Month: August 2014

Fish consumption could boost seniors’ brain health

A study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences suggests shifting focus from omega-3s to fish, pure and simple, baked or broiled, for better brain health.

Fish consumption could boost seniors' brain health

“Our study shows that people who ate a diet that included baked or broiled, but not fried, fish have larger brain volumes in regions associated with memory and cognition,” says senior investigator James T. Becker, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, Pitt School of Medicine.

While studies abound hailing the multitude of health benefits that omega-3 fatty acids offer and associations with brain health account for a large portion of them, Dr. Becker and his team were underwhelmed by the influence of omega-3s in their study.

“We did not find a relationship between omega-3 levels and these brain changes, which surprised us a little,” he says. “It led us to conclude that we were tapping into a more general set of lifestyle factors that were affecting brain health of which diet is just one part.”

Using high-resolution MRI scans of the brain, lead investigator Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., who now is in radiology residency training at UCLA, and the research team analyzed data from 260 people who were concurrently participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).

The participants, all of whom were over the age of 65, were assessed to be in good cognitive health at two time points during the 10-year study, which began in 1989, and self-reported their dietary intake.

“The subset of CHS participants answered questionnaires about their eating habits, such as how much fish did they eat and how was it prepared,” says Dr. Raji. “Baked or broiled fish contains higher levels of omega-3s than fried fish because the fatty acids are destroyed in the high heat of frying, so we took that into consideration when we examined their brain scans.” Researchers conclude that participants who ate baked of broiled fish at least once per week had a grey matter volume that was, on average, 4.3 per cent greater than those who didn’t.

Their cognition was superior by 14 per cent and they were more likely to have a college education than non-fish eaters.

Data regarding blood levels of omega-3s, however, revealed no association between the latter and the differences in cognition and grey matter.
“This suggests that lifestyle factors, in this case eating fish, rather than biological factors contribute to structural changes in the brain,” Dr. Becker noted. “A confluence of lifestyle factors likely are responsible for better brain health, and this reserve might prevent or delay cognitive problems that can develop later in life.”

The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Source: ctv news

232 Tiny ‘Toothlets’ Removed from Teenager in India

A team of oral surgeons reportedly removed 232 teeth from the mouth of a 17-year-old boy in India on July 21. The boy was diagnosed with a condition called complex composite odontoma, a rare type of tumor that affects the jaw or gums, his doctors said.

232 Tiny 'Toothlets' Removed from Teenager in India

The Disturbing Places Teeth Can Grow
Your brain is probably the last place you’d ever expect TEETH to grow. Ashik Gavai was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai with swelling in his right jaw, Dr. Sunanda Dhiware, head of the hospital’s dental department

The boy had been experiencing discomfort from the swelling for 18 months, Dhiware said. His father, Suresh Gavai, told the Mumbai Mirror that his son began complaining of severe pain a month ago.

In people with complex composite odontoma, a tumor grows in the jaw and contains tooth-like structures, as well as blobs of enamel and dentin, the tissues that make up teeth.

“Once we opened [the tumor], little pearl-like teeth started coming out, one-by-one,” Dhiware told. “Initially, we were collecting them, they were really like small white pearls. But then we started to get tired. We counted 232 teeth.”

However, these pearl-like objects, aren’t really teeth in the truest sense of the word, according to Dr. J. David Johnson an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine and spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

“Some people call them ‘denticals’ or ‘toothlets.’ They’re not really true teeth because, if they were to erupt, there would be no periodontal ligament or root structure, and they’re always deformed,” Johnson said.

Although these malformed teeth don’t typically cause symptoms, he said they can lead to problems and do need to be removed, he told Live Science.

In the case of Ashik Gavai, the toothlets did seem to be causing some trouble, however. “If they’re growing into an area where there are nerves, that can generate some pain. Sometimes infections will form in association with them, and that can generate pain as well,” Johnson said.

Odontomas are the most common type of odontogenic tumors, comprising about 22 percent of all of this kind of tumor diagnosed by dentists and oral surgeons. Although it isn’t clear exactly why these growths form, trauma, infection and possibly growth pressure may be responsible, Johnson said.

After the teeth are removed surgically, the tumor isn’t likely to return, he said. And for Gavai, now that the tumor is gone, the 28 teeth that remain in his mouth will likely be healthier.

“Typically we recommend the removal of the odontoma so it doesn’t affect the health of the adjacent teeth or interfere with the eruption of the other normal teeth,” Johnson said.

Although Johnson said he has personally never seen an odontoma as large as the one described in this particular case, he did not express doubt that such a massive tumor could form. He said that, like Gavai, most of the patients he sees with odontomas are teenagers, with the average age for the condition being 14. Males are slightly more likely to develop these growths than females, he said.

Source: discovery news

Bitter Melon – Homemade Juice that Cures Dangerous Tumors and Cancer

Recent results from a study of Bitter melon at the University of Colorado are more than encouraging. This herb, which is known in the East and is used in food for centuries, can help in treating cancer.

Bitter Melon – Homemade Juice that Cures Dangerous Tumors and Cancer

A new study performed on mice has shown that bitter melon juice significantly reduces the growth of pancreatic tumors, because it hampers metabolism of glucose in cancer cells and automatically it starves then and leaves no sugar, “fuel” without which cancer cells cannot survive.

The numerous health benefits associated with consumption of bitter melon is already known. This herb is grown and eaten throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Japan, China, Oceania, and even the Caribbean. It is particularly popular in the Okinawa, and Japanese are known who are known for longevity.

Anticancerogenic action from Biter melon is visible in breast, prostate, colon, liver and stomach cancer, certain tumors and in leukemia. The latest study showed that bitter melon has cytotoxic effect on pancreatic cancer. Researchers from the University of Colorado bought these melons in the local market, removed the skin and seeds and using a blender made juice from it.

The resulting juice is used for testing in two ways: directly to the cells, or frozen and ground into powder, which was later used as food for the test on mice’s. Freshly squeezed juice diluted with only 5 percent of water acted hard on reduction of the cancer cells of the pancreas . In fact, after 72 hours of testing AsPC- 1 and Capan- 2 tumor cells were reduced by 90 percent, and BxPC- 3 and MiaPaCa- 2 to even 98 percent.

Juice caused programmed death of cancer cells. Once the mice in the experiment were fed up with the dust of bitter melon, there was a 64 percent reduction in cancer cells.

The story is similar with chemotherapy applied in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, but in this case without apparent side effects that accompany chemotherapy treatment.

Source: secretly healthy

2.5 kg tumour removed from Mumbai woman!

In a rare surgery, a team of doctors at Sion Hospital here removed a tumour weighing over 2.50 kg during an emergency caesarean operation on a 26-year-old pregnant woman, a team member said.

2.5 kg tumour removed from Mumbai woman

Though the surgery was performed almost two months ago, the doctors chose to announce their achievement only now as they were waiting for the patient to recover completely.

The tumour — the size of a watermelon – had remained undetected till the woman was brought to the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial General Hospital (LTMGH), or Sion Hospital, run by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

“This is the first case in the country in which such a huge ovarian tumour has been removed during an emergency caesarian section operation,” Dr. Niranjan Chavan, professor in LTMGH department of obstetrics & gynaecology, told. The woman – a domestic help from Vikhroli

suburb – was in labour with a high pulse rate when she was brought to Sion Hospital June 15 from a private nursing home. She was immediately taken to the operation theatre. After a caesarian section operation, the doctors delivered a boy weighing 2.7 kgs.

Post-delivery, as the team was performing the cleaning sequence of the paracolic sections, they were shocked to detect a huge tumour in the woman’s abdomen. “We had checked her medical records which only stated that she had already undergone two caesarian section procedures in the past, but nowhere was it mentioned that she had an ovarian tumour,” Chavan said.

Terming it as “an unfortunate development,” Chavan and his team finally removed the huge tumour, punctured it and drained one litre fluids from it. They also managed to save the left ovary of the patient. Later, they carried out a tubal ligation (sterilization) on the couple as per their request.

Head of the department Dr Y S Nandanwar and Sion Hospital dean Avinash Supe, while congratulating the medical team, said this was the first case reported in India where such a large ovarian tumour was excised during emergency caesarean section operation.

The histopathology report of the Vikhroli woman, who has two sons, six and three years old, suggests that the tumour was benign and she would be able to lead a normal healthy life

Source: the free press

Why eating with your hands is good for health

Most Indians eat with their hands. But today as we adopt more traditions of the western world, it is common to see people using spoons and forks to eat. But did you know that eating with your hands has a number of health benefits? Here are the top 4 reasons you should start eating with your hands.

Why eating with your hands is good for health

Keeps all your vital life energies in balance: According to Ayurvedic texts, we are all made up of five main pranas or life energies and these five elements correspond to each finger on our hand (your thumb indicates fire, index finger correlates with air, middle finger indicates sky, ring finger stands for earth and little finger indicates water). An imbalance of any one of these elements can lead to diseases. When we eat with our hands we usually join our fingers and thumb to eat, this is actually a mudra that is a form of mudra vigyan, or the study of mudras and their healing power on the body. Therefore when we eat we are putting together all the five elements and energizing the food we eat so it helps us become healthy and keep all our pranas in balance.

Improves digestion: Touch is one of the most strong and often used sensation in the body. When we touch our food with our hands, the brain signals our stomach that we are about to eat. This in turn, readies the stomach to digest the food it will receive, aiding in better digestion.

Promotes mindful eating: Eating with your hands requires you to pay attention to what you are eating. You often need to look at the food and focus on what you are putting into your mouth. Also known as mindful eating, this practice is much more healthier than eating with a fork and spoon that can be done mechanically. Mindful eating has a large number of benefits for your health and one of the most important benefits is the fact that it improves the assimilation of nutrients from the food you eat, enhances digestion and makes you healthier.

Protects your mouth from getting burnt: Your hands also act as a very effective temperature sensor. When you touch food it is easy for you to gauge how hot it actually is, and you are less likely to put food that is too hot into your mouth – effectively preventing you from scalding your tongue.

Source: the health

WHO Declares Ebola an International Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa an international emergency, and officials say the spread of the disease demands a massive, coordinated response.

The outbreak affects Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. These countries have reported 1,070 confirmed cases, 436 “probable cases,” and 932 deaths through Aug. 4, according to the WHO.WHO Declares Ebola an International Emergency

Largest Outbreak Recorded
Following a 2-day teleconference, WHO announced there is now a risk that the disease could spread to other countries. It says the spread of the virus is being worsened by inadequate health facilities in affected countries. Experts say this is the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

WHO has made several recommendations for affected countries. It calls on each head of state to declare a national emergency and personally address the nation to update the population and outline what measures will be taken to control the situation.

It also calls on them to put in place national disaster and emergency management programs, provide good quality clinical care, and improve the safety and protection of health care workers.

Screening Travellers
It also recommends that affected countries should screen anyone trying to travel abroad for Ebola if they have unexplained symptoms consistent with the disease. What’s more, anyone who might have been exposed to Ebola should be banned from leaving those countries, unless they’re travelling under proper medical supervision.

The WHO says there should be no general ban on international travel or trade. The director general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, told a news conference: “The declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern alerts the world to high vigilance for possible cases of Ebola Virus Disease.” But the announcement “by no means implies that all countries, or even many countries, will see Ebola cases.”

Low Risk in U.S.
The CDC says the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. is low. “The standard, rigorous infection control procedures used in major hospitals in the United States will prevent spread of Ebola,” the CDC told.

“In the past decade, the United States has had five imported cases of hemorrhagic fevers – one of Marburg and four of Lassa, both viruses that are similar to Ebola. Each time, the American public health system identified the cases and through thorough infection control procedures, prevented anyone else from becoming ill.

“The best way to protect Americans is to stop the outbreak in West Africa,” the CDC says. “We know how to control Ebola. Previous outbreaks of Ebola virus disease have been contained by patient isolation, rigorous use of infection control measures in hospitals, intensive and thorough tracing of those who came into contact with the patients, and community education.”

Source: web md

‘Stem cells show promise in stroke recovery’

Infusing stem cells into the brain may help boost recovery after a stroke, according to a pilot study by Imperial College London. Scientists believe the cells encourage new blood vessels to grow in damaged areas of the brain.

Stem cells show promise in stroke recovery

They found most patients were able to walk and look after themselves independently by the end of the trial, despite having suffered severe strokes. Larger studies are needed to evaluate whether this could be used more widely. In this early trial – designed primarily to look at the safety of this approach – researchers harvested stem cells from the bone marrow of five people who had recently had a stroke.

‘Independent living’
They isolated particular types of stem cells – known as CD34+. These have the ability to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels. They were infused directly into damaged sections of the brain, via the major artery that supplies this area. Scientists monitored the patients for six months, charting their ability to carry out everyday activities independently.

Four of the five patients had suffered particularly severe strokes – resulting in the loss of speech and marked paralysis down one side of the body. This type of stroke usually has a high fatality and disability rate. But researchers found three of the four patients were able to walk and look after themselves independently at the end of the six-month period. And with some help, all five were mobile and could take part in everyday tasks.

‘Natural protection’
Though other stem cell treatment has shown promise as stroke therapy before, this is the first UK study to investigate using this type of approach in the first week after a stroke.

Scientists hope getting to patients early will improve chances of success. Dr Soma Banerjee, who led the study, told the BBC: “This is encouraging and exciting early research. “Now we need to look at a larger group of patients and hope eventually to develop a treatment based on this approach.”

But Dr Tim Chico, from the University of Sheffield, who was not involved in the study, said: “It is important to understand this is only the very earliest step towards a possible new treatment for stroke and does not prove the stem cell treatment improved these patients’ recovery. “A much larger trial will be needed to compare stem cell treatment with no stem cell treatment.

“Anyone who has seen the suffering a stroke can cause will be encouraged that doctors and scientists are continually exploring new ways to treat this devastating disease.”

The study is published in Stem Cell Translational Medicine.

source: bbc news

Premature births may be linked to stress, new Alberta study suggests

A researcher at the University of Lethbridge says the cause of premature births could be linked back to stress in past generations This research could help understand Alberta’s pre-term birth rate, which is the highest in Canada.

Premature births may be linked to stress

Researchers subjected rats to stress late in pregnancy and observed their offspring. They found that the daughters of stressed rats had shorter pregnancies than the daughters of rats not subjected to stress, and that the grand-daughters of stressed rats also showed shorter pregnancies even if their mothers had not been stressed.

“I think if you understand the mechanisms of how this is being generated — the footprint of stress — we have a means of predicting the risk of pre-term birth in future generations and finding certain interventions,” said Gerlinde Metz, a professor of neuroscience and Alberta Heritage Foundation Medical Senior Scholar at the university and one of the researchers on the team.

Metz says stress can alter the genes, meaning mothers-to-be can pass the altered genes on to their babies and that’s why the future generations showed the effects of the original rat’s stress. The study looked at four generations of maternally-related rats.

It found the stressed rats and their offspring also gained less weight during pregnancy and had higher blood glucose levels. As well, their offspring were smaller and had delays in behavioural development, all effects which were amplified over successive generations.

Metz says the study could help provide clues to the causes of pre-term births in humans as well as help other researchers identify the predictors and possible interventions for the pre-term births.

Source; cbc news

How pepper is good for your gut revealed

A new study has revealed that pepper reduces the risk of colorectal tumors.

How pepper is good for your gut revealed

According to the study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, the active ingredient in chili peppers – produces chronic activation of a receptor on cells lining the intestines of mice, triggering a reaction that ultimately reduces the risk of colorectal tumors.

The receptor or ion channel, called TRPV1, was originally discovered in sensory neurons, where it acts as a sentinel for heat, acidity and spicy chemicals in the environment.

Eyal Raz said that these are all potentially harmful stimuli to cells, thus TRPV1 was quickly described as a molecular ‘pain receptor.’ This can be considered to be its conventional function, which all takes place in the nervous system.

The scientists discovered that TRPV1, once activated by the EGFR, initiates a direct negative feedback on the EGFR, dampening the latter to reduce the risk of unwanted growth and intestinal tumor development. They found that mice genetically modified to be TRPV1-deficient suffered higher-than-normal rates of intestinal tumor growths.

The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Source: deccan chronicle

Health Benefits of Guava

The health benefits of guava include the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, weight loss and scurvy.

Health Benefits of Guava

Many of you may have tasted this mouth-watering treat, or have at least seen or heard about it. Guava is very common in Asian countries, but is increasingly available in the western world, particularly as more of its health benefits are revealed. It is a somewhat round or pear-shaped seasonal fruit, and is light green, yellow, or maroon in color on the outside when it is ripe. Guava also has white or maroon flesh and lots of small hard seeds enveloped in very soft, sweet pulp. It is eaten raw (ripe or semi-ripe) or in the form of jams and jellies.

This popular fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients. If the traditional adage says that “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, the phrase is probably changed to “A few guavas in the season keeps the doctor away for the whole year” in the Indian Subcontinent and places where guavas typically grow. Its scientific name is Psidium Guajava.

What makes guava special is that protecting the fruit does not require excessive use of chemical pesticides as in the case of grapes, apple, and other so-called “exotic” fruits. It is one of the least chemically treated and sprayed fruits.

Health Benefits of Guava

Some of the surprising and brilliant health benefits are listed below.

Weight loss: Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. Guava is very high in roughage and rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but it has no cholesterol and a low number of digestible carbohydrates. It is a is very filling snack and satisfies the appetite very easily. Guava, especially raw guava, also has far less sugar as compared to apples, oranges, grapes, and other fruit. Adding a medium-sized guava to your lunch and you will not feel hungry again until the evening. Ironically, it can also help with weight gain in lean, thin people. This is probably due to its wealth of nutrients, which keep the metabolism regulates and helps to promote the proper absorption of nutrients.

Diabetes: In a related benefit to blood pressure mentioned above, an intake of guava can also help those patients who suffer from diabetes. The high level of dietary fiber in guava helps to regulate the absorption of sugar by the body, which decreases the chances of major spikes and drops in insulin and glucose in the body. Studies have shown that consuming guava can help prevent the appearance of type-2 diabetes.

Eyesight: Guavas are extremely good sources of vitamin-A, which is well known as a booster for vision health. It can help slow down the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration, and general health of the eyes. It can not only prevent degradation of eyesight, but even an improvement in eyesight once it has begun to degrade.

Cancer Prevention: One of the most celebrated and important benefits of adding guava to your diet is its ability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancerous cells. There have been numerous studies done in recent years on guava’s effects primarily on prostate cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancers. Guava leaf oil is extremely successful as an anti-proliferative substance, and has actually been shown to be more effective than some leading modern medicines in reducing cancerous growth. Guavas are also rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be wildly successful in reducing prostate cancer risk. That same antioxidant has also shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, although further human trials need to be done.

Finally, the naturally high levels of vitamin-C in guavas, which are four times higher than the levels found in oranges (the traditional vitamin-C powerhouse), provides the immune system a huge boost in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the major lines of defense against the proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer and heart disease. Therefore, adding guava to your diet has numerous ways in which it helps you stay health and cancer-free.

Scurvy: Guava can outdo many other fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, in terms of its concentration of vitamin-C. A deficiency of vitamin-C can cause scurvy, and proper intake of vitamin-C is the only known remedy for that dangerous disease. In fact, guavas contain 5X more vitamin-C than oranges, which are often heralded as the absolute best source of that beneficial vitamin.

Diarrhea & dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds that make your gums feel tighter and fresher). After you chew guava leaves, eat a raw guava, or use some guava-based toothpaste), your mouth feels healthier, and the astringent qualities also add substance to loose bowels and reduce symptoms of diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus helping to cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Furthermore, other nutrients in guava such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium, strengthen and tone the digestive system while simultaneously disinfecting it. Guava is also beneficial in treating gastroenteritis for the same reasons stated above.

Thyroid Health: Guavas are a good source for copper, which is an important part of regulating thyroid metabolism by helping to control hormone production and absorption. The thyroid gland is one of the most important glands in the body for regulating hormones and organ system function, so guava can help balance your health in many ways.

Constipation: Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fiber in terms of fruit. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help the formation of healthy bowel movements, and aid the body in retaining water and thoroughly cleaning your intestines and excretory system. It is said that constipation alone can lead to 72 different types of ailments, so any help with constipation is beneficial. Your total health is undeniably affected by proper digestion, and more importantly, proper excretion. Frequent consumption of guava can ensure both.

Brain Health: Another of the tremendous positive benefits of guavas is the presence of B3 and B6 vitamins. B3 (also known as niacin) can increase blood flow and stimulates cognitive function. B6 is a great nutrient for brain and nerve function. Therefore, eating guava can help you increase brain function and sharpen you focus.

Cough & cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or a decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in relieving coughs and colds by reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs, and inhibiting microbial activity with its astringent properties. Guava has one of the highest quantities of vitamin-C and iron among fruits, and both are proven to be preventive against colds and viral infections. In some areas of India, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough, cold, and congestion. Ripe guava should be avoided by people who are suffering from cough and cold, as it can exacerbate the problem, and one should also avoid drinking water immedaitely after eating guava as it can lead to a soar throat.

Skin care: Guavas can improve the texture of your skin and help you to avoid skin problems more than even the highest ranked beauty creams or skin toner gels. This is chiefly due to the abundance of astringents in the fruit (more astringent is present in immature guavas) and in its leaves. Your skin can benefit from either eating the fruits (this helps tighten your muscles apart from your skin) or by rinsing your skin with a decoction of its immature fruit and leaves. It will tone up and tighten the area of loosened skin where you apply it. In addition to the astringents, guava is very rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are good antioxidants and detoxifiers, which keep your skin glowing and free from signs of premature aging, wrinkles and other dermal disorders.

High blood pressure: Guava helps reduce cholesterol in the blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining the fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure. Studies have shown that food lacking fiber (such as refined flour) add to blood pressure, due to its quick conversion to sugar. Guava, being very rich in fiber and hypoglycemic in nature, helps reduce blood pressure.

Other benefits: There are so many health benefits of guava, it is hard to know where to begin. It is important to know that guava helps control diabetes and protects the prostate. The juice of guava leaves has been known to cure toothaches, swollen gums & oral ulcers, and the juice speeds up the healing process of wounds when applied externally. Finally, it reduces the frequency of convulsions, epilepsy, and bacterial infections.

As with many alternative foods and supplements, there is little risk in eating them in natural form, but you must do your due diligence when taking it in medical forms. Be cautious when adding any new medicinal form of guava into your diet, and it is better to stick to eating guava in its natural form as a raw fruit.

Source: organic facts