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