sugary food more tempting. Scientists found people given to chew gum eat higher calorie sweet foods. This is because the chemical responsible for the minty flavour of gum makes savoury foods, especially fruit and vegetables, taste unpleasant, Daily Mail reported.

The study’s co-author Christine Swoboda, a doctoral candidate in nutrition at Ohio State University, told LiveScience website: ‘The chemical change is the same reason why when you brush your teeth and then drink orange juice, it tastes bad. ‘We were also interested in seeing whether this helps with weight loss.’ Swoboda and her colleague Jennifer Temple of the University of Buffalo, enrolled 44 volunteers for their study and asked each candidate to play a game in exchange for food.

Some played for pieces of fruit, while others played for crisps and sweets.
Before participating in the experiment, half of the volunteers had chewed either fruit gum or mint gum. During an experiment, the volunteers were asked to keep a food diary. For a part of the time, the volunteers were asked to chew mint gum before meals, while for the rest of the time they were simply asked to note down their food intake.

The food diaries showed while chewing gum, people ate fewer meals but that they did not consume fewer calories as a result. Swoboda said the explanation could be that the menthol in mint interacts with nutrients in fruits and vegetables to create a bitter flavour and that this was making healthy food seem unappealing.

Source: http://health.india.com

01.04.2013

Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything

George Bernard Shaw

26 March, 2013

Short course: Energy drinks up blood pressure

Energy drinks up blood pressure

Consuming energy drinks may increase blood pressure and disturb your heart's natural rhythm, new research led by an Indian-origin scientist has warned. US researchers analysed data from seven previously published observational and interventional studies to determine how consuming energy drinks might impact heart health.

Researchers examined the QT interval of 93 people who had just consumed one to three cans of energy drinks. The QT interval describes a segment of the heart's rhythm on an electrocardiogram; when prolonged, it can cause serious irregular heartbeats or sudden cardiac death. They found that the QT interval was 10 milliseconds longer for those who had consumed the energy drinks. "Doctors are concerned if patients experience an additional 30 milliseconds in their QT interval from baseline," said Sachin A Shah, lead author from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

The researchers also found that the  systolic blood pressure, the top number  in a blood pressure reading, increased an average of 3.5 points in a pool of 132 participants. "The correlation between  energy drinks and increased systolic  blood pressure is convincing and concerning," Shah said.

Source: http://health.india.com

26.03.2013

Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world

George Bernard Shaw

25 March, 2013

Coffee can protect your liver from alcohol damage!

A new research suggests that heavy alcohol users who drink a lot of coffee could actually be protecting their livers! Heavy coffee consumption may protect against liver damage in men who drink alcohol, a new study has claimed. Researchers asked nearly 19,000 Finnish men and women between ages 25 and 74 about their coffee and alcohol consumption.

‘Our findings suggest a possible protective effect for coffee intake in alcohol consumers,’ said study researcher Dr Onni Niemela, of Seinajoki Central Hospital and the University of Tampere in Finland. Researchers measured participants’ blood levels of the liver enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), MyHealthNewsDaily reported. Drinking alcohol raises levels of GGT in the blood. Over time, drinking can also lead to alcoholic liver disease. People with liver disease show higher levels of GGT in their blood.

Men in the study who consumed more than 24 alcoholic drinks per week, or about 3.5 drinks daily, had the highest levels of the liver enzyme – about three times higher than men who did not drink alcohol. But among the men who were heavy drinkers, those who also consumed five or more cups of coffee daily showed a 50 per cent reduction in GGT compared with men who drank no coffee.

The researchers found no significant association between coffee consumption and GGT levels in female drinkers. In addition to drinking alcohol, smoking, older age and being overweight can also raise GGT levels. While there were no differences in these variables among heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers, former drinkers and non-drinkers in the study, the researchers cannot determine for sure whether some interaction between alcohol and one of these factors affected the results.

The researchers found that the way that coffee was prepared whether it was filtered, boiled or served as espresso, for example – did not seem to make a difference in the findings. Previous studies have suggested that drinking coffee may decrease GGT levels, and that caffeine may play a role in this. It remains unclear whether elevated levels of the liver enzyme correlate with symptoms of liver disease.

Source: http://health.india.com

25.03.2013

Family dinners keep adolescents healthy

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Regular family dinners contribute to good mental health in adolescents, a new study has revealed.

Family meal times are a measurable signature of social exchanges in the home that benefit adolescents' well-being - regardless of whether or not they feel they can easily talk to their parents.

"More frequent family dinners related to fewer emotional and behavioural problems, greater emotional well-being, more trusting and helpful behaviours towards others and higher life satisfaction," co-author Frank Elgar, an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, whose research centers on social inequalities in health and family influences on child mental health said.

The study, conducted by Elgar, Wendy Craig and Stephen Trites of Queen's University, examined the relation between frequency of family dinners and positive and negative aspects of mental health.

The researchers used a national sample of 26,069 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years who participated in the 2010 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study.

The researchers found the same positive effects of family meal time on the mental health of the young subjects, regardless of gender, age or family affluence.

"We were surprised to find such consistent effects on every outcome we studied," Elgar said.

"From having no dinners together to eating together 7 nights a week, each additional dinner related to significantly better mental health," he said.

The authors suggest that family mealtimes are opportunities for open family interactions which present teaching opportunities for parents to shape coping and positive health behaviors such as good nutritional choices, as well as enable adolescents to express concerns and feel valued, all elements that are conducive to good mental health in adolescents.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

25.03.2013

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself

George Bernard Shaw