Greetings on New Years Day

Wishing you all

the warmth and cheer

of the Holiday Season

today and always.
Happy new Year!

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3 easy ways to soothe stiff joints

Good morning friends. Don’t you hate it when you get out of bed with a pain in your head, neck, and back? So before you nod off, do a quick posture check. There are three positions that help the ease strain on these body parts...

Poses for relaxation

According to researchers, joint-friendly sleeping habits can help protect creaky body parts from developing a crick. Choose one of these postures: - If you sleep on your back, put a small pillow under your knees. - If you sleep on your side, avoid tucking your neck and chin into the fetal position. - If you sleep on your stomach, put a pillow under one side of your body, so your head and neck aren’t strained.

Did you know?

Rather than popping pills, eat healthy to reduce the risk of arthritis. Have a cup of green tea. It is great for bone cartilage. You can also make a daily routine of having a bowl of salad before each meal. It does a whole lot of good for your hands and knees. – The Times of India

Steroid jabs delay diabetic retinopathy

Good morning friends. A new study has revealed that injecting steroids into the eye can significantly reduce progression of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss and blindness.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy occurs when new blood vessels form on the optic disc or another component of the retina. Controlling blood glucose levels can help prevent the development of retinopathy and laser treatments can reduce the risk of vision loss, but the identification of other treatments remains desirable.

The researchers showed that steroid injections interfered with the creation of new blood vessels, possibly by reducing the production of compounds that spur their growth.

During the study, lead researcher Dr Neil M. Bressler, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore analyzed 840 eyes of 693 participants who had macular edema, a leakage of fluid into part of the retina that occurs in many cases of retinopathy.

Eyes were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: photocoagulation (a laser treatment that destroys blood vessels) or a 1-milligram or 4-milligram injection of triamcinolone acetonide directly into the eye as often as every four months.

After two years, the research team found that retinopathy had progressed in 31 percent of 330 eyes treated with photocoagulation, 29 percent of 256 eyes treated with 1-milligram doses of triamcinolone acetonide and 21 percent of 254 eyes treated with 4-milligram doses.

These differences appeared to be sustained at three years. "Use of this intravitreal [injected into the eye] corticosteroid preparation to reduce the likelihood of progression of retinopathy is not warranted at this time because of the increased risk of glaucoma and cataract associated with intravitreal steroid use," the authors write.

"Any treatment to be used routinely to prevent proliferative diabetic retinopathy likely needs to be relatively safe because the condition already can be treated successfully and safely with panretinal photocoagulation.

“Nevertheless, further investigation with regard to the role of pharmacotherapy for reduction of the incidence of progression of retinopathy appears to be warranted," they added. – The Times of India

The study appears in journal Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Exercise shows opposing effects on appetite

Good morning friends. Exercise seems to simultaneously make people hungrier, yet more readily satisfied by a meal -- and differences in these responses from person to person may help explain why some exercisers shed pounds more easily than others, researchers say.

In a study of 58 overweight and obese adults who started an exercise regimen, researchers found that exercise tended to boost participants' hunger before a meal, compared with their sedentary days.

On the other hand, they were also more easily satisfied by their morning meal than they had been before becoming active.

But while both effects were generally at work across the study group, there were subtler differences between participants who were more successful in their weight loss and those whose extra pounds stubbornly hung on.

In general, exercisers who did not meet their expected weight loss were both hungrier after fasting -- that is, right before breakfast -- and throughout the day, compared with their hunger ratings at the study's start.

In contrast, those who were more successful in shedding pounds generally saw their pre-breakfast appetites increase after becoming active. But they were not hungrier throughout the day.

"The reason that some people are more successful (at weight loss) could be due to a lesser increase in appetite and the prevention of an increase in food intake," lead researcher Dr. Neil King, an associate professor at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, told Reuters Health in an email.

But the bottom line for new exercisers, he said, is that they should not throw in the towel if they start feeling more hungry than normal -- or fail to shed as many pounds as they'd been hoping.

Other research shows that exercise has health benefits -- like improved cardiovascular fitness, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol -- even if weight loss is modest.

For the current study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, King's team had 58 overweight men and women go through a 12-week supervised exercise regimen designed to burn 500 calories per session.

At the beginning and end of the study, participants were given a breakfast of cereal and toast, and were asked to rate their hunger before the meal, immediately after and throughout the rest of the day.

After 12 weeks, 32 participants had lost the expected amount of weight based on the calories they burned during exercise; 26 had not. On average, both groups showed a revved up appetite before breakfast on week 12, but daily hunger was greater in those who had not lost a substantial amount of weight.

Both groups of exercisers, though, seemed to be more readily satisfied by their breakfast than they had been before becoming active.

It's not clear why these two different appetite effects arise from exercise. But physical activity, while spurring hunger, may also boost the sensitivity of the body's fullness-signaling system, according to King's team.

"The key messages," King said, "are exercise is good for you, don't expect unrealistic weight loss and don't give up exercising just because of lower-than-expected weight loss." - Indian Express

Alcohol can cut risk of men's heart problem

Good morning friends. Most men usually drink alcohol. Even young ones do that. Some parents advice their children especially boys that they should not get use to drink alcohol as it is bad in the body. But there is a study that alcohol can cut risk of men’s heart problem.

Alcohol lovers have now one more excuse to say 'cheers' every day, as a new research said it can cut the risk of heart problems by almost a third in men.

The Spanish research involving more than 15,500 men and 26,000 women found that those who have about four to ten units a day can apparently even halve their risk – regardless of whether they opt for beer, wine or spirits.

Women can get some benefits too, said the study published in Heart journal, although more testing is needed.

The research involved men and women aged between 29 and 69, who were asked to document their lifetime drinking habits and followed for 10 years.

Crucially the research team claim to have eliminated the "sick abstainers" risk by differentiating between those who had never drunk and those whom ill-health had forced to quit.

This has been used in the past to explain fewer heart-related deaths among drinkers on the basis that those who are unhealthy to start with are less likely to drink, the BBC reported.
The exact mechanisms are as yet unclear, but it is known that alcohol helps to raise high-density lipoproteins, sometimes known as good cholesterol, which helps stop so-called bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries.

The study was conducted in Spain, a country with relatively high rates of alcohol consumption and low rates of coronary heart disease.

However, British experts warn the claims must not be seen as a green light to over-indulge.
Cathy Ross, of the British Heart Foundation, said:

"While alcohol could offer limited protection to one organ, abuse of it can damage the heart and other organs, such as the liver, pancreas and brain."

Robert Sutton, professor of surgery at Liverpool University, said the study had "several flaws" and must not be taken to mean high levels of alcohol can improve health.

They warned that heavy drinking can increase the risk of other diseases, as alcohol responsible for 1.8 million deaths globally per year. – Indian Express

Turmeric may help offer treatments for colon cancer, psoriasis, alzheimer's

Good morning friends. Maybe many don’t know that Turmeric may help offer treatments for colon cancer, psoriasis, alzheimer. But indeed it help.

Curcumin, an ingredient commonly found in yellow curry, is being viewed as a promising disease-fighter. Scientists are working on developing nano-sized capsules containing the curry ingredient in an effort to improve its absorption and effectiveness in the body.

Curcumin is a potent antioxidant found in the Indian spice called turmeric.

The research team is developing nano-size capsule that would boost the body's uptake of curcumin and help fight several diseases.

Trials are underway to test its safety and effectiveness in fighting colon cancer, psoriasis, and alzheimer's disease.

The digestive juice in the gastrointestinal tract quickly destroys curcumin so that little actually gets into the blood.

It is already known that encapsulating insulin and certain other drugs into structures called liposomes can boost absorption.

The scientists prepared the liposomes encapsulating curcumin and fed them to laboratory rats.
They found that encapsulating more than quadrupled absorption of curcumin, and also boosted antioxidant levels in the blood.

The researchers said that encapsulating process could be an answer to the problem of increasing curcumin's absorption in the digestive environment of the gastrointestinal tract.

The study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication. – Indian Express

Snoring may help diagnose sleep disorder

Good morning friends. Some of the people have a sleeping habit like snoring. Snoring may help diagnose sleep disorder.

Researchers have developed a computer programme, which can analyze the snoring pattern of people to help diagnose a specific sleep disorder.

Doctors at University of Queensland and the Princess Alexandra Hospital assessed the snoring of 20 patients with sleep apnoea by first recording it. Similarly, they observed another 66 potential patients.

It was found that the recordings diagnosed the condition successfully in 94 per cent of cases. "An accurate device to diagnose sleep apnoea from recordings of snoring would be extremely helpful," the Telegraph quoted Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert as saying.

"Many patients are told about their snoring by their bed partner, but some can go years not even realizing there is a problem, only that they are constantly exhausted.”This (method) seems to be very accurate for low level sleep apnoea.

"Such a device this could also mean that we are forced to revise upwards the number of people that we think have this condition.”At the moment the only thing many GPs think they know about this illness is that it affects fat, middle-aged men, which suggests many cases among people who do not fit that profile are not being picked up," the expert added.

Sleep apnoea can turn dangerous being linked to increased risk of high blood pressure and heart attack. The results of the study were presented at the Australasian Sleep Association Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

Fight diabetes with Tai Chi

Good morning friends. There is one good way to fight diabetes. We know that diabetes is a hereditary ailment so we have to be careful for those families who have this kind of disease. For those who were not much of exercise this will make you interested with.

Doing tai chi exercises regularly can help diabetics lower their blood glucose levels, says a new study.

Tai chi is an ancient martial art that combines deep breathing and relaxation with slow, gentle circular movements.

Adults diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, who took part in a tai chi programme two days a week, with three days of home practice for six months, cut down their fasting blood glucose levels, enhanced quality of life, including mental health, vitality and energy.

"Tai chi really has similar effects as other aerobic exercises on diabetic control. Tai chi is a low-impact exercise, less stressful on the bones, joints and muscles than more strenuous exercise," said Beverly Roberts, professor at the University of Florida (UF) College of Nursing.

Roberts studied tai chi's effect on older Korean residents with Rhayun Song of Chungham National University.

Sixty-two participants, mostly Korean women, took part in the study. Half the group participated in at least 80 per cent of two supervised sessions one hour per week, with three days of home practice for six months, and the other half served as a control group.

About 23.6 million children and adults in the US or 7.8 per cent of the population have diabetes. It occurs when the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

Risk factors include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, high blood pressure and cholesterol, a history of gestational diabetes and increased age, many of which can be reduced through exercise.

"People assume that for exercise to be beneficial you have to be huffing and puffing, sweating and red-faced afterward," Roberts said.

"This may turn people off, particularly older adults. However, we have found that activities like tai chi can be just as beneficial in improving health."

Those who completed the sessions had significantly improved glucose control and reported higher levels of vitality and energy. - AhmedabadMirror

10 superfoods for shedding weight

Good morning friends. It's time for a new slim-down funda: Eat more to weigh less. Eating the right foods help you shed weight by increasing your calorie burn and cutting down food cravings.

1. Steak : Contrary to popular perception, eating a beef steak may help you drop weight. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women on a diet that included red meat lost more weight than those eating equal calories but little beef. The protein in steak helps you retain muscle mass during weight loss.

2. Eggs : Dig in to eggs, yolks and all: Eggs do not harm your heart, they can help you trim inches. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg with toast and jelly each morning lost twice as much weight as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs, a study from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge reports. Egg protein is filling, so you eat less later in the day.

3. Oats : "Oatmeal has the highest satiety ranking of any food," Grotto says. Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats—even the instant kind—digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar."

4. Lentils : Lentils are a great tummy flattener. "They're high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet (Putnam Adult). Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the abdominal area."

5. Apples : An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay, finds a study from Penn State University at University Park. People who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. Apples are high in fibre—4 to 5 grams each—which makes them filling. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an "apple shape."

6. Chiles : A great reason to spice up your meals: You'll increase your metabolism. A compound in chiles called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chiles. Plus, "you can't gulp down spicy food. Eating slowly gives your brain time to register that your stomach is full, so you won't overeat.

7. Yogurt : Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as the perfect food. With its trifecta of carbs, protein and fat, it can stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. In a study from the University of Tennessee, people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 per cent more fat overall and 81 per cent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without yogurt.

8. Parmesan : Women who had one serving of whole milk or cheese daily were less likely to gain weight over time, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds. Lowfat-dairy fans didn't experience the same benefit. Whole dairy may have more conjugated linoleic acid, which might help your body burn fat.

9. Avocado : Don't let the fat content of an avocado (29 grams) scare you—that's what makes it a top weight loss food. The heart-healthy monounsaturated fat it contains increases satiety.

10. Olive oil : Like avocados, olive oil has healthy fat that increases satiety, taming your appetite. But that's hardly its only slimming feature. Research shows it has anti-inflammatory properties. - The Times of India

Green tea cuts heart disease risk

Good morning friends. Those of you who love to drink tea, specially the green one. You will have a good benefit on that now. Green tea cuts heart disease risk .

Two mugs of green tea every day can significantly reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, claims a new study.

To reach the conclusion, researchers from Okayama University tracked the health of more than 12,000 elderly people living in Japan. The men and women were aged between 65 and 84. In the study, the volunteers were asked to fill out questionnaires on lifestyle factors including details of diet, smoking and alcohol intake, reports The Daily Express.

During the following seven years more than 1,200 of the volunteers died. However, when all questionnaires were analyzed, scientists found that the more green tea the participants had drunk, the less likely they were to have died. This, especially, was true of cardiovascular disease.

Those drinking between 420ml and 560ml a day were up to 75 per cent less likely to have died of heart or circulatory­ disease than those who drank less than one cup each day. The study has been published in the Annals of Epidemiology. - The Times of India

Coffee, alcohol linked to heartbeat issues (2 of 2)

The patients in the study had an average age of 67 and were already receiving treatment for high blood pressure but had no previous signs of atrial fibrillation. They were followed up for an average of 4.8 years, during which time heart scans revealed atrial fibrillation in 5.7 per cent of patients who reported drinking more than ten units a week, compared to 3.9 per cent of patients who drank less or no alcohol at all.

Inger Ariansen, who led the study at Oslo University Hospital, suggested that ten standard drinks could be regarded as a threshold for increased risk of atrial fibrillation, although she pointed out that different countries defined the amount of alcohol contained in a typical drink differently.

The second study, by researchers at the University of Modena, found that drinking more than the equivalent of four espresso shots a day could increase the risk of arrhythmias in people without known heart disease, even if they otherwise had a healthy diet.

Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said that the recommended limits for drinking alcohol a week were formulated to avoid the risk of liver disease and other drink-related health problems. “But there is no doubt that some patients are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol on the heart and it may be that a subset of people who metabolize alcohol differently are at increased risk of atrial fibrillation.”

He added that he was not aware of any direct evidence that drinking caffeine increased the risk of atrial fibrillation, “but it wouldn’t be surprising if you found that”. – The Times of India

Coffee, alcohol linked to heartbeat issues (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. Some people were crazy for drinking coffee and alcohol. Some can’t resist if they saw it or even just have the thought of it. But we have to control ourselves as we are the one will benefit on that.

A new research suggests that drinking more than ten alcoholic drinks a week or four cups of strong coffee each day can increase the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat.

Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Barcelona found that alcohol and caffeine intake can affect the chances of developing an abnormal heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation.

About 46,000 people in Britain are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation every year. The condition greatly increases the risk of having a stroke, heart attack or other cardiac problems.

The study into alcohol, carried out on 8,830 men and women in Britain, Scandinavia and the United States, found that those who drank the equivalent of ten standard drinks — about 15 units a week — had an 80 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with the condition within five years.

The Department of Health advises that men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol a week, and women no more than 14. A 125ml glass of red or white wine or half a pint of 5 per cent lager contain about 1.5 units. A standard large glass of wine in a bar is 250ml.

Sweeter broccoli reduces cancer risk

Good morning friends. Those of you out there who love to eat broccoli, I’m sure you will double your craving with this vegetable. Aside from being a healthy food, broccoli may reduce cancer risk.

Scientists claimed to have developed a new variety of broccoli that is not only grown naturally, but also tastes sweeter and has 40 per cent more anti-oxidants than the normal to reduce risks of heart disease and cancer.

Scientists at Victoria's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) here, have discovered "Booster Broccoli", a new variety that is the first in the group of super vegetables and contains more anti-oxidants than the usual variety, the ABC report said today. DPI's leading scientist Rod Jones said that the new broccoli is not the result of genetic engineering.

"All we've done is gone back and minded nature's natural diversity," he said.

Jones also said that DPI had partnerships with large companies and had tested 400 varieties of broccoli before selecting the one that had the highest anti-oxidant content and now they have decided to breed the "Booster Broccoli".

"It's also about improving the health of our population in general by getting people to eat vegetables that we know are very good for them," he added.

"It's a premium branded product so the returns to growers should be higher," Jones said. - The Times of India

OTC EC and abortion pills cause menstrual problems

Was she pregnant or not? Sukriti Kumar, 21, went to Dr Vishakha Munjal in Saket for an answer. The corporate intern had got stone-drunk at a party some weeks earlier and didn’t remember if she and her partner had sex that night. “I was so drunk I never realized what happened,” is what she told the doc. Familiar with taking emergency contraceptive (EC) pills, she didn’t worry much once her periods started. But later, Sukriti had a nagging doubt that something wasn’t right when there was excessive bleeding.

Gynecologists are handling a sharp spike in such cases of menstrual complications among young adult women who are arbitrarily and repeatedly using OTC EC pills and abortion pills (for foetuses upto 45 days old). “They check dosage on the internet, do their own calculations. Not understanding the consequences, they land up with incomplete abortions. They are scared about the uncontrollable bleeding, or not getting their periods,” says Dr Shilpi Tiwari, adding that more than 50% of her clients are in the 18 to early 20s age-group, all with pill-related complications.

Widely advertized ECs like I-Pill and Unwanted 72 are popular. They are, however, being used not in emergency but as casual contraception. “When you’re with your boyfriend, you don’t want to use condoms,” says D Bina, a 21-year-old job-hunting graduate. Complications? “At times. But you prefer sex without a condom,” she reiterates. In such cases, it’s ECs to the rescue. Frequent use? “Some put on weight, others don’t feel right. But the body gets used to it,” she says. – The Times of India

Flowers’ smell really can soothe stress

Wondering how to de-stress yourself? Well, then try savour the smell of flowers, lemon or mango, for a new study has revealed that inhaling certain fragrances alter gene activity and blood chemistry in ways that can reduce stress levels.

According to lead researcher Akio Nakamura, people have inhaled the scent of certain plants since ancient times to help reduce stress, fight inflammation and depression, and induce sleep.

Aromatherapy, the use of fragrant plant oils to improve mood and health, has become a popular form of alternative medicine today.

And linalool is one of the most widely used substances to soothe away emotional stress.

During the study, the scientists exposed lab rats to stressful conditions while inhaling and not inhaling linalool.

The findings showed that linalool returned stress-elevated levels of neutrophils and lymphocytes — key parts of the immune system — to near-normal levels.

Inhaling linalool also reduced the activity of more than 100 genes that go into overdrive in stressful situations.

The researchers hope that the findings could form the basis of new blood tests for identifying fragrances that can soothe stress.

The study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication. - Indian Express

Yogurt can help lose excess weight

Taking probiotics after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery can help obese patients to lose weight more quickly, according to a new study. Probiotics are the so-called ‘good’ bacteria found in yogurt as well as in over-the-counter dietary supplements that help in the digestion of food.

New research from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Hospital & Clinics suggests that patients who take probiotics after the gastric-bypass procedure tend to shed more pounds than those who don't take the supplements.

"Surprisingly, the probiotic group attained a significantly greater percent of excess weight loss than that of control group," said John Morton, MD, associate professor of surgery at the medical school who wrote the paper with lead author Gavitt Woodard, a third-year medical student, and five other medical students at the Surgery Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation in Stanford''s Department of Surgery.

The researchers followed 44 patients on whom Morton had performed the procedure from 2006 to 2007. Patients were randomized into either a probiotic or a control group. Both groups received the same bariatric medical care and nutritional counseling, as well as the support of weight-loss study groups. Both groups also were allowed to consume yogurt, a natural source of probiotics.

In addition, the probiotic group consumed one pill per day of Puritan''s Pride, a probiotic supplement that is available online and in many stores. Morton has no financial ties to the company that makes the supplement. The study showed that at three months, the probiotics group registered a 47.6 percent weight loss, compared with a 38.5 percent for the control group.

The study also found that levels of vitamin B-12 were higher in the patients taking probiotics — a significant finding because patients often are deficient in B-12 after gastric-bypass surgery. The probiotics group had B-12 levels of 1,214 picograms per milliliter at three months, compared with the control group''s levels of 811 pg/mL. Morton said he now recommends probiotic supplements to his patients, and he plans to continue to look for ways to enhance the outcomes from the procedure. The study has been published in the July issue of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery – The Times of India

High insulin levels enhance breast cancer risk

Elevated insulin levels in the blood seem to raise the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, according to a new study.

Increased breast cancer risk for post-menopausal women has previously been linked to obesity and diabetes. Both conditions involve insulin resistance, which causes increases in circulating levels of insulin.

Since insulin is known to promote cell division and enhance breast tumour growth in animal models, Einstein College of Medicine scientists reasoned that relatively high insulin levels may contribute to breast cancer risk in women.

"Up to now, only a few studies have directly investigated whether insulin levels are associated with breast cancer risk, and those studies have yielded conflicting results," says Geoffrey Geoffrey Kabat, senior epidemiologist at Einstein and the study's co-author.

"Those other studies were based on just a single baseline measurement of insulin, while our study involved analysing repeated measurements of insulin taken over several years - which provides a more accurate picture of the possible association between insulin levels and breast cancer risk."

Kabat and colleagues analysed data on 5,450 women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative, a large multi-centre study investigating the influence of a number of factors on women's health.

Most of the women had participated in the clinical trial part of the study and provided fasting blood samples at its start (baseline) and then at years one, three and six.

The remaining women, who were enrolled in a separate "observational" component of the study, provided fasting blood samples at baseline and at year three of the study. Among all these women, 190 cases of breast cancer were identified over eight years of follow-up.

The analysis revealed a strong association between elevated insulin levels and increased risk for breast cancer, said an Einstein release. These findings were published in online in the International Journal of Cancer. –The Times of India

Adopt a proper diet 'to control diabetes'

Good morning friends. Balance diet must require for those people who have diabetes. We can control it with a proper diet. As most of the people always wanted to eat, people with diabetes should be aware of all the food they will going to eat.

Suffering from diabetes? Fret not, just adopt a proper and healthy diet, for a new study has revealed that using lifestyle interventions on top of existing drug treatments can help controlling high blood sugar levels.

A team at University of Otago has provided intensive dietary advice to improve blood sugar control in diabetics -- even though they're on what is regarded as the best available medication.

The study divided 87 high-risk diabetes patients into two groups. Both received optimized medical care, but patients in one of the groups also received regular one-on-one dietary advice from a dietitian.

Lead investigator Dr Kirsten Coppell said that at the end of the study, measures of glycaemic control were found to have significantly improved in the group receiving the advice. The group also recorded an average weight loss of 2 kg and a 3cm reduction in waistlines.

"Achieving good glycaemic control is a crucial goal in managing diabetes, as it can prevent long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart disease and blindness. Before the widespread introduction of anti-diabetic drugs, the key focus in diabetes care was on diet and lifestyle.

"Our research indicates that while this earlier approach has tended to be forgotten in this modern age of a 'pill for every ill', it still very much has its place in diabetes management," Dr Coppell said. – The Times of India

Grey hair may give protection against cancer

Good morning friends. Do you believe that grey hair may give protection against cancer? I read one article about this and you will just believe it.

Experiments on mice suggest that having grey hair may tender protection against cancer, say researchers.

Emi Nishimura, of Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan, points out that melanocytes are the cells that produce the pigments that colour hair, and that their numbers are kept topped up by stem cells.

According to Nishimura, hair goes grey when the number of stem cells in hair follicles declines.
The researcher says that a new study conducted at the university has now revealed what causes this decline in mice.

During the study, the researchers exposed mice to radiation and chemicals that harm DNA, and found that damaged stem cells transformed permanently into melanocytes.

Nishimura and colleagues say that that eventually led to fewer melanocytes, meaning that there were fewer stem cells capable of topping up the melanocyte pool.

Writing about their findings in the journal Cell, the researchers have revealed that the mice also went grey.

They believe that the same process leads to the reduction in stem cells in the follicles of older people, especially as DNA damage accumulates with the as they age.

David Fisher, a cancer researcher at Harvard Medical School, thinks that such processes may discourage the proliferation of stem cells with damaged DNA, which could pass on mutations, and thereby protect people against cancer.

"One likely beneficial effect is the removal of potentially dangerous cells that may contain pre-cancerous capabilities," New Scientist magazine quoted him as saying. (ANI)

Little sleep could make kids hyperactive

Good morning friends. We know almost all kids don’t want to sleep but instead they want to play the whole day as possible. Maybe some don’t know that little sleep could make our kids hyperactive.

Children's short sleep duration even without sleeping difficulties increases the risk for behavioural symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), says a new study.

Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), says a new study.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Helsinki and National Institute of Health and Welfare, Finland, examined whether decreased sleep leads to behavioral problems similar to those exhibited by children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

280 healthy children (146 girls and 134 boys) participated in the study. The researchers tracked the children's sleep using parental reporting as well as actigraphs, or devices worn on the wrist to monitor sleep.

The children whose average sleep duration as measured by actigraphs was shorter than 7.7 hours had a higher hyperactivity and impulsivity score and a higher ADHD total score, but similar inattention score than those sleeping for a longer time.

In multivariate statistical models, short sleep duration remained a statistically significant predictor of hyperactivity and impulsivity, and sleeping difficulties were associated with hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. There were no significant interactions between short sleep and sleeping difficulties.

"We were able to show that short sleep duration and sleeping difficulties are related to behavioral symptoms of ADHD, and we also showed that short sleep, per se, increases behavioral symptoms, regardless of the presence of sleeping difficulties", says researcher Juulia Paavonen, MD, PhD.

"The findings suggest that maintaining adequate sleep schedules among children is likely to be important in preventing behavioral symptoms. However, even though inadequate sleep seems to owe potential to impair behaviour and performance, intervention studies are needed to confirm the causality," Paavonen added. – IST,ANI

Apples, avocados and a glass of red wine 'can ease arthritis'

Good morning friends. It’s a good thing to know that there are some fruits that can ease arthritis. One of my favorite fruit which can ease your arthritis is the apples, there is also the avocado. And the other thing is that a glass of red wine can also ease arthritis.

Suffering from arthritis? Make sure you eat apples, avocados, oily fish and drink a goblet of red wine everyday, for a new study has revealed that these could ease the painful joint condition.

Researchers have carried out the study and found a definite link between the food people eat and the severity of the symptoms -- in fact, apples, avocados and red wine contain anti-oxidants which reduce the rate at which cartilage breaks down, helping to slow the process of osteoarthritis.

Likewise, oily fish like salmon are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that oil the joints and thereby damp down inflammation. Omega-3 could also reduce the long-term need for painkillers in those with joint problems.

The study has also suggested that drinking plenty of fluids, two to three litres a day, to maintain good hydration and a steady flow of nutrients to your joints, leading British newspaper the 'Daily Mail' reported.

And, the foods most commonly found to worsen arthritis are wheat, corn, rye, sugar, caffeine, yeast, dairy products, oranges, grapefruit, lemons and tomatoes. Meats most likely to provoke symptoms are bacon, pork, beef and lamb. According to researchers, these foods trigger joint pain in those with arthritis. But when these are avoided about 70 per cent of sufferers have been seen to be reporting less pain and improved mobility.

The researchers have based their findings on an analysis of 82 people with osteoarthritis. The study also found that pain intensity reduced during the six-week period they had weekly Reiki sessions. – The Times of India

Skin cancer cream clears wrinkles

Good morning friends. There’s a research which is good for those people who have wrinkles. As we grow old, we can’t possible remove all that wrinkles. But you can at least prevent it. There are a lot f creams that were used by many just to prevent wrinkles and some fine lines. I came across with one article about our skin. Do you believe that skin cancer cream can clear wrinkles. Do you think it’s a fact or fallacy. Let me share it with you.

A cancer-busting skin cream can help banish the ageing effects of too much sun, such as wrinkles, dark spots, shadows and sallowness, say researchers.

US scientists led by Dr Dana Sachs, of the University of Michigan Medical School, have found that besides reducing potentially cancerous skin patches, Fluorouracil ointment, also known as Efudex, can mend the damage seen on sun- exposed faces.

Sachs said, "Undoubtedly, there will be patients who desire a therapy such as topical fluorouracil for cosmetic purposes given the relatively low cost."

The cream, which is used to treat actinic keratoses, a precancerous condition, appears to cause a wound-healing response that leads to an increase in collagen production, which then improves the appearance of wrinkles, reports The Daily Express.

To reach the conclusion, 21 volunteers with actinic keratoses and sun-damaged skin were made to apply the cream to their faces twice a day for two weeks. At the end of the time period, the condition was significantly reduced. In fact, clinical evaluations identified overall improvements in the volunteers' facial appearance.

During the study, a period of irritation and inflammation was followed by a healing response which effectively "rebuilt" the outer layers of skin on the face. Sachs said: "I've heard people describe it as looking like raw hamburger meat." But after the treatment patients agreed that their skin looked younger.

"People have commented for years that they look better. Not only are their pre-cancers gone but the quality of their skin seems to be improved," Sachs said.

"People's skin was much softer, the texture was improved. There are fewer wrinkles around the upper cheek and eyes," the expert added. –The times of India

Vitamin C helps stop diabetes damage

Good morning friends. Diabetes patient should not worry this time. Researchers found the Vitamin C helps stop diabetes damage.

Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center researchers have found a link between taking vitamin C with insulin and stopping blood vessel damage caused by type 1 diabetes.

While neither therapy produced desired results when used alone, the combination of insulin to control blood sugar together with the use of Vitamin C, stopped blood vessel damage caused by the disease in patients with poor glucose control, said researchers. – The Times of India

The findings appear this week in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

"We had tested this theory on research models, but this is the first time anyone has shown the therapy's effectiveness in people," said Michael Ihnat, Ph.D., principal investigator and a pharmacologist at the OU College of Medicine Department of Cell Biology. Ihnat said they are now studying the therapy in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The goal of the work being done by Ihnat and British scientists from the University of Warwick led by Dr. Antonio Ceriello is to find a way to stop the damage to blood vessels that is caused by diabetes. The damage, known as endothelial dysfunction, is associated with most forms of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, peripheral artery disease, diabetes and chronic renal failure.

By reducing or stopping the damage, patients with diabetes could avoid some of the painful and fatal consequences of the disease that include heart disease, reduced circulation and amputation, kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness.

Insulin and many other drugs have long been used to control blood sugar, but Ihnat - in an earlier project with scientists in Italy and Hungary - found that cells have a "memory" that causes damage to continue even when blood sugar is controlled. By adding antioxidants like Vitamin C, Ihnat found that cell "memory" disappeared and cell function and oxidation stress were normalized.

"We have speculated that this happens with endothelial dysfunction, but we did not know until now if it was effective in humans. We finally were able to test it and proved it to be true," Ihnat said.

"For patients with diabetes, this means simply getting their glucose under control is not enough. An antioxidant-based therapy combined with glucose control will give patients more of an advantage and lessen the chance of complications with diabetes," the expert added. While researchers do suggest diabetic patients eat foods and take multivitamins rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, they warn that additional study is needed.

A cancer drug that won't cause hair loss

Good morning friends. I don’t say it’s a good news for all cancer patient, but I may say that cancer patient will not be worry now for that they found a new drug that won’t cause hair loss.

Researchers have developed a way to deliver cancer drugs, which they claim will not cause the usual sickness and hair loss by just using a fat-rich coating.

Until now, treatment of cancer has relied mainly on surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Though these strategies have benefited millions of cancer patients to date, the lack of tumor specificity of some of these agents make patients feel sick or result in significant hair loss.

Now, an international team, led by Queensland University, has developed the way which can specifically shut down cancer-causing genes in tumor cells while sparing normal healthy tissues.

According to lead researcher Sherry Wu, the new method which involves the use of coatings rich in fats, will hasten the application of RNA interference or gene-silencing, a technology which can inactivate individual genes.

Using this technology, the team observed a 70% reduction in tumor size in a cervical cancer mouse model.

"The traditional ways of packaging these drugs into suitable carriers are often complex and labor-intensive. The resulting products are also unstable at room temperature which is obviously not ideal for their clinical use.

"In order to deliver these gene-silencing drugs safely and efficiently into tumor tissues in the body, we have to package them in lipid-rich carriers," Wu said. Added co-researcher Nigel McMillan: "We are excited about our findings and we are currently investigating the feasibility of combining this gene-silencing technology with low dose chemotherapeutic agents in cancer treatments." –The Times of India

Cherry juice hottest new sports drink

Cherry juice is the hottest new sports drink that helps ease the pain for runners, a new study says. The study showed that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise than those who didn't.

Sixty healthy adults aged 18-50 years, who drank 10.5 ounces cherry juice twice daily for seven days prior to and on the day of a long-distance relay, had significantly less muscle pain after the race than those who drank another fruit juice beverage.

On a scale from 0 to 10, the runners who drank cherry juice as their "sports drink" had a two point lower self-reported pain level at the completion of the race, a clinically significant difference.

While more research is needed to fully understand the effects of tart cherry juice, early finding indicate cherries may work like common medications used by runners to alleviate post-exercise inflammation.

"For most runners, post-race treatment consists of RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and traditional NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)," said Kerry Kuehl, sports medicine physician at Oregon Health and Science University and principal study investigator.

"But NSAIDS can have adverse effects - negative effects you may be able to avoid by using a natural, whole food alternative, like cherry juice, to reduce muscle inflammation before exercise," he said.

Researchers suggest cherries' post-exercise benefits are likely because of the fruit's natural anti-inflammation power - attributed to antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which also give cherries their bright red colour, said an Oregon release.

Whether elite athletes or weekend warriors, this natural anti-inflammation power of cherry juice could have far-reaching benefits for the millions currently taking over-the-counter medication to reduce muscle pain.

A growing body of research suggests cherries could reduce inflammation related to heart disease, arthritis and may even help maintain muscle strength for those suffering from fibromyalgia (a common, chronic widespread pain disorder).

Eat oily fish to keep brain healthy

Good morning friends. Some people a don’t want to eat fish. I know it’s a healthy food, but If they will be given a chance, they will not choose a fish to eat. But as per reference of The Times of India fish can help our brain to be healthy, specially oily fish. It will help our brain.

Eating oily fish, rich in vitamin D, may be vital in keeping your brain healthy as you age, according to a new study.

University of Manchester scientists and other researchers have found that higher levels of vitamin D, synthesized in the skin following sun exposure, is also found in oily fish. The study assessed the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79 years at eight test centers in Europe. It was found that men with higher levels of vitamin D performed consistently better in a simple and sensitive neuro-psychological test that assesses an individual's attention and speed of information processing.

"Previous studies exploring the relationship between vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults have produced inconsistent findings. But we observed a significant, independent association between a slower information processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D," said study author David Lee of Manchester's School of Translational Medicine.

"The main strengths of our study are that it is based on a large population sample and took into account potential interfering factors, such as depression, season and levels of physical activity," Lee said.

Low Vit-D ups infection in pregnancy

Good morning friends. Pregnant women with low vitamin D, may increase infection in their pregnancy.

Expectant women with low levels of vitamin D are at an increased risk of developing a common vaginal infection that raises the risk of preterm delivery, finds a new study.

University of Pittsburgh researchers have revealed that pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency may suffer from bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common vaginal infection.

"Bacterial vaginosis affects nearly one in three reproductive aged women, so there is great need to understand how it can be prevented," said Dr Lisa M Bodnar, assistant professor of epidemiology, obstetrics and gynecology, University of Pittsburgh.

"It is not only associated with a number of gynecologic conditions, but also may contribute to premature delivery, the leading cause of neonatal mortality, making it of particular concern to pregnant women," she added.

During the study, the researchers looked at 469 pregnant women, sought to determine whether poor vitamin D status played a role in predisposing women to BV. They also found that the prevalence of BV decreased as vitamin D levels rose.

Vitamin D may play a role in BV by regulating the production and function of antimicrobial molecules, which in turn may help the immune system prevent and control bacterial infection. "Although this is a preliminary study, it points out an interesting connection between vitamin D and BV," said Dr. Bodnar.

"We don't recommend pregnant women take mega doses of vitamin D based on these findings, but they should talk with their doctor if they have concerns about their vitamin D status.

"All women should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet and take a prenatal vitamin before they become pregnant or as soon as they find out they are pregnant," she added. The study appears in the Journal of Nutrition. –The Times of India

Gel made from radium weed sap can remove sun spots, prevent skin cancers

Good morning friends. Good news to those who wants to remove a sun spot. There is this kind of gel made from radium weed sap that can remove that spot, which prevent skin cancers.

An Australian drug-maker claims that sun spots can be removed, and potentially deadly skin cancers prevented, with the aid of a gel it has made from the radium weed sap, a common folk remedy for cancer.

Peplin, the Queensland-based pharmaceutical company, says that its gel can remove sun spots, which can develop into invasive skin cancers if left untreated.

Dr. Peter Welburn, General Manager of the company, has revealed that human trials have shown that the gel can treat sun spots and lesions in just two days.

He revealed that the trial involved 125 patients, who were made to apply gel once a day for two days.

According to him, the gel successively removed every sun spot on 27 per cent of patients, with 44 per cent having partial success.

"This is the first product that has demonstrated benefit in treating sun spots on the face, neck and difficult areas to treat like the arms and back of hands," News.com.au quoted him as saying.

Dr. Welburn also revealed that no major side effects were noticed during the study, apart from temporary redness and flaking skin.

He, however, conceded that the gel did not treat melanomas.

Dr Jim Aylward, the founder of Peplin, revealed that he conceived the idea of developing this treatment when his job was on the line at the CSIRO more than 10 years ago.

"I needed to pull out a trump card and I relied on some folklore," he said.

"My mother knew radium weed had some great effects on skin cancer.

"I said one day when I lose my job I will find the active (ingredient), and that's what I did," he added.
The gel is expected to be on the market in the United States by 2011 and in Australia soon after. (ANI) - Yahoo

Breast feeding to newborns can prevent epilepsy: Study

Good morning friends. As all says that breast feeding is the best thing to do for a child. Some mothers don’t want to do that, but they don’t know what will be the good result of having a breast feed baby. Not only breast feeding is good, also it can prevent epilepsy. And that could be a good thing for the children.

Immediate breast feeding to newly born babies, especially those born with low weight, is vital in preventing childhood epilepsy and other forms of brain diseases, a recent study has said.

When new born babies are not fed within few hours of birth due to various reasons, they are exposed to low blood glucose which leads to convulsions on the second or third day.

"It was observed that after the babies were discharged, they developed epilepsy in the first few years which was often resistant to treatment and also had other major issues like mental retardation, autism, learning problems and visual impairment," said Vrajesh Udani, Head, Child Development department of PD Hinduja hospital.

The study, published in the journal 'Indian Paediatrics', which was carried out to ascertain the cause of epilepsy in 100 children, found low blood glucose condition in the brain due to non-availability of mothers' milk in the first few hours, he said.

The babies developed symptoms like irritability, lethargy and even convulsions on the second or third day, said Udani and his colleagues P Munotam M Ursekar and S Gupta. – The Times of India

New way 'to starve out malaria

Good morning friends. I want to share with you what I have read about the malaria. With reference to Indian Express there are new way to starve out malaria.

It has been discovered by some researchers a way to starve out malaria parasites by targeting a digestive enzyme that the disease needs to feed on blood cells, a major breakthrough in the global fight against malaria which claims the life of a child across the world "every 30 seconds".

An international team has been able to deactivate the final stage of the malaria parasite's digestive machinery, effectively starving the parasite of nutrients and disabling its survival mechanism. And, this process of starvation leads to the death of the parasite.

The results had laid the scientific groundwork to further develop a "specific class" of drugs to treat the disease that's contracted by half-a-billion people and causes around one million deaths a year worldwide.

A single bite from an infected mosquito transfers the malaria parasite into a human's blood stream. "The malaria parasite must then break down blood proteins in order to obtain nutrients. Malaria carries out the first stages of digestion inside a specialized compartment called the digestive vacuole – this can be considered to be like a stomach.

The enzyme (known as PfA-M1), which is essential for parasite viability, is located outside the digestive vacuole meaning it is easier to target from a drug perspective.
About forty per cent of the world's population are at risk of contracting malaria. It is only early days but this discovery could one day provide treatment for some of those 2.5 billion people across the globe."

Walnuts can help keep breast cancer at bay

Good morning friends. Those who were crazy eating walnuts, it has a use to the women’s body. Walnuts can help keep breast cancer. Aside from the good taste of it, women out there can enjoy breast cancer free.



Walnuts contain compounds that reduce the risk of breast cancer, claims a new study.
Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine, said that while her study was done with laboratory animals rather than humans, people should heed the recommendation to eat more walnuts.

"Walnuts are better than cookies, french fries or potato chips when you need a snack," said Hardman.

"We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases," the expert added.

To reach the conclusion, researchers studied mice that were fed a diet that they estimated was the human equivalent of two ounces of walnuts per day. A separate group of mice were fed a control diet.

Standard testing showed that walnut consumption significantly decreased breast tumor incidence, the number of glands with a tumor and tumor size.

"These laboratory mice typically have 100 percent tumor incidence at five months; walnut consumption delayed those tumors by at least three weeks," said Hardman.
Molecular analysis showed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids contributed to the decline in tumor incidence, but other parts of the walnut contributed as well.

"With dietary interventions you see multiple mechanisms when working with the whole food," said Hardman.

"It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer," the expert added.

The study has been presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009. (ANI) - Yahoo

Laugh your way to a healthy heart!

Good evening friends. Laugh your way to a healthy heart. Someone may think how laughter can make our heart healthy. It’s tough to think but it’s not. You have the option on how you want to laugh.

As the saying goes, laughter is the best form of medicine. And, now researchers have claimed that just 30 minutes of guffaw a day is adequate to keep your heart healthy.

A new study by Loma Linda University has revealed that watching half-an-hour of comedy everyday can reduce a person's levels of stress hormones as well as compounds that are linked to heart disease.

"The best clinicians understand that there is an intrinsic physiological intervention brought about by positive emotions such as mirthful laughter, optimism and hope," the 'Daily Mail' quoted lead researcher Dr Lee Berk as saying.

The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing 20 men and women taking medication for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. All took their tablets as usual but half were also prescribed "mirthful laughter" in the form of 30 min of comedy every day.

Stress hormone levels fell in the comedy viewers after two months. By four months, levels of compounds linked to hardening of the arteries and other cardiac problems had also dropped, while levels of "good" cholesterol – thought to protect against heart disease – rose by 26 per cent.

Patients who took the medication without any extra laughter had just a 3 per cent rise. The group watching comedy programmes also saw a drop of 66 percent in harmful C-reactive proteins, which increase the risk of heart disease.

While the control group also saw a fall in the amount of the proteins, it was much smaller at 26 per cent over the course of the year. – Indian Express

Faulty fibres linking brain areas cause muscle disorders

Good morning friends. I’m reading some articles here and also health concerns are one of my favorite article to read. With reference to The Times of India there are faulty fibers linking in our brain areas which causes muscle disorders.

Muscle disorders like writer's cramp may result from abnormalities in fibres connecting different brain areas, according to a study.

Dr Christine Delmaire, of Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire Roger Salengro, Lille, France, and Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, Paris, came to this conclusion after studying 26 right-handed patients with writer's cramp and 26 right-handed control participants, who were the same sex and age.

All subjects underwent diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) that assesses the status of white matter, coated nerve fibres that allow impulses to travel through the brain.

Christine said that the DTI scans of the writer's cramp patients revealed areas of abnormalities in the white matter of nerve pathways connecting the main sensorimotor cortex to brain areas below the cortex, such as the thalamus.

The researchers further revealed that the same abnormalities were not observed in healthy controls.

"In conclusion, this study suggests that writer's cramp is associated with microstructural changes involving fibers that carry afferents (information from senses to the brain) and efferents (motor information from the brain to the muscles) to the primary sensorimotor cortex. However, it is unknown how these changes relate to the physiopathology of the disease," the authors write.

The study has been published in the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Drinking hot tea 'raises the risk of throat cancer'

Good morning friends. I love to drink tea. My day is not complete when I don’t have a cup of tea. I prefer to drink warm tea, because with that I taste the aroma of it. But with some, they want to drink the tea hot. It’s also good to drink hot tea but with reference to Indian Express there is a disadvantage of it. Let me share that to all of you

Relish your tea, researchers claimed that sipping scalding tea could raise the risk of developing throat cancer.

The British Medical Journal, has revealed that drinking steaming hot tea is actually linked with an eightfold increased risk of cancer of the food tube or the oesophagus.

The lead researcher Reza Malekzadeh of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran, "Informing the population about the hazards of drinking hot tea may be helpful in reducing the incidence of oesophageal cancer..." In fact, the researchers came to the conclusion after analyzing tea drinking habits of 300 people with throat cancer and 571 people without the disease.

Compared with drinking tea at 65 degrees or less, drinking tea between 65 degrees and 69 degrees was associated with a doubling in the risk of cancer and drinking even hotter tea was linked to an eight fold risk, the study found. People who drank their tea less than two minutes after it was poured had a five times higher risk of the cancer than those who drank it four or more minutes after pouring.

In order to minimize the risk that tea drinkers misjudged how hot their drink was, the researchers tested the temperatures of tea drunk by almost 50,000 people in the area, the British media reported.

David Whiteman of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research wrote: "These findings are not cause for alarm, however, and they should not reduce public enthusiasm for the time honoured ritual of drinking tea.

"Rather, we should follow the advice of Mrs Beeton, who prescribes a five to 10 minute interval between making and pouring tea, by which time the tea will be sufficiently flavoursome and unlikely to cause thermal injury." However, the study found no association between the amount of tea consumed and the risk of cancer.

Exercise cuts risk of breast cancer death

Good morning friends. Women should be aware with their body. As I have published an article about Jade Goody who has a cervical cancer, women should be aware of every thing. With reference to Yahoo News, Women who are physically fit are less likely to die from breast cancer. We have to take precautions.

It was found that those women with moderate or high aerobic fitness levels were much less likely to die from breast cancer "Women in the lowest fitness category were nearly three times more likely to die from breast cancer than women in the most fit group." "This is the first study to evaluate the association of objectively measured fitness and risk of dying from breast cancer."

"The results suggest a stronger protective effect than has been seen in most studies on self-reported physical activity and breast cancer, probably because the objective laboratory test of fitness is more accurate that self-reports of activity."

Women who do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, like walking, per week will escape the low fitness category. Even better for some women, this activity can be accumulated in 10-minute bouts."

It has also found that women with high aerobic fitness had lower body mass index, better cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and fewer chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Smoking in pregnancy cuts blood flow to fetus

Good morning friends. All pregnant mothers out there, in case you are not aware, smoking is not good to your child when you are pregnant. Maybe you don’t know what will be the circumstances of it, but at least you should be aware. Don’t let the life of your child be at stake.

Smoking during pregnancy reduces blood flow to the developing fetus and, in turn, retards growth, new research suggests.

Infants born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy have lower birth weights." "But this study provides a possible explanation of why there is restricted blood flow to the fetus."

According to a report in the medical journal Circulation, compared with newborns of non-smokers and ex-smokers, those of smokers weighed less, had smaller head sizes, and were shorter.

Smoking was associated with a 47 per cent drop in the fetus in levels of a key protein that helps blood vessels to relax and blood flow to increase called endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). "The study is one of the first to show a biochemical measurement of what is going on to cause the lower birth weight."

Smoking was also associated with an 18 per cent reduction in plasma levels of "good" HDL cholesterol in the fetus.

In terms of future research, hopes were expected to determine whether compromised blood vessel function in fetuses of smokers translates into atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) later in life.

Laser therapy combo effectively clears acne, reduces oil production (2)

As it penetrates, ALA binds to the oil glands and sensitizes the cells to light.

The researchers treated 14 patients with ALA PDT, who received one to six treatments depending on the severity of their acne and continued to use topical medications during and after the study.

The control group consisted of four patients who were either treated with conventional therapy (such as systemic or topical medications) or with laser energy but without ALA PDT.

After the analysis, Alexiades-Armenakas found that all (100 %) of the 14 patients in the ALA PDT treatment group experienced complete clearance of their acne.

She reported that an average of 2.9 ALA PDT treatments was administered to this patient group and improvement in the acne lesions was visible within one to two weeks after the first treatment.

She said: "The first-of-a-kind study found this particular form of photodynamic therapy used in conjunction with topical therapy to be the first such treatment to achieve complete clearance of acne up to 13 months post treatment and a 77 % clearance rate per treatment. Four subsequent studies conducted by other investigators involving an additional 75 patients demonstrated similar results.

"Patients also experienced an added benefit of significant improvement in their acne scars, as the pulsed dye laser offers superior penetration to the deeper layers of the skin where scars form."
Side effects were limited to mild redness that lasted for 48 hours, and the treatment was found to be safe even for patients of colour with no complications, such as hyperpigmentation.

For patients with intermittent acne flares and pronounced oily skin with large pores, ALA PDT treatment with a 1450nm diode laser that heats the deep layer of skin where the oil glands are located has been shown to help these patients in as little as one to three treatments. -The Times of India

Laser therapy combo effectively clears acne, reduces oil production (1)

Good morning friends. They say that our face is the first thing to see if we were looked by many. Have your children trying to talk with you about his problem with his/her pimples. Some don’t mind any, but some are very conscious of it. You can tell them now that they should not worry anymore. There’s a good way for you to have an acne free.

A combination of laser therapy has been found to safely and effectively treat one of the most common skin conditions that plagues teenagers and adults alike-acne.

Dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, MD, PhD, FAAD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., demonstrated how photodynamic therapy combined with a long-pulse, pulsed-dye laser and topical 5-aminolevulinic acid provides long-lasting clearance of acne lesions.

"Laser technology has made great inroads in the treatment of acne, which until recently has been treated almost exclusively - and with varying degrees of success - with topical, systemic and hormonal medications," said Alexiades-Armenakas.

She added: "Now, we have solid evidence-based medicine supporting the effectiveness of certain laser therapies as a long-term solution for treating active acne. The key is to distinguish the benefits and limitations of these available technologies and select the most effective treatments for each acne patient."

In a preliminary study, Alexiades-Armenakas examined whether a combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with a photosensitizer known as topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and activated by long-pulse, pulsed dye laser could safely and effectively clear mild to severe cases of acne.

PDT works by using laser or light energy - in this case a pulsed dye laser was used - to activate the ALA, which is a solution that penetrates into the oil glands and is applied to the skin one hour prior to treatment. -The Times of India

Have a sand blast

To develop explosive leg muscles and improve you endurance, supplement your cross-training with each running. The soft surface makes your muscles work harder with east stip. And you know you can’t beat the scenery for motivation. But running on a soft, slanted beach can strain muscles and tendons if you don’t do it right says Joseph Ellis, D.P.M, author of Running Injury-Free. He suggests starting out gradually: run a few miles on the flattest, firmest sand you can find, he says. Stay away from slopes, but if there’s a slight one, change your running direction frequently to avoid stressing either side of your body. As you get used to each running, try alternating running on hard sand one day and soft sand the next. But if you start to feel any stain in your heels, arches, ankles, knees or shins, stay on the firm sand, and always wear your running shoes, which will better support your feet. – Mitchel Gray

Energy drinks are ‘the dangerous coffee of new generation

Some teenage people specially men, drink a lot of energy drink to make them on the go for the whole day. but this is not advisable to do. There are also harmful results in drinking this energy drinks.

An increasing number of students are consuming energy drinks to boost their concentration as they study throughout the night, so much so, that such beverages have become coffee of the new generation. "Energy drinks are the coffee of a new generation. These drinks are made up of sugar and caffeine and can have a negative impact on health."

A 2008 report by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has revealed that 1.5 billion cans of Red Bull were sold in the United States in 2004, with a similar level of consumption reported in Canada and it is a growing trend for 18-to 24-year-olds. The market segment is broadening as younger children are beginning to consume these drinks before doing physical activity.

"Energy drinks don’t hydrate the body efficiently, because they have too much sugar. And caffeine doesn’t necessarily improve physical performance. In high quantities it can increase the risks of fatigue and dehydration."

Many studies have demonstrated that strong doses of caffeine can increase hypertension, cause heart palpitations, provoke irritability and anxiety as well as cause headaches and insomnia. Close to 50 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds claim to consume energy drinks mixed with alcohol. Vodka Red Bulls are in vogue despite warnings against the mix.

"Usually when someone consumes too much alcohol, their head spins and they feel tired. Energy drinks cancel out these warning signs. The person feels good and therefore keeps drinking without realizing they are drunk."

Reference: indianexpress

New therapy 'can reverse Alzheimer's memory loss

Good morning friends. There is this new therapy that can reverse Alzheimer’s memory loss. This is a tough sickness which usually’s the target are older people. Everyone has the mentality that when you got this kind of disease, you will never be cured.

Scientists have developed a new therapy which they claim can prevent and even reverse memory loss in Alzheimer's patients.

It could repair some of the damage caused by the disease by treating patients with a naturally occurring protein in the body, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

"The effects of BDNF were potent. When we administered BDNF to memory circuits in the brain, we directly stimulated their activity and prevented cell death from the disease.

"We have shown that BDNF targets the cells themselves, preventing their death, stimulating their function, improving learning and memory. BDNF treatment can potentially provide long-lasting protection by slowing, or even stopping disease progression in the cortical regions that receive treatment." The scientist found BDNF treatment can slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer's in the animals.

And, compared to animals not treated with the protein they had significant improvement in their memory and learning skills.

It seems to show that another protein, BDNF, may protect and restore memory. This research offers insight into the way in which Alzheimer's progresses and alternative avenues of research."

Reference: indianexpress

Red wine prevents heart disease

Good morning friends. Many of you out there loves to drink wine. Some don’t make their day not drinking any. For those who were not aware, Red wine now has a good use in our body.

A study claims to have discovered a process inside the human body which gives those fond of this drink a valid reason to say cheers! "It has often been observed that the French do not develop heart disease despite bad eating habits. The consumption of red wine contains a chemical compound resveratrol which is beneficial for the heart and has anti-cancer properties."

"It has been baffling for scientists that under laboratory conditions, resveratrol is required in much higher amounts to show effects similar to what is observed under normal conditions".

"For example, the amount of resveratrol ingested through a glass of wine or a serving of red grapes, another important source of the compound, has not been sufficient to elicit health benefits in studies conducted under laboratory conditions."

"The key to this phenomenon may be found in an enzymatic system present in the red blood cells, known as Plasma Membrane Redox System (PMRS). The resveratrol that is ingested into the body through any source, donates electrons to the PMRS which is present in the red blood cells. These electrons are used by the PMRS to maintain the levels of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in the plasma."
"Vitamin C is essential to regenerate Vitamin E which plays a very important role in preventing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which in turn gives rise to several diseases related to the heart."

"This phenomenon offers a possible explanation to the health-promoting effects of resveratrol, even when consumed in moderate concentrations. With this, people may also be rest assured that for health benefits, they need not consume large amounts of resveratrol-rich food like red wine, red grapes or pomegranate."

The rate of red blood cell PMRS increases during human aging. "It appears that the increase in PMRS activity is a defense mechanism of the human body to cope with increased oxidative stress during aging. Thus any compound which displays PMRS activating effect has a potential anti-aging effect."

Reference: indianexpress