Sleep best time to strengthen memories, says new study/Health

Sleep best time to strengthen memories, says new study

The best way to "remember" something important is to remember it while you are asleep, suggests a new study.

The research, led by Bjorn Rasch of the University of Basel in Switzerland, claims reactivating newly learned memories during sleep rather than when awake does a better job of strengthening the memory trace.

The work could have clinical implications for treating disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The study involved training subjects in a spatial memory task to learn an object's location in a grid. At the same time an odour was released - the idea being to associate the memory with the smell.

One group then went to sleep, while the second group stayed awake.

After about 20 minutes, while the sleeping group's brain wave patterns were in slow wave sleep (SWS), both groups were subjected to the same odour again to reactivate the memory.

After another 20 minutes, the sleeping group were woken, and both groups were given a similar task, but the objects were in different locations and without the odour.

Half an hour later they were asked to recall the position of the cards from the original task.

Rasch and colleagues found both groups were correct about 60 per cent of the time without any odour assistance.

But once the odour was added to the test, the non-sleeping group were only correct about 42 per cent of the time, compared to the sleeping group's 84 per cent.

"As we expected, reactivation during waking destabilised memories. In contrast, reactivation during SWS immediately stabilised memories, thereby directly increasing their resistance to interference," ABC Science quoted the researchers as saying.

The study appears in this week's Nature Neuroscience.

Source: ANI

Sleeping with your dog could affect your health

Sleeping with your dog could affect your health

Sleeping with pets could result in health hazards from staph infections to meningitis, according to a new study.

Bruno Chomel and Ben Sun, the authors of the new study, said the diseases could even include the plague, reports the New York Daily News.

The researchers found more than half of all dog owners consider their pooches to be members of their family.

And more than half slept in the same beds with their dogs. And not to be outdone, cats are just as dangerous to owners' health as dogs.

The findings will be published in the journal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February.

Source: ANI

Afraid of spiders? Here is why/Health

Afraid of spiders? Here is why

There’s a reason why Hollywood makes movies like 'Arachnophobia' and 'Snakes on a Plane': Most people are afraid of spiders and snakes. A new paper published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reviews research with infants and toddlers and finds that we aren’t born afraid of spiders and snakes, but we can learn these fears very quickly.

One theory about why we fear spiders and snakes is because so many are poisonous; natural selection may have favoured people who stayed away from these dangerous critters. Indeed, several studies have found that it's easier for both humans and monkeys to learn to fear evolutionarily threatening things than non-threatening things.

For example, research by Arne Ohman at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden shows you can teach people to associate an electric shock with either photos of snakes and spiders or photos of flowers and mushrooms -- but the effect lasts a lot longer with the snakes and spiders. Similarly, Susan Mineka's research (from Northwestern University) shows that monkeys that are raised in the lab aren't afraid of snakes, but they'll learn to fear snakes much more readily than flowers or rabbits.

The authors of the Current Directions in Psychological Science paper have studied how infants and toddlers react to scary objects. In one set of experiments, they showed infants as young as 7 months old two videos side by side -- one of a snake and one of something non-threatening, such as an elephant. At the same time, the researchers played either a fearful voice or a happy voice. The babies spent more time looking at the snake videos when listening to the fearful voices, but showed no signs of fear themselves.

"What we're suggesting is that we have these biases to detect things like snakes and spiders really quickly, and to associate them with things that are yucky or bad, like a fearful voice," says Vanessa LoBue of Rutgers University, who co-wrote the paper with David H. Rakison of Carnegie Mellon University and Judy S. DeLoache of the University of Virginia.

In another study, three-year-olds were shown a screen of nine photographs and told to pick out some target item. They identified snakes more quickly than flowers and more quickly than other animals that look similar to snakes, such as frogs and caterpillars. Children who were afraid of snakes were just as fast at picking them out than children who hadn't developed that fear.

"The original research by Ohman and Mineka with monkeys and adults suggested two important things that make snakes and spiders different," LoBue says. "One is that we detect them quickly. The other is that we learn to be afraid of them really quickly."

Her research on infants and young children suggests that this is true early in life, too -- but not innate, since small children aren't necessarily afraid of snakes and spiders.

Source: India Syndicate based on a release by Association for Psychological Science

Photo gallery: Heart

 

Photo gallery: Heart

Vitamin C helps cure common cold?

Vitamin C helps cure common cold?

Be it building your immunity or fighting the winter chill, the first thing that comes to mind is good old vitamin C – orange juice, lemon or amla juice or failing all, tablets.

Generally, there has been a strong belief that vitamin C protects against colds and diseases. Two-time Nobel Laureate Dr Linus Pauling claimed in the 1970s that the deficiency of vitamin C is the main cause for heart disease and many other degenerative diseases that can shorten life expectancy.

He advocated 5-10 grams (5,000-10,000 mg) of vitamin C per day. The daily recommended intake (DRI) continues to be 40-60 mg a day for the normal population. Cigarette smokers are recommended to consume 80-100 mg a day.

This advocacy led thousands consuming large doses of vitamin C. Its easy availability in pill form and the publication of books recommending it as a "nutraceutical" treatment to prevent and cure colds, cancer and the belief that it is safe and non-toxic, all contributed to its wonder vitamin status.

But do higher doses really offer protection and how much is safe needs to be evaluated?

Vitamin C with antioxidant benefits helps maintain the connective tissue protein collagen, boost immune function, protect against infection, and facilitates iron absorption.

When people dose themselves with supplements, they leave the realm of nutrition and enter that of pharmacology. Like drugs, large doses of nutrients can have medicinal effects on the body and can present serious side effects as well.

The theory that vitamin C prevents or cures cold or cancer, however, has not been supported by research since Pauling suggested it.

Claims that a daily intake of 1000 mg or more of vitamin C will protect against, or cure, the common cold have never been substantiated; while taking supplements may lead to lessening of symptoms and their duration, it cannot actually prevent people from catching a cold. And be careful, regular consumption of anything over 1-2 grams of vitamin C daily can cause serious side effects. These include stomach inflammation, diarrhoea, gastro-intestinal discomfort, abdominal cramps, excessive gas and lower absorption of vitamin B12.

Other hazards of excess vitamin C include altering insulin response to carbohydrate in people with otherwise normal glucose tolerances, formation of kidney stones, alteration of acid-base balance, interference with the action of vitamin E.

The body is totally saturated at a vitamin C intake of 150 mg a day and the excess doses escape the body in stool or urine.

Large amounts of vitamin C excreted in the urine can alter the results of urinary glucose tests used to detect diabetes, giving a false positive result in some instances and a false negative result in others.

Vitamin C in amounts over 250 mg can produce false negative results on tests for occult blood in the stools, masking the presence of potentially dangerous medical conditions like colon cancer. Vitamin C supplements in any dosage may be dangerous for people with an overload of iron in the blood because vitamin C increases iron absorption from the intestine and releases iron from the storage.

In addition, several instances of interference with medical regimens are also known.

Vitamin C also interferes with the effectiveness of amphetamines, blood thinning drugs, and tricyclic antidepressants. People taking medications to prevent blood clotting may unwittingly undo the effect if they have massive doses of vitamin C. Therefore, people must tell their doctors before undergoing any diagnostic laboratory tests. They should also avoid abruptly quitting daily supplementation of 500 mg or more, as it may cause short term scurvy like symptoms and temporarily lowered resistance to infections.

Individuals prone to gout or kidney stones or pregnant women or those on medication should supplement with vitamin C under supervision. Also, supplements are no match to natural sources along with a balanced diet.

The published research on large doses of vitamin C reveals few instances in which consuming more than 100-300 mgs/ day is beneficial.

Adults may not be taking major risks if they dose themselves with a gram a day, but doses approaching 10 grams can be expected to be unsafe. 

Chewable vitamin C can erode dental enamel, may interfere with copper metabolism and increase the risk for gout in individuals who are generally susceptible.

Ample vitamin C is obtained from foods such as amla, citrus fruits, grapefruit, strawberries, guavas, kiwis, black currants, peppers, chillies, broccoli, etc. and it is generally safe.

A glass of orange juice or a medium-sized guava alone gives nearly 125 mg of vitamin C. Considerable amounts of vitamin C are lost during processing, cooking.

So the next time you think of casually consuming vitamin C, remember, too much of good thing is bad.

Source: Ishi Khosla/Indian Express

Your heart beats stronger with yoga

Your heart beats stronger with yoga

"Yoga began with the first person wanting to be healthy and happy," someone once said. And a happy 'you' is the secret to a healthy heart. "Yoga is not merely about a few asanas," says yoga expert and senior consultant cardiologist. "It is a combination of all the components of a healthy lifestyle-low-fat diet, physical exercise, stress management, not smoking-everything that will keep your heart in fine fettle," . According to research from Yale University School of Medicine, people who practice yoga and meditation thrice a week may reduce their blood pressure and most importantly, their risk of heart disease. A great deal of other scientific evidence also supports the therapeutic effect of this age-old practice on the heart. Here are some important ones:

Controlling BP Yoga helps us cope better with stress and anxiety through blood pressure regulation. "It brings back the sensitivity of the BP-regulating nerves in patients with hypertension and keeps BP stable,".

Regulating stress hormones
"Yoga brings down the levels of stress hormones-cortisol and catecholamine's. While cortisol increases blood sugar levels, catecholamine's can lead to high BP and heart rate irregularity- both modifiable risk factors for heart disease," .

Increasing heart rate variability
In healthy individuals, heart rate variability (HRV)-the beat-to-beat changes in heart rate-is high. Whereas cardiac abnormalities lead to a low HRV, in yoga practitioners HRV is higher than in non-practitioners, according to a study published in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics (2010). Here are a few heart-healthy yoga asanas you can practice at home with help from a good yoga trainer.

Uttanpadasana
This asana has a therapeutic value for those suffering from diabetes, constipation, indigestion and nerve-related problems. It also corrects pancreatic malfunction and prevents hernia.

How to do it: Lie flat on your back, keeping your knees and feet together, arms by your side on the floor, palms facing downward. Breathe normally. Exhale and slowly raise both legs together until they are at a 30 to 40 degree angle from the floor. Your butt and back should rest on the ground. Exhale and slowly lower your feet to the floor to release the pose.

Make it easier: Slide arms under your hip to support the lower spine and bend the knees slightly.

Keep in mind: Do not practice this pose more than 5 times a day. Those with a spinal injury should consult their doctor before starting on this asana and do it raising just one leg at a time.

Padahastasana

This pose improves digestion and aids blood circulation in your brain.

How to do it: Stand erect with feet together. Raise your arms above your head. Inhale as you raise arms. Now bend forward, exhaling as you come down and allow your hands to touch your feet without bending your knees and ankles. Try to touch your knees with your forehead.

Make it easier: You can keep your knees slightly bent. But work on straightening the spine.

Keep in mind: Listen to your body while you stretch, else you may hurt yourself.

Paschimottanasana
This pose relieves problems of sciatica and invigorates the nervous system.

How to do it: Sit straight with your legs together, stretched out and feet pointed towards the ceiling. Inhale and stretch your arms up over your head. Exhale, extend forward from the hips and bring your hands down. Catch hold of your big toes with index fingers, pull heels with your hands and place elbows on the ground. Try to touch the knees with your forehead without bending them.

Make it easier: Do it by bending the knees slightly. If you cannot reach your feet, let your hands fall comfortably on the shins or thighs, or rest them alongside the legs on the floor.

Keep in mind: Make sure your back is straight, not rigid. Bend from the hip area. "If you have lower back pain you should avoid this pose," says yoga experts..

Matsyasana
Traditionally this asana is known as 'destroyer of all diseases'. Besides improving your respiratory faculties and relieving you of constipation, it takes away anxiety and fatigue too.

How to do it: Sit in the lotus pose by keeping the right foot over the left thigh and the left foot over the right thigh. Lie down on your back. Raise the trunk with the help of your elbows and head. Reach out to hold both toes.

Make it easier: This is not an easy pose. "If you find it difficult to sit in the lotus pose, try a simple crosslegged one," suggests.

Keep in mind: Be careful while doing this asana. Make sure you keep the abdominal muscles tucked in to protect your spine.

Watch out! Having diabetes can injure your eyes severely - Part I

Watch out! Having diabetes can injure your eyes severely - Part I

Having too much sugar in your blood can injure many parts of the body, including your heart, kidneys -- even your eyes.

Diabetes is a serious disease, but if an individual adopts healthy lifestyle habits, complications can be prevented.

It's important to check your blood sugar levels regularly and make sure you lower it if necessary. Too high of a blood sugar level, especially over a prolonged period, can damage many areas of the body.

Insofar as the eyes are concerned, diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your eyes.

This damage can lead to glaucoma, cataracts, structural changes to your retina, even blindness.

When blood vessels are damaged, nerve signals can't reach your eyes.

In addition, having diabetes can lead to a buildup of pressure from fluid, which can compress nerves and other structures in your eyes.

Given the above information, it is essential to know how your eye works.

When we look at something, light passes through the front of the eye, and is focused by the lens onto the retina. The retina is a delicate tissue that is sensitive to light. It converts the light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve to the brain. The brain, in turn, interprets these signals to "see" the world around us. The retina is supplied with blood by a delicate network of blood vessels.

These blood vessels can be damaged by diabetes.

Light is focused onto an area of the retina called the macula, which is about the size of a pinhead. This highly specialised part of the retina is vital, because it allows you to see fine detail for activities such as reading and writing, and to recognise colours.

The rest of the retina gives you side vision (peripheral vision). The eye is filled with a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous gel. Light passes through the gel to focus on the macula.

The most serious eye condition associated with diabetes involves the network of blood vessels supplying the retina. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy.

The unusual changes in blood sugar levels resulting from diabetes can affect the lens inside the eye, especially when diabetes is uncontrolled. This can result in blurring of vision which comes and goes over the day, depending on your blood sugar levels.

A longer term effect of diabetes is that the lens can go cloudy and this is called a cataract.

Not everyone who has diabetes develops an eye complication. Of those that do, many people have a very mild form of retinopathy which may never progress to a sight threatening condition.

In diabetic retinopathy, diabetes affects the tiny blood vessels of the eye and if they become blocked or leak then the retina and possibly your vision will be affected.

The extent of these changes determines what type of diabetic retinopathy you have. Forty per cent of people with type 1 diabetes and twenty per cent with type 2 diabetes will develop some sort of diabetic retinopathy.

In diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina are only very mildly affected, they may bulge slightly (microaneurysm) and may leak blood (haemorrhages) or fluid (exudates).

As long as the macula is not affected, vision is normal and you will not be aware that anything is wrong.

Your retinal screening test will keep a close check on these early changes and ensure that any signs of progression to more serious stages of retinopathy are detected early.

Maculopathy means that your macula is affected by retinopathy.

If this happens, your central vision will be affected and you may find it difficult to see detail such as recognising people's faces in the distance or seeing detail such as small print.

Most maculopathy can be treated with laser with the aim of preserving as much vision as possible. The amount of central vision that is lost varies from person to person. However, the vision that allows you to get around at home and outside (peripheral vision) is not affected.

If diabetic retinopathy progresses, it can cause the larger blood vessels in the retina to become blocked. These blockages can result in areas of the retina becoming starved of oxygen. This is called ischaemia. If this happens the eye is stimulated into growing new vessels, a process called neo-vascularisation.

This is the proliferative stage of diabetic retinopathy, and is nature's way of trying to repair the damage by growing a new blood supply to the oxygen starved area of your retina.

Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are weak, and grow in the wrong place - on the surface of the retina and into the vitreous gel. As a result, these blood vessels can bleed very easily which may result in large haemorrhages over the surface of the retina or into the vitreous gel. These types of haemorrhages can totally obscure the vision in the affected eye as light is blocked by the bleed. With time the blood can be reabsorbed and vision can improve.

Extensive haemorrhages can lead to scar tissue forming which pulls and distorts the retina. This type of advanced diabetic eye disease can result in the retina becoming detached with the risk of serious sight loss.

Only between 5 and 10 per cent of all diabetics develop proliferative retinopathy. It is more common in people with type 1 diabetes than type 2. Sixty per cent of type 1 diabetics show some signs of proliferative disease after having diabetes for 30 years.

The following action reduces your risk of developing retinopathy or helps to stop it from getting worse:

• controlling your blood sugar (glucose levels)
• tightly controlling your blood pressure
• controlling your cholesterol levels
• keeping fit, maintaining a healthy weight and giving up smoking are all part of good diabetes control. Nerve damage, kidney and cardiovascular disease are more likely in smokers with diabetes. Smoking increases your blood pressure and raises your blood sugar level which makes it harder to control your diabetes
• regular retinal screening (see more below). The most effective thing you can do to prevent sight loss due to diabetic retinopathy is to attend your retinal screening appointments. Early detection and treatment prevents sight loss.

Risk factors that cannot be controlled:

• the length of time you have had diabetes. This is a major risk for developing diabetic retinopathy
• your age affects the progression of diabetic retinopathy
• your ethnicity. Studies have suggested higher levels of diabetic retinopathy in certain ethnic groups, while other work has suggested that these differences are due only to social factors.

Most complications can be treated, but it is vital that they are diagnosed early. They can only be detected by a detailed examination of the eye carried out at a specialist screening centre.

Source: ANI

Smoking causes men to die sooner than women

Smoking causes men to die sooner than women

A new research has revealed that smoking accounts for up to 60 per cent of the gender gap in death rates across Europe and kills twice as many men as alcohol.

The reasons why women have been outliving men in developed European countries since the mid to late 18th century, in some cases, have been hotly contested.

The gender gap in death rates has sometimes been put down to simple biology, or the fact that women seek out health care more readily than men. But the magnitude and variability of the trends suggests a rather more complex picture, say the authors, who set out to explore this discrepancy in more detail.

They used World Health Organisation figures on death rates among men and women from all causes as well as those attributable to smoking and drinking in 30 European countries for the years closest to 2005.

Smoking related deaths included respiratory tract cancers, coronary artery disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Those related to alcohol-included cancers of the throat and gullet and chronic liver disease as well as alcoholic psychosis and violence.

Dieting without exercise won't help lose weight/Health

Dieting without exercise won't help lose weight

People who follow a low-calories diet in the hope of losing weight shouldn't bother unless they exercise as well, a new study has found.

"This research shows that simply dieting will not likely cause substantial weight loss. Instead, diet and exercise must be combined to achieve this goal," said lead researcher Judy Cameron from Oregon Health and Science University.

To conduct the research, Cameron studied 18 female rhesus macaque monkeys. The monkeys were placed on a high-fat diet for several years. They were then returned to a low-fat diet with a 30 percent reduction in calories. For a one-month period, the monkeys' weight and activity levels were closely tracked. Activity was tracked through the use of an activity monitor worn on a collar, reports daily mail.co.uk

Surprisingly, there was no significant weight loss at the end of the month. There was a significant change in the activity levels for these monkeys.

Naturally occurring levels of physical activity for the animals began to diminish soon after the reduced-calorie diet began. When caloric intake was further reduced in a second month, physical activity in the monkeys diminished even further.

A comparison group of three monkeys was fed a normal monkey diet and was trained to exercise for one hour daily on a treadmill. This comparison group did lose weight.

"This study demonstrates that there is a natural body mechanism which conserves energy in response to a reduction in calories. Food is not always plentiful for humans and animals and the body seems to have developed a strategy for responding to these fluctuations," Cameron said.

Source: IANS

Exercise alone cannot bring about weight loss/Health

Exercise alone cannot bring about weight loss

A study has found that overweight people who believe exercise alone can make them thin are living under an illusion because only serious, long-term dieting can lead to significant weight loss.

The belief that exercise can be used to fight the obesity epidemic is wrong because it would require inordinate amounts of heavy physical training over long periods of time to have any significant impact on a person's weight, scientists said.

"The evidence is that exercise is not sufficient to reverse the obesity epidemic. The only way we're going to reverse it is to reduce the amount of food intake," the Independent quoted professor John Speakman of the University of Aberdeen as saying.

One in five people in Britain are classed as clinically obese and 61 per cent of the population is overweight.

Professor Speakman said popular ideas about obesity are wrong because studies have shown that levels of physical activity have not changed over the past 25 years, while obesity rates have risen dramatically.

Source: ANI

Obesity on the rise in India, says Lancet/Health

Obesity on the rise in India, says Lancet

A Series in Lancet on Thursday said emerging economies such as India, Brazil, China, Russia should take immediate steps to reverse the rising trend of various non-communicable diseases such as obesity.

The journal says the obesity epidemic is spreading to low-income and middle-income countries as a result of new dietary habits and sedentary ways of life, "fuelling chronic diseases and premature mortality".

The study recorded smaller increase of overweight in India (obesity rates for women rose from 10.6 per cent to 12.6 per cent between 1998-99 and 2005-06). But the increase was steepest in urban areas in the west of the continent -- nearly 40% in the early 2000s -- almost doubling in less than 10 years. "Though it quoted smaller increase in India...the prevalence of obesity ranges between 30 and 50 per cent in Delhi, Jaipur and Chennai and more often in women, resulting in multiple cadiovascular risk factors," said Dr Anoop Misra, Director and Head Department of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Fortis Healthcare.

The report says seven of 10 Mexican adults are now overweight or obese, while nearly half of all Brazilians, Russians and South Africans are in this category.

According to Lancet, unhealthy diet is pushing obesity rates in developing countries closer to those of wealthier countries such as the European Union and the US.

In the developed nations, half of the population is already overweight and one in six people is considered obese.

Interventions to tackle obesity such as improving diets and increasing physical activity can help to reduce the incidence of ischaemic heart disease and stroke and, to a lesser extent, at least three types of cancer, the report said. Lancet found that costs associated with the delivery of interventions are substantially lower in low-income and middle-income than in high-income countries.

Of the countries considered in the analysis, India has the lowest intervention costs.

"The economic strides India has made are not in sync with health reforms, which, unfortunately lag far behind, and sap enormous amount of money for treatment and rehabilitation of those affected," added Dr Misra.

"It makes great sense to include prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases at the top of economic agenda of India," he said.

Source: The Indian Express

Drinking a pint of beer a day 'is good for your health'

Cheers! Drinking a pint of beer a day 'is

good for your health'

London, Jan 14 (ANI): Doctors have suggested that drinking up to a pint of beer a day is good for the health and can reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.

They claimed that moderate consumption could even help people lose weight if combined with a healthy diet.

Doctors Ramon Estruch and Rosa Lamuela tested 1,249 men and women over 57 years old.

Those who accompanied a Mediterranean diet with up to a pint of beer 'not only did not put on weight, but in some cases even lost weight'.

The doctors found beer provides the same health benefits attributed to moderate consumption of wine.

"In this study we banish myths. We know that beer is not to blame for obesity," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Lamuela as saying.

Beer contains folic acid, vitamins, iron and calcium, which the study claims provide a 'protective' effect on the cardiovascular system.

The subjects who regularly drank moderate amounts of beer were less likely to suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure, and had a lower body fat content.

The researchers from Barcelona and Madrid suggested women should drink two small glasses of beer a day while men should drink three, combined with a healthy diet and exercise.

(ANI)

Taking more steps every day can keep diabetes at bay/Health care

Taking more steps every day can keep diabetes at bay

London, Jan 14 (ANI): A new study has suggested that simply taking more steps every day not only helps ward off obesity but also reduces the risk of diabetes.

While previous studies have shown that physical activity reduces body mass index and insulin resistance - an early stage in the development of diabetes - this is the first study to estimate the effects of long-term changes in daily step count on insulin sensitivity.

A popular guideline is to do 10,000 steps every day, though a more recent recommendation is 3,000 steps, five days a week.

The study, by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, involved 592 middle aged adults who took part in a national study to map diabetes levels across Australia between 2000 and 2005.

At the start of the study, participants completed a detailed diet and lifestyle questionnaire and underwent a thorough health examination. They were also given a pedometer and instructed how to use it. Participants were monitored again five years later.

Other lifestyle factors, such as diet, alcohol and smoking were taken into account.

A higher daily step count over five years was associated with a lower body mass index, lower waist to hip ratio, and better insulin sensitivity.

These associations were independent of dietary energy intake and appeared to be largely due to a change in adiposity (fatness) over the five years, say the authors.

The authors estimate that, in their setting, a sedentary person who takes a very low number of daily steps but who was able to change behaviour over five years to meet the popular 10,000 daily step guideline would have a threefold improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with a similar person who increased his or her steps to meet the more recent recommendation of 3,000 steps for five days a week.

They conclude: "These findings, confirming an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body mass index, waist to hip ratio, and insulin sensitivity, provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle aged adults."

(ANI)

SURYANAMASKAR-STEPS-BENEFITS for HEALTH

 

SURYA NAMASKAR/GREAT EXCERCISE IN YOGA

If you're looking for a simple, enjoyable way to start your day that provides a diverse range of health benefits, consider practicing Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar is a special sequence of yoga postures and chants that together comprise the traditional Sun Salutation.

Origins in Hindu worship of the solar deity, and it has been practiced in India for thousands of years. There are twelve poses in the Surya Namaskar series, and a full round consists of performing two sets of this series. During the second set, practitioners move the opposite leg from the one involved in movement during the first set.

Whether you regularly practice yoga or not, you can enjoy the health benefits of Surya Namaskar. Performed correctly, it is a completely safe set of yoga poses that will not cause strain or injury. You will experience health benefits by practicing the Sun Salutation just once daily, but you can also practice the series of poses as often as you like morning, noon or night.

Once you become familiar with Surya Namaskar and how wonderful it makes you feel, you will probably find yourself drawn to performing it multiple times throughout the day, including just before bedtime. When practiced in the morning, Surya Namaskar relieves stiffness, energizes the body and refreshes the mind. During the day, it is a rejuvenating alterative to caffeine, and at night, Surya Namaskar can help you relax and get a good night's sleep.

STEP	IMAGE	ASANA	BREATH
1		Pranamasana (Prayer pose)	EXHALE
2		Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)	INHALE
3		Hastapaadasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)	EXHALE
4		Aekpaadprasarnaasana (Equestrian pose)	INHALE
5		Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)	EXHALE
6		Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with the Eight Limbs pose)	SUSPEND
7		Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)	INHALE
8		Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)	EXHALE
9		Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)	INHALE
10		Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)	EXHALE
11		Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)	INHALE
12		Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)	EXHALE

 STEPS to STEPS

 

 

BENEFITS

Key health benefits of yoga in a very succinct package. It is a holistic exercise that provides physical health benefits, but also mental or emotional as well as spiritual benefits. The obvious advantage of Surya Namaskar is the workout it provides for the muscles, but it also benefits joints, ligaments and the skeletal system by improving posture, flexibility and balance.

In addition to these physical benefits, Surya Namaskar practice stimulates and conditions virtually every system in the body. It is good for the heart and stimulates the cardiovascular system. It oxygenates the blood and helps strengthen the heart. Surya Namaskar is good for the digestive system and the nervous system. It stimulates the lymphatic system and supports respiratory system health, as well.

Practicing Surya Namaskar also benefits the Endocrine system and enables the various endocrinal glands to function properly. These include the thyroid, parathyroid and pituitary glands as well as the adrenal gland, testes and ovaries.

Like most forms of exercise, Surya Namaskar provides mental benefits to regular practitioners. You will feel wonderful after performing the Sun Salutation. It is relaxing and rejuvenating, and tension, stress and anxiety melt away as you perform Surya Namaskar.

Surya Namaskar is an excellent alternative to caffeine and other stimulants. If you suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances, you will find practicing Surya Namaskar aids in helping you fall asleep without the need for depressants.

With regular practice, Surya Namaskar is an excellent way to manage stress and alleviate depression. You will expend a tremendous amount of energy as you move through the two sets of poses. Surya Namaskar teaches you to concentrate, and learning to achieve the poses is incredibly gratifying.

Is your heart marathon-ready?/HEALTH

Is your heart marathon-ready?

If you are a cardiac patient and are running the marathon, it is important to follow certain do’s and don’ts and make sure your heart is fit and ready for the long run

If you are a cardiac patient then unless you are re-evaluated by a qualified cardiologist you should not participate in the marathon. Your fitness levels must be justified with proper tests.

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery or angioplasty patients can definitely participate in the marathon provided their recent stress test, 2D echo colour Doppler evaluation, pulse and blood pressure are certified as acceptable by the cardiologist.

Recent heart attack patients should avoid participating in the marathon at least for 3 months. For complete healing and healthy scar formation it takes almost 2-3 months. Until then there are chances of other cardiac instabilities prevailing, which can be hazardous.

Massive heart attack patients getting ultimate effective pumping of their heart from normal 60% to anything less than 30% should avoid participating in the Marathon as there is a chance of heart pump or left ventricular failure causing sudden severe shortness of breath.

In acute crisis, modalities such as meditation, lifestyle modifications, sudden crash diets, zero salt - zero oil diets do not help. To stay healthy one does not have lose excess amount of weight. Instead it calls for conditioning of the  physique, maintaining proper height - weight proportion and a proper waist - hip ratio. Unhealthy ways of weight reduction can cause increased chances of heart attack and resistant infections due to drop in immunity all at the cost of looking fit.

Non-athletes or first timers need to first acclimatise and prepare themselves with brisk walks. If a one hour brisk walk is carried out without any complaints, then slow jogging can be initiated post two weeks or so. If a person is grossly de-conditioned for effort tolerance (but has normal ECG, 2D Echo and stress test results) then brisk walks are advisable for a  longer time stretch to prepare the physique for jogging and bearing stress later.

Cardiac patients who wish to participate need to take all the prescribed medications in the morning at least an hour before the actual marathon run. Diabetic's can skip one morning dose of oral tablet for sugar control to avoid hypoglycaemia. Those who are on insulin should take only half a dose of insulin. Those suffering from hypertension should not avoid their medication at any cost. Blood thinners or aspirins should be taken early in the morning as against the scheduled hour in the afternoon or evening on the marathon day.

All participants need to carry glucose energy power drinks or powder and ensure adequate hydration two hours before the marathon. 

Beware if you have atherosclerosis Angioplasty and bypass patients are normally prescribed lifelong medications, which cannot be stopped abruptly without a doctor’s advice. Stoppage of cardiac medication can cause sudden shooting up of blood pressure, acceleration of pulse rate and can initiate a new cardiac emergency. This happens because there is no treatment for the basic underlying cause of heart attacks – atherosclerosis. Wherever atherosclerosis presents as a significant block, it might present in a similar way adjacent to the previous block or same site by the virtue of its natural progression. But chances of acute emergencies increase whenever people stop the medication all of a sudden on some verbal advice of a non-qualified person, or quack. Yoga, pranayama, zero oil diet plan etc cannot manage emergencies, which time tested allopathic medicines do wonderfully. Alternative medicines or measures are no substitute for tested allopathic drugs.

Avoiding bad breath/Health

Avoiding bad breath

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is one quality that no should possess simply because no one cherishes it. It is a big put off not only for your romantic liaisons but also for family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Bad breath is caused by bacteria that thrive in your mouth, feeding on food particles stuck between the teeth to create foul-smelling odorous compounds. Here are some useful to help to you curb that dreaded dinosaur breath:

• Brushing your teeth well for at least three minutes is the key to avoiding bad breath. You need to clean out the nooks and corners of your mouth because they are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria.
• Drink plenty of water. Bacteria in the mouth thrives in dry conditions, therefore drinking lots of water washes down their favourable breeding conditions.
• Clean your tongue. Brushing your teeth is not sufficient. There are plenty of bacteria that thrive on your tongue as well. Use a tongue cleaner to get rid of odour-producing bacteria.
• Consume a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Having these helps clean your teeth whilst eating them.
• Chewing cloves, aniseed or fresh parsley are a good natural remedy for bad breath.
• Besides onions and garlic, foods that are high in protein like milk, cheese, fish, meat etc. tend to cause bad breath, too.
• Munching carrots, celery and apples are beneficial for curbing bad breath because their slightly abrasive texture helps prevent a build-up of plaque on the teeth.
• It is not possible to brush after every meal, but you can gargle using a mouthwash.
• Snacking in-between meals should be avoided as it provides fodder for bacteria to feed on thus, producing bad breath.

Source: Bombay Times

About disposophobic-Health

Are you disposophobic?

Everyone who has watched the popular American sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S are familiar with the neatness and cleanliness freak character Monica Geller, played to perfection by Courtney Cox-Arquette. Imagine someone who is a total opposite of Monica. The vision that comes to your mind is someone who is miles away from being neat, and whose house is a total mess and full of clutter. Now picture this: a woman who lives in a house that is cluttered to the hilt with clothes, plastic articles, shoes, utensils, books, papers, household articles, metal scraps and even food that has gone bad. This woman can be cited as a classic example of a compulsive hoarder. Compulsive hoarding can affect anyone irrespective of age, gender or economic status.

DEFINITION

Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Varkha Chulani says “An excessive acquisition of possessions — not necessarily useful — collected and hoarded over time, even if they have never been used and which cause impairment in mobility, finances and health may be termed as compulsive hoarding. A slang for the compulsive hoarder is a ‘pack rat’. It may also be called disposophobia i.e. the fear of getting rid of things.”

Rachna Kothari, psychologist, says “Compulsive Hoarding is a pathological condition (sometimes obsessive compulsive disorder) which is characterised by excessive and unnecessary acquisitions of things which are useless, unhealthy and hazardous.” She says that compulsive hoarders find it very difficult to discard them and keep adding on to their already existing clutter. They believe that their things cannot be discarded because they hold a great value and would be needed later, and so they keep accumulating the junk. People who suffer from compulsive hoarding often stack their drawers, fridges, sinks, stove, stairway, sofas, etc. leaving no room for anything else.

CAUSES

There is no logical reason for one's behaviour as a hoarder. The disordered environment is the result of disordered thinking, not laziness or untidiness. Chulani says that anxiety drives this behaviour, where one due to some experience of his/her past, for example abject poverty, may have suffered not having essentials like basic clothing, food, etc. In the light of this past, he/she believes that they can’t bear it if the same would ever reoccur. As a result they hoard. Everything becomes important, ‘which can come of use some day’ and with that outlook, clearing and getting rid of possessions never happens.

Deprivation may not be the only factor driving this behaviour. Other causes could be fear of not having, the need to possess things, and even obsession with possessions, since for many possessions define their worth. So hoarding can also take place where people view themselves in a better light only when they own and possess things.

Dr Chhabria says, “Individuals who are predisposed to anxiety or depression are likely to show compulsive hoarding traits. According to research people who have undergone trauma emotional/ physical/ sexual may also be likely to go through this condition. The other cause could be their irrational belief about possession. They could have a strong sense of emotional attachment toward their possessions and may feel strong security or feel a need to stay in control of their possessions.”

EFFECTS

As far as effects on one’s personality is concerned, compulsive hoarders usually suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and certain personality conditions like Anxiety disorders. They always want to be in control and are averse to uncertainty. They generally suffer from a low self esteem which in turn hampers their growth. They could also be lacking in self care and hence would affect their sanitary habits.
Dr Chhabria says, “People with compulsive hoarding disorder are likely to have distorted perceptions. They may not view the mess that they are creating is actual mess or at least they do not become distressed about it. Infact, a cluttered home appears to create some sort of security and getting rid of clutter creates feelings of anxiety, distress, and even fear. Trying to part with their accumulated stuff can evoke painful and dramatic emotional reactions. This may also create social stigma or anxiety as they would be generally ridiculed or teased.”

As for relationships, Kothari says, “Since compulsive hoarders hardly realise that they have a problem and are oblivious to it, the stress it creates, the people who suffer the most are their family members, colleagues and neighbours. They might steal and borrow things and not return them thereby disrupting relationships. There is complete disorder in their home and living. Spaces are not utilised for what they were initially meant to be because of their ongoing clutter. Most relationships will be problematic since they cannot change their attitude and behaviour. If an individual is collecting dangerous or unsanitary items, it can embarrass, humiliate and threaten others around.”

COPING

Compulsive hoarding is a potentially serious mental health issue. If you are able to recognise this as a concern, work on yourself as it is a good way to overcome your anxiety. But if you can’t, seeking professional help is advised. Families need to understand the emotional condition of the hoarder so that they can treat him/her accordingly. And intervention on time is a crucial aspect of treatment. Dr Chhabria says that therapies like Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) which is generally applied to people with OCD is a useful technique. REBT would involve working on the person’s irrational belief of associating their feelings with an unrealistic perception, questioning them and then learning to convert them into rational beliefs.

Source: Bombay Times

Home Remedies for Cough/Cold-Health

 

HOME REMEDIES FOR COUGH & COLD

For Cough

1. Grapes help a great deal in treating cold in a few days. Consume 1 cup grape juice and also add 1-teaspoon honey to it.
2. Almonds are excellent for dry coughs. Soak about seven almonds in water and keep them overnight. Next morning peel off the brown skin. Now grind them to form a powder and add twenty grams each of butter and sugar and form a paste. Consume it twice a day, once in the morning and the second time in the evening.

For Cold

1. Lemon can be used effectively to treat common cold, as it increases the body resistance. Take one glass of warm water and pour some lime juice and a tsp of honey in it and consume it once or twice on a daily basis.
2. Take 1 tbsp of Pepper powder and boil it in a cup of milk. Also add on a pinch of turmeric to it. Put some sugar for taste. Drink it once in a day for about three days.
3. Take 3-4 tsp Onion juice and 3-4 tsp Honey and mix well before consuming.

Home remedies for Backache/Asthma-Health

 

Home remedies

For Backache

1. Lime juice serves as an excellent home remedy for backache. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and add common salt in it. Drink it two times in a day. It will act as a great back pain reliever.
2. As a part of back pain home remedy treatment, raw potato in the form of poultice is to be applied on the pain affected area.
3. Usually Vitamin C that is mainly found in citrus fruits is considered valuable for getting rid of backaches. Consume about 2000 mg of this vitamin everyday.
4. Applying garlic oil on the back gives immense relief from back pain. Take about 10 small garlic pieces and fry them in oil on a low flame. You can either use sesame oil, coconut oil or mustard oil. Fry till the garlic cloves turn light brown. Let the oil prepared from garlic cool completely. Thereafter apply it on the back and keep it for about three hours. In a couple of days, you’ll feel its magical effects

For Asthma

1. Take 1 tsp honey and 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder and mix them well before consuming.
2. For people who are in their early stages of asthma, a perfect home remedy is to boil 8-10 cloves of garlic in 1/2 cup of milk and consume it during night time.
3. Take very hot water and add a tsp of honey in it. Consume it just before sleeping and take small sips

Stretching Exercises/Health

Stretching Exercises

1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
2. Padding and strapping of the foot
3. Corticosteroid injections
4. Patient-directed treatments, such as regular stretching and other physical therapy, avoidance of flat shoes and barefoot walking, use of open-back shoes, use of cryotherapy directly to the affected part, over-the-counter arch supports and heel cushions, and limitation of extended physical activity
5. Weight loss, if appropriate
6. Continuation of initial treatment options above, with consideration of additional therapy including custom orthotic devices, night splints, corticosteroid injections, and cast immobilization
7. Surgical interventions including plantar fasciotomy, removal of heel spur, calcaneal osteotomy, endoscopic calcaneoplasty, open resection of calcaneus and inflamed bursa, tendon debridement
8. Radiofrequency coblation
9. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy
10. Referral to appropriate specialist

Flu and common cold-Health

 

Flu and common cold

Influenza (often referred to as 'flu') must not be confused with the common cold, as influenza is deadly. Though both are respiratory illnesses, they are caused by different viruses.

While a common cold is a milder respiratory illness, influenza is a severe infection of the respiratory tract that can lead to serious health complications. The misconception that influenza is just a "very bad cold" is dangerous as seasonal influenza is known to lead to serious health problems like pneumonia and result in death.

In tropical countries like India the virus circulates around the year and an Influenza outbreak can occur any time. It is the unpredictability of the virus that causes concern, hence an annual influenza vaccination is recommended as a precautionary measure since a person may pass on the influenza virus to someone else even before they know that they are sick. The continuous mutation of the influenza virus makes it potentially dangerous as the virus becomes resistant to medicines and results in seasonal epidemics.

Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) makes an annual updated recommendation for the influenza vaccine composition. The Centre for Disease for Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine influenza vaccination for all persons aged 6 months and older. This is an expansion of the previous recommendation for annual vaccination of all adults aged 19-49 years and is supported by evidence that annual influenza vaccination is a safe and effective preventive health action with potential benefit in all age groups.

Says Dr Sanjay Lalwani, Head, Department of Paediatrics, Bharati Hospital, "Unfortunately in India there is no awareness that influenza kills. I cannot describe the anguish of a parent whose child is lost to a preventable disease like 'flu'. The annual influenza vaccine prevents complications from 'flu' and I recommend it to all my patients. In developed countries, everyone has a 'flu' shot at the onset of winter. It's a fact that a 'flu' vaccinated school or office is a healthy place, with negligible absences due to illness."

Influenza affects all but the more susceptible groups are young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with a chronic medical condition. Young children have a greater risk of getting infected because they have not had the opportunity to develop immunity to the virus. This puts them at a higher risk of hospitalisations. However, 90 per cent of the recent H1N1 swine flu deaths have not been in children but healthy adults under 65.

Research shows that pregnant women are at a greater risk of contracting the influenza virus. All pregnant women should get their influenza immunisation because influenza poses a serious risk of illness and death during pregnancy. Additionally, pregnancy increases the risk for fatal complications associated with the influenza virus, including bacterial pneumonia and dehydration. The immune system changes that accompany pregnancy increase the risk of an influenza attack leading to hospitalisation.

Source: The Indian Express

Watch out! Nuts too can pile on the pounds/Health

 

Watch out! Nuts too can pile on the pounds

Swapping a chocolate bar for a handful of healthy nuts is no insurance against piling on the pounds.

Research shows that dieters who snack on nuts, seeds or dried fruit could actually be putting on weight, rather than losing it.

Nuts and seeds often contain unhealthy amounts of saturated fat, while dried fruit is usually high in sugar.

Just 100 grams of Brazil nuts contain 16.4 grams of saturated fat - three quarters of a woman's recommended daily intake, the Daily Mail reports.

Similarly, a handful of dried raisins contains 69 grams of sugar, more than three-quarters of the recommended amount. Surprisingly, 100 grams of Kit Kat chocolate bar contain only 47.8 grams of sugar.

the research, carried out by the SupermarketOwnBrandGuide website, comes as many people begin strict diet regimes as part of New Year resolutions.

Website founder Martin Isark said: "New Year dieters who are tempted to stock up on things like fruit and nuts in order to avoid chocolate could find themselves putting on pounds."

The recommended daily amount of sugar for a typical adult is 90 grams, but 100 grams of the most popular dried fruits, including currants, raisins, sultanas and dried dates, all contain more than 64 grams of sugar.

Source: IANS

Healthy foods for a beautiful you

 

Healthy foods for a beautiful you

Every one of us wants to look beautiful. On our quest to look beautiful we try out whatever lotions and creams we can lay our hands on at the supermarket. And when it comes to weight loss we diet, exercise or sometimes go for cellulite creams. Along with these techniques, there are also a lot of foods that can make you healthier, beautiful and confident.

 Avocado (L) and Almonds (R)

Almonds

The wonders of almonds are many. The plus factor being the high amount of Vitamin B complex which plays a significant role in skin cell restoration. If eaten in small handfuls every afternoon, almonds in the long run will help lessen premature wrinkling. Almonds are also known to be good for the hair.

Avocado

The fruit is packed with mono-unsaturated fats and eating the fruit once or twice a week will help improve your skin tone.

Brocolli (L) and Asparagus (R)

Broccoli and spinach

Both the vegetables have high Vitamin C content. It has been found that Vitamin C prevents age spots caused by clumping of pigments and red lines caused by damaged capillaries.

Asparagus

The wonder vegetable has very high levels of Vitamin E which plays a major role in skin cell restoration. Consumption of asparagus helps make your skin more firm and clears blemishes on it.

(L-R) Tuna, Eggs and Salmon

Salmon and tuna

Both the fish are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which bring about a reduction in the level of triglycerides and thereby increase the amount of good (or HDL) cholesterol in the body. These fish are also rich in Vitamin D which is a great tonic for the skin.

Eggs

Eggs are good for the eye because the carotenoid content in them lessen chances of cataract and macular degeneration that leads to blindness. The sulphur, mineral and vitamin content in eggs makes play a significant role in improving the health of hair as well as well as nails.

Papaya (L) and Carrots (R)

Carrots

Carrots have constituents like carbohydrates, protein, fat, calcium, iron, fibre, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, K, biotin, potassium and thiamine which together provide the body important enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Carrots also contain beta carotene that slows down the process of ageing.

Papaya

The papain in papaya is known to promote skin cell restoration and skin renewal which is why papaya is often used as a skin softener. Papain also plays a big role in skin whitening. Papaya is also a good moisturizer, it has vitamins A, C and E and also amounts of anti-oxidants that provide moisture to the skin. Like in carrots, the beta-carotene helps in thwarting early ageing.

Aloe Vera

The most popular among all beauty foods, this magic herb contains adequate amounts of amino acids (20 of them), calcium, sodium, magnesium, enzymes, vitamins, nitrogen and more. Capsules of aloe vera help among other things in blood circulation which in turn boost s the appearance of the skin.

While most of the above information has been collated from authentic sources, we recommend you take a second opinion from a dietician.

Source: India Syndicate