Health Related articles updated on daily Basis.

[Night_Hawk]

Watermelon could help prevent heart attack, curb weight

(IANS) / 5 October 2012

A new US study has found a daily slice of watermelon could help prevent heart disease by halting the build-up of harmful cholesterol and also be a help in weight control.

Scientists who carried out studies on mice fed a high-fat diet found the fruit halved the rate at which ‘bad’ low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, accumulated, Daily Mail reported.
LDL is a form of cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries and heart disease.
The researchers from Purdue University, US, also observed that eating watermelon regularly helped to control weight gain and resulted in fewer fatty deposits inside blood vessels.
They believe the secret to watermelon’s health-boosting properties lies in citrulline, a chemical found in the juice.
Although the latest investigation showed no significant effects on blood pressure, it did reveal watermelons had a powerful impact on other heart risk factors.
In Britain around 270,000 people a year suffer heart attack and nearly one in three die before they could reach hospital.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Eating tomatoes lowers stroke risk

(IANS) / 9 October 2012

Eating tomatoes and tomato-based foods lowers stroke risks, thanks to lycopene, an antioxidant, suggests a study from Finland.

The study found that people with the highest amounts of lycopene in their blood were 55 percent less likely to have a stroke than people with the lowest amounts of lycopene in their blood.

The research involved 1,031 Finnish men aged between 46 and 65 years, who were tested for lycopene levels in their blood at the beginning of the study and were followed for an average of 12 years.

During that time, 67 men had a stroke, (sudden loss of brain function caused by a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel of the organ), the journal Neurology reports.

Among the men with the lowest levels of lycopene, 25 of 258 had a stroke. Among those with the highest levels of lycopene, 11 of 259 men had a stroke, according to a statement of the University of Eastern Finland (UEF).

When researchers looked at just strokes due to blood clots, the results were even stronger. Those with the highest levels of lycopene were 59 percent less likely to have a stroke than those with the lowest levels.

"This study adds to the evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke," said study author Jouni Karppi, from the UEF, Kuopio.

"The results support the recommendation that people get more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, which would likely lead to a major reduction in the number of strokes worldwide, according to previous research," added Karppi.

The study also looked at blood levels of the antioxidants alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and retinol, but found no link between the blood levels and risk of stroke.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Vitamin pill a day helps boost memory

(IANS) / 8 October 2012

A daily multivitamin tablet may boost the memory and slow mental decline, the Daily Mail reported Sunday.

According to new studies, taking supplements has a beneficial effect on memory and may work by increasing the efficiency of brain cells.

One study showed that after just four weeks there were measurable changes in electrical activity in the brain when carrying out memory tests.

The body needs 13 vitamins to function properly and maintain health.

Vitamins A, C, D, E and K and the eight B vitamins each have specific job in the body.

Vitamin C keeps cells healthy, D regulates calcium and E maintains cell structure, while the B vitamins, including folic acid, have a wide range of functions.

David Kennedy, of the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre at Northumbria University, said: The evidence is still limited but the studies hint at some possible beneficial effects.

Optimal brain function depends on an adequate level of all of the vitamins.

 

[Night_Hawk]

The A-Z of Healthy Eating

There’s an added emphasis on eating healthy and moderating your weight today, mostly because disease and ill-health are more rampant with the sedentary lifestyles we lead. Good health starts by watching what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat. So get started on the road to well-being by following the A-Z of eating healthfully:
A – Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet – they’re rich in vitamins and nutrients that help keep you fit as a fiddle.
B – Breakfast is important; never skip the first meal of the day because it boosts your metabolism and gives you energy to get through the day.
C – Carbohydrates must be eaten in moderate amounts – choose good carbs like fruits and veggies and whole grains which metabolize slowly and release sugar into your bloodstream gradually; avoid bad carbs like processed food, junk food and others which spike your blood sugar level and add to your weight woes.
D – Diet sensibly – starving yourself is a bad idea since it gives rise to binges. Eat healthy and small meals, five to six times a day.
E – Eat slowly, chew your food well, and minimize your portions; stop eating just before you start to feel full.
F – Fatty foods must be avoided – steer clear of sugary snacks, ice creams, cakes, pastries, fast food and other items that contain saturated fat or processed ingredients.
G – Get moving – for any diet to achieve greater value, exercise is a must; so get rid of your sedentary lifestyle and start becoming more active.
H – Eat all your meals at the same hour every day; when you have set mealtimes, your body does not have to make adjustments each day.
I – Increase the number of meals you eat, and limit the amount you eat during each meal; small meals every few hours maximize your metabolism and boost your health.
J – Jumpstart your day with a glass of fresh juice instead of resorting to caffeine-laden cups of coffee.
K – Kiss goodbye bad habits like smoking and drinking too much – they negate the nutritive value of food and contribute to bad health.
L – Love what’s on your plate – this way, you don’t avoid any food that’s good for you. Learn to love it because it adds to your health and helps you lose weight.

M - Make it a point to eat only at MEALTIMES; snacking between meals can cause you to overaeat or to fill up on unhealthy snacks instead of nutritious foods.

N - Choose foods that are high in NUTRITION that give you the nutrients your body needs.

O - OMIT high fat dairy products and substitute nonfat or lowfat versions

P - PASS on eating out very often -- eating at home is much healthier

Q - QUIT the red meat in your diet, opting instead for seafood, beans or poultry.

R - REGULARIZE your eating (keep to a schedule, and don't skip meals)

S - If you must snack, SNACK on healthy foods.

T - Take enough TIME to eat your meals -- rushing leads to overeating.

U - UNDO bad eating habits, such as snacking at every opportunity, keeping candy in your desk and dipping in too often, skipping breakfast, and so on.

V - Eat VEGETARIAN meals at least a couple of times a week -- it's not hard. Think pasta with red sauce or stir-fried Asian veggies with brown rice and soy sauce.

W - Realize that you have to WORK to maintain a healthy eating plan. Start by working in one good habit a week, and soon you'll have it all down.

X - Try not to make eXceptions to the rule of eating healthfully at every meal. If you slip up, start again at your very next meal!

Y - Keep food YEARNINGS at bay by not denying yourself foods you really love, even those that are not high on the healthy foodie chain. Just have a little bit.

Z - Wait at least an hour after eating before you get your ZZZZs; sleeping right after a meal can cause indigestion, heartburn, poor sleep and can contribute to becoming overweight.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Hope for dementia patients

(IANS) / 10 October 2012

A protein deficiency may cause the early onset of dementia, researchers have found.

They say the results lay the foundation for therapies that one day may benefit those who suffer from the illness that wreak havoc on the brain, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

Using animal models, they found a protein deficiency may be linked to frontotemporal dementia -- a form of early-onset dementia that is similar to Alzheimer's disease.

FTD is a fatal disease that destroys cells, or neurons, that comprise the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

Early symptoms of FTD include personality changes, such as increased erratic or compulsive behaviour. Sufferers later experience difficulties speaking and reading, and often suffer from long-term memory loss.

The study, led by Robert Farese, a professor at the University of California, offers new hope in the fight against this and other related conditions.

Farese and his team showed how a protein called progranulin prevents a class of cells called microglia from becoming 'hyperactive'.

FTD is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 65, with death occurring within two to 10 years after diagnosis. No drug exists to slow, halt or reverse its progression.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Eat fruits and vegetables to stay happy

(IANS) / 12 October 2012

Eating at least eight portions of fruits and vegetables every day will keep you more cheerful and optimistic about the future, scientists say.The researchers analysed surveys involving 80,000 Britons, which included questions on their diet and general feelings, according the Daily Mail Thursday.

Each person was given a score between 0 and 10 based on their satisfaction with life.
The study found that those who ate around eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day had an average score that was one point higher than people who did not eat any.
The link remained even when peoples exercise levels and overall diet - both of which can influence mood - were accounted for.
Although it is not known exactly how fruit and vegetables improve wellbeing, they contain chemicals known as antioxidants, which are thought to reduce stress levels.
Recently studies have found that children who eat more fruit and vegetables are less at risk of depression in later life.
Andrew Oswald, of the Warwick Universitys Department of Economics, which conducted the research, said: This study has shown surprising results. We know that fruit and vegetables carry a lot of antioxidants and those protect us against attacks on the body.
But how that works through into our minds and emotions, researchers have no idea.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Can a few cherries a day keep gout away?

(Reuters) / 14 October 2012

Cherries may no longer be for just topping off ice cream sundaes; in a new study of people with gout, eating the fruit was linked with a 35 percent to 75 percent lower risk of having an attack.While adopting a cherry regimen sounds pleasant enough, the study’s lead author warns that the new study does not prove cherries prevent gout attacks, and he said patients should stick with their current gout medications.

“They can go out and eat the cherries, but they shouldn’t abandon their medical treatment at all,” said Yuqing Zhang, a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine.
Gout arises when uric acid crystals build up in the joints. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines - substances found naturally in the body, but also in certain foods, like organ meats, anchovies, mushrooms and some seafood.
Anything that boosts the production of uric acid, or slows its clearance, also raises the risk of gout. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease are some examples.
Doctors have reported that some patients recommend cherries to prevent gout attacks, but the connection has only been studied a few times before, according to Zhang.
His group’s preliminary investigation, published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, is just the first step in understanding the link between eating cherries and gout risk, he told Reuters Health.
For their study, Zhang and his colleagues recruited gout patients over the Internet to take online surveys about their attacks.
All the participants had had a gout attack in the last 12 months, had been diagnosed with gout by a doctor, lived in the U.S. and were at least 18 years old. They also had to release their medical records to the researchers.
For the next year, the gout patients filled out surveys every time they had an attack.
The survey asked questions about the symptoms, the drugs used to treat the attack and about certain risk factors, including what they had eaten.
The patients also took similar surveys at the beginning of the study, and every three months while it was underway.
Of the 633 gout patients enrolled in the study, 224 said they had eaten fresh cherries during the year, 15 said they had consumed cherry extract and 33 had both.
During the year, the researchers collected information on 1,247 gout attacks, which works out to about two per patient.
Overall, the researchers found that eating cherries over a given two-day period was linked to a 35 percent decrease in the risk of having a gout attack during that period, compared to not eating cherries.
Consuming cherry extract was tied to a 45 percent risk reduction, and eating both fresh cherries and extract was tied to a 37 percent lower risk.
The biggest risk reduction, however, came with eating fresh cherries while taking the anti-gout medication allopurinol (Lopurin, Zyloprim). That combination was linked to a 75 percent reduction in the risk of a gout attack.
There are a few possibilities for why these associations exist, researchers say. One is that vitamin C, which is found in cherries, can influence the amount of uric acid in a person’s blood, according to Dr. Allan Gelber, who co-wrote an editorial accompanying the study.
But Zhang said there are still a lot of questions to answer and more studies to be done, including a randomized controlled trial - considered the most rigorous way of demonstrating that a specific substance is responsible for an effect.
Gelber, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said the study also shows that a patient’s activities influence their risk of a gout attack - not just their medication.
“It educates the reader that he or she can do something in his or her daily behavior to diminish gout risk. The patient is in the driver’s seat,” he said.

 

[Night_Hawk]

High-carb diets tend to raise Alzheimer’s risk

(IANS) / 22 October 2012

Seniors gorging on a carb rich diet are four times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment—an early warning of Alzheimer’s disease, shows a new research.The research from the prestigious Mayo Clinic in America has found that risks are similar with a diet high in sugar. On the other hand, proteins and fats appear to offer some protection—people who consumed plenty of them are less likely to suffer cognitive decline.

Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) develops Alzheimer’s disease, but many do, said Rosebud Roberts, professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic, who led the study.

High-carb diets may play a role in the development of beta amyloid plaques, proteins found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, the Daily Mail reported.

MCI is defined as memory loss apparent to the individual and those around them, but with an absence of other dementia symptoms such as changes in personality and mood.

There are currently 800,000 people with dementia in Britain and 60,000 deaths a year are directly attributable to it, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. It’s estimated around six percent of us will develop MCI.

Previous research suggested that 10-15 percent of people with MCI went on to develop dementia every year the research results were followed up.

In community studies and clinical trials the rates are about half this level, but still represent a significantly increased level of risk.

That’s why it’s so important to identify people with MCI, as they may be in the very early stages of the disease and more likely to benefit from early treatment in the future.

Mayo Clinic research tracked 1,230 people aged between 70 to 89 years and asked them to provide information on what they ate the previous year. However, proteins and fats appear to offer some protection - those who consumed plenty of them were less likely to suffer cognitive decline.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Exercise, exposure to sun keeps osteoporosis away

(IANS) / 20 October 2012

Working for long hours every night as a BPO employee, 35-year-old Aarti Thakur soon developed pain in her wrist and hips. She had developed Vitamin D deficiency due to lack of exposure to sunlight and her bones were beginning to turn brittle - signs of the onset of osteoporosis.Long hours of work at night coupled with not enough exposure to sunlight and unhealthy diet leads to early onset of osteoporosis.

In India, one in three women over the age of 50 suffer fractures due to osteoporosis, a condition where bones wear out and become weak. Drinking less milk, avoiding sunlight exposure, omitting exercises and unhealthy diet are a few reasons, say experts.

Osteoporosis causes the bones to become fragile, increasing the chances of fracture and even minor injury. The symptoms of the ailment include back pain or tenderness, a loss of height, and a slight curvature or ‘hump’ of the upper back.

According to orthopaedicians, in India about 26 million people suffer from osteoporosis, of which 70 percent comprise women. This number is expected to reach 36 million by 2013.

”During menopause, the level of estrogen produced by the ovaries decreases significantly leading to an increased risk of bone loss. As women age estrogen levels decrease and the risk of osteoporosis increases. During childbirth women lose a lot of calcium that is often not replenished. So women between 45 to 50 who have irregular periods should start with calcium supplements,” Pankaj Walecha, senior consultant, orthopedics, Primus Super Speciality Hospital, said.

”Usually we see fractures in the wrist, hip and spine area,” Walecha said.

Ispita Gaur, 45, a MNC employee and mother of two, said she developed osteoporosis six months ago. She regrets that she had never exercised earlier.

”My work hours would extend beyond ten hours, and I never concentrated on my diet. I used to grab a burger and cold drink whenever I was hungry. On top of that I never made time for exercise, which has led me to this,” regrets Gaur.

Orthopedicians recommend weight-bearing activities such as walking, running, racket sports as these are more effective in maintaining the density of the leg and spinal bones.

”Regular exercise, for example a brisk walk of about 30 minutes everyday. Inclusion of more dairy products, egg white, salmon fish in diet would lower the risk of osteoporosis,” S Rajasekaran, president, Indian orthopaedic association said.

Apart from this doctors inform that many men and women in India keep away from sunlight - a good source of Vitamin D.

”Exposure to sunlight for at least 20 minutes every day is necessary. Drinking glass of milk rich in calcium lowers the chance of bone loss since calcium is one of the main components in bone; over 70 percent of women develop osteoporosis,” said Vineet Suri, senior consultant of neurology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

Osteoporosis also affects 40 percent of men who are regular smokers and who have a high intake of alcohol and caffeine.

”Adopting a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and routine bone density checks after 40 years of age for women and 55 years for men will help them form a healthy bone mass and ensure fracture-free life,” Rajasekaran added.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Multivitamins does not lower heart disease risk

(IANS) / 7 November 2012

The intake of daily multivitamins does not lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in men, says a new finding.The findings from our large clinical trial do not support the use of a common daily multivitamin supplement for the sole purpose of preventing cardiovascular disease in men,’ said Howard D. Sesso, associate epidemiologist in Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH).

‘The decision to take a daily multivitamin should be made in consultation with one’s doctor and consideration given to an individual’s nutritional status and other potential effects of multivitamins,’ said Sesso, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported.

Researchers enrolled nearly 15,000 men over 50 years and followed them for more than 10 years.

The men were randomly assigned to take either a multivitamin or a placebo (sugar pills) daily which ensured that both treatment groups were identical with respect to risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

They self-reported episodes of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease, and a panel of physicians reviewed and confirmed their events with medical records.

Researchers then compared the group that took the multivitamin with the group that took the placebo and found no significant impact on risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular mortality.

J. Michael Gaziano, chief of the Division of Aging at BWH and senior study author, said: ‘Studies like this are key to providing us with valuable information about what specific benefits multivitamins do or do not provide in terms of their long-term impact on chronic diseases.’

These findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2012.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Less is better, when it comes to salt

(IANS) / 5 November 2012

A simple measure that could go a long way in enhancing public health—limit salt intake to less than 1,500 mg or about three-fourths of a teaspoon each day—is the subject of an advisory to Americans.The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued an advisory based on a thorough review of recent lab, animal, observational and clinical studies. This advisory is meant not only for people with medical conditions, but also for perfectly healthy people.

A limited salt intake would significantly reduce the risk of high blood pressure (BP), heart disease and stroke.

‘Our recommendation is simple in the sense that it applies to the entire US population, not just at-risk groups,’ said Nancy Brown, AHA’s chief executive officer, the AHA journal Circulation reports.

BP affects more than 76 million adults in the US alone and one billion people worldwide, besides being a major cause of cardiovascular disease, globally, according to a Tulane University statement.

‘People should not be swayed by calls for a change in sodium (salt) intake recommendations based on findings from recent studies,’ says Paul K. Whelton, professor of global public health at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, who led the study.

‘Our detailed review of these studies identified serious methodological weaknesses, which limit the value of these reports in setting or revising sodium intake policy,’ adds Whelton.

‘Our focus should be on finding effective ways to implement, not change, the existing American Heart Association policy on sodium intake,’ adds Whelton.

Yet, most US adults and children consume sodium far in excess of their physiological needs and guideline recommendations—with an average daily intake more than 3,400 mg per day.

Most of the sodium consumed is hidden in processed and prepared foods.

AHA advocates improved nutritional labelling of sodium content and stringent limits on sodium in all foods—fresh, processed and prepared.

 

[Night_Hawk]

From 180 to 90kg

Asma Ali Zain / 8 November 2012

Tackling obesity is Dr Gabi Wazz. —Supplied photo

Emirati, Ahmed Al Shamsi, enjoys working out and makes it look so easy. He jabs, kicks, and lifts like a pro. But two years ago, none of this was possible.The young Emirati, then 25, weighed about 180kg (nearly 400 pounds). Now half that weight, Ahmed says friends and family barely recognise him.

Ahmed lost his flab after consulting Dr Gabi Wazz, a general surgeon at Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Centre in Dubai.
Dr Wazz’ procedures — like gastric band or bypass operations — help patients shed pounds quickly. These days business here is up 600 per cent, says Dr Wazz probably because obesity in this nation is also on the rise.
The UAE is the fifth fattest nation in the world. Statistics point out that Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE may be some of the wealthiest nations in the world, but they have also become some of the most obese.
“My wedding was a few months ago. And I got people coming in to congratulate me, asking me where the groom was. I’m like, I’m the groom. No way, this is you, they asked?” explained Ahmed.
“I lost 90kg.”

CNN show timings November 10, 9.30am and 11.30pm November 11, 5.30pm November 17, 5.30pm November 18, 9-30am and 11:30pm

“Locals are shifting from their healthy way of living and eating to this modern life. Fast food, fast cars, not walking, not going to the gym ... genetically their bodies are not meant to have such a life,” explains Dr Wazz. More than half the Emiratis are overweight, according to recent statistics.
The problem with rapid modernisation and westernisation, say experts, is diabetes. Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, like fast food, can lead to type-two diabetes in adults. One in five Emiratis now have the disease. It’s a recent problem, but one the government is trying to solve.
In Abu Dhabi, the government is trying to change habits among the youth. Children now have only healthy food options at schools. Calories are counted in a bid to end a growing epidemic.
“We’re very concerned because 35 per cent of the children suffer from obesity. And 50 per cent of them are at risk of developing type-two diabetes,” said Hanan Al Sahlawi from the Abu Dhabi Education Council.
Officials fear the economy could suffer, too. The UAE provides universal health care for its citizens, and costs for diabetes treatment could soar in the next decade. Doctors use international guidelines that define who gets bariatric surgery based on how obese they are. But other doctors worry that some are opting for an unnecessary and potentially risky procedure. “Some people think it’s an easy fix to a problem. They’re fed up of being overweight. Women, for example, come from a cosmetic point of view. Others from a health point of view. And they think that having a band, for example, which is the easiest type of bariatric surgery is a quick solution,” opines Dr Wael Abdulrahman Almahmeed, a cardiologist.
For Ahmed, it was quick but not easy. He’ll be on supplements the rest of his life. Still, he says bariatric surgery was worth the risk. “This is the only way out of obesity, I think. Because working out and dieting, someday you’ll gain,” said Ahmed.
The issue of obesity and bariatric surgery will also be covered by CNN’s November show ‘Inside the Middle East.’ Host Zain Verjee will visit Dubai to discover how increasing numbers of Emiratis are turning to stomach stapling surgery to shed their pounds before she travels to Kuwait where nearly 70 per cent of the men are overweight.
[email protected]

 

[Night_Hawk]

People overestimate the benefits of prevention

(Reuters) / 16 November 2012

Patients asked to estimate how many lives would be saved through cancer screening or how many hip fractures can be prevented with bone-building medication mostly overestimate the benefits of these preventive measures, according to a New Zealand study.Several hundred patients were asked about the benefits of various cancer screenings and were surprised by how small the benefits actually were, according to findings that appeared in the Annals of Family Medicine.

Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who communicate health information often don’t detail how much a given test or drug can help, but only say that people ought to have it, said Annette O’Connor at the University of Ottawa, who wasn’t a part of the study.
“I think it’s led to more people taking part in screening or availing themselves of preventive medication than would have been the case if they were presented the information in more meaningful terms,” said lead author Ben Hudson, a professor at the University of Otago in Christchurch, New Zealand.
“I would also be concerned that it’s led to people having over-heightened expectations of what these things can achieve, and that may lead to disappointment when the inevitable breast cancer happens despite screening.”
To get a broader sense of patients’ expectations, Hudson and his colleagues asked 354 people about the benefits of breast cancer screening with mammograms, bowel cancer screening with stool testing, taking antihypertension medication and taking bone-strengthening medication.
Specifically, participants were asked to imagine scenarios in which 5,000 people between the ages of 50 and 70 undergo one of these preventive interventions for 10 years, then asked how many “events’ they thought would be avoided as a result.
For three of the four interventions, the event to be avoided was death. In the case of the bone drugs, it was hip fracture.
For breast cancer screening, only seven percent of the participants answered in the correct range of one to five lives being saved with screening, whereas 80 percent overestimated how many lives would be saved. Fully a third thought that 1,000 deaths would be averted.
The numbers were similar for bowel cancer screening, which is thought to save 5 to 10 lives for every 5,000 people tested.
Eighty-two percent of participants overestimated the number of fractures prevented by bone-strengthening medication, which i ins reality is about 50 for every 5,000 patients. And 69 percent of participants reported that 500 or move lives would be saved if 5,000 people took blood pressure medication, when the correct range should have been 50 to 100.
Hudson said that one of the problems that can arise when people overvalue a test is if recommendations for testing are scaled back because of insufficient benefits, people get upset.
In 2009, for instance, when guidelines were changed on regular mammograms from beginning at age 40 to beginning at age 50, a survey of women at the time found that most of them considered the new guidelines to be “unsafe,” at least in part because they feared that insurers would no longer cover screening for women in their 40s who wanted it.
“The other thing that happens when you have an established screening program for which people have heightened expectations, it becomes very politically difficult to make any changes insofar as recommending reduced access, even when it is pretty convincing that the outcomes are better,” Hudson said.
“I have a feeling this would all be easier if we could present (patients) with this information, trust them with their decisions and support them in doing so,” he added.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Walking, cycling may ease cancer-related fatigue

(Reuters) / 16 November 2012

People who have been treated for cancer often have lingering fatigue, but regular walking or cycling might help boost their energy, according to a UK study that looked at more than two thousand people.The long-lasting tiredness of cancer patients has been blamed both on the cancer itself, including cancer-related pain, and on the effects of treatments such as chemotherapy. Prior studies point to talk therapy, nutrition counseling and acupuncture as possible remedies.

But light-to-moderate exercise has the advantage of being something people can do on their own time, for little or no cost, said the researchers, whose findings appeared in The Cochrane Library.
“We’re not expecting people to go out and be running a mile the next day,” said Fiona Cramp, who worked on the analysis at the University of the West of England in Bristol.
“Some people will be well enough that they’re able to go for a jog or go for a bike ride, and if they can, that’s great. But we would encourage people to start with a low level.”
Cramp and her colleague James Byron-Daniel pooled findings from 38 studies that directly compared more than 2,600 people with cancer-related fatigue who did or didn’t go through an exercise program.
The majority of that research looked at women with breast cancer and the type of exercise program varied, from walking or biking to weight training or yoga. More than half of the studies included multiple exercises or allowed participants to choose their own type of physical activity.
The amount of prescribed exercise ranged from two times per week to daily workouts, lasting anywhere from ten minutes to two hours, depending on the study.
When they combined the results, the researchers found physical activity both during and after cancer treatment was tied to improved energy. In particular, aerobic exercise such as walking and cycling tended to reduce fatigue more than resistance training.
“What we do know is there will be an appreciable difference; the average patient will get a benefit from physical activity,” Cramp said, though the actual benefit will vary.
For example, there were exercise-related benefits for people with breast cancer and prostate cancer, although not for those with leukemia and lymphoma.
“Some of the hematologic patients may not have the reserves to always tolerate the aerobic exercise,” said Carol Enderlin, who has studied fatigue and cancer at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
“They do not always have the oxygen carrying capacity, for instance,” because the disease and treatment affect blood cell counts. For those people, non-aerobic exercise or exercise at a lower does may be a better option, added Enderlin, who was not part of the research team. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/TMV6SC (Reporting by Elaine Lies) REUTERS

 

[Muawiyah]

good thread(clap)

 

[Night_Hawk]

Diabetes cases hit record and half go undiagnosed

(Reuters) / 19 November 2012

Diabetes is running at record levels worldwide and half the people estimated to have the disease are, as yet, undiagnosed, according to a report.The number of people living with diabetes is now put at 371 million, up from 366 million a year ago, with numbers expected to reach 552 million by 2030, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) said.

Diabetes is often viewed as a western problem, since the vast majority of people have type 2 disease which is linked to obesity and lack of exercise.
But the disease is also spreading rapidly in poorer countries, alongside urbanization, and four out of five diabetics now live in low and middle-income countries, opening up new opportunities and challenges for the drug industry.

China alone has 92.3 million people with diabetes, more than any other nation in the world, and the hidden burden is also enormous in sub-Saharan Africa where limited healthcare means less than a fifth of cases get diagnosed.
The IDF estimates that, globally, 187 million people do not yet know they are suffering from the condition.
Diabetics have inadequate blood sugar control which can lead to serious complications, including nerve and kidney damage and blindness. Worldwide deaths from the disease are running at 4.8 million a year.
The disease is one of a number of chronic conditions - along with cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases - that healthcare campaigners want included in the next set of global development goals, which will replace outgoing Millennium Developments Goals in 2015.
For the international drug-makers, diabetes offers riches, with global sales of diabetes medicines expected to reach $48-$53 billion by 2016, up from $39.2 billion in 2011, according to research firm IMS Health.

CHINA TO AFRICA
Tapping into the potential of increased demand in emerging markets, however, requires a twin-track approach from drug companies which have traditionally focused on pricey new therapies for rich-world markets.
These days, there is a lot more focus on high-volume but lower-margin business in developing economies, many of which are predicted to show high double-digit percentage sales growth for diabetes medicines for years to come.
The shift is already yielding results.
China, for example, is now the second-largest market behind the United States for the world’s biggest maker of insulin - Danish group Novo Nordisk. It is also a major focus for rivals such as Eli Lilly, Merck & Co , and Sanofi.

Poorer countries are more difficult, especially when it comes to insulin, which must be kept cool if it is not to deteriorate. While most patients start on cheap generic diabetes pills, such as metformin, many need insulin as their disease progresses.
Still, Novo Nordisk thinks it has cracked part of the problem in Kenya, where a project using churches and other local groups has reduced the number of middlemen in the supply chain and cut the cost of a month’s supply of insulin to around 500 Kenyan shillings.
So far, the project only covers around 1,000 Kenyans but Jesper Hoiland, Novo’s head of international operations, is confident his company’s low-price model will become profitable as it increases in scale. “It will take three to five years to get to breakeven,” he said in an interview.
In the meantime, similar pilot schemes are being tested in rural India and Nigeria.
Other major drug-makers like Sanofi, which has a significant presence in Africa, are also adopting “tiered” or differential pricing to open up developing world markets.

 

[Night_Hawk]

[h=1]Boosting Brain Power -- With Chocolate[/h] ScienceDaily (Feb. 22, 2007) — Eating chocolate could help to sharpen up the mind and give a short-term boost to cognitive skills, a University of Nottingham expert has found.

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A study led by Professor Ian Macdonald found that consumption of a cocoa drink rich in flavanols — a key ingredient of dark chocolate — boosts blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours.

Increased blood flow to these areas of the brain may help to increase performance in specific tasks and boost general alertness over a short period.
The findings, unveiled at one of the biggest scientific conferences in America, also raise the prospect of ingredients in chocolate being used to treat vascular impairment, including dementia and strokes, and thus for maintaining cardiovascular health.
The study also suggests that the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate could be useful in enhancing brain function for people fighting fatigue, sleep deprivation, and even the effects of ageing.

Ian Macdonald, professor of metabolic physiology at The University of Nottingham, used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect increased activity in specific areas of the brain in individuals who had consumed a single drink of flavanol-rich cocoa. The effect is linked to dilation of cerebral blood vessels, allowing more blood — and therefore more oxygen — to reach key areas of the brain.
Flavanols are not only found in chocolate with a high cocoa content — they are also present in other substances such as red wine, green tea and blueberries.
He presented his research at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the biggest annual gatherings of scientists from all over the world. This year's meeting takes place in San Francisco from February 15–19.
Professor Macdonald said: “Acute consumption of this particular flavanol-rich cocoa beverage was associated with increased grey matter flow for two to three hours.
“The demonstration of an effect of consuming this particular beverage on cerebral blood flow raises the possibility that certain food ingredients may be beneficial in increasing brain blood flow and enhancing brain function, in situations where individuals are cognitively impaired such as fatigue, sleep deprivation, or possibly ageing.”
He emphasised that the level of cocoa flavanol used in the study is not available commercially. The cocoa-rich flavanol beverage was specially formulated for the purpose of the study.
Co-authors on the research were Dr Susan Francis, research associate Kay Head, and Professor Peter Morris, all from The University of Nottingham's School of Physics and Astronomy.
Professor Macdonald is a member of the Food Standards Agency's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, and is President-Elect of the UK Nutrition Society. His main research interests are concerned with the functional consequences of metabolic and nutritional disturbances in health and disease, with specific interests in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and exercise.
The AAAS, founded in 1848, is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the prestigious international journal Science. Its annual conference draws up to 10,000 attendees.

 

[aamir_uetn]

Wash Hands Properly

It's the proper way to clean your hands. hospital staff do this steps before performing operation.

 

[Mehrushka]

Re: Wash Hands Properly

Then..

and repeat the above instructions..:P

 

[aamir_uetn]

Re: Wash Hands Properly

Then..

and repeat the above instructions..:P

:lol: yani daagh to achey hotey hain