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How Much Fiber Intake For Prevention Of Diseases

A new study revealed exactly how much fiber is required for keeping the chronic conditions as well as premature mortality at bay. The objective of the study is to set the guideline for consumption of fiber besides bringing to light information around the carbs responsible for protection against non-communicable diseases as well as curb weight gain.

The author of the study namely Professor Jim Mann, of Otago University New Zealand and the author of the paper Andrew Reynolds is a postdoctoral research fellow at Otago’s Dunedin School of Medicine.

The study was carried out by Reynolds and colleagues by examination of a data that had 185 observational studies that included 135 million person-years besides 58 clinical trials that involved the participation of 4600 people. The study analysis was carried across 40 years.

As per prof. Mann, the motivation behind this study was analysis of previous reviews and meta-analysis. The scientists studied chronic condition incidences as well as premature deaths resulting from them. The conditions included cardiovascular diseases, stroke, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, cancers such as esophageal cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer to name a few.

The results of the study revealed that people who consume more fiber daily are 15-30% less prone to premature deaths or any of the aforementioned conditions. It also determined that daily consumption of 25 -29 gms of fibre is good for health. Though consumption of more than 29 gms of fibre could be even more beneficial.

Having said that, the authors cleared that the study did not present any side effects of fibre consumption but too much fibre could also be harmful particularly for people with iron and mineral deficiencies. Even consumption of whole grains in excess can lead to iron deficiency as per researchers.

Lastly, the study also found that consumption of high amount of fibre results does relate to less weight and cholesterol levels.

Prof. Mann says “ Health benefits of fiber are supported by over 100 years of research into its chemistry, physical properties, physiology and effects on metabolism.

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Finances and Aging – The Connection

A recent study has revealed that people who have to suffer from economic hardships for even as less as 4 years are prone to ageing faster as compared to their peers who are economically stable. The researchers at the Department of Public health at the Copenhagen University of Denmark carried out a study to compare economically well to do, late middle aged adults and adults experiencing financial issues.

The study involved over 5575 adults in their late middle ages with a benchmark hardship of 60% less than that of the national average over 22 years period. Out of these 5575, 18% were having financial hardship during the period of 1987-2008. Lead by Rikki Lund, the team studied and analyzed cognitive as well as physical functions like chair rise, jump, balance, grip and strength.

The study found that people who experienced poverty over 4 years performed less as compared to people of the same age who were living without any financial problems. The findings suggest that the absence of economic problems protects from aging faster while the opposite not only increases ageing but also the blood CRP levels.

When people are less capable of doing physical activities earlier than then the others of the same age it is called accelerated aging. It could be a result of higher inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 or poor cognitive functioning.

In the Western society, aging population means more healthcare costs and hence healthy ageing is promoted. The study has results that match the earlier studies with did show an inverse connection between economic difficulties and physical abilities besides cognitive difficulties that have been already reported.

Having said that, there is one story that has a different story to tell. It states that a human’s perception about economic hardships is more significant indicator and not their real financial condition. The study does come with a few limitations though, which include factors like not considering data of various societies, not considering any other potential confounding factors responsible or even diseases and conditions that are not a result of poverty but still could affect longevity and speed ageing.

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Genetic Components Related To Left Handedness – A Study

A recent study by scientists reveals about regions of the Human DNA and their association with left handedness. These regions are connected to the brains language related features. An earlier study around handedness had revealed that genes were responsible for 25% of it but the type or name of the genes was unknown.

In India and across the world there were has been a lot of stigma and taboo around being left handed. But, today rarely anyone is of the belief or even discriminates between left and right handed people.

10% of the population in the world is known to be left handed and also includes many well-known individuals like Alert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci amongst them.

The recent study was published in the journal ‘Brain’ and involved the participation of 40,000 people including 38000 left handed ones. After doing the genetic analysis, the researchers found that it was the DNA regions that linked to left handedness strongly.

As per the researchers the three regions are inside or are responsible for protein code of brain development and patterning. Proteins play a significant role in making microtubules which are scaffolding like building block and are responsible for guiding cell construction.

Microtubules are made up of long chained molecules making up the physical structure of the cells throughout the body also known as cytoskeleton and have the ability to respond to cell singals by quickly assembling and disassembling.

The scientists did study brain scan details of 9000 participants after analyzing their DNA samples. The findings indicate that in left handed people right and left side for brain that deals with language coordinate in a better way compared to right handed ones. These findings thus pave the path for getting deeper into finding if left handed people are better in tasks that involve verbal communication compared to the right handed ones.

Well, as per Gwenaelle Dououad, associate professor at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging that it was apparently for the first time that they had been able to establish that in humans the handedness is linked to cytoskeletal differences in the brain.

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Diverticulitis – Know More About The Stomach Condition

A common condition of stomach that, many people are unaware of diverticulitis. It affects the large intestine or colon and occurs when the mucosa or muscous membrane forms small pouches bulging inside the gastrointestinal tract pushes out via a weak muscle area in the larger intestine. Though over 80% of the people suffering from divurticulitis do not show any symptoms of it, some of them do feel severe pain and need surgery.

Causes – Though the primary cause of this condition is unknown, some of the risk factors include obesity, smoking, red meat, high saturated fat and low fibre diet.

Symptoms – Though symptoms vary depending upon the severity of the condition, people experience symptoms like fever, bloating, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, Vitamin D deficiency and genetics to name a few.

Diagnosis – The diagnosis depends on physical examination and a few tests including urine and stool test, colonoscopy, MRI, CT scan or X ray of the GI tract, to name a few.

Complications: Generally this condition does not have complication in over 75% of the cases but in 25% of the cases there are chances of developing complications. The complications of divertulitis include –

Abscess – It is the formation of pus inside the diverticula

Scarring – This condition causes intestinal blockage

Perforation inside Intestine – This causes holes in the intestine and is a severe condition that leads to leakage into the abdominal cavity

Fistula – In this condition, the infection spreads through other organs

Phlegmon – It’s the inflammation of the soft tissues under the skin

Prevention– Eating foods that are rich in fibre are advisable in order to prevent the condition. These include Vegetables like Spinach, Peas, high-fibre fruits, ground Psyllium Seed, low fibre animal protiens like eggs and fish etc. Avoid foods like popcorn, fried foods, saturated fats, popcorn and refined grains.

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A Blood Test That Predicts How Long You Would Live

Even today with all the advancement in science and technology, doctors are not able to predict how long a person would live, well in advance. Probably the can predict it with some accuracy within a year of his/her death but not as early as 5-10 years.

A recent study published in the journal Nature Communications the researchers are in the process of developing a reliable predictive tool that could pave the path towards predicting life span of a person as early as 5-10 years before time. As per the researchers this would help the doctors design the course of treatment and take important decisions related to them. Like for example doctors could be able to identify between patients in need of medicine or surgery and also help scientists in monitoring the impact of intervention on mortality risk that so without running clinical trials.

Presently, doctors are able to have a fair idea about the general life span of people through their cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Through this study the researching scientists from Leiden University Medical Center of Netherlands as well as Brunel University London researched around identification of biomarkers for managing the same.

The study included 44, 168 participants between the age group of 10 -109 years of which 5512 passed away. The study began by creating mortality metabolic marker followed by

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Omega 3 Fatty Acids And Health Benefits

Some of us are definitely aware of omega 3 fatty acids and their benefits. But, many of us are not aware that fatty acids are present not only in animals but plants also. The animal based fatty acids include doosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). While the animal based omega 3 fatty acids comes from fish oils, plant based come from plant sources. These sources contain alpha-lionelic acid (ALA), that can be converted into Omega-3 fatty acids of the body.

But, most of us are only aware about the health benefits of animal based fish oils with EPA and DHA. But, many of us again aren’t aware about the amount of omega 3, fatty acids that our body requires, even though there is no set standard for intake of the same.

Many experts believe and recommend omega 3 fatty acids for people suffering from cardiovascular conditions particularly higher doses for people having high cholesterol levels. Prescribed medications that are FDA approved are available for people with conditions rather than the supplements.

Omega 3 acids are recommended only for adults and children should not be given any supplements of omega 3 acids before consulting the doctor. Though natural sources of omega 3 fatty acids can be consumed by all irrespective of ages, only if you have no significant allergies around the same.

Natural Sources of omega 3 fatty acids include Cod liver, Soybeans and tofu, Walnuts, Salmon, trout, tuna and sardines, to name a few. The international organization AHA recommends adults for males and females except pregnant women to increase the intake of omega 3 fatty acids

Even avoiding the intake of omega 6 fatty acids that include eggs, meat as well as oil can help in increasing the levels of omega 3 fatty acids in blood. Balancing of omega 3 fatty acids to that of omega 6 can help you manage many health conditions in a better way and reduce the risk of certain conditions as well. As per reports people in USA consume 14-25 times more omega 6 fatty acids as compared to omega 3 fatty acids and this imbalance is not good for health, certainly.

Having said that, omega 3 fatty acids supplements should not be consumed without consulting your physician because they do have certain side effects particularly pregnant women with a diabetes risk should avoid them.

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Celiac Disease Detection Now Made Faster With Blood Test –AN Overview

As per All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Celiac disease is known to affect around 6 – 8 million people across India. Also known as gluten sensitive enteropathy or celiac sprue, Celiac disease is known to be an emerging health condition. Celiac disease is a disease where in there is sensitivity against gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley. It does not mean allergy to gluten or intolerance to it at all. It is an auto immune disorder that occurs in 1 in 1000 genetically disposed people. This disorder is not very common in Southern India but is prevalent in North and North eastern parts of India.

Now coming to the detection of this condition. The present method used to diagnose it consumes weeks or months. As the time taken to detect the condition is prolonged, people with the condition have to bear with the side effects of it. With the blood test, this time could be reduced to just a few hours. Scientists who are working on the same have been able to pick some of the biomarkers forming the blood test basis. They have found that when people are exposed to gluten, there is an increase inflammatory molecules in the blood stream that can associate with the symptoms that are in common.

Known to affect 1 percent of the population across the western world, Celiac disease is a condition one has to live with. In India there is limited awareness about celiac disease and there is a dire need for awareness around the condition and its prevention as well.

As per Dr Robert P Anderson, who is the Chief Scientific Officer at ImmusanT, it was the first time that their team has been able to describe the inflammatory reaction that the patients experience when they are exposed to gluten. He also stated that the findings could also help differentiate people who have similar symptoms but do not suffer from the condition and ensure that proper treatment pertaining to their condition is given to them.

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Is Midlife Stress Responsible For Alzheimer’s In Women

Though, the reason behind Alzheimer’s affecting women more than men is not clear, a research does bring to light the effects of stress on cognitive functions of the mind.

Alzheimer’s is a common condition particularly in the elderly people and like the cause is unknown, there is no cure to for it. But, a research has shed light on the stress aspect and its effect on the mind’s cognitive functioning.

Past researches around the effect of stress on women have stated that there is a high impact on stress response of females and stress can result into memory and cognitive problems, though of temporary nature.

The objective of the recent research conducted at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine was to find out the relation between stress and long-time decline in cognitive functioning. Cynthia Munro, PH.D and associate professor of Psychiatry and behavioral sciences said that the stress hormones like cortisol increased when there someone was under normal stress and then the levels returned to the baseline. But if there was stress on a regular basis or if the sensitivity to stress was high, there is a increased and sustained responses in the hormones and the recovery is also delayed. It’s a fact that an increase in stress hormones for a consistent basis then it is not good for brain’s hippocampus – the seat of memory.

The study included the data of over 900 residents of Baltimore found that there was link that could play a significant role in stating why women over 65 have more chance of getting Alzheimer’s.

The findings of this study are already published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. The study began in the 1980’s and the participants had to take part in interviews as well as checkups over three times in a span of 1982 -2004. The first was in 1982, the second 1993-1996 and the last in 2003-2004. The participants were of around 47 years old on an average and over 63% were women.

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Few Good Apps For Stroke Survivors

We all know that after you get a stroke it takes a long time for your body to come back to its normal functioning. India also is under a high stroke burden already. Across the world stroke is known to be the second most common cause of death. Ischemic strokes are known to account for over 87 percent of all strokes.

Stroke impacts various parts and functioning of the body. This includes mental health issues like depression and anxiety as well as movement issues like paralysis besides issues like bowel control loss, urinary incontinence, swallowing difficulty and visual impairment.

Though if the treatment is done immediately, the chances of recovery are faster. As per a survey the people who are provided critical care within 3 hours of first symptoms of stroke, have shown less disability post 3 months as compared to those who haven’t. In today’s tech times where there are applications available for all, lets run through some of the apps to help you with health and fitness after stroke

Medisafe – This is one app that is like an assistant to you. It reminds you of your doses and tracks your intake too so that you do not miss or double up by mistake. If you are on drugs you do tend to forget your doses.

Constant Therapy – This app is designed for people that are trying to recover from stroke, aphasia or brain injury. It is loaded with 65 different task categories, over a lac different exercises and over 10 difficulty levels. It is developed by scientists at the Boston University.

Cozi – This app is able to manage multiple schedules and is an ideal solution for stroke survivors who are under the care of multiple survivors. It includes a calendar that is color coded and helps manage days with reminders for medications, appointments and more. Managing groceries is also easy as the app comes with to do lists and helps ensure that nothing is missed.

Stop, Breathe & Think – This is an app that concentrates on reducing stress which is known to be a high risk factor for strokes. The main objective of the app is to reduce stress so as to curb the risk of strokes in the future. With meditation, acupressure, meditation and breathing exercises videos it helps calm you and bring you peace from within.

VocalEyes AI – Stroke can sometimes damage the brain areas which takes care of signals from the eyes. This can affect the eyes and lead to double vision or vision loss of a part. Vocaleyes acts as the computer vision for the visually challenged. With the help of machine learning it helps users with identification of objects the are deal with on a daily basis. You need to simply take a photo and the app will tell you what it is including currency denominations, faces, emotions, text, brands and more.

Well, Technology is upgrading day by day and it has already proved to be a boon too in many ways than one.

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Monsoon And Child Health Issues

Well, everyone loves the rains, more so the foodies as the season where you hog on hot pakoras or samosas, bhutta or chalebi while sipping on your hot piping tea. Coming to the flip side Monsoon does bring along health hazards in form of illness like Dengue, Jaundice, Cholera, Malaria, thypoid, Gastro-intestinal infections, hepatitis A. Here’s a run-down five of the most common illness viral/bacteria borne, that you need to protect your child from –

Dengue – Caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, Dengue mosquitos breed in stagnant water be it flower pots, buckets, tree holes or drums etc. The incubation period is four to seven days after being bitten. The symptoms include high grade fever with decreasing platelet count as well as rashes. To prevent dengue try to keep your body covered as much as possible and use mosquito repellents. Citronella is a good mosquito repellent plant.

Diarrhoea – This is one condition that can be prevented with proper precautions as it is caused because of unhygienic food and water consumption. The best way to prevent it is to drink boiled water and eat home cooked food. Both the types of diarrhea, chronic as well as acute can be managed through appropriate and timely treatment.

Typhoid – This is another waterborne condition that is caused by S typhi bacteria. The main reason is poor sanitation. The symptoms include weakness, pain, fever as well as sore throat to name a few. This condition can also be prevented by avoiding street food, keeping your hands clean and keeping yourself hydrated with healthy fluids.

Malaria – This is also a water borne condition that is caused due to the female anopheles mosquito. This mosquito breeds in water logged areas and hence is a common condition in monsoon. The symptoms include fever with chills or shivering, body ache and weakness, etc. The best way to prevent the cause of malaria is to keep surroundings clean especially water tanks.

Jaundice – Jaundice is also a water borne disease that could go serious if not treated properly. This is again a result of consuming contaminated food and water. The symptoms of jaundice include yellow eyes and urine, weakness and liver dysfunction.

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