Mineral Water can prevent memory loss in Alzheimer’s

A litre of mineral water a day can prevent cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, according to the latest study by the British Researchers.

Consuming a litre of silicon rich mineral water daily significantly reduced the levels of neurotoxin aluminium in the body. According to the earlier research, the presence of aluminium linked to the plaques and tangles (two kinds of microscopic damage) in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Indoor Tanning leads to non-melanoma skin cancer

It is well known that indoor tanning will lead to the most deadly form of skin cancer - melanoma. The researchers have now found out that indoor tanning will also increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, especially to those who start using them before the age of 25.

When you hate broccoli

When you find vegetables more bitter then it is better 

When you find vegetables like sprouts and broccoli unbearably bitter then you are better at fighting off infection due to a chemical in your nose.

According to the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, people who hate food like broccoli, sprouts have more receptors that pick up the flavour of these food and work as an early warning system about bacterial invaders.

The receptors, involved in activating the body’s natural defences against common infections were thought to be located only on the tongue. But it is now known to be in the linings of the nasal and sinus cavities also.

About one third of the population does not have the specific version of the bitter taste receptor gene known as TAS2R38 that activates and immune response.

According to Noam Cohen, University of Pennsylvania, the ability to taste does not protect against all infections. During the study, researchers grew cells in lab foods, forming structure that resembled the multi-layered lining of the nose and sinus in order to test how bitter receptors affect the initial stages of the infection process.

The chemicals produced by common bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa activated the TAS2R38 bitter receptor, and caused the air like cilia that line the sinuses to start sweeping away microbial intruders. The activation also resulted in the release into the sinuses of nitric oxide which kills bacteria. 

Echinacea – Herbal medicine to prevent cold

Herbal Medicine Echinacea to prevent severe cold

Research published in the journal “Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine” throws light about “Echinacea”, an herbal medicine which can prevent severe cold.

In one of the largest clinical studies conducted, researchers have found out that Echinacea can prevent colds, mainly in those who are prone to it.

About 750 patients who participated in this clinical research took three doses of common remedy daily for four months which resulted in the reduced number of colds and duration of illness by an average of 26 per cent.

According to the researchers, the treatment cuts the number of recurrent colds suffered by patients by 60 per cent. Particularly for patients with weak immune system and those who have a history of several bouts.

Earlier studies suggested that Echinacea soothed symptoms and cut cold short, however, there was only limited evidence that it could prevent illness from taking hold.

A latest study by the Cardiff University’s Common Cold Centre suggest that Echinaforce, a common form of herb extract can not only reduce the risk of colds but also the amount of paracetamol the patient consume while ill.  

Source of Echinacea

Echinacea is extracted from the Eastern Purple Coneflower found in North America. The Eastern Purple Coneflower has long been used as herbal remedy for the common cold. 

How Echinacea works

Echinacea fights viruses and boosts immune systems. It fights viruses which causes 95 per cent of cold and flu.

Patients mixed 25 drops of Echinaforce with water and held it in their mouths for about 10 seconds before swallowing it for three times a day over a four months period. This resulted in the total number of days reduced to 672 from 850, which according to the researchers is “highly significant”. 

Sensor in Bra to detect breast cancer early

An un-noticeable device in a bra can help identify breast cancer early. A company in US has disclosed their plans to come up with an ultra modern device that can be worn inside the bra to help detect breast cancer.

The company’s belief is that their device will detect tumors early and reduce the rate of false positives and negatives helping women to seek treatment as soon as possible following a diagnosis.

The sensor is placed inside the bra and will measure any changes in cell temperature caused by the blood vessel growth associated with tumors as they develop.  

The sensor contains software that uses pattern recognition, chronology and artificial intelligence to look for changes in breast tissue that might indicate a tumor was present. The size of the breast tumors and how far the cancer has spread are crucial elements in determining the prognosis of women diagnosed with breast cancer.  

Advanced technology like 3D mammography and thermography are commonly used methods to diagnoses, most of the times, it is considered un-trustworthy.  Concerns like patients discomfort, exposure to radiation and false positives and negatives has spurred the creation of numerous other screening methods. 

Women will be stressed on bad news

Bad news will stress women

If you love your woman and do not want to stress her then avoid giving her bad news. Quite impossible but a new study have proved that negative news or information will affect women more than men and they even remember the details better.

The Canadian researchers showed men and woman reports from newspapers which consisted of accidents and murders took a greater toll on the female psyche. The reason being, according to the researchers, women are more empathetic and have evolved to look out for and think about the situations that might threaten them and their children.

An experiment was conducted where in about 56 men and women were provided with selection of stories from newspapers. Some of the participants were judged to be emotionally neutral. The reports included information related to film premier, an opening of a new bridge and some harrowing stories. The saliva of participants was checked for changes in levels of stress hormone cortisol.

The negative news not only increased the stress levels in women, it made them more reactive affecting their physiological response. They were able to remember more details of the negative stories. However, this phenomenon was not witnessed in male participants.

France Marine, a researcher in University of Montreal stated that women’s body may be primed to be alert to danger. The women’s stress system is wired up to ensure not only their own survival but the one of their offspring as well. 

NACA - Antioxidant that can prevent and cure cataracts

NACA - a new antioxidant to cure and prevent eye disorders  

The scientists have developed a new antioxidant that not only prevents but also cures cataracts, macular degeneration and other eye disorders.

Dr. Nuran Ercal with other researchers, at the Missouri University of Science and Technology are examining the eye drops prepared with the antioxidant Nacetylcysteine amide (NACA) to treat the above mentioned eye conditions.

According to Ercal, NACA is an improvement over another experimental treatment – antioxidant Nacetylcysteine (NAC), because is passes more easily across cell membranes allowing to be used in lower doses.

NACA characteristic is an improvement of NAC achieved by neutralizing the carboxylic group of NAC which makes the NACA pas cellular membranes easily.

The new drug can be administered at a lower dose and has a greater therapeutic index. It also lowers the risk of side effects associated with NAC.

NACA is an excellent source of Glutathione which is the cells main antioxidant power which diminishes during degenerative eye disorders.

About 30 million people in the US alone suffer from vision loss due to age related eye disorders. This figure will double in the coming decades, stated Ercal.

Eye drops prepared by NACA will drastically reduce the costs and will be an excellent alternative to expensive surgeries. It will also improve the quality of life to those who are afflicted.

The research team lead by Ercal has been testing NACA on HIV related problems, lead poisoning and other toxicities for about 10 years. Since 4 years they have been testing on eye disorders.  

Further testing on NACA solution will help understand appropriate dosage and frequency and other side effects. 

Don’t be near annoying people

Don't be around annoying people, they might slow down your brain 

When people annoy you, you tend to get angry and try to move away. Have you ever wondered why? Scientists from University of South California who were researching on this have found out that being in the company of annoying people will slows the rate which the mind processes movement.

Basically, you like someone or not can affect your brain in processing their actions.  Watching someone move causes a ‘mirroring’ effect where parts of our brain responsible for movement are activated by watching them moving.

When you are around those whom you don’t like and see their movement, you might think that the person is moving slower than they actually are.

In other words, race or physical similarity can influence brain process and you tend to have more empathy for those who look more like you.

Research was conducted among the Jewish men who were split into two groups. Half of them were presented as neo-Nazis, the intention was to making them disliked, and the other half were presented as likable and open-minded.

When the men viewed someone they disliked, the right ventral pre-motor cortex had a different pattern of activity when compared to those to the likable ones. The differences were spotted when the annoying person was present. 

Your smartphones to alert doctors

Patients with chronic medical conditions like depression and diabetes may not be attended by doctors until they are in crisis and are in the emergency room.

The good news is that, when the patients withdraw, their smartphones might reach out for them. Thanks to the application which tracks how often the patients send text messages, make a call or even move around and where they go. Any change in their habits which suggests that they have become withdrawn, the application immediately alerts the doctors or the caretaker. Many hospitals and medical centres are testing this technology. Thanks to the financial help from medical chains like US Military and Insurance companies.

Most of the technology which may come handy for the application to perform like global positioning systems and accelerometers used in tracking location and movement are already there in the smartphones.

Research conducted on 15 patients with chronic gastrointestinal trouble showed that the patients clearly changed their communication and movement patterns before the onset of severe symptoms.

This technology measures social behaviours at a scale and depth of a patient which he or she didn’t had before. However, the software is still being tested for its effectiveness.

According to some researchers and medical experts, the software will not only find out the worsening conditions of the patients, but also find out behaviour changes. For examples, patients who have stopped taking medications or may require a dosage change.

Adam I Kaplin, a professor of psychology and neurology at John Hopkins was of concern that such systems might send wrong alerts or the patients may think that they are overly monitored.

The people behind this technology who are aware of the privacy concerns note that the patients must be consented and should make sure that information goes to health professionals and designation family members only.

Tomato Reduces Stroke – New Research

Tomato reduces stroke by 50 per cent

A recent research published in the journal “Neurology”, has claimed that consumption of tomato and tomato based food which are rich in anti-oxidant lycopene can reduce the risk of stroke to 50 per cent.

According to the researchers from Finland, people who consumed food with highest amount of lycopene were 55 per cent less likely to get stroke than those who consumed or had lowest amounts of lycopene in their blood.   

About 1031 men in an age group of 46 and 65 were involved in the study. Lycopene levels were tested in their blood at the beginning of the study and were followed for an average of 12 years. During the study, about 67 men suffered stroke.

Out of 258 men who had lowest levels of lycopene, 25 suffered stroke and among 259 men who had highest levels of lycopene, 11 of them suffered stroke. Ultimately the result was, those with the highest levels of lycopene were 59 per cent less likely to suffer from stroke when compared with those who had lowest levels of lycopene. 

Are your eyes constantly watering?

If your eyes are constantly watering, then it’s time to consult a specialist. The common cause for excessive tearing is an obstruction in the tear duct at the level of its opening into the nose.

Normally, a steady current of tears is constantly passing over the eye and is cleared by the tear drainage system. An obstruction in this process causes a tear traffic jam and the pooled tears overflow from the corner of the eye on the affected side.

What is to be noted here is the stagnant tears are an ideal bed for bacterial growth and the infections in the tear sac sometimes results in painful swelling near the eye called “Acute Dacryocystitis.”

More commonly, the infection is long standing resulting in an incessant purulent discharge. Swollen lids, pooled tears and matted lashes cause the eye to appear shrunken.

In rare cases, the infection can spread deeper and become life threatening. The infected tear sac can, on occasion, rupture on the skin surface resulting in abnormal tear drainage on to the cheek through a fistula.

Tearing in Children

The tear duct develops late in children and may take some time to open. In some cases, the opening of the duct can be delayed resulting in excess watering and even infections. Such obstructed ducts can be opened by systematic massaging of the tear sac and medication. Sometimes the block does not open and may need further intervention.

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White rice can lead to Type 2 Diabetes

If you are fond of white rice and consume it every day, says 3 to 4 servings a day, than you may be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In many Asian countries including India, rice is the regular food for many. A team of researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School conducted around four studies, two in Asian people (Chinese and Japanese) and two in Western population (US and Australia).

The review, which involved around 3,50,000 people were followed for nearly 22 years. During the review, they found that the more white rice people consumed, the higher the chance they had of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The researchers stated that “We found that higher white rice consumption was associated with a significantly elevated risk of Type 2 diabetes. This association seems to be stronger for Asians than for Western populations.”

It was also understood that, compared to brown rice, white rice has lower content of many nutrients like fiber and magnesium which could actually protect against diabetes.

Asian people tend to consume higher white rice than those in the West, averaging around three to four servings a day. During the review followed for 22 years, 13,000 people developed Type 2 diabetes.

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Diabetes Risk

Today, the risk of being diabetic is so high that it becomes very important that it is diagnosed earlier so that the later complications can be prevented or delayed. You may be at the risk of being diabetic if you have

• High Blood Pressure
• Highly Blood Triglyceride levels
• Gestational diabetes or if you have delivered a baby weighing more than 4 kgs
• High-fat diet and consumption of excessive alcohol
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity and weight circumference > 90 cm in make and > 85 cm in female
• Family history (hereditary)
• Aging – more risk after 45 years.

The risk factors like family history, age and ethnicity are unavoidable. However, there are chances that healthy diet and physical activity can prevent or control diabetes.

• If you urinate frequently – the urination increases if there is excess glucose in the blood. Due to less or ineffective insulin, the kidneys may fail to filter excessive glucose back to the blood.
• When your thirst for water increases – If you feel thirsty very often and drink more water than usual and urinate more frequently may mean diabetes.
• When you feel hungry very hungry – When your body does not digest enough glucose, the need for more glucose arises. This is leads to you being hungry very often.
• Unusual loss of weight – When the cells do not get enough glucose, the body desperately seeks for an energy source and starts to break down muscle tissue and fat for more energy.
• Increased fatigue – because glucose is not utilized, cells become energy starved; you feel tired and run down.

Apart from about mentioned symptoms, other symptoms like irritability, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in hands, legs or feet, dry or itchy skin, and wound which doesn’t heal are to be looked at.

Cadmium in food increase risk of breast cancer

Women whose diet contains food with higher levels of cadmium are at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Cadmium is a toxic metal which is found in farm fertilizers. As per the study conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research, women with the highest cadmium intakes were 21 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than who did not consume food rich in cadmium.

Cadmium, which is a bluish white heavy metal, identified as a carcinogen, leaches into crops from fertilizers and when rainfall or sewage sludge deposit it onto farmland. Whole grains, potatoes, other vegetables and shellfish are key dietary sources of cadmium, which also becomes airborne as a pollutant when fossil fuels are burned, and is likely inhaled as well as ingested.

Detailed article from Yahoo and Global Times

Circumcision reduces risk of prostate cancer.

Men who undergo circumcision may have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. A study published in the journal “Cancer” states that men who are circumcised before their first sexual encounter have a 15% lower incidence of prostate cancer than those who are or were circumcised after they first had sex.

Eyes and Brain Health

Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have found that the damage to a person’s retina was linked to decline in the individuals brain function. This proves that the health of your eyes could offer an insight into your brain condition. The researchers believe that the issues with the blood supply may be damaging both the eyes and the brain.

The researchers followed around 511 women who were aged 65 and above for nearly a decade. Out of which 39 patients were recognized with retinopathy, who tended to have lower scores in tests of brain functions, including memory and abstract reasoning exams. The brain scans also revealed more areas of damaged brain tissue.

Mary Haan, who led the study, stated that the problems with the tiny blood vessel in the eye may be the sign that there were problems with the blood vessels in the brain that can lead to cognitive problems. She also opined that it would be useful if simple eye screening could provide an indication that the patients might be at risk of problems with their brain health and functioning.

Obesity may begin even before birth

After following strict diet regime, are you still obese? You will be surprised to know that the obesity begins even before birth. A team of researchers at the Newcastle University in United Kingdom have found that some people are programmed to be fat while still they were in the womb, with the mother to be’s lifestyle affecting her baby’s health for years to come.

Changes were found in their DNA at birth which may be a result of their mother’s diet or exposure to pollution and stress. The changes were linked to higher Body Mass Index in children aged above nine years. (The researchers also stated that more work was needed to definitely prove the link between these change and obesity).

Caroline Relton, who led the research, said, “Other studies have just taken genes at birth and looked at difference irrespective of whether they are differently expressed with different levels of obesity. The difference between this study and others is that we had a reason to focus on the genes we looked at because we knew they were differently expressed in children with higher BMI,” he told the BBS.

Childhood or adult obesity has many causes and scientists have previously linked specific genes, such as the FTO gene, with increased body weight.

Statins may also cure Parkinson’s

Statins, a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol, could also help ward off Parkinson’s disease, particularly among people younger than 60, a new study has suggested. The study involving more than 1,30,000 people found that people who took statins had 26 percent decreased risk of developing Parkinson’s diseases over a 12 year period. For those under the age of 60, the risk was reduced by 60 percent.

Watermelons may help keep heart healthy

Researchers in Florida have found out that eating Watermelons may help reduce high blood pressure. They stated that the natural compounds in the fruit appear to dilate blood vessels so the heart does not have to work so hard pumping blood around the body, the Daily Express reported.

Study’s volunteers who took a pill containing the chemicals everyday for six weeks saw significant improvements compared to others who took a dummy pill.

High blood pressure is blamed for half of all heart attacks and strokes in the UK. The findings has published in the American Journal of Hypertension.

Yoga increases Love Hormone

Practicing Yoga helps you overcome many neurological disorders. The study conducted by Advanced Center for Yoga, NIMHANS, Bangalore has found that the practice of Yoga helps increase the level of “Love Hormone – oxytocin” by fourfold, improving the cognitive functions of Schizophrenic patients. The study was conducted for nearly three years by a team from the Department of Psychiatry of NIMHANS.

During the research, the simplest form of Yogasana and Pranayama was taught to the schizophrenic students and within months a considerable difference could be noticed. Hormone oxytocin, which improves social cognition among schizophrenic patients, had increased fourfold with the practice of yoga.”

The practice of Yoga also increased the brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF level, an anti-depressant and a marker for neuroplasticity. The patients were trained in simple asana’s for ten days and later twice a week for two more weeks. They were advised to practice yoga at home regularly for three months. The practice resulted in the increase in serum BNDF and significant improvement in the depression level

Citrus fruit may lower stroke risk

A study has revealed that a compound in citrus fruits may reduce women’s stroke risk. The study examines how consuming flavonoids subclasses affects the risk of stroke, Xinhua reported.

Flavonoids are a class of compounds present in fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine. “Studies have shown higher fruit, vegetable and specifically vitamin C intake is associated with reduced stroke risk,” said Aedin Cassidy, lead author and professor of nutrition at the University of East Anglia in Britain.

“Flavonoids are thought to provide some of that protection through several mechanisms, including improved blood vessel function and an anti-inflammatory effect.”

New aspirin curbs 11 kinds of cancer

A new aspirin may be the latest to join the armory of drugs against cancer, has shown great promise in fighting and shrinking 11 different types of human cancer cells, without harming normal cells.

The new designer drug curbed the growth of cancer cells including colon, pancreatic, lung, prostate, breast and leukemia according to a team from the City College of New York.

“The key components of this new compound are that it is very, very potent and yet it has minimal toxicity to the cells,” said Khosrow Kashfi, principle study investigator. Prolonged use of aspirin is known to pose its own dangers: side-effects ranging from bleeding ulcers to kidney failures. To resolve this, they created a hybrid of two earlier formulations, which they have called NOSH-aspirin.

Smoking Shisha pipe an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes

If you think that smoking flavored Shisha Pipe/Hookah is no harm then consider reading this. A new research has showed that smoking Shisha Pipe for an hour is equivalent to smoking some 100 cigarettes. In United Kingdom alone, the number of Shisha Bars has increased three times, from 179 bars in 2007 to some 556 bars as of date.

The research revealed that more than one in four people aged between 18 and 24 have tried inhaling flavored tobacco through water pipes/Shisha pipes/hookahs. About 44 out of 100 people were of opinion that smoking Shisha pipe was less harmful than cigarettes and some 15 people believed that the smoking Shisha pipe did no harm.

Dr Mike Knapton, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, warned users: “Don’t be duped by the sweet smell and whole some sounding fruity flavors. If you use shisha you are a smoker.”

A spokesman from British Heart Foundation stated that the research conducted in America showed shisha smoking was linked to the same kind of diseases caused by cigarette smoking, including heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and complications during pregnancy.

What is Shisha Pipe?

Shisha pipe or the Hookah involves drawing flavored tobacco smoke – such as apple, mint, strawberry and coconut through large and ornate pipes. Smokers inhale through a mouthpiece attached to a long tube and the smoke is cooled through water in the pipe.

Trans fat intake linked to aggression

Think before consuming food which contains dietary trans-fatty acids like french fries, cakes and cookies. The new study claims that these food would give you irritation and make you aggressive.

Researchers at the University of California have shown in men and women of all ages that consumption of dietary trans-fatty acids (dTFAs) is linked to irritability and aggression. The study of nearly 1000 men and women provides the first evidence linking dTFAs with adverse behaviors that impacted others, ranging from impatience to overt aggression, the PLoS ONE journal reported.

Dietary Trans fatty acids are primarily products of hydrogenation (Dietary Hydrogenated fat/trans fatty acids have been reported to increase LDL cholesterol levels relative to oil in the natural state or cis fatty acids), which makes unsaturated oils solid at room temperature. They are present at high levels in margarines, shortenings and prepared foods. Adverse health effects of dTFAs have been identified in lipid levels, metabolic function, insulin resistance, oxidation, inflammation and cardiac health.

The researchers used baseline dietary information and behavioral assessment of 945 adult men and women to analyze the relationship between dTFAs and aggression or irritability Analyses were adjusted for sex, age, education, and use of alcohol or tobacco products.