![How Parkinson's disease is becoming a challenge for the ageing population]()
Awareness when it comes to mental illness is the need of the hour. Especially beacause it is estimated that about 30 million people in India suffer from various forms of neurological diseases and the average prevalence rate is as high as 2,394 patients per 1,00,000 of the population.
Yet, the awareness about various forms of neurological disorders is abysmally low here and people suffering from these often end up being ridiculed and stigmatised. Due to lack of awareness and understanding, neurological disorders are often subject to various taboos, which heavily impact the lives of patients, hindering the treatment and in some cases even aggravating the problem.
"There is a serious lack of awareness about Parkinson's disease or its management in India. Caused by progressive damage to parts of brain over many years, the disease shows symptoms of involuntary shaking of body parts of the body, slowing movement, and stiffness in muscles. People suffering from Parkinson's disease also experience depression and anxiety, have the sense of losing balance, memory, and sleep. It remains the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and most common movement disorder, and its onset usually is on people older than 60 years of age," said Dr. Satwant Sachdeva, Consultant Neurologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Patiala.
According to a recent study, the number of deaths due to neurological disorders increased by 36.7 per cent worldwide between 1990 and 2015. A report published in The Lancet in 2015 by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, claimed that neurological diseases comprised 16.8 per cent of global deaths.
On the occasion of World Parkinson¿s Day, Dr Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals highlights some taboos often encountered by neurologists while treating patients.
-The taboo of insanity- This is the most commonly associated taboo with people who suffer from neurological disorders. Due to lack of awareness, people often label patients suffering from Alzheimer's as 'senile' and those who have epilepsy as 'crazy'. It is not unusual to see people with neurological disorders being referred to psychiatrists to 'cure' their insanity.
-The taboo of a weak mind- People generally assume that neurological disorders are the result of a weaker mind. That someone with epilepsy or Parkinson's will have less IQ than an average person, is also a myth present in our society. Children suffering from epilepsy are often treated differently from their peers, and even as adults.
-The taboo of superstition "Illiteracy in India is high, due to which superstitions flourish in many parts of our country, especially the rural areas. Many a times, neurological diseases like epilepsy are associated with demonic possessions. To treat the so-called demonic possessions, the patients are put through some horrendous conditions and even physically mutilated in some instances. This again is propagated due to a lack of awareness and good quality education."
-The taboo of treatment- Irrespective of the disease, a neurological disorder is perceived as untreatable. This belief is prevalent even in urban areas. Many a times, when a patient is diagnosed with a neuro-disease, he/she automatically assumes that it would be a life-long burden and there can be no cure. With the advancement in medical sciences, many therapies have worked wonderfully to cure the disorders, or at least significantly reduce their impact.
-The taboo of association- Due to all the negative connotations attached to neurological disorders, people tend to stigmatise any form of association with patients suffering from these diseases. This can lead to great suffering in the social and personal lives of these patients. It is not unusual for marriages to break and children to abandon their parents in old age, to avoid bearing the brunt of taking care of these patients.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Losing a lot of weight recently? Well, a study has found that sudden weight loss can be a risk factor for cancer. Ther Study carried out by the University of Oxford and Exeter found that sudden weight loss is the second highest risk factor for lung, colorectal, lung, renal and pancreatic cancer
The research analysed the findings of 25 studies, incorporating data from more than 11.5 million patients in total, found that weight loss was linked with 10 types of cancer.
The analysis found that unintended weight loss in people over 60 exceeded the three precent risk threshold for urgent investigation in NICE guidelines. In females over 60, the average risk across all sites involved was estimated to be up to 6.7 precent, and in males up to 14.2 precent.
Lead author Dr Brian Nicholson said, "Streamlined services that allow GPs to investigate non-specific symptoms like weight loss are vitally important and urgently needed if we are to catch cancer earlier and save lives. Our research indicates that coordinated investigation across multiple body sites could help to speed up cancer diagnosis in patients with weight loss. We now need to continue our research to understand the most appropriate combination of tests and to give guidance on how much weight loss GPs and patients should worry about."
Professor Willie Hamilton, co-author on the study said, "We've always known that unplanned weight loss may represent cancer. This study pulls together all the published evidence and demonstrates beyond doubt that it is important in efforts to save lives from cancer. It is particularly timely with this week's announcement of 'one-stop' shops for cancer diagnosis. These units pull together all the necessary tests under one roof - making the investigation of weight loss much more speedy and convenient for the patient."
The study has been published in the British Journal of General Practice.
(With inputs from ANI)
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*New Delhi*: At Starbucks or Costa Coffee or maybe at few other coffee shops too, you might have noticed `flat white¿ coffee on the menu. Among cappuccinos, americanos and lattes, these days flat white comfortably sits on the top of the menu, since it has been increasingly becoming popular, at least in the West.
Now, many of you might be trying to recall seeing it on the menu and some of you might be trying to kickstart the taste memory.
And among you, there must be those who might be wondering `what is so unique about it?¿
Well, it is a coffee, but 'not just coffee', as journalist Harriet Marsden likes to put it.
In her article, which has appeared on The Independent website, she mentions how this unique hot drink, which has come from Australia or may be New Zealand (actually it's a bone of contention), is becoming popular among coffee-drinkers in the United Kingdom.
"It epitomises the Third Wave or artisan coffee scene, now accounting for often more than 10 per cent of coffee beverages ordered in quality UK coffee shops," Jeffrey Young, founder of The London Coffee Festival, tells The Independent.
So, what is it?
Double shot of espresso blended with steaming and slightly frothed organic milk, according to the McDonald¿s UK website.
And in Marsden's words, it is richer and stronger than a latte, creamier than a cappuccino, smaller than an Americano, with a drier foam or 'microfoam'.
Further, this foamy drink should be served in a cup no larger than 5 or 6oz, according to Ian Boughton, editor of trade magazine Boughton's Coffee House.
Now, what is so unique about it?
Its uniqueness lies in the way it is crafted (made).
First, only the whole milk should be used and the milk-heating technique has to be perfect. It should be heated to about 65 degrees.
According to Lavazza's head of training Dave Cutler, the milk ¿needs to be very well stretched and well spun to make sure it has plenty of tight bubbles 'a micro foam' which makes it very, very creamy."
"Whole milk is steamed and folded through the coffee, creating a velvety texture before the drink is presented, usually with latte art on the surface," Cutler adds.
It is the uniqueness and the craftiness, with which it is made, the flat white is slowly gaining popularity among the public.
"Since its arrival into the UK, the popularity of this now king-of-coffees has skyrocketed. This can be put down to the fact that the public's interest in coffee in general has seen unprecedented growth," says, Andrew Knight, founder of independent coffee roaster Andronicas.
"People now understand the difference between a really great coffee and a substandard one."
And going by its popularity among the experts, there, very well, a time may come that it may challenge the 'global ubiquity of the cappuccino and the American consumerist latte'.
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The next time you opt for canned foods such as corn, tuna, asparagus or chicken, think twice. They may contain zinc oxide that can potentially damage your digestive system, warn researchers.
The findings showed that nanoparticles of zinc oxide present in the lining of certain canned goods, usually considered good for its antimicrobial properties and preventing staining of sulfur-producing foods, may negatively affect the way in which human digestive tract operates.
"We found that zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles at doses that are relevant to what you might normally eat in a meal or a day can change the way that your intestine absorbs nutrients or your intestinal cell gene and protein expression," said Gretchen Mahler, Associate Professor at the Binghamton University in the New York.
Researchers found that canned food contained 100 times the daily dietary allowance of zinc.
"They tend to settle onto the cells representing the gastrointestinal tract and cause remodelling or loss of the microvilli, which are tiny projections on the surface of the intestinal absorptive cells that help to increase the surface area available for absorption," Mahler added.
This loss of surface area tends to result in a decrease in nutrient absorption.
Some of the nanoparticles also cause pro-inflammatory signaling at high doses, and this can increase the permeability of the intestinal model, the researcher said.
In other words, it can even allow the passage of compounds that are not supposed to pass through into the bloodstream.
The study, published in the journal Food & Function, looked at how many particles might be transferred into the canned food.
"Our model shows that the nanoparticles do have effects on our in vitro model, and that understanding how they affect gut function is an important area of study for consumer safety," Mahler said.
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While there is no specific gene that directly causes Alzheimer's, having one copy of the apoE4 gene more than doubles a person's likelihood of developing the disease, and having two copies of the gene increases the risk 12-fold.
However, scientists have been unclear about why apoE4 is so much more damaging to brain cells than other versions of the protein.
In the study, published in Nature Medicine, the team for the first time used human brain cells to model the disease and test new drugs instead of the mouse models.
The results from the Gladstone Institutes -- a US-based non-profit -- confirmed that in human neurons, the misshapen apoE4 protein cannot function properly and is broken down into disease-causing fragments in the cells.
This process results in a number of problems commonly found in Alzheimer's disease, including the accumulation of the protein tau and of amyloid peptides.
While the presence of apoE4 does not change the production of amyloid beta in mouse neurons, in human cells apoE4 was found to have a very clear effect on increasing amyloid beta production.
This highlights the species difference in the way apoE4 controls amyloid beta metabolism.
Further, the researchers examined brain cells that did not produce either form of the apoE protein to check how does the presence of apoE4 lead to cell damage.
They found that the neurons looked and functioned just like cells with apoE3. However, if the researchers added apoE4, the cells became riddled with pathologies related to Alzheimer's disease.
This discovery indicates that the presence of apoE4 -- and not the absence of apoE3 -- promotes the disease.
In addition, the researchers were able to erase the damage caused by apoE4 by changing it, with a small molecule, into a harmless apoE3-like version.
It restored normal function to the cells, and improved cell survival.
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Anti-epileptic drugs are the main type of treatment for most people with epilepsy that aims to stop seizures from happening. Up to 70 per cent (7 in 10) of people could stop having seizures with the right medication.
Besides for epilepsy, anti-epileptic drugs are used in the treatment of neuropathic pain, bipolar disorder and generalised anxiety disorder.
The findings, from the University of Eastern Finland, showed that some anti-epileptic drugs are known to impair cognitive function and the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia was specifically linked with these drugs.
These drugs were associated with a 20 per cent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and with a 60 per cent increased risk of dementia.
In addition, the higher the dose of a drug that impairs cognitive function, the higher the risk of dementia.
However, other anti-epileptic drugs, i.e. those which do not impair cognitive processing, were not associated with the risk, the researchers said.
"More research should be conducted into the long-term cognitive effects of these drugs, especially among older people," said Heidi Taipale, researcher from the varsity.
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If you are living near oil and gas facilities, chances are you could be at higher risk of diseases, according to a study.
The study, led by the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, used ambient air samples along Colorado's Northern Front Range to estimate and compare risks for four residential scenarios.
Researchers found that people living the area may be exposed to hazardous air pollutants, including carcinogens like benzene, that could pose health risks.
They found the lifetime cancer risk of those living within 500 feet of a well was eight times higher than the EPA's upper level risk threshold.
"We found that air pollutant concentrations increased with proximity to an oil and gas facility, as did health risks," the study said.
"Acute hazard indices for neurological, hematological and developmental health effects indicate that populations living within 152 meters (500 feet) of an oil and gas facility could experience these health effects from inhalation exposures to benzene and alkanes."
The cancer risk estimate of 8.3 per 10,000 for populations living within 500 feet of an oil and gas facility exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 1 in 10,000 upper threshold.
"Our results suggest that Colorado's current regulations that specify a 500 foot distance between a newly drilled oil and gas well and an existing home may not protect people from exposures to hazardous air pollutants that could impact their health," said the study's lead author Lisa McKenzie.
"Our previous work shows that thousands of people along the Front Range of Colorado live closer than 500 feet from a well and related infrastructure and that the population living close to these facilities continues to grow."
The previous study examined the expansion of oil and gas wells along Colorado's Northern Front Range. In the Denver Julesburg Basin, the industry is rapidly growing along with housing construction. As a result, 19 percent of the population or about 356,000 people, live about a mile from an active oil and gas site.
The study focused on the emission of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) that the wells emit into the air. These include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, all considered hazardous.
"The highest concentrations of hazardous air pollutants were measured in samples collected nearest to an oil and gas facility," McKenzie said. "For example, average benzene concentrations were 41 times higher in samples collected within 500 feet of an oil and gas facility than in samples collected more than a mile away."
The researchers noted that due to high atmospheric stability, nighttime emissions do not disperse as easily as they do during the day. That means benzene levels might be twice as high at night compared to daytime levels.
"The study provides further evidence that people living close to oil and gas facilities are at the greatest risk of acute and chronic health issues due to air pollutants emitted by those facilities," said study co-author Pam Milmoe, Boulder County Public Health Air Quality Program Coordinator.
"The results underscore the importance of having policies that require effective monitoring and reducing emissions from oil and gas facilities, particularly those near homes, schools, and recreation areas."
Previous studies in Colorado observed that infants with congenital heart defects and children diagnosed with leukemia are more likely to live in the densest areas of oil and gas wells.
Studies in Pennsylvania and Texas found associations between fetal death, low birthweight, preterm birth, asthma, fatigue, migraines and chronic rhinosinusitis and proximity to oil and gas wells.
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Heart failure is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and death, affecting relatively young reproductive-age women, especially among those with the presence of an additional disease or condition, such as hypertension.
The study found that although less than two per cent of all pregnancy-related hospitalisations occurred during the postpartum period, nearly 60 per cent of pregnancy-related heart failure hospitalisations took place during the same time.
"This finding lends support to using delivery-related hospitalisation as a window of opportunity to identify high-risk women and develop surveillance strategies before discharge," said Mulubrhan Mogos, Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
In the study, published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure, the team analysed more than 50 million pregnancy-related hospitalisations in the US.
The results showed that there was a 7.1 per cent increase each year in heart failure diagnoses among postpartum hospitalisations.
In addition, heart failure rates during the antepartum period, or prior to delivery, increased by an average of 4.9 per cent per year, which can be attributed to the presence of high blood pressure, diabetes, or other risk factors or conditions the women had before becoming pregnant.
Typically, women are discharged from the hospital within two to three days after delivery and are not evaluated by their health care providers again until six weeks later.
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Turns out, toxins produced by e-cigarettes vary by flavor.
According to a Penn State-led study, the flavor of an e-cigarette may affect more than a consumer's taste buds. The team of researchers said that the chemicals that make up different flavors also produce different levels of free radicals, toxins often associated with cancer and other diseases.
The researchers analysed popular e-cigarette flavors and the amount of free radicals they produced and found that many of the chemicals used to flavor e-cigarettes increased the production of free radicals, while a few actually lowered it.
Researcher John Richie said the results are an important step in learning more about the potential dangers of e-cigarettes.
"When these products first came on the market, many people were saying they were harmless and that it was just water vapour," Richie said. "We know that's not true, but we also don't have the numbers on how dangerous e-cigarettes are. But now we know that e-cigarettes do produce free radicals, and the amount is affected by the flavourants added."
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to healthy cells and have been linked to conditions like inflammation, heart disease, and cancer. Consumers inhale these free radicals when they smoke a combustible cigarette.
While e-cigarettes do not give off smoke, they do contain many different chemicals to flavor the e-liquids, which are absent from traditional, or "combustible," cigarettes. The researchers said that while the flavorings are approved for consumption, they aren't evaluated for safety when heated.
"E-cigarettes have a coil for heating the liquid that gets quite hot and may aid the production of free radicals," Richie said. "It's important to look at the effect of flavors on these free radical levels because e-cigarettes come in hundreds of flavors, many of which are marketed toward kids, like bubblegum."
The researchers measured the free radicals produced by 50 flavors of a popular brand of e-cigarette and compared them to flavorless e-liquid. They found that about 43 percent of the flavors were associated with significantly higher levels of free radical production, while a few were associated with lower levels.
Next, the researchers broke down the flavors into their individual chemicals to see which ones were associated with higher levels of free radicals. Researcher Zachary Bitzer said isolating the chemicals was important because flavors are not consistent across brands.
"Two different manufacturers may sell an 'orange' flavored e-liquid, but they could each contain vastly different flavourants to get that orange flavor," Bitzer said. "Just like Coke and Pepsi are both colas but have different ingredients, different flavors of e-cigarettes may contain different flavourants, resulting in different levels of free radicals."
The researchers found six flavourants that significantly increased the production of free radicals. These flavourants included linalool, dipentene, and citral, which are often used to give products citrus or floral notes.
Additionally, the flavourant ethyl vanillin -- often used for vanilla notes -- decreased the production of free radicals by 42 percent.
Richie said the results could help consumers make better decisions about the products they buy, as well as help policymakers create regulations around e-cigarettes in the future.
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People using antiepileptic drugs are at a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, finds a study.
Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, stated that continuous use of antiepileptic drugs for a period exceeding one year was associated with a 15 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in the Finnish dataset, and with a 30 percent increased risk of dementia in the German dataset.
Some antiepileptic drugs are known to impair cognitive function, which refers to all different aspects of information processing. When the researchers compared different antiepileptic drugs, they found that the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia was specifically associated with drugs that impair cognitive function.
These drugs were associated with a 20 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and with a 60 percent increased risk of dementia.
The researchers also found that the higher the dose of a drug that impairs cognitive function, the higher the risk of dementia. However, other antiepileptic drugs, i.e. those which do not impair cognitive processing, were not associated with the risk.
"More research should be conducted into the long-term cognitive effects of these drugs, especially among older people," Senior Researcher Heidi Taipale from the University of Eastern Finland said.
The association of antiepileptic drug use with Alzheimer's disease was assessed in Finnish persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and their controls without the disease.
This study is part of the nationwide register-based MEDALZ study, which includes all 70,718 persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in Finland during 2005-2011 and their 282,862 controls.
The association of antiepileptic drug use with dementia was investigated in a sample from a large German statutory health insurance provider, Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK). The dataset includes 20,325 persons diagnosed with dementia in 2004-2011, and their 81,300 controls.
The study has been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Turns out, meat protein is unhealthy, but protein from nuts and seeds is heart smart.
According to a study conducted by Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, meat protein is associated with a sharply increased risk of heart disease while protein from nuts and seeds is beneficial for the human heart.
The study found that people who consumed large amounts of meat protein experienced a 60-percent increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while people who consumed large amounts of protein from nuts and seeds experienced a 40-percent reduction in CVD.
The study, which included data from more than 81,000 participants, is one of the few times detailed sources of animal protein have been examined jointly with animal fat in a major investigation.
"While dietary fats are part of the story in affecting the risk of cardiovascular disease, proteins may also have important and largely overlooked independent effects on risk", said Gary Fraser, co-principal investigator. He added that he and his colleagues have long suspected that including nuts and seeds in the diet protects against heart and vascular disease, while red meats increase risk.
Fraser added that nutritionists have traditionally looked toward what he termed 'bad fats' in meats and 'helpful fats' in nuts and seeds as causal agents.
However, these new findings suggest more. "This new evidence suggests that the full picture probably also involves the biological effects of proteins in these foods," he said.
Fraser said the team's research differed in another significant way from previous investigations. While prior studies have examined differences between animal and plant proteins, this study did not stop at just two categories but chose to specify meat protein and proteins from nuts and seeds along with other major dietary sources.
"This research is suggesting there is more heterogeneity than just the binary categorization of plant protein or animal protein," Fraser said.
This study appears in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
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With summer here, it's time to take special care of your skin and hair from the harmful UV rays. Here are some handy tips to do so with everyday household things
Austin, Head - Research and Development, Cholayil Private Limited and Omkar Kulkarni, Head - Research and Development, Netsurf Network share some important Ayurvedic tips for tackling skin issues in summer.
* Skin hydration is the key: Ayurveda mentions that ‘Snigdhata' (meaning internal hydration) of the body is the key to fight multiple skin related issues. One should schedule water drinking reminders across the day. Carry a water bottle to avoid thirsty outings and travels. Replace aerated drinks, tea and coffee with coconut water, thandai, kokum sharbat, lemon juice, buttermilk, khas drink, sugarcane juice, etc.
* Mind the heat: According to Ayurveda, the basic reason behind blood impurification and skin disorders is sudden temperature changes. Avoid stepping out directly from Air conditioned atmosphere into harsh sun and vice-versa.
* Try ayurvedic DIY (Do it Yourself) face mask: Use multani mitti face mask in combination with milk for dry skin, honey for oily skin & water for normal skin. This will improve the natural glow of the skin. One can also try a homemade face pack with smash boiled potatoes with 2 Tbsp of lemon juice to lighten the skin color and to give it a natural glow.
* Spice up your life: Cinnamon has great anti-microbial properties. Powder it and mix with 1 tablespoon of honey and sugar granules. Use this mixture as a natural scrub to remove the dead skin from the face.
* Coat skin with layers of Aloevera and cucumber: Skin toners are very important for people with oily or acne-prone skin as it cleanse the skin and closes the pores by tightening the cell gaps. Preparing a toner depending on your skin type will have a great effect. Mix Apple Cider Vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio and add half cup of green tea and cucumber juice and Aloe Vera gel. Shake it well and then apply it on the skin to soothe and to repair the skin.(with inputs from IANS)
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The summers are here and it's time to give your wardrobe a summer upgrade. Khadi, tops made from poplin or kurtis made of linen cotton are just perfect for the scorching heat. Here are expert tips on how to upgrade you rwardrobe so you are summer ready.
Anupam Arya, Director at Fabriclore, and Rishabh Khanna, Director at Fabricasa, have listed fabrics for the summer wardrobe:
* Muslin hand blocks: This loosely plain-woven cotton-viscose fabric is a summer-friendly option for designing casual ensembles. A colour palette of yellow, coral, olive green decked with hand block designs inspired by the Mughal gardens and architecture, or conventional designs of paisleys, bootas and more are a stand-out option for the season.
* Textured south cotton is a perfect fabric to beat the heat and yet keep your fashion game on point.
* Designs of plain textures, zari borders, patchworks, tie and dye and checks are an ideal match for crafting casual and semi-formal outfits like kurtas, asymmetrical dresses, jumpsuits, saris, blouses and men's shirts and jackets.
* Gold foil and embroidered Chanderi silk: With a sheer texture, feather-like fall and breezy feel, Chanderi silk in a pastel colour palette is a no-brainer for summers. With the base in shades of blush, cadmium orange, rose madder, sap green and warm grey, you can choose from the subtle threadwork of paisleys or florals or gold foil printing in designs of bells, jhumkas, sun chariots, bootis, and more.
* Khadi: Being a go-to summery fashion-loyal fabric, Khadi has been catching a lot of eyeballs in the fashion world. Dhoti or straight pants, jumpsuits, kurtas, crop tops, capes, short jackets and more done in soft pastel shades of brown, off-white, pink, beige are bang-on to make a summer style statement.
* Quirky poplin: Keeping in line with the summer mood, if you have a thing for quirky fabrics, poplin is the one for you. Fruity, birdy or playful object designs done in soft pastel tones on a smooth, shiny and sturdy fabric like Poplin should be a summer constant in your wardrobe.
* Design a plethora of dresses, play around with the sleeves, necklines and accentuate them with quirky tassels or pom-poms.
* Plain modal silk: As soon as the summer heat knocks our door, a lot of us like to switch to basics. Modal silk in hues of pink, pista green and cool grey can be designed into straight suits, shararas, gararas, palzzos and skirts. A very luxurious fabric, you can match it with your prints or team it with a Chanderi silk or tissue silk dupatta to complete the look.
* Digital print satin: Glossy floral and abstract patterns digitally printed on slick and lustrous satin, dipped in pastel shades of teal, salmon, lemon yellow, pansy violet can easily be fashioned into modern-chic outfits like gowns, concept saris, straight maxi dresses, skirts, crop tops and jumpsuits.
* Linen cotton: A nice peach pink colour soft fabric with bamboo joint texture which is one of the most soothing and comfortable summer fabrics with sweat absorbing properties. The fabric allows easy air flow and reflects heat better.
* Cotton print: With the onset of summers, cotton makes the best wear as is it makes you feel comfortable even in the extremely humid time. It is lightweight and easily absorbs sweat from the body and helps your skin breathe making you feel cool.
(with inputs from IANS)
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When heart disease runs in the family, a more physical activity may be the best defence, say researchers.
According to the findings reported in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, greater grip strength, more physical activity and better cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with reduced risk for heart attacks and stroke -- even among people with a genetic predisposition for heart disease.
"The main message is that being physically active is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, even if you have a high genetic risk," said Erik Ingelsson, lead study author and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine in California.
To reach this conclusion, researchers looked at data from roughly a half-million people in the UK Biobank database.
For participants with an intermediate genetic risk for cardiovascular diseases, those with the strongest grips were 36 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease and had a 46 percent reduction in their risk for atrial fibrillation, compared to study participants with the same genetic risk who had the weakest grips.
Among individuals deemed at high genetic risk for cardiovascular diseases, high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with a 49 percent lower risk for coronary heart disease and a 60 percent lower risk for atrial fibrillation compared to study participants with low cardiorespiratory fitness.
"The study is not a prescription for a specific type or amount of exercise and because the results come from an observational study, Ingelsson said, adding that "we can't definitely claim a causal connection."
Nonetheless, the researchers said the data is robust and the results are worthy of consideration in guidelines.
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Alzheimer's disease is thought to begin long before patients show typical symptoms like memory loss.
The team, led by Klaus Gerwert, professor at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, noted that one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques in the patient's brain.
The findings, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, showed that the blood test uses a technology called immuno-infrared sensor to measure distribution of pathological and healthy structures of amyloid-beta in the blood.
The pathological amyloid-beta structure is rich in a sticky, sheet-like folding pattern that makes it prone to aggregation, while the healthy structure is not.
The two structures absorb infrared light at a different frequency, allowing the blood test to determine the ratio of healthy to pathological amyloid-beta in the sample.
The pathological form is a misfolded version of this molecule and known to initiate the formation of toxic amyloid-beta molecules that starts accumulating in the brain 15 to 20 years before disease onset.
They found that the test reliably detected amyloid-beta alterations in the blood of participants with mild cognitive impairment that also showed abnormal amyloid deposits in brain scans.
In order to detect blood changes well ahead of disease onset, the researchers compared blood samples of 65 participants that were later in the follow-up studies diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease with 809 controls.
The assay was able to detect signs of the disease on average eight years before diagnosis in individuals without clinical symptoms with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 86 per cent.
The blood test would thus offer an opportunity to identify those at risk and may thereby open the door to new avenues in drug discovery, the researchers said.
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This year's World Health Day marks the 70th anniversary of World Health Organisation (WHO) which is being observed with the theme 'Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere'.
The idea remains that good health and healthcare should be for all and everyone should be covered. The fundamental focus of the WHO and World Health Day also remains in creating awareness on multiple aspects related to health, diseases, and prevention.
The cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been one of the worst victims of the misinformed and careless treatment on the celluloid. It is so often portrayed wrongly that a few hard-pressing on the chest and a single round of mouth-to-mouth brings the victim back to life, usually coughing, bringing much cheer and relief to the protagonists and people around.
The technique is used to save people suffering a sudden cardiac arrest, which can be caused by multiple factors. A drowning person suffers from the lack of oxygen. The blood also undergoes physical changes as well. In salt water, osmosis makes the blood thicker by pulling water from the bloodstream into the lungs.
In fresh water, something different happens, wherein osmosis acts in the opposing direction. As a result, the blood becomes diluted and thinner, red blood cells get destroyed, and electrical activity of the heart gets affected.
Both the situations may trigger sudden cardiac arrest in the patients, causing the beating of the heart to stop, according to Dr Vanita Arora, Senior Consultant-Cardiac Electrophysiologist & Interventional Cardiologist Max Super Speciality Hospital.
For any person who has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, CPR is the most important first-aid step to undertake, till emergency medical service arrives. It is important to know that CPR may not bring people back to consciousness.
The CPR is performed to pump blood and oxygen to the brain. If the heart is at standstill then to restart it one needs to administer an electric shock.
"The key take away from these data is that we need to find better and more effective ways to educate the general public on the importance of providing bystander CPR, and the importance of being comfortable delivering it regardless of the factors like the gender, age, or even the weight of the person in need," said Benjamin Abella, senior author of a CPR study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2017.
When a person has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, the key aspect is to hard-press the chest to keep the blood flowing and therefore keep the brain oxygenated. Breaking the rhythm to breathe-in oxygen will interrupt the flow of blood.
In fact, the American Heart Association has removed mouth-to-mouth breathing as an essential part of CPR in adults. Mouth to mouth breathing is still recommended in the case of children. The bottom line is that hands-only CPR is an essential part of CPR and cannot be compromised with.
When you see a person faint or become unconscious gasping for breath, the first thing is to check the pulse or beating of the heart. A person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest will not have a detectable pulse, which means he has only seconds to survive. The next step is to call emergency medical service immediately. Almost simultaneously, the person should begin performing CPR and enact the following steps:
- Call out and see if the patient responds
- Look at the breathing
- Feel for the pulse in the neck if you know how to, with two fingers
- Place the patient on his/her back.
- Kneel beside the patient on your knees.
- At the center of the chest, place the heel of your first hand.
- The heel of your second hand should go on the top of the first hand, with fingers of top hand clasping the bottom.
- While keeping your arms straight, adjust your body to ensure that the shoulders are directly over your hands and the body.
- Start pushing hard and fast with your body weight to put pressure on the chest. Try that the compressions are about two inches deep.
- Deliver 120 to 130 compressions per minute.
- Don't let go till medical help arrives or you may see clear life signs, such as breathing
You should not give up if you think you are unable to administer CPR perfectly. It should always be remembered that any form of CPR is better than no CPR. It is important that the center of the chest is compressed hard and fast, and till the same is being done, you are increasing the chances of saving someone's life.
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*1. Complete health check:* When was the last time your family and you got a complete check-up done? If the answer is more than 6 months back, it's time to visit the doctor again.
*2. Regular medicines:* If you have conditions like thyroid deficiency, high or low blood pressure or calcium or iron deficiency, you may require regular supplements to be taken. Keeping track of your usage, not forgetting your dose and even getting medicines regularly from the market can be quite painful. Technology can help through this as well - set daily reminders for your family member or yourself on smartphones to make sure a dose isn't finished.
*3. Mental health support:* Visits to psychologists can be inconvenient and difficult for people suffering from mental health concerns. Technology-driven solutions that connect your family and you conveniently to a therapist via a phone or computer are ideal to provide the kind of mental health support your family needs.
*4. Sexual health and hygiene:* Like mental health, sex is a taboo subject. It is essential for you to make your family aware of the most common sexual health problems and how to deal with them. However, given the sensitive nature of the subject, people are hesitant to see specialists. Through apps and other health networks and technologies, people can discreetly and conveniently get their most personal and intimate questions about sexual health and hygiene answered by some of the best specialists in India.
*5. Diet management:* The old myth that you are what you eat is like most clichés annoyingly true. Consulting a nutritionist for your family and choosing the foods that fill your grocery baskets based on their health situation and requirements can help in creating the right kind of family diet that boosts immunity and health for everybody.
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The theme for World Health Day this year is 'Health for All'. Nephrologists all over Mumbai, and the Amar Gandhi Foundation, are appealing to homemakers to cut salt on World Health day. Women in particular, as the conscience keepers of society, can drive this awareness to their loved ones and play a key role in regulating India's excessive salt consumption habit.
Indians face the double whammy, not only of increased prevalence, but also of developing chronic kidney disease at a younger age. Sadly, dialysis patients are getting younger.
"We are doing dialysis now a days in all groups of patients – very young to elderly age above 90. Two most common causes of chronic kidney disease at present include – high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus” laments Dr Bhupendra Gandhi, Chairman, Amar Gandhi Foundation, on the eve of World Heath Day.
Taking cognisance of this, the Health Ministry, in 2016, had announced that 2,000 new dialysis centres would be set up at district-level hospitals in the country by 2018.
Dr. Umesh Khanna, a senior nephrologist adds, “12% - 17% of Indians could have chronic kidney disease (SEEK Study). One of the ways of tackling this epidemic is to reduce salt intake in our diet, thereby reducing the incidence of high blood pressure in the society.
Elaborating on kidney problems in children, Dr. Hemal Shah, senior nephrologist said “Early detection is necessary for a healthy lifestyle in children to combat preventable kidney damage that may include acute kidney injury. Mothers are key to this process of encouraging children to lead healthy lifestyles. Our campaign #EkChammachKam is our message to encourage reduced salt consumption.”
Excess salt leads to higher blood pressure which is of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cancer account for over 70% of all deaths.
Dr Hemal Shah suggests that making just a few changes towards salt reduction can go a long way:
· Choose low-calorie, low salt diet over fried snacks during chai time. Have at least five servings of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and nuts that are low in salt, instead of chips and samosas.
· Banish that salt shaker from the dinner table. Never add extra salt on top of your salads and other food preparations.
Earlier this year, in March 2018, over 150 nephrologists from Mumbai joined hands with Mumbai Kidney Foundation and Amar Gandhi Foundation, launching "ek chammach kam” (One spoon less) campaign to raise awareness against high salt consumption by Indians and its adverse effect on kidneys. #EkChammachKam gained momentum with seer Sri Sri Ravishankar, and celebrated filmmaker Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra joining the same. Choreographer Saroj Khan joined the campaign on the eve of World Health day too.
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The foods you eat, the exercises you do can impact the health of your muscles. If you are planning to concentrate on making your muscles healthy to be fit, Dr. Manoj Kutteri, who is the wellness director at Atmantan Wellness Centre has tips for you on World Health Day 2018.
*Whole grains*
are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer.
*Proteins for energy and for essential amino acids*
Protein is a macronutrient that is essential to building muscle mass. It is commonly found in animal products, though is also present in other sources, such as nuts and legumes.
*Water*
Water is needed to transport nutrients to your cells and transport waste out of the body. Water helps form the structures of protein and glycogen. In order to move and flex your muscles, you need water. If your body is dehydrated, your muscles will be deprived of electrolytes and cramp.
*Omega 3/ MUFA*
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that are important in preventing and managing heart complications, fight auto-immune diseases, reduce inflammation and much more.
*Vitamin B12 and other vitamins from vegetables and fruits*
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep the body's nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia that makes people tired and weak. Vitamin B12 plays a part in forming red blood cells and converting food into energy.
*View Photos: These Bollywood actors' perfectly chiselled bodies are to die for*
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*Representational picture*
The 21 days challenge started by Les Mills advocates eating a variety of meat, chicken and fish in your diet as a great source of protein. It is still a restricted dietary programme which will certainly help you shedding few pounds by following a controlled diet plan. It is a great tool to try out for shorter period of 3 weeks especially if you are so much worried about your on-going weight gain.
*Is this healthy?*
Dr. Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Atmantan Wellness Centre says, "In my personal opinion, diet must be tailor made for any person keeping in mind their health issues. However, it is certainly a good tool for a common man to help manage their weight coupled with few endurance and strength training. Although the recent studies does not reject fully the consumption of saturated fats from red meats, it has always been proven that a wholesome plant based diet is far superior to an animal based diet. Since health is a relative terminology, I do believe that a diet rich in whole grains, nuts and lentils, vegetables, fruits and superfoods can ensure similar weight loss on a slightly healthier way without going through the consequences of consuming red meats and other saturated fat especially among the India population who are genetically predisposed to cardio vascular diseases arising from the harmful variants of lipids."
*Eating in moderation as the 21 days challenge*
Eating in moderation and mindful eating have been one of the most successful tips in weight loss. The dietary portions and combination listed under 21 days challenge is absolutely a great approach in getting desired benefit of weight loss. Your food can continue a little more proportion of proteins than normal and a good complex carbohydrate option along with good fats and fibre that comes from the vegetable. The selection has to be done by adding as many varieties as possible and not by mixing everything in the same meal but throughout the day or week. Also this dietary approach clearly mention about eating your dinner early enough, which is a very basic concept of weight loss. Studies have proved that people who fasted for the day and had their largest meal at night had the least weight loss when compared to the people who ate during the day and fasted at night.
In summary, this diet can be followed by anyone who do not have a medical condition. If you are suffering from any health conditions, it is better to consult with a doctor or a certified nutritionist to understand the scope of this diet or make minor changes to suit your health needs.
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1. Do a lot core strengthening for those flat abs. Engage your core most of the times in the day and see the result as you will feel your clothes getting loose. Just tuck in your tummy 30 per cent while breathing and talking. Doing this throughout the day tones up your belly.
2. If you want a leaner body, perform a circuit training protocol for the whole body, rather than just your abdominal to burn total body fat. Simple exercises such as lunges, push-ups, pull ups, chest curls and squats can be done in the gym. Do three sets of 15 repetitions. Don't forget to co-ordinate your core exercises with it because that is the key to your flat tummy.
3. A 30 minute walk in the morning can change your life. A morning walk is easy on your joints and heart, and the fresh morning air can help calm your nerves, improve your mood, and keep you energetic and positive for the rest of the day.
It is a form of aerobic or cardio exercise which gets all your muscles moving, and keeps you fit. Don't forget to co-ordinate with your core. Engage your core all the time you walk.
4. A healthy mind keeps you calm and composed even at troubled times and this promotes good health. Listen to a soothing music and close your eyes for 10-15 minutes in a day. Doing this on a regular basis gets that glow on your skin and promotes good health.
5. Drink lots of lemon water to keep you hydrated.
6. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables, seasonal fruits and berries.
7. Wear comfortable loose clothing for proper air hydration of body and of course to hide that extra fat.
8. Temperature change may lead to various diseases hence having good immunity is important. Vegetable and fruit smoothies are a good way of improving immunity against diseases as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
9. Have enough probiotics in the form of curd, idli and khaman dhokla. A course of antibiotic destroys good bacteria with bad ones. So, replenish them with probiotics.
10. Vitamin A is a very important vitamin when it comes to skin. Winter vegetables are full of beta Carotene which is converted to vitamin A in body. Have lot of green leafy vegetables, carrots, beetroot and radish to replenish stores for coming summers.
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Parkinson's is a progressive brain disorder and is often tough to treat effectively because symptoms, such as tremors and walking difficulties, can vary dramatically over a period of days, or even hours.
The new app called "HopkinsPD", developed by researchers from the Johns Hopkins University, helped Parkinson's patients to objectively monitor symptoms in the home and then share data to doctors.
"A smartphone-derived severity score for Parkinson's disease is feasible and provides an objective measure of motor symptoms inside and outside the clinic that could be valuable for clinical care and therapeutic development," said the research team including Srihari Mohan, undergraduate student at the varsity.
Typically, patients with Parkinson's disease are evaluated by medical specialists during three or four clinic visits annually, and patients are asked to fill out a cumbersome 24-hour "motor diary" at home to record their mobility, involuntary twisting movements, etc.
The doctor then uses this self-reported or imprecise data to guide treatment.
In the new study, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, the team collected the data with the help of "HopkinsPD" app and then using a machine learning technique, they converted it into an objective Parkinson's disease severity score -- that better reflected the overall severity of patients' symptoms and how well they were responding to medication.
This smartphone evaluation does not rely on the subjective observations of a medical staff, and can be administered any time or day in a clinic or within the patient's home.
The app is available both for Android as well as iOS smartphones.
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India is in the middle of a triple-epidemic -- an epidemic of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), High Blood Sugar (Diabetes) and High Blood Cholesterol (Dyslipidemia). This ‘terrible trio’ translates into future cardio-vascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. Here are some heart-healthy tips by our expert Dr Nihar Mehta, Consultant Cardiologist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre that will help keep your heart health this World Health Day
*Physical activity:* ‘Sitting is the new smoking’. Being sedentary can be dangerous to your health. Moderate intensity of aerobic exercise is recommended for 30-45 minutes per day, 5-6 days per week to stay healthy. This includes walking, cycling, swimming or running.
*Diet: * ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’; we can modify this to ‘The way to a man’s heartdisease is though his stomach’. Staying off junk food, processed food, butter, cheese, fast food and desserts is the need of the hour.
*Eat frutis and vegetables:* Beyond discussing what you should not eat, it is better that you ensure you are eating the correct things. 2-3 fruits and 2-3 bowls of vegetables per day are recommended to prevent heart disease. Fruit juices should be avoided, as should overcooking vegetables.
*Yoga and meditation: * India is the home of Yoga. Yogic practices and meditation can lead to reduced levels of psychosocial stress, blood pressure and cardiovascular parameters.
*Give up using tobacco:* Tobacco is inherent to Indian culture. It is used in several forms, smoking cigarettes / bidis, chewed, brushed or added to paan. Tobacco consumption directly leads to heart attacks. Giving up tobacco is imperative.
*Restrict alcohol consumption: *Up to a certain limit, alcohol can have benefits to the heart but beyond this it can be disastrous. No more than 2 standard drinks a day for men and 1 standard drink a day for women; 1 standard drink is equivalent to 25 ml spirits (e.g., whisky, brandy, vodka) or 125 ml (one standard glass) wine or 340 ml beer. Don’t go beyond these numbers.
*Exercise, but not too much: * Anything in excess is not healthy. While exercising up to the recommendations given above is desired, in case you are embarking on intensive physical training or marathon running, please get a prior cardiac evaluation. Ever so often we hear of the athlete who suddenly collapsed or the sudden death of a young man in the gym or a fit marathon runner dropping dead… Underlying cardiac problems should be ruled out before starting strenuous physical training.
*Reduce stress:* In our maximum city, Mumbaikars face stress at every turn. With lives moving in fast-forward, stress is a omnipresent. Any measures taken to prevent stress will benefit the cardiac status. This could be listening to music, spending time with family, going for drives, watching a movie or sitting at marine drive… whatever works for you… do it regularly.
*Mental Health:* We often stress on the physical aspect and neglect the mental aspect of health. Depression is rampant in our city and one of the recognized risk factors for heart disease. With worsening work pressures and dwindling family time, added to the financial stress of sustaining the constant inflation in prices, depression is often lurking around in all members of the family including children. It’s time we put aside the taboos associated with mental disease and get the help we need from psychologists and psychiatrists, without inhibition.
*Get regular health checkups:* The terrible trio have spread this far because they are symptomless! Hypertension, Diabetes and High Cholesterol rarely produce any problems, but are detected on a routine check up or incidentally when doing test for other things. What is before us is just the tip of the iceberg. Regular checkups will ensure earlier detection and earlier treatment of these conditions before they produce complications.
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Almost 40 per cent of women in Goa who have lung cancer do not smoke themselves, which means it is likely that they are victims of `passive smoking', an anti-tobacco NGO has said. The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) said yesterday that there has been a rise in the number of women in the state who smoke. The overall percentage of smokers in the state's population has dwindled in the last three decades, it said. NOTE India president Dr Shekhar Salkar told reporters that almost 40 per cent of the women diagnosed with lung cancer in Goa are non-smokers.
"This means either they are affected by passive smoking because of their husband or partner (who smoke) or by some other factor," said Dr Salkar, who is an oncologist. While as much as fifty per cent of respondents said that they smoked as per a survey conducted in Goa in 1984, the proportion has come down to 10 per cent in 2018, he claimed. "But we are worried that the number of women who smoke has gone up a bit," Salkar said, attributing it to changing cultural norms, peer pressure and the tourism industry.
The NGO, which conducts surveys on consumption of tobacco and its effects, says that 90 per cent of respondents who chew tobacco were found to be from slum areas in Chimbel and Zuarinagar. As per the report of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India 2016-17, 4.2 per cent of Goans smoke, while 6.5 per cent of the state's population uses "smokeless tobacco" (chews tobacco), he said.
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Reported by Mid-Day 8 hours ago.
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americans enrolled in Medicaid have far better access to health care and preventive services than those without coverage, according to new research released today by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). The in-depth study adds to the clear and consistent evidence that having health insurance coverage in general, and Medicaid specifically, provides significant value and protection for Americans. More than 75 million Americans are currently covered by Medicaid and
Reported by Business Wire 8 hours ago.
Awareness when it comes to mental illness is the need of the hour. Especially beacause it is estimated that about 30 million people in India suffer from various forms of neurological diseases and the average prevalence rate is as high as 2,394 patients per 1,00,000 of the population.
