Health Blog

Eye cancer treatment hit by lack of awareness

2013-05-16T08:24:00.002-07:00

HYDERABAD: When Mohammed Sharif spotted redness in his two-year-old son's eyes, he brushed it aside as an allergy. However, when it persisted for many days, he decided to consult a paediatrician, who in turn, referred him to a radiologist who finally diagnosed the child with retinoblastoma.

Commonly known as cancer of the eye, retinoblastoma comprises three per cent of all cancers affecting children aged between up to four years. Around 2,200 new cases of eye cancer are reported every year in India. However, like Sharif, many people are still unaware of the existence of such a condition and hence recognize it too late.

"While on one hand, the levels of awareness have increased in the past decade, there still remains a large chunk of people who are unaware of retinoblastoma. In some cases, because of the lack of awareness, cases are reported in the advanced stages of the disease," said Dr Swati Kaliki, consultant, Orbit and Ocular Oncology Services, at the L V Prasad Eye Institute.

"Timely treatment can save 95 per cent of the children suffering from the disease. In 75 per cent of the cases, the child's vision can be saved. Hence, awareness, early detection and treatment are extremely crucial," she added. This cancer can be easily identified by physical examination due to the presence of an unusual glint in the eye or a white reflex in almost 60 per cent of the cases.

The institute observes around 240-270 cases of retinoblastoma every year. Over 1,800 children have received treatment for the condition at the institute in the past decade.

"Children are much more tolerant and responsive towards anti-cancer drugs as compared to adults. Hence their chances of recovery are also much better, provided that they are treated on time," said Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, director of Apollo Cancer Hospital. He, however, stressed on the importance of liaison between paediatricians and oncologists "It is essential that a paediatrician is aware of the symptoms. Only then will he/she diagnosis the condition, leading to timely treatment," he said.

This week (May 12-May 18) is being observed as World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week across the globe.

source:TOI

Contact Lens: Key tips to prevent eye trouble

2013-05-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

Contact lens problems
The most common causes of contact lens problems are lenses that fit badly, poor lens hygiene, sensitivity to cleaning solutions, and dusty, windy environments. If you wear lenses for too long, or get a piece of grit or dirt trapped under the lens, your eyes may become irritated, red, and watery. Sometimes a lens slips under the eyelid and needs to be retrieved and repositioned.

WARNING
Seek immediate medical help if;
* You have pain, blurred or reduced vision, or extreme sensitivity to light
* Your eye is very red

DRUG REMEDIES
Eye drops containing sodium chloride lubricate the eye and make it easier to insert and remove lenses. Don’t use other types of eye drops without seeking advice from your pharmacist because some may damage your lenses.

PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
If a lens has slipped under your eyelid, the following steps will help you retrieve it.
* First, squeeze 1-2 lubricating eye drops into your eye. If your eye is dry, using drops may be enough to help the lens float back into its correct position.

* If this doesn’t work, close your eye, then guide the lens back into position by pressing lightly on your eyelid with one finger. This should encourage the lens to slide back down over the front of your eye.

Seek medical advice
See your doctor or optometrist promptly if:
* Eye irritation continues or there is a discharge
* You develop any new eye problems

What you can do yourself
The following steps will help to reduce the risk of eye problems when you use contact lenses.

* If your eyes are irritated, take your contact lenses out for an hour or two to see if the symptoms ease. If they recur when you put the lenses back in, consult your optometrist or doctor.

* Try using lubricating eye drops formulated for contact lens wearers.

* Unless you use continuous-wear lenses, don’t wear your lenses for longer than the period of time advised by your optometrist. If this is unavoidable, take them out from time to time to give your eyes a rest. Always remove lenses before going to bed, having a nap, or swimming, bathing, or showering.

* Before handling lenses, wash your hands using an antibacterial or unperfumed soap and rinse them thoroughly. Clean and rinse reusable lenses every time you remove them using approved cleaners and storage solutions. Clean the lens case and air dry it too. Never lick your lenses or use water to wet them.

* Ask your optometrist about using disposable contact lenses, which are worn for just one day and discarded. They don’t need to be cleaned and sterilized and may be less likely to irritate your eyes.

* Take care with make-up. Apply it after you put your lenses in, and don’t use powder eye shadow or loose powder. Keep hairspray away from your eyes.

* Contact lenses can’t really get “lost” in the eye, but sometimes a lens slips under the eyelid. Try this technique to get the lens back into position

Great Tips for Beating Dental Anxiety

2013-05-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

Dental anxiety is a serious issue; several studies say that people who are suffering from dental anxiety have bad oral health. Here are five most effective tips for preventing and beating dental anxiety in children.

1. Don’t Wait to Visit the Dentist until the Pain Increases

Do not wait until you experience extreme pain and then visit the dentist. It is the worst thing that you can do. Once the pain worsens, you might require an extraction or root canal treatment. Extractions and root canals are very much unpleasant and they can be quite excruciating as well. You need to visit the dentist once in every six months, when you experience signs of dental discomfort.

2. Finding the Right Dentist

Not all the dentists are great in dealing with anxious patients. It is very much important to find a caring dentist who can take care of your oral health. You can also ask your family members and friends and seek recommendations to spot a good dentist. You need to book for a consultation before your start treatment with the dentist; ensure that the dentist is caring enough before you agree for the treatment. If you are not feeling comfortable at the time of consultation, then you need to continue searching until you find the right dentist for you.

3. Discuss Dental Anxiety Openly With Your Dentist

Discuss your dental anxietyopen and explain him why you are scared about the treatment; a good dentist will help you overcome your fear, and recommend you the best measures to counter your anxiety.

4. Consider General Anaesthesia and Medications

If you have severe dental anxiety, then you can discuss premedication options with drugs like valiumand usage of nitrous oxide. Anxiolytics like valium can effectually help uneasy patients to manage with the dental anxiety. Dental practices with nitrous oxide can help patients to feel at ease throughout the procedure.

Dentists perform dental procedures with the help of general anaesthesia, which involved very little risk.

5. Good Oral Hygiene

You need to start brushing your teeth two times a day with fluoride toothpaste. Having healthy gums and teeth is the best possible way for avoiding a dentist’s drill, and boosting your self-confidence as well as reducing anxiety.

6. Preventing Children’s Dental Anxiety

If you are a parent, who’s afraid of dentist, it is pretty important not to let the fear pass on to children. Children are impressionable and perceptive; if they see that parents are afraid of dentist, then obviously children will also have the same fear.

Here are few tips to make sure that your children don’t develop any dental anxiety. Talk about the dental visits in a very positive way. It is never too young to get your child to the dentists for a general check-up.

Children below 3 years should consistently experience the dental care. From age 3, children should start attending proper check-ups and from 4, they need to get cleans.

Of course, upholding better oral health lessens the necessity to seek help from dental professional. It also makes it much easier for finding a dentist for patients suffering from dental anxiety.

These tips will certainly help in lessening dental anxiety.

source: hivehealthmedia

How having pets helps heart disease

2013-05-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

Pet ownership is increasingly being recognized as an important component of a heart healthy lifestyle, according to a recently released statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published in the journal, Circulation, May 9.

A group of cardiologists recruited by the AHA recently reviewed literature linking cardiovascular health and outcomes with owning a pet and concluded that owning a pet is “probably associated” with a reduced risk of heart disease for people with no pre-existing history of cardiac disease, along with improved survival rates among those patients with coronary artery disease.

Dr. Glenn Levine, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, along with his colleagues recommend that people have a dog or cat as a way to lower the risk of heart disease. This occurs by people becoming more physically active, which ultimately can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, as well as lead to lower levels of stress.

Studies in the past have demonstrated that the close relationship along with a pet’s companionship can reduce levels of stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine, and growth hormone), while enabling people to deal with emotional, as well as stressful situations.

Some employers have recognized the fact that some people actually perform better at their jobs in the presence of their pets, which may ultimately be linked to reduction of stress along with blood pressure. When feasible, some employers have allowed their workers to bring their dogs into the work setting to help alleviate anxiety.

Furthermore, a number of patients who are on blood pressure medication have seen their dose requirements reduced as a result of the calming and positive emotional effects a pet may have on them.

One study in particular found that those people who adopted dogs reduced their blood pressure significantly, while another study found that dog owners were more likely to achieve recommended levels of exercise and maintain an active healthy lifestyle compared with non dog owners. Other studies have also discovered that people who didn’t actually own dogs themselves, but walked them frequently, were less likely to be obese.

However, according data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) people who own pets are just as likely to be overweight as people without pets. While owning a pet cannot prevent heart disease, caring for them generally entails owners getting more frequent exercise, which may reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, weight as well as stress in general and lead to better heart health.

However, adopting a pet, while continuing to lead a sedentary life style, eating junk food and smoking is certainly not a way to reduce your risk for cardiac disease. While the AHA is optimistic about the benefits of pet ownership, it is not advising people to simply go out and get a pet and expect to reduce their cardiovascular risk. But if you already own a pet, especially a dog, the panel states you can reduce your risk of heart disease compared to those who do not have a pet.

In fact, while its interesting that people with heart disease did demonstrate a modest survival benefit if they had a pet, more in depth investigation is necessary to understand if the additional longevity was a result of reduced stress, increased exercise or a benefit of both combined.

Levine also explains that we need to understand whether adopting a pet can lead to a reduction in cardiovascular risk in those with pre-existing disease. He believes that more research and higher quality studies are necessary. Overall, the studies do not prove that owning a pet directly leads to a reduction in heart disease risk.

As Levine states, “it may be simply that the healthier people are the ones that have pets, not that having a pet actually leads to or causes a reduction in cardiovascular risk”.

source: forbes

Top 5 big lifestyle changes for heart health

2013-05-09T08:15:00.002-07:00

Today’s problem for the health-conscious person is information overload; new health studies pour out daily from newspapers, radio stations, and television networks. Just how true are the studies? How compelling are the facts they claim? After reading countless scientific articles, listening to hundreds of international experts, and keeping an ear open when patients tell me about their experiences, I’ve identified the only five lifestyle changes with compelling evidence behind them. Taken together, these steps provide about 80% protection from heart attacks, as well as stroke and cancer, and this message comes from three major studies organized by the Harvard Medical School and published in highly rated journals.

(1) Unfortunately, the image of smoking as ‘sexy’, which was promoted for years in the USA and elsewhere, still lingers; young women remain the group least likely to give up smoking. But giving up smoking (or not starting in the first place) it essential. It confers just over one-third of the lifestyle benefits associated with healthy living.

(2) “Exercise is the elixir of life,” says Richard Verrier, from the Harvard School of Public Health. You need at least thirty minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily — ideally every day, but five days per week will do. How much effort should you put into it? A simple criterion: you should be sweating by the end of it.

(3) We know that the Western diet (with its high intake of fat, sugars, and calories) damages the arterial endothelium and promotes obesity, diabetes, and heart attacks. There are several validated, health promoting diets which counteract this, including the Prudent diet (which emphasises a high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry), the DASH BP-reducing diet (similar, but with the addition of salt restriction; ideal for the many people with hypertension) and the Healthy Eating diet (again similar, but using a numerical index to score components). The Mediterranean diet may be the best of all of these, being immortalised by the declaration that it now belongs to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Europe. Furthermore, in April 2013 in probably the largest and longest diet study ever undertaken, five years of the Mediterranean diet with high olive oil and nuts reduced heart attacks, strokes and (of note) total mortality in 7447 persons , all versus a standard low fat diet.

(4) Consistent studies show that fat around the middle — abdominal fat — is closely linked to increased heart disease and diabetes. Therefore a health body weight, indicated by a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or below, is vital for keeping the heart healthy. Fat tissue is not only cosmetically undesirable, but produces a variety of hormones, each of which is capable of adverse effects. For example, release of these hormones from fat tissue into the blood can trigger a series of chemical changes that eventually produce more fat. In brief, fat produces fat.

(5) Moderate alcohol, the fifth protective factor (and part of the Mediterranean diet) is a two-faced friend. A little helps, but more than that harms substantially. The ‘red wine’ hypothesis, which states that the beverage has benefits extending beyond its alcohol content, may also have some truth in it; deep red grape juice has the same effect of inhibiting blood clots, but only in higher doses. A fine Pinot Noir — the author’s favourite — may therefore be safely considered as one of the ‘big five’, but only in small doses.

source: oup

Neurodegenerative Disease Symptoms May Be Linked to NOS1AP Protein

2013-05-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

A protein called NOS1AP may be a missing link between over-stimulation of brain cells and the neuron death that leads to neurodegenerative disease symptoms in conditions like stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

A new study reveals a possible "missing link" between over-stimulated neurons and neurodegenerative symptoms in conditions like stroke and Alzheimer's disease— a protein called NOS1AP.

Neurodegenerative diseases can result when brain cells become so hyperactive over time that toxic substances build up, causing the cells to self-destruct.

Though scientists may eventually develop drugs that reverse the process that leads from excitotoxicity to neuron death, the mechanism is still incompletely defined. Researchers knew that over-stimulated neurons produce small quantities of nitric oxide, which is a signal for cell death, but were skeptical that those amounts could be strong enough to lead to brain damage.

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and published in the Journal of Neuroscience, finds that the NOS1AP protein amplifies the nitric oxide signal and activates a cell destruction initiator molecule called MKK3.

The resulting cascade of cell events shifts the neuron from over-stimulation mode to full-on cell death, or apoptosis.

The Finnish researchers tested a peptide chemical that interfered with NOS1AP in rat neurons, reducing the cell death signal by keeping the protein from seeking out nitric oxide.

The chemical was successful in limiting cell death in a rat model of a type of stroke called hypoxia-ischemia, and the rat brain cells treated with the chemical in the experiment had less damage than those without it.

With more research, the scientists write that the NOS1AP pathway could lead to a future "generation of neuroprotectants with high specificity." The drugs may be able to target the neurodegeneration pathway to prevent brain disorders like stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease.

NOS1AP is also implicated in conditions as varied schizophrenia, diabetes, and heart attack, raising the possibility that future drugs that act on the protein could also lead to treatments for those diseases as well.

source: medicaldaily

Eating Processed Food May Lower IQ Scores in Children

2013-04-30T02:10:00.002-07:00

Eating healthy food is a good idea at any age, and one study says eating too much processed food may even lower IQ scores in young children.

Five year old Jadon loves fruits and his veggies. That's why shopping with mom is a treat.
They don't rush through the aisles, instead they walk around looking for healthy foods for Jadon to eat.

"I notice he concentrates better, he is more focused. He is more focused on what it is he is doing." says Bonnie Gannet, Jadon's mom.

Researchers with the journal 'Community Health' studied the eating habits of 4000 kids at age 3. They were tested five years later.

Those who ate high processed foods had lower IQ scores. Those who ate whole foods scored almost two points higher.

"It seems what's really going on is those processed foods are a lot more fat and sugar and they don't have a lot of nutrients and nutrition dense. So the issue is the ones that are eating more nutrient dense foods, actually probably that is what is correlating to the better IQ." says Cindy Kepler, a clinical dietitian.

How do you transition your kids from eating lots of junk food and processed foods to eating healthy foods? Experts say it's all about planning ahead.

"Just a little bit of planning, everybody thinks it's going to be so much work and I have three kids so. It is a lot, the mother works, working all day but there's no planning. It doesn't have to take a lot of planning and that's just making little changes." says Kepler.

Some parents are doing just that.

"We write a list, and we eat lots of fruits and lots of whole grains and vegetables and encourage natural yogurts." says Yakirka Machin.

Potassium: Key facts and important info

2013-04-29T00:10:00.000-07:00

POTASSIUM

Q What is potassium?
A Potassium is a soft, silvery-white metal so chemically active that it is found in nature only in compounds. It is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, unlike sodium, which is found mostly in the fluid outside of the cells, potassium is located almost entirely within the cells. It is concentrated chiefly in muscles, but is also found in skin and other tissues. The body does not store potassium, but must people constantly replenish it through their diet.

Q What role does potassium play in the body?
A It plays a major role in many important functions, including muscle contraction, nerve conduction, regulation ot heartbeat, energy production and the manufacture of genetic material and protein. Its primary role is concerned with the electrical excitability of nerve and muscle fibers.

Q. Has potassium deficiency been associated with any diseases?
A. Potassium deficiency is a disease in its own right. It causes impaired nerve and muscle function, including heart malfunction, weakness varying from slight to total paralysis, and intestinal malfunction sometimes amounting to total failure of peristalsis.

Q. Is an increased intake of potassium ever used to treat high blood pressure?
In several studies, increased dietary intake or potassium supplementation resulted in a modest lowering of blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

Q How is potassium thought to lower blood pressure?
A .Potassium interacts with sodium to regulate the body's fluid balance. Potassium enhances excretion of sodium through the urine, which leads to a decrease in blood volume, which in turn leads to a drop in blood pressure, Potassium depletion makes the body retain more fluid in response to a large dose of salt.

Q Is potassium used to treat any other physical problems?
A Potassium is added to sports drinks to replace the 700 to 800 mg of potassium that can be lost in a few hours heavy sweating. Although potassium depletion leads to muscle weakness and fatigue, extra potassium will not improve athletic performance in someone who is not deficient

Q. How much potassium do people get in their diets?
A .Studies show that potassium intake varies widely. People who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables may get up to 8 to 10 grams a day of potassium. Most people get about 2,500 mg a day. People who follow the recommendation to eat three vegetables and two fruits a day would get about 3,500 mg of potassium a day. This falls right in the middle of potassium experts' recommendations of 3,000 to 4,000 mg a day - equivalent to eight bananas or 3 baked potatoes.

POTASSIUM
QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE

RNI
Since potassium is found in most foods and is seldom if ever lacking in diets, there is no RNI for potassium. An estimated minimum requirement is 1,600 to 2,000 mg a day,

Sources
Fruits (including bananas) and vegetables and their juices are the best sources, baked potatoes, yams, avocados, prunes, beet greens, carrot juice and raisins all offer good amounts of potassium, as do shellfish and beans.

Signs of Deficiency
This is rare. Effects include fatigue, weakness, muscle pains, abnormal heartbeat, drowsiness and irrational behaviour.

Risks for Deficiency
People who use potassium-depleting diuretics (blood-pressure reducing drugs that work by increasing output) are at highest risk of deficiency. People who sweat a lot or who have chronic diarrhoea are also at increased risk of deficiency.

Possible Toxicity Problems
High doses of several grams - the result of misuse of supplements or salt substitutes - can result in heart failure. Other symptoms of toxicity include muscle weakness, mental confusion, numbness and tingling of the extremities, and cold, pale skin. Potassium supplements should be used only on medical advice. . People with diabetes or kidney problems, people taking a potassium-sparing diuretic called spironolactone, and people taking ACE inhibitors may all retain potassium. They should not take potassium supplements except on medical advice.

Good Cholesterol Lessen Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Diabetic

2013-04-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

Research published in The American Journal of Cardiology has confirmed that increasing ‘good cholesterol’ in patients with diabetes can be extremely helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Low density lipoproteins or ‘bad cholesterol’ is said to significantly increase the risk of heart problems in patients with diabetes, more so than patients without it, but the link between HDL (high density lipoproteins) or ‘good cholesterol’ and heart health is still a relatively unexplored. However, lead author of the study, Gregory Nichols PhD believes that this is further proof of that HDL has a role to play in decreasing a patients risk of stroke or heart attack.

The study was done on a large scale by Kaiser Permanente and evaluated the medical records of 30000 patients, all with diabetes and all with an HDL measurements taken between six and 24 months apart. The patients were observed over the course of 8 years and those that showed an increase in HDL levels had an 8% lower heart attack rate than those whose HDL level remained unchanged. Those who showed in increase in LDL levels had 11% more heart attacks.

Although further research is required into the benefits of increasing HDL to those with an elevated cardiovascular disease risk, experts say that increasing HDL levels can help reduce ‘bad cholesterol’ levels in the body, as they carry it away from internal organs to the liver to be expelled. It’s believed that exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can increase HDL levels in the body, which is why doctors often recommend that people with high levels of bad cholesterol are active even if they are using a treatment.

Recipes for recovery from cancer

2013-04-28T00:23:00.003-07:00

Dr. Keith Stuart and Dr. Corrine Zarwan prepare two dishes from the cookbook, "The Lahey Clinic Guide to Cooking Through Cancer: 100+ Recipes for Treatment and Recovery". Dr. Zarwan and Dr. Stuart, oncologists at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, helped put together the cookbook for their patients with cancer.

One question nearly always arises when Dr. Corrine Zarwan, an oncologist from Newton, or any of her Lahey Clinic colleagues in Burlington talk with a new patient about what to expect during cancer treatments.

“Patients almost always ask what they should be eating,’’ Zarwan said. “And caregivers almost always ask what they should be serving.”

Having worked in the field, with a specialty in women’s cancers, for more than a decade, Zarwan said, she knows what to tell her patients, but shortly after she arrived at Lahey in 2008, a discussion with colleagues led her to do more than just prepare answers.

“It occurred to us that what would really be helpful would be a book designed around patients going through chemotherapy or cancer- related symptoms,” she said.

She and a group of other physicians, including Dr. Keith Stuart, head of oncology at Lahey’s Sophia Gordon Cancer Center, started preparing dishes with their patients in mind, and documenting their recipes. The result: “The Lahey Clinic Guide to Cooking Through Cancer: 100+ Recipes for Treatment and Recovery,” published earlier this year by Countryman Press.

Through her experience treating and talking with patients, Zarwan knew that it was less a matter of what they should or should not eat in the weeks and months of treatment that lay ahead, and more a question of what they would want to eat.

Side effects that typically, though not always, accompany cancer treatment can interfere with both the process of eating and the enjoyment of food, with symptoms such as dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, weight loss, mouth pain, and difficulty swallowing. The Lahey group decided to organize the book around such symptoms.

“First and foremost, we want this to be a helpful resource for our patients, something for them to turn to when they have questions about what to eat during their treatment, or ways to combat side effects of their treatment,” Zarwan said.

“But we also want our recipes to look appealing to everyone, so that friends and family members will want to eat the same foods as the patients. It means everyone can sit around the table together, and the person in the room who is going through cancer treatment doesn’t have to eat differently from the rest of the group.”

So Zarwan, Stuart, and some of their colleagues formed a committee, rolled up their sleeves, and hit the kitchen.

“First we all gathered recipes and decided whether they were appropriate,” Zarwan said. “Then we made modifications we thought were needed, and then everyone would take different recipes home and try them out. Typically we’d do our cooking at home on the weekends, and then bring in what we’d made on Monday for everyone to sample.”

They invited other nurses, nutritionists, and physicians to provide input.

“The nutritionists in particular were helpful in giving us feedback about our recipes,” Zarwan said. “They were very good about pointing out things we might not have thought of. For example, what foods were hard to digest or might cause an obstruction in a patient suffering from constipation, one of the many typical symptoms of cancer treatment. They also helped us to provide calorie counts and nutritional information for each recipe.”

The Lahey book’s recipes include fruit smoothies for patients with mouth sores, banana-flaxseed wraps for patients with constipation, and rice-flour pancakes for patients with diarrhea. In the section addressing nausea, perhaps the most frequently anticipated symptom of cancer treatment, the recipes are designed to smell enticing without overly strong or pungent odors.

Zarwan said she has always enjoyed cooking. As a girl, she would host sleepovers that featured breakfast for her family made by herself and her friends. Now, she often cooks with her two daughters: a 4-year-old who likes to help, and a 2-year-old more likely to be mirroring her mother’s actions in her own play kitchen set.

Zarwan said she has come to recognize just in the few months since the book’s publication how diverse its audience is. Initially she thought of it as a cookbook that would be used mostly by caregivers of people in cancer treatment — loving family members who wanted to nurture the patient as best they could with tempting meals. But she soon came to realize that it doesn’t need to be a family member or intimate friend: The impulse to provide food to someone undergoing illness is far more widespread than that. Friends, neighbors, colleagues, fellow church members, anyone who might find themselves in the position of dropping off a meal, she said, can benefit from knowing what foods are especially appropriate and which ones to avoid.

Not in the cookbook, however, are references to foods specifically believed to fight cancer.

“There are many books about preventing or combating cancer, but this is not one of them,” Zarwan said. “Our intent with this book is to help patients who do have cancer on their journey through the treatment, to make the treatment a little more tolerable, and to help them enjoy eating as they go through the process.”

And to that end, Zarwan points with particular pride to the last section, which is titled “Celebrations.” While it might seem unlikely that cancer patients would want to celebrate, the section reflects the book’s focus on supporting their option to remain embedded in normal family life and social situations, she said.

“We included some recipes for special treats and cocktails, with the idea that it’s not all about nausea and weight loss and sore mouths,” she said. “There are times for enjoying more decadent and fun recipes. So we included lobster pot pie, cakes, cupcakes, and special alcoholic beverages.

“We wanted to end with something uplifting. People are likely to have the chance to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and other special events during the course of their treatment, and we want them to know it’s fine to indulge sometimes.”

source: bostonglobe

Colour-blindness: Key facts and info

2013-04-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine a world without colour? Well there are a number of Indian’s who suffer from a condition that makes it impossible to see all or some colours. With the recent news that a large number of BEST bus drivers in Mumbai have been found to be suffering from color-blindness, it’s alarming how we haven’t had many more accidents. Although colour-blindness is not an alarming condition, it is important to know about it.

According to statistics approximately 13,956 people from different regions in India, suffer from colour-blindness. This number is fairly low compared to nations such as Japan, Great Britain or France.

What is colour blindness?

It is a condition where a person cannot figure out the difference between certain colours. This happens because he/she may be born without certain color sensitive pigments in their eyes. These pigments are usually present in the cones of the eye, which are present at the back of the eyeball.

Who does it affect?

Colour-blindness is a hereditary condition that affects mostly the male population. The gene that causes colour-blindness is present on the X chromosome. Since women have two X chromosomes and men have only one, they are more likely to suffer from the condition.

How does it happen?

Eye-anatomy. The eye has a number of components, and one of the most important parts of the eye is the retina. The retina is placed at the back of the eyeball and is packed with nerve endings that carry impulses to the brain along with two types of photoreceptor cells, called the rods and cones. The rods are mainly responsible for perceiving the presence of light and are placed on the outer edge of the retina. The central part is filled with cones. Cones have a number of pigments that help it perform its main function of helping us see colours. These pigments have a different wavelength which when activated helps us perceive a colour.The three main colours that these pigments are sensitive to are– green, blue and red . In the case of colour-blind people, because of the deficiency of certain pigments, they are unable to see these colours. For example what we may see as red, they may see as light green or grey, depending on the type of colour blindness they are suffering from.

Types of colour blindness:

There are mainly three types of colour blindness, the most common type is red-green colour- blindness. People who suffer from this can most often not see green, red and blue.

Monochromatism: In this condition the person can only perceive one type of color. This means that only one type of cone is present in the eye.
Dichromatism: Here the person can see only two colours. Therefore he would have only two types of cones, the third variant would be completely missing.
Anomalous trichomatism: In this condition where the person has all three types of cones but they either malfunctioning or are less in number. People with this kind of colour blindness usually can see a smaller spectrum of colours.

Can a person become colour-blind later in life?

Although colour-blindness is usually an inherited disease, there are certain conditions of the eye that could lead to colour-blindness. Conditions such as cataract can lead to ‘acquired colour-blindness’. Usually a person’s vision comes back to normal once the condition has been reversed with surgery.

Symptoms of colour-blindness:

The most glaring symptom of colour-blindness is the inability to see certain colours. For instance you might be able to see red and green but might not be able to see colours like blue and yellow.
You might be able to see only a few shades of a colour, while most people can see a large variety of colours.
In rare cases you might be able to see only black, white and grey.

Diagnosis of colour-blindness

Since colour-blindness affects a person from childhood , they usually don’t know that they suffer from the condition. In children it is particularly more difficult to diagnose the condition because they learn the colors of objects and apply the same technique when they are given a test for colour-blindness. There are variations to the two main tests used to diagnose the condition.

Ishihara Test: This is the most common test used to diagnose colour-blindness. It involves using a set of cards that have circles of various colours on them. Each circle is made up of a number of coloured dots. A colour-blind person would not be able to figure out the number in the center. A peadiatric version of this test has also been made, mainly for children who cannot read numbers.

Ishihara_plates

Lantern test: This is a test used for people who are either working with or seeking a job in sectors where they have to drive or operate heavy machinery etc. It is usually prescribed to those people who will require the ability to accurately identify colours of lights etc for safety reasons.

Treatment options for colour-blind people

There is currently no treatment available for colour-blindness, but there are measures that can help people with the condition. One innovation in this field is the production of ‘light filtering lenses’. These lenses are made so that a person suffering from the condition is able to see all colours. The lenses help filter the colour of light they cannot see, thereby helping them see all colours. Although in the preliminary stages, this is not widely available.

Driving and colour-blindness:

Driving for someone who is coulour-blind could be down right dangerous. As a driver it is not only important that you are able to differentiate between the different colours in a traffic light, you also have to be able to see the colours of the lights of the vehicle in front of you.For example, a vehicle that is stopping will flash a red light and if the driver is reversing he will flash a yellow light. Not being able to differentiate colours could be life threatening.

11 years girl undergoes open heart surgery in Delhi Hospital

2013-04-25T08:23:00.002-07:00

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) An 11-year-old girl from Africa, who had sickle cell disease, underwent a rare open heart surgery, doctors at a hospital here claimed Thursday.

Ayesha Sadiq was diagnosed with a disorder of the heart valve, which caused outflow of the blood from the right side to be obstructed. She also had sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder.

Sickle cell disease is a condition in which the haemoglobin in the blood is of an abnormal kind, resulting in a high tendency for blood to clot within the body under conditions of stress. This can lead to stroke, renal failure and even death.

The girl was operated upon by surgeons at the BLK Super Specialty Hospital.

According to Neeraj Bhalla, senior consultant, cardiologist, at BLK, though a procedure was carried out without any complications, the result was not too satisfactory. That is what compelled them to go for open heart surgery.

"Even after our continuous efforts, there was no decline of the obstruction across the valve. We realized that the child probably had major obstruction and might need open heart surgery," said Bhalla.

"The surgery was that much more risky as it carried a higher threat of blood clotting because of the sickle cell disease," he added.

According to doctors, the entire blood of the girl was changed prior to the surgery and the abnormal blood was drained.

"Open heart surgery then proceeded in routine fashion and recovery was uneventful," said Sushant Srivastava, cardiac surgeon at BLK.

Low-fat Ornish Diet Helps Reverse Heart Disease

2013-04-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Mediterranean diet and the Ornish spectrum reversing heart disease plan both help boost heart health. Which should you choose?

What’s the best diet to keep you healthy through the years or, better yet, reverse health problems caused by decades of poor eating habits? The debate seemed to be settled in February with a landmark study showing that the Mediterranean diet — which includes fat from olive oil, fish, and nuts, and a moderate amount of wine — led to 30 percent fewer heart disease deaths, strokes, and heart attacks than a low-fat diet in people over age 55 who hadn’t yet developed heart disease.

Nutrition researchers who had been extolling the virtues of “heart-healthy” monounsaturated fats and fish oil for decades felt vindicated. But those who had previously demonstrated that very low-fat diets with no vegetable oils or animal fats can help manage diabetes and reverse heart disease weren’t convinced. The control group in the Mediterranean diet study, which was supposed to follow a low-fat diet, didn’t actually adhere to the principles of low-fat eating, they said.

No one disputes the overlapping virtues of both diets: plentiful quantities of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains with virtually no red meat, sweets, or processed snack foods. But is it better for your heart if you sauté those vegetables in olive oil, or steam them? “The two diets have never been compared in head-to-head trials,” said Kathy McManus, director of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

In trying to determine which type of eating plan is best for you and will provide the most protection against heart disease and other ills, consider the following questions.

In the February study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that the Mediterranean diet worked pretty well to lower the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes in a group of nearly 7,500 Spaniards who didn’t have heart disease but were at increased risk: They were overweight and had type 2 diabetes or at least three other heart disease risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Very-low-fat diets, which usually limit fat to 10 to 20 percent of total calories, have largely been tested on populations who already have diseases that could shorten their life span. More than two decades ago, small trials demonstrated that a vegan diet combined with exercise, emotional support, and stress management techniques reduced artery plaque and heart attacks in those with established heart disease. Follow-up studies suggested that the lifestyle plan might keep type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer under control.

“An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure,” said Dr. Dean Ornish, founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., who created the diet and lifestyle program. “If you’re just trying to prevent disease, the Mediterranean diet is fine, but if you’re trying to reverse it, you have to go further.”

Study participants often have a difficult time making significant dietary changes and sticking with them over the long haul.

Ornish’s research included highly motivated patients who were worried about dying from a second heart attack, but even so, about 30 percent of participants quit his program within five years.

In the Mediterranean diet study, getting participants to give up burgers and fries for fish, beans, and quinoa wasn’t easy either, said Dr. Miguel Martínez-González, one of the study coauthors. “We had quarterly visits with participants where the dietitians negotiated small changes to be attained in the next three months,” he said. “There was flexibility.”

What do you hope to accomplish from your eating plan?

If you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease, you might want to try the Ornish plan for reversing disease. Many heart patients also lose significant amounts of weight when they make such an extreme overhaul.

“I’m not going back, and I really don’t miss the meat, chicken, or sweets,” said Michael Rubino, who lost about 40 pounds on the Ornish plan. He’s been on it since last June after he went into cardiac arrest at his Boston gym.

Katherine Tucker, a professor of nutritional epidemiology at Northeastern University in Boston, said it’s possible that the low-fat Ornish plan might be more beneficial for those with heart disease. “People who have had heart attacks might have a genetic predisposition to having more damaging effects on their arteries from higher fat diets,” she said, but more research is needed to confirm this.

She recommends following the Mediterranean diet for heart disease prevention, however, because it’s easier for most people to stick with permanently.

Researchers have also found health benefits such as reversal of hypertension from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. It includes about 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat — somewhat less than the 30 to 40 percent of calories allowed on the Mediterranean diet plan and more than what’s allowed on the Ornish plan. The DASH plan has the same emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains but limits sodium intake and alcohol and emphasizes potassium-rich foods such as bananas. It also includes plenty of animal protein such as lean beef, low-fat dairy, and chicken, so it might be easier for some people to follow.

What type of professional support will you get?

People who participate in clinical trials testing specific diets nearly always get help from dietitians and sometimes even get free food delivered — a far cry from the real world.

Ornish said that people who are most successful at adopting his plan long-term usually require 72 hours of training with an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian. Medicare now offers coverage for these educational sessions for heart disease patients, usually reimbursing about 80 percent of the $80 per hour cost.

The Mediterranean diet may take less time to learn, but still may require a few hours of counseling from a dietitian, said McManus. Medicare and many other insurance plans cover professional counseling four times a year for those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Those who are obese with a body mass index of 30 or greater can also get coverage under a mandate in the federal health law.

“It takes a while to adapt depending on a person’s baseline diet,” McManus said. “Someone may need to switch from butter to olive oil and move from an animal-based meal to a more plant-based one that includes very small amounts of chicken or lean meat.”

How willing are you to make big changes?

Both the Ornish and Mediterranean diets require significant makeovers if you’re following a typical American-style diet, but the Mediterranean diet is likely closer to what you’re already eating now.

“I never feel like I’m depriving myself,” said Abby Sloane, 27, who switched to the Mediterranean diet five years ago and dropped 90 pounds, which she’s kept off. She said it wasn’t too difficult to switch from nachos and chips to whole grains and hummus after finding recipes on the website from the Boston-based nutrition education organization Oldways, where she now works.

“It’s not really a diet; it’s a lifestyle change,” Sloane said. “I didn’t want something that I tried for a few months. I wanted to change my life.”

source: bostonglobe

Isometric Exercises are Most Effective for Lowering Blood Pressure

2013-04-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study finding that isometric resistance training is the most effective exercise to keep blood pressure down.

As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/heart-health-articles/blood-pressure-articles/the-best-exercise-for-lowering-blood-pressure) notes, isometric resistance training involves muscular actions in which the length of the muscles doesn't actually change; in other words, a person won't see their muscles moving or stretching. All the force they apply against their muscles is done in a static way. The muscles are tense, but they don't actually contract like they would when a person lifts a heavy barbell.

As the article "The Best Exercise for Lowering Blood Pressure" reports, when Belgian researchers compared isometric resistance training with other types of resistance training, they found that this form triggered the greatest drop in systolic blood pressure.

The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article states that isometric resistance exercises have other benefits going for them besides lowering blood pressure. High-tech equipment, which can be very pricey, and an expensive gym membership aren't needed for isometric resistance. The exercises also tend to be fairly safe to perform compared to other types of resistance training, as they don't have a history of causing injuries.

source: fitness.broadwayworld

What role does iodine play in the body?

2013-04-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

Q. What is iodine?
A. is a non-metallic, blackish-grey element that is essential for good health. In its free form, iodine is a gas, However, in nature, it is found as a compound.

Q. What role does iodine play in the body?
A. Iodine is necessary for the formation of two hormones produced by the thyroid gland - the largest of the endocrine glands in the body, located in the front and sides of the neck around the windpipe. The thyroid gland produces hormones which are vita! for growth, reproduction, nerve formation and mental health, bone formation, the manufacture of proteins, and a cell's oxidative processes. These hormones serve as the major regulators of energy metabolism in the body.

Q. Is iodine used to treat any diseases?
A. Iodine is used to treat iodine-deficiency goitre and to protect the thyroid gland against radiation damage.

Q. Radiation damage? From X-rays
A. No, from a nuclear accident or in the event of nuclear war. Radioactive iodines are released into the environment following such events. They can enter the body and accumulate in the thyroid gland, where they remain for varying periods of time. Radioactive iodine can cause thyroid cancer. However, loading up the thyroid gland -with non-radioactive iodine prior to or as soon as possible after a nuclear accident can reduce radio-iodine uptake by the thyroid to practically nil.

Q Is iodine used for any other health problems?
A Some researchers believe that fibrocystic problems of the breast - painful swelling and lumpiness prior to menstruation - are the result of iodine deficiency. One Canadian study found that the majority of women with ; painful, lumpy breasts experienced complete relief from .. their symptoms after being treated with iodine for four : months. Most doctors, however, believe more research needs to be done in this area before iodine can be recommended for this problem.

Some iodine-containing compounds, such as supersaturated potassium iodine, are helpful in breaking up dogged mucus in breathing tubes. These are drugs that require a doctor's prescription. Iodine is also a mild antiseptic.

Sources
Kelp, fish, shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, the thyroid glands of animals, and iodized salt

Signs of Deficiency
Chronic fatigue, apathy, dry skin, intolerance to cold, weight gain and enlargement of the thyroid.
Cretinism is a serious physical and mental disorder due to severe iodine deficiency from birth; It was once common in Switzerland and still occurs in Bangladesh.

It can be entirely eliminated by adding small amounts of iodine to the diet, usually in salt.

Risks for Deficiency
A milk-free or salt-restricted diet, or one lacking in seafood.
Possible/e Toxicity Problems

Elemental iodine - the kind that's used as an antiseptic — can be deadly even in amounts as small as 2 grams. Supplements contain a less toxic form, usually potassium iodine, either by itself or in combination with other vitamins and minerals. Several milligrams daily of iodine compounds have been linked with thyroid problems or inflammation of the salivary glands. If a person needs iodine, he or she should be under medical care and the iodine should be specifically prescribed.

Great Health Benefits of Wormwood Herbs

2013-04-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

Wormwood is an aromatic, bitter, hairy perennial herb. It has effect and ribbed stems, 30 to 90 cm high. It has egg shaped leaves, 2.5 to 5 cm long which are hairy on both sides unequally into segments. It also has numerous, minute yellow dropping flower heads and small, dry and single seeded fruit.

The Latin name of the herb comes from the Greek goddess Artemis who took care of women during childbirth. It helped to bring on periods and could be used externally as a compress during labor to expel the placenta.

The active principles of Indian wormwood consist of volatile oil which has an odor resembling cajuput oil and camphor, santonnin and an allied body artemisin

Healing Power and Curative Properties
The whole herb is used medicinally, but its leaves are preferred. The fresh plant is considered more efficacious that a dry one. The herb is tonic, useful in strengthening the functioning the stomach and promoting its action. It stimulates appetite, the digestive juices, peristalsis or movement of the bowels the liver and gall bladder. True to its name, it also expels intestinal worms, especially round and threads worms.

Intestinal Worms
Wormwood had been used by ancient Greek, Roman, Arab and Persian to expel intestinal worms. The flowering tops have been and still used in the Tibbi medicine in India as a drug to kill intestinal worms. They are usually powdered and administered in 8 to 16 gram for roundworms and tapeworms.

The oil distilled from the plant also possesses the property to kill worms. Mixed with eight times its weight of olive oil, it can be given in doses of 50 to 100 grams. An infusion of the herb can be given for killing worms in the rectum.

Bilious Disorders
The herb is essential in the treatment of bilious melancholia besides depressing the yellow bile of jaundice from the skin. An infusion of the herb or its powder can be given in small doses

Skin Disorders
Wormwood helps disperse or absorb a tumor or any other coagulated fluid in case of skin diseases. It also acts as an antiseptic and cleanser. It can be pickled in vinegar and applied with beneficial results to sprains and bruises.

Other Diseases
Wormwood is also useful in several other diseases such as atonic diseases of the digestive system, nocturnal pollutions or ejaculations without the sex act, involuntarily during sleep without any erotic dream, anemia wasting diseases and general debility. It should be given in small doses of 0.756 to 1.25 decigrams in such treatments. The essential oil of the herb is used as a cardiac and respiratory stimulant.

Precautions: The drug should be avoided during pregnancy and if needed, should be taken only for short periods.

Dementia more costly than cancer or heart disease treatment

2013-04-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

The latest buzz on the medical scene is that dementia treatment is more costly than cancer and heart disease. According to globalpost published today, “Cancer and heart disease are bigger killers, but Alzheimer's is the most expensive malady in the U.S., costing families and society $157 billion to $215 billion a year, according to a new study that looked at this in unprecedented detail. The biggest cost of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia isn't drugs or other medical treatments, but the care that's needed just to get mentally impaired people through daily life, the nonprofit RAND Corp.'s study found.”

Globalpost goes on to say, “Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Dementia also can result from a stroke or other diseases. It is rapidly growing in prevalence as the population ages. Current treatments only temporarily ease symptoms and don't slow the disease. Patients live four to eight years on average after an Alzheimer's diagnosis, but some live 20 years. By age 80, about 75 percent of people with Alzheimer's will be in a nursing home compared with only 4 percent of the general population, the Alzheimer's group says.”

According to Alzheimer’s Society, “Dementia is an umbrella term. It describes the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by certain diseases or conditions. There are many different types of dementia although some are far more common than others. They are often named according to the condition that has caused the dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by chemical and structural changes in the brain.

Vascular dementia occurs when not enough oxygen is getting to the brain; brain cells die and a series of strokes may occur.

Dementia with Lewy bodies is caused by, “tiny spherical structures that develop inside nerve cells. Their presence in the brain leads to the degeneration of brain tissue.”

Fronto-temporal dementia is caused by damage to the front part of the brain and rather than affecting memory it affects personality and behavior.

Korsakoff syndrome “is a brain disorder that is usually associated with heavy drinking over a long period. Although it is not strictly speaking a dementia, people with the condition experience loss of short term memory.”

Creutzfeldt Jacob disease occurs when infectious agents evade the nervous system and then travel up to the brain.

The Alzheimer’s Society goes on to say that, “There are many other rarer causes of dementia, including progressive supranuclear palsy and Binswanger's disease. People with multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease can also be at an increased risk of developing dementia.”

source: examiner

How Nutrient ‘affects heart health'

2013-04-08T08:11:00.002-07:00

A RED meat nutrient sold as a supplement for weight loss and muscle growth may damage the heart and arteries, new research suggests.
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Capsules of L-carnitine are widely available in health food stores and online.

They are advertised as a fat-burning slimming aid and powerful muscle builder - and are also said to help people with heart conditions.

But new research indicates a link between L-carnitine and heart disease. It may be a key reason why eating too much red meat can damage the heart, separate from the effects of saturated fat or cholesterol, say experts.

The studies show that L-carnitine is broken down by certain gut bacteria to produce a potentially harmful compound, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO).

Scientists found that high levels of L-carnitine in the blood were associated with heart disease, but only in individuals with raised TMAO.

Omnivorous individuals were found to produce more TMAO than vegetarians and vegans after consuming L-carnitine.

This suggests that, as well as containing L-carnitine, red meat favours the growth of gut bacteria that use the nutrient as an energy source, said the researchers.

A study of 2595 patients undergoing heart check-ups showed "significant dose-dependent associations" between L-carnitine levels and the risk of coronary artery disease.

Links were also seen between L-carnitine and major events such as heart attacks, strokes and death.

In mice, L-carnitine supplements markedly increased TMAO levels and artery damage, but not if their gut bacteria was suppressed.

The scientists, led by Dr Stanley Hazen from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, US, wrote in the journal Nature Medicine: "Discovery of a link between L-carnitine ingestion, gut microbiota metabolism and CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk has broad health-related implications.

"Our studies reveal a new pathway potentially linking dietary red meat ingestion with atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)."

source: heraldsun

Gum disease on the go

2013-04-08T08:08:00.002-07:00

Gum disease affects four out of five people in Ireland, but many may be unaware they have the condition because there are often no symptoms in the early stages, dental health professionals have warned.

They have just launched a new medical information leaflet aimed at raising awareness of the disease.

According to Dr Steve Kerrigan, of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), gum disease is a chronic infection of the tissues surrounding the teeth. This can lead to red, swollen and tender gums.

"When most people think of a healthy smile, they picture straight white teeth. Many people never stop to consider the health of the gums and bone supporting the teeth that allow for a nice smile.

"Over time, the inflammation as a result of gum disease causes the gums and bones surrounding the teeth to recede and teeth to fall out, changing the overall look of a person's face, mouth and smile," he explained.

Gum disease is often considered a ‘silent disease' because many people have no symptoms in the early stages and do not realise they have a problem until it becomes more severe. Symptoms can include swollen gums, bleeding gums - particularly after brushing - pain when biting food and gums that appear pulled away or low down from the teeth.

The leaflet was launched by the RCSI, the Irish Dental Hygienists Association (IDHA) and Dublin Dental University Hospital. It emphasises that gum disease can affect general health and is thought to be a risk factor for other serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Gum disease worsens as a person gets older and some common lifestyle factors, such as smoking and obesity, can cause it.

"By maintaining your dental health, not only are you helping to support your overall health, but also ensuring your smile lasts a lifetime," commented IDHA president, Susan Johnston.

She recommended that people brush their teeth and gums twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and floss once a day. Sugary snacks between meals should be avoided and people should visit their dentist and dental hygienist at least once a year.

The leaflet is now available in dental surgeries, hospital cardio departments and pharmacies nationwide.

source: irishhealth

Best Post Workout Snack Recovery Diet Ideas

2013-04-04T09:44:00.002-07:00

Post a good workout you need a good workout snack to help your body recover, rebuild your muscles and get back to shape. It is advisable to consume a post workout snack rich in proteins in 30 minutes of your workout. Priya Kathpal, Nutritionist with BCube Advanced Sports Nutrition gives you seven post workout snack ingredients that will pump your body’s recovery mode. She gives you seven post workout snack ingredients and why they are beneficial for you.

Scientifically, there are several reasons why a post workout snack helps the body (Via):

* Replenish muscle glycogen that was depleted during your workout.

* Reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.

* Increase muscle protein synthesis.

* Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.

* Greatly enhance overall recovery.

* Reduce cortisol levels.

Expert Speak on post workout snack

“Muscle grows on proteins but when it comes to using energy, good quality carbohydrates are the way to go. Right combination of these two would help build the muscles,” explains nutritionist, Priya.

She lists out these foods that can help you post the workout, “Some of the foods that are great muscle builders are…”

Eggs – possesses extremely high biological value thus a large amount of protein absorbed from eggs is readily available for use in the body.

Eggs are extremely versatile ingredient and you prepare about snack with it.

Mackerel – higher omega 3 content helps reduce the inflammation in the muscle generated post an intense work out, also rich in proteins.

There are several fishes and vegetarian ingredients that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. But mackerel has the highest amount of Omega 3 hence it recommended to consume dishes prepared with mackerel.

Low fat cottage cheese – contains a specific protein known as casein which provides a sustained protein release so great for night time to make sure your muscle does not go hungry while you are sleeping.

Lentils – contains loads of fiber and slow burning carbohydrates that can provide energy to your muscles for a long time.

Lentils are part of most Indian foods and all for the right reasons. If you workout then a good lentil dish can take care of the muscles in the body.

Almonds – contains more proteins and fiber than most of the nuts, rich in vitamin E which helps fight the free radicals, high levels of B vitamins helping the energy metabolism; in short a perfect adjunct to any muscle building diet.

What's better for high intensity exercise - water or sports drinks?

It is right to say that sports drinks do a better job of hydration than water. Dehydration during exercise is caused due to sweating in which water and body’s electrolytes are lost. During exercise sweating occurs so as to maintain the core temperature of the body. Carbohydrate stores of the body are also depleted during exercise as the muscles use the glycogen stored in them as well as that of the liver.

Sports drinks are made up of water, salt, electrolytes, glucose or glucose polymers and fructose. Glucose and salt increase the absorb-ability or uptake of water in the body. The absorption of plain water as compared to the sports drinks is less and therefore, sports drinks improve hydration.

There are two main factors which affect the uptake of a drink or fluid in the body

* The speed at which it is emptied from the stomach

* The rate at which it is absorbed through the walls of the small intestine.

Glucose in the drink will prevent blood glucose levels to fall too low and also help to maintain body’s glycogen stores. Sodium and potassium are the main electrolytes which help maintain the hydration and reduce urine output.

Zapping brain with magnets may cure cocaine addiction

2013-04-04T09:11:00.001-07:00

Stimulating a certain part of the brain with magnets can wipe away cocaine addiction, scientists claim.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have shown that by stimulating a part of the brain with laser light, they can wipe away addictive behaviour in rats - or conversely turn non-addicted rats into compulsive cocaine seekers.

"When we turn on a laser light in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex, the compulsive cocaine seeking is gone," said Antonello Bonci, scientific director of the intramural research programme at the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), where the work was done.

The study demonstrates the central role the prefrontal cortex plays in compulsive cocaine addiction. It also suggests a new therapy that could be tested immediately in humans, said Billy Chen of NIDA, the lead author of the study.

Any new human therapy would not be based on using lasers, but would most likely rely on electromagnetic stimulation outside the scalp, in particular a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), researchers said.

To test whether altering the activity in this brain region could impact addiction, Chen and his colleagues employed a technique called optogenetics to shut the brain activity on and off using a laser.

First they took light-sensitive proteins called rhodopsins and used genetic engineering to insert them into neurons in the rat's prefrontal cortex. Activating this region with a laser tuned to the rhodopsins turned the nerve cells on and off.

Turning on these cells wiped out the compulsive behaviour, while switching them off turned the non-addicted ones intoaddicted, researchers found.

What's exciting, said Bonci, is that there is a way to induce a similar activation of the prelimbic cortex in people through a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which applies an external electromagnetic field to the brain and has been used as a treatment for symptoms of depression.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

source: indianexpress

DOH upgrades H7N9 status to class 5 disease

2013-04-04T09:07:00.004-07:00

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Department of Health (DOH) announced yesterday that H7N9 influenza has been listed as a Category V Notifiable Infectious Disease given the number of cases of the virus reported in mainland China.

The DOH also said that a Central Epidemic Command Center for H7N9 influenza has been established in order to closely monitor the situation in Taiwan.

There have so far been nine confirmed H7N9 influenza cases reported in China, including three fatalities and four people in critical condition.

Chang Feng-yih, director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said that listing H7N9 influenza as a Category V Notifiable Infectious Disease was to ensure effective risk communication and a rapid response to the situation.

“The epidemic prevention in Taiwan has been raised to Level 3 according to the classification of the World Health Organization,” said Chang, “and so far there have been no confirmed H7N9 cases reported in Taiwan.”

“According to information that I received,” Chang said, “Taiwan is the first country to list H7N9 influenza as a notifiable infectious disease.”

According to the DOH, when doctors discover a patient meets the definition of a Category V Notifiable Infectious Disease, doctors have to report to health authorities within 24 hours and request the patient receive isolated medical treatment. If the patient passes away, the remains of the patient must be cremated within 24 hours.

Epidemic Prevention

CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Chih-hau (周志浩) said that the CDC has reinforced quarantine activities at airports and seaports and strengthened fever screening of travelers arriving from China, especially Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai and Nanjing where confirmed H7N9 cases were reported. “The CDC has also notified the health care sector to stay vigilant against H7N9 influenza,” Chou said, “and report patients that meet the case definition of H7N9 influenza.”

“There are 22 hospitals nationwide listed (as disease control centers) with 471 isolation wards available to handle a possible outbreak of H7N9,” said Chou.

Chou also said that even though H5N1 and H7N9 are similar viruses, the reason why H7N9 influenza has been listed as a Category V Notifiable Infectious Disease is that medical experts so far do not know much about H7N9 and the government will have more flexibility to handle any situation caused by a Category V Notifiable Infectious Disease.

Travelers Included in H7N9 Monitoring System

Deputy Health Department Director Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延) said that all the quarantine activities conducted at airports and seaports are the same for visitors from China and Taiwanese citizens who return from China.

“However, the incubation period for H7N9 influenza is seven days,” Lin said, “so people, including international travelers, still have to monitor their own health conditions for any symptoms that meet the definition of H7N9 influenza.“

Lin said that the DOH has been educating managers of group-guided tours to keep an eye on the health conditions of travelers that they are responsible for. If any travelers show symptoms associated with H7N9 influenza, tour managers should immediately take the travelers to a hospital.

source: chinapost

How salt affects your heart health

2013-03-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Salt is an important ingredient in our diet as it plays a vital role in water retention, muscle contraction, and contains nutrients that are vital to the digestive system. Too little sodium in the body can result in dehydration because the cells are unable to retain water. On the other hand, too much sodium in one’s diet from salty foods may increase the risk of high blood pressure. So the primary question is - How much salt is too much for your body? Dr. (Col)Anil Dhall, who was a Senior Interventional Cardiologist takes us through this in detail:

According to American guidelines, the human body only requires about half a gram of sodium per day to regulate the fluid balance of cells and plasma. Salt is generally nontoxic to adults, provided it is excreted properly. The maximum amount of sodium that should be incorporated into a healthy diet should range from 2,400-3,000 mg/day.

However, the average man consumes at least nine grams of sodium per day, with many eating more than 12 grams on a daily basis. Therefore, most of us need to reduce our salt intake.

Impact of salt intake on heart health

Too much sodium intake can lead to water retention in the blood increasing blood pressure too. Normally, the kidney flushes this excess water from the body. However, sometimes, kidneys are unable to function properly and find it difficult to expel the excess fluid sufficiently out of the body, thereby leading to fluid retention. This increases the volume of blood being pumped through the blood vessels and can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension).

In an effort to pump the extra fluid through the body, the heart may also become dilated or enlarged. Moreover, with this condition the cells in the heart don't work as well as they should because they are not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. Over time, the damage caused by extra blood pressure may become so severe that the arteries burst or become completely clogged. If this happens, then the part of the heart that was receiving the blood no longer gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs, and dies. The result is a heart attack.

Thus, overweight people who eat too much salt are at a greater risk of heart disease or stroke and people with high blood pressure are at a greater risk of damaging their kidneys.

Strategies for reducing salt intake

Salt when added during cooking, used as a seasoning in restaurants, or taken in processed foods; increases the sensitivity of people towards heart ailments. Since the body only requires about 500 milligrams per day, naturally occurring sodium in fruits and vegetables may be enough to sustain good body function.

Therefore, the following suggestions are offered for reducing one’s sodium intake by reducing one’s use of salt:

Avoid prepared foods as much as possible or read food labels and look for reduced – sodium varieties of your favorite foods.

Take the salt shaker off the table.

Use seasonings and spices other than salt. Alternative flavors and spices such as lemon juice, vinegar, peppers, onion, and fresh herbs to season food are of great help.

Replace canned, frozen and other processed foods with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Limit consumption of salty snacks like peanuts and potato chips.

Use unsalted butter rather than regular butter.

Select low–fat, low–sodium cheese and yogurt.

Eat bananas and other potassium–rich foods. These foods help balance sodium levels.

source: healthmeup

Oesophageal cancer genes identified

2013-03-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

US scientists have discovered mutations in 26 genes that may cause oesophageal cancer in the biggest genetic analysis yet of this aggressive cancer.

Their work, which is reported in today's Nature Genetics reveals common mutations that may be specifically targeted by new drugs.

The scientists unravelled the genetic code of tumour cells from 149 patients, which they compared to healthy cells to identify a mutation signature for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).

This type of cancer of the oesophagus or gullet, the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach, has a five-year survival rate of only about 15-20 per cent.

EAC often originates from a disease called Barrett's oesophagus, which in turn is caused by chronic acid reflux.

Incidence of the cancer has increased by 600 per cent over the last 30 years - particularly in Western countries, the study authors write.

Oesophageal cancer affects about 1200 people in Australia each year - and a total of 400,000 worldwide.

"Finding the mutations helps us understand what makes the cancer tick," says study co-author Adam Bass of the Harvard Medical School.

"It can also help us find new therapies."

Acid damage?

Cancer develops when a human cell's DNA is mutated so that its normal function is disrupted and it starts growing and spreading out of control.

Mutations of different genes have been implicated in different cancers, but there are also vast differences even among people with the same form of the disease.

"We looked at which genes were mutated more frequently than would be expected by chance," says Bass.

"In doing so, we found 26 genes that may be contributing to this cancer type."

The team found a frequent repetition of one particular type of mutation, suggesting it may be caused by some sort of exposure - perhaps linked to acid reflux disease.

"Why this is especially interesting is that the rates of oesophageal adenocarcinoma have risen greatly in the last several decades," says Bass.

"We suspect that there may be some factor in the reflux which is causing this specific type of DNA damage.

"If this is so and we can pin down what type of specific factor is responsible for these mutations, we may be able to develop new approaches to prevent these cancers or at least to diagnose them at an earlier point."

source: abc.net.au

Vitamin B-12 most essential part of healthy diet

2013-03-19T08:31:00.003-07:00

Meat is a good source of Vitamin B-12

Call it hypocobalaminemia. Think of it as the snake in the grass.

But all you need to remember is B-12.

A lack of this vitamin, absorbed from meat, eggs, milk and cheese, is crucial for red blood cell production. Without enough of these oxygen-carriers, a person could feel weak and tired, experience numbness in hands and feet, have balance problems, feel joint pain and become short of breath. Vitamin B deficiency in its extreme form can cause depression, paranoia, memory loss, incontinence and loss of taste and smell.

Who is at risk? More and more people all the time. And the truly unfortunate part is that measures to control weight and eat healthfully can cause you to get less B-12 and therefore become sick. Vegetarian diets and weight-loss surgery are big culprits.

Plants don’t make Vitamin B-12, which puts vegans at high risk if they don’t eat grains fortified with it or take a vitamin supplement. Weight-loss surgeries that impede absorption — such as gastric bypass — can also cause low B-12. People with celiac or Crohn’s disease have a problem, often, as do people who take a lot of heartburn medication, because they reduce stomach acid and stomach acid is needed to absorb B-12.

In addition to those risk factors, anyone over 50 and people who take the diabetes drug metformin should be aware of this.

While a doctor may be able to assess a person’s individual level of risk, a blood test is the only way to determine if it’s an issue.

B-12 deficiency is corrected with either weekly shots or daily high-dose supplements.

A standard multivitamin usually contains 6 mcg, which is more than enough for the average person (2.4 mcg).

Sources: Harvard health letter; Web MD