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Monday, July 30, 2012

HEALTH HAZARD Job stress to blame for early aging

London: A stressful job could make you old and sick before time, as a new study suggests that people with high stress work tend to have shorter telomeres, which has been associated with several diseases. 

    Telomeres, located at the ends of chromosomes, serve as a type of protective cap to the ropy strands and their shortening has been linked to Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. 
    The research led by Kirsi Ahola of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health measured the length of DNA sections called telomeres and how the lengths varied in association with job stress. 
    The study found that people suffering from the most job stress tended to have shorter telomeres. Telomeres assure that the genetic instructions carried by genes 
on the chromosomes are accurately translated so cells get the right messages. They shorten with age, oxidation and chemical insults. 
    Often, when telomeres reach a critically short length, the cell dies in a process called apoptosis, according to NBC News. 
    Some cells do not die, but rather become what scientists call 'senescent' — they start making genetic errors and causing damage. 
    Ahola and her team analyzed blood cells called leukocytes, which are critical to immune function, in 2,911 people between ages 30 and 64. 
    They found that workers who experienced severe exhaustion from job stress had significantly shorter leukocyte telomeres than their relatively stress-free counterparts. PTI


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City woman is India’s 1st to get lung transplant

Mumbai: It was the best gift that 41-year-old homemaker Jayshree Mehta could have wished for her birthday. She got a fresh breath of life when the family of a senior citizen who was declared braindead the same day agreed to donate his lungs. 

    The surgery that began at 7.30pm on July 11—retrieving the donor's lungs and transplanting them—at Hinduja Hospital lasted 12 hours. 
    "It was a divine coincidence," said surgeon Jnanesh Thacker, who operated on Jayshree, who was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, in which lung tissue gets scarred, a condition in which breathing becomes difficult. "She is not only the first patient in the city to undergo a single lung transplant but also the first Indian to do so in India," he said. 
Lung transplant has still a long way to go, say medical experts 
Mumbai: Between 1999 and 2011, five foreigners have undergone lung transplants in various hospitals in south India, the last one being an Iraqi man at Chennai's Global Hospital in December 2011, said Dr Jnanesh Thacker, who carried out the surgery on Jayshree Mehta. 
    Lung-failure patients like Jayshree have been suffering for long. In May 2012, a 17-yearold patient of Hinduja Hospital's chest specialist Dr Zarir Udwadia, who has been treating Jayshree for eight years, died waiting desperately for a donor. 
    "We tried every medication and every device to help Jayshree but her condition kept deteriorating," Udwadia said. Till two years ago, Jayshree led a normal life, attending to her son's needs and even going to the market place. "But before the surgery, she was confined to home as she would get extremely breathless," her husband Parag Mehta, a businessman, said. It was only when Dr Thacker, who has performed over 100 lung transplants in the US, returned to India and joined Hinduja Hospital that people like Jayshree got hope. A week prior to July 11, Jayshree and Parag got a call from Dr Thacker about a potential donor. But when the couple came down from their Vile Parle residence to the Mahim hospital, the donor family had changed their mind. 
    "My wife was, however, insistent that she would not leave without undergoing the transplant. Seeing her emotional state, the doctor set a deadline of July 11 for the transplant," said Parag. 
    As luck would have it, at around 4pm on July 11, the Mehtas got a call. After conducting a match, Jayshree as per her wish was wheeled in for surgery on her birthday. On Monday evening, 18 days after her surgery, Jayshree was shifted from the ICU to her room and will have to stay in the hospital for another 10 days. "She will 
need to undergo physiotherapy," Dr Thacker said. 
    Though the surgery is a landmark achievement and shows the city's developing medical prowess, experts said there is still a long way to go. There is an acute lack of cadaveric (deceased) donors in the country that make lung transplants a difficult proposition. Besides, the costs are steep: Jayshree's surgery alone cost Rs 10 lakh and the ICU and medications will work up to an
equal amount. Hinduja Hospital medical director Dr Gustav Daver, who was part of the transplant team, said costs would come down drastically once the surgery becomes common. "The demand for lung transplants will only increase because of the increasing incidence of lung diseases," he said. 
    Dr K M Cherian, who performed the country's first lung transplant in 1999 at Madras Medical Mission, said he had 
performed eight transplants including three heart-and-lung transplants. "It is difficult to get a donor. If you get a donor, you have to first match blood and then the size of the lung. There are requirements, like the donor should not have been on ventilator for more than 24 hours. The donor should be young and a non-smoker." He said long-term success was still difficult though in the US, doctors report 5-year survival in half of the transplant patients.


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Thursday, July 26, 2012

‘Ecstasy pills cause memory damage’


London: Taking ecstasy, a popular party drug, even in recreational amounts can cause specific memory damage, scientists have warned. 
    The memory lapses are similar to those that occur in the early onset of dementia. Ecstasy, also known by its chemical name MDMA, is a Class A drug. 
    Studies showed that even ten pills of the party drug a year can cause specific memory impairment. 

    As the nature of the impairments may not be immediately obvious to the user, it is possible people wouldn't get the signs that they are being damaged by drug use until it is too late. 
    According to the study, new ecstasy users who took ten or more ecstasy pills over their first year of use showed decreased function of their immediate and short-term memory compared with their pre-ecstasy performance. PTI

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BREAKTHROUGH Now, a cancer drug to flush out dormant HIV



Washington: A drug used to treat certain types of cancer is able to dislodge hidden virus in patients receiving treatment for HIV, researchers have claimed. 
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a study found the existence of persistent reservoirs of dormant HIV in the immune system 
that are not attacked by anti-AIDS drugs, believed to be a major reason why infection re-emerges once patients stop taking their medication. The disruption of these reservoirs is critical to finding a cure for AIDS. 
    Researchers at UNC, working in collaboration with scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health, National Cancer Institute and the 
University of California undertook a series of experiments designed to evaluate the potential of the drug vorinostat. Vorinosta is a deacetylase inhibitor that is used to treat some types of lymphoma, to activate and disrupt the dormant virus. 
    Laboratory experiments measuring active HIV levels in CD4+T cells,
which are specialized white blood cells that the virus uses to replicate, showed that vorinostat unmasked the hidden virus in these cells. Subsequently, vorinostat was administered to eight HIV-infected men who were medically stable on antiretroviral therapy and the levels of active HIV virus were measured and compared to the levels prior to administration. PTI

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Gene therapy to regenerate bones New Method Stimulates Patient’s Body To Produce Bone-Building Protein

London: Scientists claimed to have developed a new method which can mimic real bone tissue and regenerate bones using gene therapy. 

    Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have developed a method of repairing bone using synthetic bone graft substitute material, which combined with gene therapy, can mimic real bone tissue and can regenerate bone in patients who have lost large areas of bone from either disease or trauma. 
    The researchers have developed an innovative scaffold material made from colla
gen and nano-sized particles of hydroxyapatite which acts as a platform to attract the body's own cells and repair bone in the damaged area using gene therapy. The cells are tricked into overproducing bone producing proteins known as BMPs, encouraging regrowth of healthy bone tissue. The method can be applied to regenerate tissues in other parts of the body. 
    "Previously, synthetic bone grafts had proven successful in promoting new bone growth by infusing the scaffold material with bone 
producing proteins," professor Fergal O'Brien, Principal Investigator on the project said in a statement. 
    "These proteins are already clinically approved for bone repair in humans but concerns exist that the high doses of protein required in clinical treatments may have negative side effects such as increasing the risk of cancer," O'Brien added. 
    "By stimulating the body to produce the bone-producing protein itself these negative side effects can be avoided and bone tissue growth is promoted efficiently and safely," O'Brien said. PTI 

Computer chips to replace trial animals 

    American scientists are developing computer chips to mimic the human organs to be used for drug development and prevent the death of thousands of laboratory animals. The five-year long 'Tissue Chip for Drug Testing' programme, worth $70 million, is being funded by three giant US agencies, the Daily Mail reported. Scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University will focus on the multi-organ chip device. Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville are working on the micro-brain bioreactor, which like the organ chip will contain human cells. Each 'organ' will be about the size of a computer memory stick. PTI


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ORANGE JUICE EVERY DAY KEEPS POOR SKIN AT BAY


Yellow pigment of orange juice is linked to reducing sun-induced skin damage and is believed to improve elasticity of the skin


Drinking orange juice can make you more beautiful, according to a study by a panel of health and beauty experts. The research revealed that nutritionists and beauty experts now advise a daily glass of orange juice to improve skin, hair and nails. The panel of experts attribute the benefits to the vitamin C, potassium and folic acid it contains. Vitamin C is essential in 
the production of col
lagen, along with super nutrient Lutein. Its yellow pigment is linked to reducing sun-induced skin damage and is believed to improve elasticity of the skin. 
    A 200ml glass of orange typically contains 60mg vitamin C and equates to 100 per cent of an adult's recommended daily amount. Nutritionist Amanda Ursell said, "The adage of 'you are what you eat' is not a new one but science has lagged behind in determining the effect nutrition has on our skin, hair and nails. Beauty experts are starting to see the benefits of a glass of this nutrient packed product, realising it isn't just what you put on your body but what you put into it too." 
    The research was undertaken with 200 beauty industry workers who are members of CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women). Two thirds of beauty professionals (65 per cent) say they recommend clients drink a glass a day as part of their current beauty routine. 
    Susan Mahy, board director at Cosmetic Executive Women UK, said, "The essential nutrients you need for healthy skin, hair and nails are most beneficial when ingested as part of your diet. Our panel of executive women in the cosmetic, fragrance and hairdressing industries concluded that they have a direct effect on the skin." 
    Daily Mirror 

65% 
BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS RECOMMEND THIS AS A PART OF A BEAUTY REGIME

POWER GLASS: A glass of orange juice equates to 60mg vitamin C


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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Say cheese: 2 slices a day can beat diabetes

London: Two slices of cheese a day can keep diabetes at bay! 

    A new research has claimed that cheese can prevent diabetes, an illness often triggered by being overweight, even as the current health guidelines advise cutting back on dairy products. 
    British and Dutch researchers found that eating just two slices of cheese a day cuts the risk of type 2 diabetes by 12%, the Daily Mail reported. 
    Diabetes can cause heart attacks, strokes, blindness and nerve problems, without yet having been diagnosed. 
    The researchers looked at the diets of 16,800 healthy adults and 12,400 patients with type 2 diabetes from eight European countries, including the UK. 
    The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that those who ate at least 55 grams of cheese a day — around two slices were 12% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The risk fell by the same amount for those who ate 55 grams of yoghurt a day. 
    Researchers including 
academics from the Medical Research Council, Cambridge said that not all saturated fats are as harmful as others, and some may even be beneficial. PTI 
Way to rejuvenate aging heart cells 

    Scientists have discovered how to turn back the clock on aging heart tissue to give it a new lease of life using modified stem cells. They modified the stem cells with PIM-1, a protein that promotes cell survival and growth, which in turn rejuvenate the damaged cells and tissues. PTI

HEALTHY MUST-EAT

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BEAUTY'S UGLY SECRETS

The sale of cosmetics has gone up several fold in the last few years. Healthcare watchdogs have issued several warnings of risks using an array of products from simple sindoor to expensive perfumes. Most cosmetics, including some branded as natural products, contain chemicals that could probably cause health problems such as skin allergies, infertility, birth defects and cancer


IN THE NEWS 
In February 2011, a study by the US Food and Drug Administration found 
400 shades of popular lipstick contained trace amounts of lead 
In June this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning against skin lightening soaps, creams and cosmetics like eye makeup, cleansing products and mascara, saying they could contain mercury

SHAMPOO 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 10 
WORRY ABOUT Sodium Lauryl Sulphate | Skin and eye irritant; degenerative effect on cell membrane Mythlisothiazoline | Linked to neurological damage


LIPSTICK 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 30 
WORRY ABOUT: 
Polymenthyl Methacrylate 
Skin allergy, linked to cancer


NAIL COLOURS 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 30 
WORRY ABOUT: Phthalates: Linked to fertilty problems


DEODRANT 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 32 
WORRY ABOUT 
Aluminum zirconium, Isopropyl Myristate | May cause hormone disruption


HAIR SERUMS 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 11 
WORRY ABOUT Octinoxate: Allergies, irritation to nose, eye


FOUNDATION 
AVERAGE NO OF CHEMICALS: 20 
WORRY ABOUT 
Polymethyl methacrylate 
Linked to cancer, disturbs immune system






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Sunday, July 22, 2012

CHEW ON IT Think before eating organic food, it may turn you into a jerk


London: Eating organic food can make you a jerk, as a new study has claimed that people who are exposed to such eatables are more likely to exhibit judgmental attitudes. "There's a line of research showing that when people can pat themselves on the back for their moral behaviour, they can become self-righte ous," the author Kendall Eskine as saying. 
    For the study, Eskine, assistant professor at Loyola University in New Orleans, and his team split 60 people into three groups. The first group was shown pictures of organic foods, second was shown pictures of comfort foods like brownies, and the third, control group, was shown pictures of non-orga
nic, non-comfort foods, like rice and oatmeal. "We found that organic people judged harder. There's something about being exposed to organic food that made them feel better and that made them kind of jerks," he said. PTI



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B’lore gets a ‘licence’ to donate organs

Bangalore: Motorists here who wish to donate their organs after they die can now carry a sticker in their driving licence, affirming their pledge. 

    Bangalore's Electronic City RTO and NGO Gift Your Organ are launching the initiative to issue 'special' driving licences to motorists who have pledged their organs. The licence will have a green sticker which says the holder has pledged his/her organs. 
    "The NGO first proposed this idea. The government said it should be taken up on a pilot basis. We are initially launching this initiative in the Electronic City RTO," said transport commissioner T Sham Bhat.

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10 more test positive for H1N1

en more people, including three children, tested positive for H1N1 on Sunday, taking the total number of positive cases in the city to 151 since January. Of those who tested positive on Sunday are two Vikhroli residents and a 20-year-old woman from Mahim. "All the patients are stable and have been put on Tamiflu," said Mangala Gomare, an epidemiologist with theBMC. TNN

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Hypnofertility therapy comes to town Alternative for conceiving in the US and UK finding takers in Mumbai


There's so much more to hypnosis beyond the clichés of swinging stop watches and deep voices trying to put you to sleep. Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore turned to hypnotherapy to quit smoking. Lily Allen dropped to size 8 from 12 with the help of hypnotherapy. Tiger Woods credits his strong mental health to the years of hypnosis he got since he was a child. World over, hypnobirthing has been helping expecting mothers. Now, there's something experts are calling hypnofertility therapy for couples diagnosed with infertility. 
How it works 

Dr Hetal Pandya, a clinical hypnotherapist, says that for couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including hypnotherapy in their treatment can double the success rate. "It works with the subconscious mind to release blockages and de-condition the mind from fears that could 
lead to infertility," she explains. Popular abroad 
Sarojini Alva, a hypnotherapy practitioner based in the US, says that it's a popular alternative option for couples there. "Marie Mongan encouraged treating infertility through hypnosis, which came into being about ten years ago." It's popular in Europe and is catching on in Canada, she adds. 
PLAN OF ACTION 
"Induction techniques like reverse counting, progressive relaxation and white light healing are used to take the couple into a deep hypnosis state wherein the physical body is relaxed and the mind is very receptive to healing suggestions," explains Dr 
Pandya. "Crayon drawings and paintings are also used to work with the belief and thought of a person. A hereditary family tree is also used to identify and break patterns if any," she adds. While in most cases, both partners have to undergo hypnotherapy, in some cases only one of them requires therapy. 
    "The programme also tackles ancillary issues like thyroid anomalies, etc. by eliminating stress," points out Jaypali Shetty, a hypnobirthing practitioner. The sessions required varies from case to case. On an average, each session costs around Rs 2,000 and requires two hours, she tells us. 
BONDING BENEFITS 
Hypnotherapy helps couples deal with the effects of infertility and make changes that can help to positively impact their fertility. "It can make the treatment process easier and help them to handle the outcome better, irrespective of what the results might be," which is more important than promising miracles, says Alva. The "best side effect" as Dr Pandya beautifully puts, "is a stronger bond between the couples." 
    saadia.dhailey@timesgroup.com 

DOC TALK 
Dr Fariza Shaikh, a gynecologist, sees no harm if couples want to try hypnotherapy. "Stress is an important factor in cases of infertility. If some therapy can work at that level and helps a couple, then why not," she reasons. "Even for a host of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, doctors first suggest lifestyle changes, yoga and meditation." Gynecologist Dr Rishma Pai, however, cautions, "I am not in favour of delay in case of treatment for infertility. Most couples who face infertility issues often come in for treatment quite late. Some try a host of alternative medicines. Adding this to the list before they seek medical attention is not what I'd recommend." She suggests that one can try it alongside conventional treatment.



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DIET DOS & DON’TS



I am a 29-year-old media professional and weigh 52 kg and 5.1 feet. My work timings are erratic. Please suggest what I should include in my daily diet to lead a healthy life. 
    — Aakansha Aggarwal 
    
YOU are what you EAT. Remember that your moods, your energy, your stamina, your reactions to every activity depends on how and what you've eaten in the last 45 to 110 minutes. Ensure you eat small snacks often. These could include dry portable fillers that you could keep in your desk drawer so that if meal timings are pushed around due to work, you can keep your blood sugar levels from falling. Examples of these can be khakra, chana, dry poha, kurmura, biscuits, grapes or cherries. Even if you manage to put literally four-five grapes or six-seven chanas or two-three carrot or cucumber sticks in your mouth every two hours; your body is fueled to go! 
I'm 36, have three regular balanced vegetarian meals every day, drink adequate water and two healthy snacks on time. However I still feel fatigued every evening. Do I need to have vitamin supplements? 
    — Sumit Singh 
    
Yes, in most likelihood you will need a 
vitamin B12 supplementation (confirmation can only be acquired with a blood test). Since most vegetarians do not get this vitamin as it is found primarily on animal produce like eggs, milk, chicken and fish. Oral supplementation an where from 500-1500 mcg can be taken daily to improve energy, stamina, breathlessness, fatigue, hair loss among other ailments. Intravenous injections are also available to help increase the low levels faster. It's best to meet with your general practitioner or nutritionist for suggested dosage and duration. 
I work night shifts and sleep all day. and so I have just two meals a day. How can I supplement my diet with health snacks, which I can carry to work to munch on? 
    — Suresh Nath 
    
The body's metabolic rate varies upon whether you are awake (BMR-basal metabolic rate) or when if you asleep (RMRresting metabolic rate). When you are awake, the body needs to be fed frequently else your BMR slumps and you lose energy and gain weight. In your case, you have to eat through the night while you're awake. Just two meals are not enough. Irregular eating will lead to fatigue, weakness, anger, irritability and weight gain. Carry small portable snacks which you can eat every two to three hours. Khakra, channa, biscuits/crackers, popcorn, snack bars, carrot/cucumber sticks, kurmura, sandwiches, frankie rolls, sprouts are easy to carry and eat often. 
    Mail your queries to: 
    bombaytimes3@gmail.com 

Pooja Makhija Nutritionist


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SPECTACULAR FEAT In a first, ‘life’ recreated in comp Virtual Organism To Help In Better Diagnosis, Treatment Of Diseases


Washington: Scientists claim to have developed the world's first complete computer model of an organism, which can use computer-aided design for better diagnosis and treatment of diseases. 
    A team of Stanford researchers, including an Indian, used data from more than 900 scientific papers to account for every molecular interaction that takes place in the life cycle of Mycoplasma genitalium, the world's smallest free-living bacterium. 
    The model represents a stepping-stone toward the use of computer-aided design in bioengineering and medicine, according to the Journal 'Cell'. 
    "This achievement demonstrates a transforming approach to answering questions about fun
damental biological processes," said James M Anderson, director National Institutes of Health Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives. "Comprehensive computer models of entire cells have the potential to advance our understanding of cellular function and, ultimately, to inform new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of disease," he said. 
    Biology over the past two decades has been marked by the rise of high-throughout studies producing enormous troves of cellular information. A lack of experimental data is no longer the primary limiting factor for researchers. Instead, it's how to make sense of what they already know. "Many of the issues we're 
interested in aren't single-gene problems," said Covert, adding "they're the complex result of hundreds or thousands of genes interacting". "This situation has resulted in a yawning gap between information and understanding that can only be addressed by "bringing all of that data into one place and seeing how it fits together", said Stanford bioengineering graduate student and co-first author Jayodita Sanghvi. 
    Mycoplasma genitalium is a humble parasitic bacterium known mainly for showing up uninvited in human urogenital and respiratory tracts. The pathogen also has the distinction of containing the smallest genome of any free-living organism — only 525 genes, as opposed to the 4,288 of E coli, a more traditional laboratory bacterium. The model will help to demonstrate a number approaches, including detailed investigations of DNA-binding protein dynamics and identification of new gene functions. PTI



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Friday, July 20, 2012

Twenty minutes to a fit and toned body

 Today's lifestyle is hectic and unpredictable. In between work pressures, travelling and family responsibilities, we often ignore our own health. Talwalkars has introduced NuForm — an exciting and active EMS (Electro Muscular Stimulation) workout, which promotes muscular strength, endurance, weight loss and body toning. 

    Dr Madhuri Bhangera, an established gynaecologist, says taking care of others health comes naturally to her. However, aware of health issues related to obesity, she started frequenting a gym. But exercising five days a week was tough to balance alongwith a packed schedule. 
    "I was introduced to this revolutionary fitness workout by Talwalkars called NuForm. It seemed perfect for my schedule where I am always running short of time. Being from the medical fraternity, I wasn't going to take anything at face value and had plenty of questions. So, I took a trial session. I was nervous and sceptical trying to understand how a 20 minute workout would do justice to five gym activities. The session was exhilarating, exciting and helped me to get a sense of what I can expect from each passing session. I lost three kgs in a 
month's time — the results were visible. But the beauty was not just outward. With each session, I felt rejuvenated, lighter and agile from within. My lethargy disappeared altogether," says Dr Bhangera, who also noticed that she was working to a far higher capacity without any strain on ligaments, joints or bones, thus greatly reducing any chance of injury. 
    The EMS workout works your muscles up to 18 times harder than with normal weight training.With three months 
of NuForm, she achieved fantastic muscular tone, better endurance levels, increase in stamina, stronger and shapelier muscles and a super defined body. 
Talwalkars NuForm is available at Andheri (W), Bandra (W), Chembur (W),Vile Parle (E), Thane - Vasant Vihar and Panchpakhadi. SMS "NU" to 53636 or call 022-33710100 for appointments. Register on 
www.talwalkars.net/nuform 

Dr Madhuri Bhangera undergoing the NuForm workout session

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Pranayam doubles oxygen intake in your body

   The pollution in the environment and in the food we eat makes all the organs and glands in our body become sluggish and gradually degenerate. This is what constitutes the ageing process. 

    Yogis knew the secret science of regeneration and antiageing, and devised the practice of pranayam, which is a method of conscious breathing. In pranayam, oxygen combines with the blood to create oxy-hemoglobin, which neutralises toxins, and invigorates and stimulates every cell of the body, preventing degeneration of cells. Our heart beats 100, 000 times a day. It is pumping blood day in and day out, non-stop. The health of your heart determines your life expectancy and quality of life in old age. More oxygen in the blood means more oxygen to muscles of the heart. With pranayama, fluctuations of the mind are controlled and it is prepared for meditation. With the practice of pranayam, you will experience lightness of the body, feeling ofinner peace, better sleep, better memory and better concentration. 
    Studios at: Marine Drive, Chowpatty, Bandra, Juhu, Worli, Cuffe Parade, Napean Sea Rd, Lokhandwala, Versova, Borivali, Thane, Matunga (E), Powai, Kandivali (W), Goregaon (W), Malad (W), Andheri (E), Prabhadevi, Colaba, Santacruz (E) and Santacruz (W). 
    Group classes, personal training and corporate programs available. Call: 1-800-102-1000 (toll-free) 
www.artisticyoga.com 

Bharat Thakur



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Tea can help fight terror attack Chemical Found In Tea Can Counter Ricin, A Poison Used By Militants

London: A cup of tea could be a secret weapon to fight poison used in terror attacks if UK scientists are to be believed. 

    Academics at Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences discovered a chemical, polyphenol found in tea can deactivate ricin — a highly-toxic ingredient used in fatal terrorist attacks, the 'Daily Mail' reported. 
    Professor Les Baillie was quoted by the paper as saying: "We already knew that tea had the ability to inhibit anthrax — as long as it is black tea with no milk. Our new findings suggest that if the security services want to
counter the threat of ricin, they may find the answer in their morning cup of tea." 
    Since the First World War ricin has had a gruesome reputation as a bioweapon. A tiny amount of ricin after getting into the bloodstream can kill a person within two to three days. 
    And it comes from the humble castor oil bean, a powerful laxative, used medicinally for centuries, that is available in many health food shops and online. 
    Ricin is used in an arsenal of terrorist weapons, and has already been at the centre of a number of attempted terrorist attacks in the US, the report said. 

    The new discovery follows on from research done by Cardiff scientists which showed chemicals in English breakfast tea known as polyphenols were able to kill bacillus anthracis, the organism which causes anthrax and was used in the 2001 US anthrax mail attacks. 
    The new discovery follows on from reserach done by Cardiff scientists which showed tea has an unexpected array of talents outside the morning cuppa. 
    Professor Baillie said: "These toxins, such as ricin, have been shown to have been used by nasty people, and nasty countries, to do nasty things." PTI

SECRET WEAPON

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Grey hair a sign of good health?


London: Stop getting annoyed by that patch of grey hair on your scalp, as a new study has found that it could be a sign of healthy body. 
    Spanish scientists, who studied wild boars, found that having grey hair and a rather grizzled look could actually be a sign that you have a long and healthy life ahead of you, the 'Daily Mail' reported. 
    Scientists said gray hair, which results from absence of 
melanin, seemed to be a mark of good health in wild boars "As with human hair, wild boars show hair graying all across their body fur," he said. "But we found that boars showing hair graying were actually those in prime condition," he said. 
    Scientists said that being a redhead could make one more susceptible to illness, an observation found in wild boar populations. PTI

BLESSING IN DISGUISE


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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Eye care least priority for Indians, says study


 Even as India is home to one of the highest populations of the visually impaired, eye health is the least priority for the population here, a global survey said. "Compared to 10 other markets, Indians are the most likely to have never had an eye examination," the survey by an eye health care company said. Spanning across 26 countries, the survey polled around 11,000 consumers. "One in 10 Indians have never had a comprehensive eye examination. Around 70 per cent Indians do not get their eyes checked more often because they feel that they do not have any symptoms," the survey said.
    In another startling find, the study reported around 97 per cent of doctors surveyed globally believed consumers do not have sufficient eyehealth knowledge. The said that over 80 per cent of visual impairment is preventable if detected. "Most cases can be cured if detected on time — however, the study reveals that Indians don't take their eye 
health seriously. Around 58 per cent Indians believe that they do not need an eye test unless they have a problem," said Harish Natarajan, managing director of the eyehealth care company. Interestingly, women came out top in the battle of the sexes by taking far better care of their eyes, such as eating a healthy diet and wearing sunglasses, the study reported. 
    IANS

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Parental abuse raises cancer risk in children Physical Or Emotional Ill-Treatment Spells Danger In Adulthood

Houston: Kids who are abused by their parents are more likely to have cancer in adulthood, effects of which are more significant when mothers abuse their daughters and fathers their sons, a new research says. 

    The research by Purdue University says that kids who were frequently abused either emotionally or physically by their parents were more likely to have cancer in adulthood. 
    "People often say that children are resilient and they'll bounce back, but we found that there are events that can have long-term consequences on adulthealth," Kenneth Ferraro, professor of Sociology and director of Purdue's Centre on Aging and the Life Course, said. 
    The research was conducted 
with sociology and gerontology graduate student Patricia Morton and the study is published online by the Journal of Aging and Health. "We started examining a variety of childhood misfortunes, including abuse, and when these were all combined, we found that men with the most stressors during childhood were more likely to develop cancer," Morton said. "Second, we found that when children were abused by their same-sex parent, it increased their cancer risk." 
    The researchers can't say exactly why that is, but a possible reason is the effect of the greater social bond between same-sex kids and parents. "Other studies have shown that if a mother smokes, the daughter is more likely to smoke," Morton said. PTI

THINK OF LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES

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Coffee may help fight common skin cancer

Washington: Increasing the number of cups of coffee you drink daily could lower your risk of developing the most common form of skin cancer, a new study has claimed, but cautioned that one should not start consuming the beverage excessively based on this finding. 

    Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital of Harvard Medical School in Boston found that people who drank more cups of caffeinated coffee had a reduced risk of developing basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer which causes considerable morbidity despite being a slow-grower. 
    "Our data indicate that the more caffeinated coffee you consume, the lower your risk of developing basal cell carcinoma," said Jiali Han, lead researcher. 
    For the study Han and his colleagues conducted a prospective analysis of data from two longrunning study aimed at finding factors that influence people's health. Of the 112,897 participants 22,786 developed basal cell carcinoma during the more than 20 years of follow-up in the two studies. 
    An inverse association was observed between all coffee consumption and risk of basal cell carcinoma. PTI

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Food for the body and soul

 In the fast paced life of Mumbai crammed with long working hours, hectic schedules, unhealthy lifestyles and increased stress levels, a toll on one'shealth and personal life is inevitable. In these times Soul Care is just what one needs. 

    Founded by Mridula Agarwal, a food technologist from DU, Soul Care Hospitality & Wellness Pvt. Ltd. provides nutritionally balanced and calorie counted meals just like ghar ka khana. 
    Mridula, who took up a bank job after an MBA, soon experienced the toll on her health due to rigorous office hours and work pressure. With an idea of a balanced lifestyle, she came up with Soul Care. She says, "It's neither feasible to eat out everyday nor it is possible to carry home-cooked dabba on daily basis. I realised one should have access to a well 
prepared, nutritionally balanced meal" 
    To materialise the concept, Mridula set up a 1,200 sq ft central kitchen, giving special attention to hygiene. Meals are prepared fresh daily, packed in microwaveable and fully disposable tiffins. 
    The menu is simple — a variety of items ranging from pulses, vegetables, rotis and rice to 
sweets, salads and health drinks. There are special dishes for festivals and occasions. A chef tastes the meals daily to ensure that they fit within the health criteria. 
Mridula 
says, "No item is repeated for a fortnight. Cuisines like Mexican, 
Chinese and Italian are offered on week
ends. We also change our menu according to factors like the weather. During winter, we offer a variety of soups, which are substituted by cool refreshing drinks like jaljeera, aampanna or fruits in summer." 
    Soul Care also provides corporate catering services. This includes breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, a round-the-clock bakery, chaat counters and juice bars. 
    Corporates can also avail services of a yoga instructor. "We have yoga trainers, who go to the office, profile the group's requirement, customise the routine and conduct classes after work hours," she informs. "The idea is to ensure that people get their daily dose of nutrition with their quota of exercise." 
    While the healthy dabba is available all over Mumbai through Mumbai's dabbawalas, corporate catering services are extended to Navi Mumbai. 

OPTIONS GALORE 
Soul Care has three balanced meal plans to choose from, each providing about 650 - 700 Kcal and is ideal for people looking for a well nourished diet. If you're looking to shed those extra kilos, you can choose from three Low Calorie Meal Plans available, starting from the range of 300 Kcal/meal to 550 Kcal/meal. A special meal plan is available for those, who suffer from diabetes or hypertension. Even those wanting a Jain meal can avail of this service. 
PRICE WISE 
A 10 tiffin trial subscription: 790 - 1290 Monthly subscription: 1738 - 2838 (Dabbawala delivery charges extra.) 
Call: 91672 06231/ 32 Email: info@soulcare.in or sales@soulcare.in 
www.soulcare.in 

A healthy meal

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In your 30s? Go for a cardiac test

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray's heart condition has turned the spotlight on an issue that few choose to confront directly: The right age to start looking at your heart much more closely. 

    "Earlier I would ask people over 40 years of age to undergo yearly cardiac checks, but I now ask people over 30 years of age to be careful," said Ramakanta Panda, senior heart surgeon and founder of Asian Heart Hospital in the Bandra-Kurla Complex. The young face of India's cardiac epidemic is well illustrated by the fact that Panda's consultation room on Monday had a patient who was only 31 years old. 
    The consensus among the medical fraternity is that one of the best ways for urban Indians to dodge heart attacks would be to start car
diac health checks right in their thirties. Dr Pavan Kumar, head of cardiac surgery at Nanavati Hospital, said Indians should be on their guard from the age of 35. "People should undergo a stress test annually and, perhaps, even a CT angiography every three years,'' he said. A CT angio, he said, clearly shows calcium deposit and each test is valid for three years. 
    Preventive cardiac checks are the only prudent option considering that heart diseases hit Indians much earlier than other ethnic populations, said experts. The trend was first noticed a few years ago when the most comprehensive global study on the risk factors for heart diseases showed that Indians were prone to heart attacks a decade earlier than their Western counterparts. 

MORE PEOPLE LOSING HEART IN MUMBAI 

• Heart diseases topped BMC's list of top 10 killer diseases for 2011 

• Death certificates issued by BMC for 2011 show that 26,540 Mumbaikars died of heart diseases and heart attacks 

• That's a 1.5% rise in deaths due to cardiac problems over 2010 

• More than 1.30 lakh Mumbaikars have died due to heart problems in the past seven years 
'Stress plays big role in heart woes' 
Mumbai: Dr Prafulla Kerkar, head of KEM Hospital's cardiology department who contributed to the worldwide study on risk factors for heart diseases, said it's time Indian families started educating their children about preventive measures. "If a family has a history of heart disease, it is best to tell children about the 

importance of a healthy lifestyle, eating right and staying physically active.'' 
    The Indian Journal of Medical Research stated in November 2010: "Among adults over 20 years of age, the estimated prevalence of coronary heart disease is around 3-4% in rural areas and 8-10% in urban areas, representing a twofold rise in rural areas and a six-fold rise in urban areas between the years 1960 and 2000.'' 
    The reasons are not too difficult to find. Said heart sur
geon Dr Ramakant Panda, "Earlier it was thought that the Indian gene is the main cause for the epidemic of heart diseases, but new research suggests that stress plays a very big role.'' Urban Indians have high levels of stress and low levels of physical activity. "Moreover, the Indian diet has drastically changed. All these are contributing to a higher incidence of heart disease among Indians.'' 
    The only silver lining is that with regular monitoring of cholesterol, blood sugar, hypertension and an annual stress test, people should be able to catch any discrepancy. 
and ensure in 80-90% of the cases, a problem is noticed at the earliest, said Dr Panda. 
    Some doctors beg to differ. One senior doctor said heart problems are an enigma. He, however, said that modern medicine has evolved so much that a person could live comfortably for decades. 

Shatrughan Sinha has bypass 
    
Bollywood actor and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha (66) underwent a bypass surgery at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Monday evening. Confirming the surgery, Sinha's wife Poonam told TOI that doctors found "some blockages'' in his heart during medical investigations while he was admitted to the hospital following an allergy to paint. TNN


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Monday, July 16, 2012

THE SPEAKING TREE Let’s Connect With Nature’s Marvels


 Human progress has been associated with growth in the consumption of energy, mostly derived from fossil fuels, spurred by industrialisation. Before the industrial age, we used biomass resources for cooking and space heating, and most activities were energised by muscle power, both our own and of animals we had learnt to domesticate. 
    Energy consumption has grown not only because of population increase, but also because of the phenomenal increase in production and consumption of goods and services, in aggregate income and the alteration of human values which 
now equate society's well-being and welfare to an ever-increasing level of consumption. According to Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, economist, philosopher, scientist and mathematician, human beings have grown exo-somatic limbs. 
    We now substitute actions earlier 

carried out physically with dishwashers, motor vehicles and washing machines. Modern technology and innovation have alleviated the drudgery and distress that humans 
faced in the past, when they were devoid of connectivity, mobility and conveniences taken for granted in today's world. But in this melee of rapid growth and development, fuelled by burgeoning consumption of modern fuels, we have also imposed negative externalities on our global commons, particularly on the earth's atmosphere which now has almost 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide as opposed to 280 in the pre-industrial period. 
    What has been an even more significant change has been our apathy, even hostility, to conservation of the earth's key natural resources, leading to inefficient and unsustainable consumption. A change in priorities and values of modern life has left us disconnected 
with the marvels of nature, alienating us from the wonders of the universe which once enriched our spiritual being. Reverence for nature is an essential ingredient of a balanced, peaceful and spiritually fulfilling existence. 
    In the ultimate analysis, human activity and the crowning success it seeks, is fuelled by the inexplicable level of energy we are able to generate within us, derived no doubt by our harmony with the energy that flows through the universe. 
    The natural wealth of this planet and our ability to use it for our welfare is directly the gift of the sun, a reality that most of us seldom reflect on. We are living in a world where many people believe the age of fossil fuels must inevi
tably come to a close, and the future undeniably lies in the widespread use of renewable forms of energy. 
    This also holds the promise of solutions that would provide a sustainable supply of energy to the 1.4 billion peo
ple in the world without access to electricity and another three billion who rely largely on biomass as fuel, often of inferior quality and burnt in crude devices which produce pollutants and harmful health effects. 
    If the world moves to a renewable energy future, as it must sooner than later, would that take us closer to nature? Would we then sense more perceptively and profoundly, the energy within the core of our spiritual existence? Would we then comprehend that infinite source of power which mysteriously propels us in our actions against all odds, and takes us ultimately to success, happiness and inner peace? To experience these, the time has perhaps come for us to rediscover our reverence for nature. 
    From the writer's editorial as guest editor of July 15 issue of the Sunday newspaper, The Speaking Tree. He is director general, The Energy and Resources Institute and chairman of the International Panel on Climate Change.

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