health tips

Asthma May Lengthen Time to Get Pregnant

Getting pregnant may take longer for women with asthma, a new study from Denmark suggests.

Researchers analyzed information from more than 15,000 women in Denmark, including 950 who had asthma.

When asked whether they had ever spent more than a year trying to become pregnant, 27 percent of women with asthma said yes, compared to 21 percent

Women were particularly likely to experience a delay in pregnancy if they had untreated asthma, or if they had asthma and were over age 30.

The link between asthma and a prolonged time to pregnancy held even after the researchers took into account factors that could affect pregnancy chances, such as the woman’s age, body mass index and smoking status.

Overall, women with asthma had the same number of children as women without the condition, a finding that may be due, in part, to women with asthma having their first child at younger ages, said study researcher Dr. Elisabeth Juul Gade, of the Respiratory Research Unit at Bispebjerg University hospital in Copenhagen.

The reason why women with asthma generally took longer to become pregnant is not known.

It could be that women with asthma are not able to attempt pregnancy (through unprotected sex) as frequently as women without the condition, said Dr. Avner Hershlag, chief of the Center For Human Reproduction at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., who was not involved in the study.

“If you have any major medical condition that really interferes with your daily life, it’s bound to also affect your conception,” or efforts to get pregnant, Hershlag said. “When someone is sick and asthmatic, their focus changes, from ‘I’m going to get pregnant,’ to ‘I’m going to get better,'” Hershlag said.

When a woman is in stable condition and no longer having frequent attacks, she is healthier and her body may be better able to handle pregnancy, Hershlag said.

An earlier study of nearly half a million people found that women with asthma had about the same fertility rate (number of live births per 1,000 people) as those without asthma.

“Long term, there is absolutely no effect on fertility for patients with asthma,” Hershlag said.

However, the researchers hypothesized that asthma could have an effect on the uterus, and thus, potentially impact fertility. At least one previous study found an increased risk of miscarriage among women with asthma.

The inflammation that’s characteristic of asthma has been shown to affect organs other than those of the respiratory system, the researchers said. Such inflammation might alter the blood supply to the uterus, which could impair the ability of an egg to implant there, the researchers said.

Ultimately, more research is needed to determine the reason for the link between asthma and a prolonged time to pregnancy. The researchers are now carrying out such a study, and will ask women about lifestyle factors, to determine if they play a role, Gade said.

The study is published in today’s (Nov. 14) issue of the European Respiratory Journal

Source: Live Science

Eating tips to boost fertility revealed

Women watching their weight and closely following a Mediterranean-style diet that is high in vegetables, vegetable oils, fish and beans may boost their chance of becoming pregnant, according to dietitians.

Brooke Schantz, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, LUHS, said that establishing a healthy eating pattern and weight is a good first step for women who are looking to conceive.

She said that not only will a healthy diet and lifestyle potentially help with fertility, but it also may influence foetal well-being and reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy.

Schantz said that reduced intake of foods with trans and saturated fats while increasing intake of monounsaturated fats, like avocados and olive oil could help women who are looking to conceive.

Another tip was lower intake of animal protein and adding more vegetable protein and fibre to their diet.

She also said that incorporating more vegetarian sources of iron like legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and whole grains may help women in their endeavour.

Source: ANI news

 

Let The Sunshine In for Healthy Bones

You may already know that Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium and magnesium, both essential to maintaining strong and healthy bones and living happily without the fear of fractures.

But what is surprising is that scientists agree that dietary sources (like food and supplements) account for very little of the amount of D circulating in our blood.

So where can we get all the Vitamin D we need?

Time to let the sunshine in… Studies have shown that sunlight is an excellent natural source of Vitamin D3, the best form of Vitamin D, also known as Cholecalciferol.

What’s unique about Vitamin D3 is that with the help of the sun, our own bodies can produce it! How beautiful… think about this: we can build healthier bones while our bodies – hand in hand with Mother Nature – do all the work for us.

And as if the Vitamin D benefit wouldn’t be enough, you’ll be happy to know that sunlight triggers an increase in the feel-good brain chemical Serotonin. This neurotransmitter controls sleep patterns, body temperature, our sex drive, and also lifts our mood and wards off depression. No wonder we all have fun in the sun!

Spending just 20 minutes or so a few days a week in the sun, without sunscreen, can provide you with a healthy amount of Vitamin D3, that will help you build stronger bones and improve your mood as well.

It’s important to remember that the fairer your skin the less direct exposure is needed to activate Vitamin D synthesis. For people with very fair skin, just a short burst of sunshine on their skin would also be enough.

And if you’re afraid of the risks of going out to the sun without sunscreen lotion, just remember that the benefits of the moderate sun exposure outweigh the risks.

So go out and enjoy… Oh, and don’t forget to smile.

Source: Save our bones

 

Include broccoli in your diet to keep diseases at bay

Scientists hope that the harvesting of what they call ”booster broccoli” — containing more vitamins and nutrients than other vegetables — will soon begin.

Bred from strains of the vegetable naturally high in antioxidants, it joins a growing crop of ”super foods” that are believed to be good enough to prevent heart disease, cancers and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and help weight control.

Vital Vegetables chairman John says that capsicums with extra vitamins A, C and E levels, and tomatoes that can reduce risks of prostate cancer will be released in the next 12 months.

According to him, supermarkets will soon stock foods ‘boasting higher levels of goodness’ for the time poor.

”Our lifestyles seem to get faster all the time. If you can get the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables through eating less, isn’t that kind of the way we are going in the world these days?” the ‘Age’ quoted him as saying.

”I think consumers are looking at things that are better for them. And here you’re going to get more bang for your bite,” he added.

Two breakfast cereals with the potential to reduce the risk of colon and bowel cancers, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and to help control weight were released by the CSIRO last month.

Dr Bruce Lee, director of the CSIRO’s Food Futures National Research Flagship, says that other super grains to be used in breads, biscuits and pasta can be released by 2012.

”You can take supplements or you can get people to eat a healthy diet, but often it is hard to get people to change their dietary habits. ”The beauty of these types of foods is that you can add the wholegrain into the food – you are not forcing consumers to change their diet to something else,” he says.

Source: Indian Express

 

Is pickled turnip a miracle flu remedy? Hardly

“Suguki” – better known as pickled turnip – as a flu remedy, when it is no such thing. Think of this as an urban myth gone viral.

Let’s start with the facts and then move into the dark realm of stark speculation. The source of this story comes from a mouse study conducted by a company that pickles turnips. Their name is Kagome, Ltd., and they are based in Japan. They are, by their own account, pioneers in the Japanese tomato business and offer an impressive array of tomato products – including ketchup and juice. They also pickle turnips, a traditional Japanese food called Suguki. From what I can glean, they are very big in agriculture, and are multi-national. They seem to be very sophisticated.

According to statements issued by spokespeople at Kagome, Suguki contains friendly bacteria called Lactobacillus brevis KB290. This bacterium, they say, may help to stop the flu virus. After all, it helped to stop the virus in some mice.

According to studies found in the U.S. National Library of  Medicine, Lactobacillus brevis KB290 is a beneficial probiotic that shows benefit in improving gut health and enhancing immune function. That’s good, and it is consistent with what a great many other friendly bacteria do in the human body. This strain also may prove beneficial in certain cases of raw fish poisoning caused by a very unfriendly bacterium known as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, but so far the only work on this has been performed with cells in a lab. So wait and see on that one, and don’t let up on hygienic kitchen procedures.

In one published human clinical study, Lactobacillus brevis KB290 consumption led to some improvement in cases of irritable bowel syndrome. In the study, participants who were given capsules of the bacteria fared better than those who had been given a placebo. If other studies continue to show benefit, these bacteria may be one of several useful remedies against this pernicious intestinal problem. That’s definitely a plus.

Now we come to the big flu news that has swept the media. A Kagome-conducted mouse study, published in the November 6 issue of Letters in Applied Microbiology, has caused this frenzy, thanks mostly to a well executed PR campaign.  In the study, 60 mice were divided into three groups. One group was exposed to the H1N1 flu, one group was not exposed to the flu, and one group was given the flu virus and also given the bacteria Lactobacillus brevis KB290. The conclusion. Mice given the bacteria were less likely to catch the flu.

One problem I have with this is that it’s a mouse study and not an especially stunning study at that. Mice are not humans, and the flu virus mutates constantly. So what do we know about the flu protective properties of these bacteria in pickled turnip? Not much.

Even worse, several published stories have suggested thatLactobacillus brevis KB290 may protect us humans (without any science at all to support this) against numerous viral infections, including potentially fatal bird flu. Really? One claim repeated in several stories is that the scientists who conducted the study “think that there could be protection….against the deadly H7N9 flu,” recently found in China. This all sounds very promising, but there is no evidence at all to support this lavish idea. In fact, this is potentially deadly speculation.

Undeterred by the lack of any evidence that Lactobacillus brevisKB290 has anti-flu properties in people, articles have gushed with headlines that jubilantly trumpet “how to prevent flu” and “a new super food to fight the flu,” and on and on, all of them proclaiming Suguki as the second coming. Even worse, when perusing various articles, it’s apparent that most has simply grabbed information from the Kagome Limited website and has culled language from other published stories without doing any real digging into the topic.

As an advocate for safe, effective natural remedies, I’m always happy to spread the word about a good cure from nature. But flu is serious and often fatal, and thousands of people die each year from the flu virus. It’s just plain irresponsible to blare that Suguki, also known as pickled turnip, is a flu buster when there is no evidence to support the claim.

I’ve personally eaten plenty of pickled turnip at sushi restaurants, and I like it very much. But until there is solid, human clinical evidence, published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, showing that Lactobacillus brevis KB290 actually fights flu in humans, don’t give it a second thought. As a food and for enhancing digestion, pickled turnip may be just the thing. But as flu cure? Forget it.

Source: Heal con

Car mechanic invents new device to aid in childbirth

Health experts say the Odon Device has the potential to save lives around the world.

Argentinean Jorge Odon is a car mechanic by trade, and a tinkerer by nature. Recently, Odon watched a video about an easy method for removing a cork stuck in a wine bottle. And in the middle of the night it dawned on him that the same “trick” could be used during childbirth to help a baby that is stuck in the birth canal.

Obstructed labor — when the baby’s head gets stuck in the birth canal — is a major complication of childbirth. Doctors may use forceps or suction cups to try to pull the baby out. These procedures can lead to a number of complications on their own, and still are not guaranteed to succeed. In wealthier countries, the mother and baby may be whisked off to the operating room for an emergency C-section. In poor countries, or communities without access to advanced health care, this type of surgery is not an option.

Odon’s children were fortunately born without complications, but his aunt suffered nerve damage during childbirth, so Odon was familiar with the potential complications. In an interview with the New York Times, Odon explained that after seeing the wine bottle trick, it dawned on him that this could be used during childbirth.

With the help of his wife, he constructed a prototype using his daughter’s baby doll, a glass jar and a fabric bag.

In time, and with several revisions of his design, Odon’s idea — the Odon Device — won the endorsement of the World Health Organization (WHO), big-time donors, and a medical technology company that wants to develop it for production.

Here’s how it works:

Using the Odon Device, a lubricated plastic sleeve is slipped around the baby’s head and inflated until it forms a grip. Doctors then pull on the bag until the baby emerges. According to Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of WHO, the Odon Device has the potential to save babies in poor countries, and reduce the number of emergency cesareans in rich ones.

“The Odon Device, developed by WHO and now undergoing clinical trials, offers a low-cost simplified way to deliver babies, and protect mothers, when labour is prolonged. It promises to transfer life-saving capacity to rural health posts, which almost never have the facilities and staff to perform a C-section. If approved, the Odon Device will be the first simple new tool for assisted delivery since forceps and vacuum extractors were introduced centuries ago,” Chan said in a speech to the 65th World Health Assembly.

Source: mnn.com

Fast food meals have more calories than you think

People eating at fast food restaurants aren’t very good at estimating how many calories are in their meals, particularly if they’re eating at Subway, a new study suggests.

For the study, researchers queried more than 3,000 customers, including adults, teenagers and parents with young children, at such fast food chains in New England, such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Wendy’s, KFC and Dunkin’ Donuts. Customers were asked how many calories they thought were in their meal (or, if they were parents, in their children’s meals), and researchers viewed receipts to verify what was purchased.

About two-thirds of customers thought there were fewer calories in their meal than there actually were, according to the study presented here at the American Public Health Association.

On average, adults underestimated the calorie content of their food by 175 calories, teens underestimated by 259 calories, and parents underestimated their children’s meals by 175 calories.

The biggest underestimates were at Subway: Calorie estimates were about 20 to 25 percent more incorrect at Subway than at McDonald’s. On average, teens eating at the sandwich chain underestimated by nearly 500 calories.

People were also more likely to underestimate calories if they had a big meal, or if they also underestimated how many calories they need in a day.

The researchers said they don’t know why people seem to have more trouble estimating the calorie content of food from Subway. But it could be because the chain has made a big effort to advertise its low-calorie sandwiches, leading some people to mistakenly believe that all sandwiches sold at the restaurant are low-calorie.

“Subway has really had a very concerted effort to identify themselves as a healthy chain,” said study researcher Dr. Jason Block, an assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School. “It’s not wrong. You can eat healthfully there,” but a lot of people don’t, Block said.

Instead of ordering the smaller, 6-inch-long sandwiches, customers often buy the foot-long sandwiches, because they are sold at a bargain price.

“No matter what you put on a foot-long piece of bread, it’s a lot of calories,” Block said.

Read More: CBS news

Top five winter foods for beautiful skin!

Salome Phelamei

Once again the cold winter season has arrived and the chilly dry wind can play havoc on your skin, lips, cheeks and other parts of the body. To avoid the harsh skin conditions caused by the cold winter winds, you need to prepare yourself not just changing your outward skincare regimens but also eating the right foods for your inner beauty.

After all, a healthy diet plays a vital role in sustaining an angelic complexion. Hence, what you consume can provide a powerful protection from dryness, UV damage as well as reducing the wrinkle lines lavishing you with a smooth silky skin. Here are five of the best foods which are believed to keep your skin healthy and beautiful during winter:

Carrots: Carrots have carotenoids beta carotene and lycopene – both of which may guard your skin against UV damage. Eating carrots can help prevent skin dryness and removes pigmentation as well as blemishes from the skin due to presence of vitamin A. Carrots have many health benefits apart from acting as a skin care food.

Grapefruit: Eating grapefruit can keep your skin healthy and reverse the signs of ageing. Grapefruit extract has been used in anti-ageing potions for hundreds of years. Grapefruits are the best sources of anti-oxidants that has ever been found, which is keys to healthy, younger looking and supple skin.

All citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines contain high amount of anti-oxidants but grapefruit has the highest quantity of it.

Omega-3-rich fish: Try having omega-3-rich fish like tune twice a week. This may help you keep your skin looking younger and may even prevent cancer. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), one of the omega-3 fats in fatty fish, has been shown to conserve collagen, a fibrous protein that keeps skin firm. They are not just good for your skin but beneficial for your heart as well.

Spinach: Spinach is considered a winter super-food. Packed with full nutrients, it has a special role in skin care. The vitamins and minerals content in spinach can give you a radiant youthful look and help you avoid having dry and irritated skin. Eat spinach regularly for a healthy skin.

Broccoli: Research has shown that eating more vitamin C-rich foods like broccoli may help ward off wrinkles and age-related dryness. Broccoli, which is filled with skin-boosting ingredients like vitamins A, C, and natural estrogens, is a perfect winter food as it achieves the objective by soothing the skin by addressing the free radicals as well as building the collagen levels in the body.

 

Source: Zee news

Recluse-Spider Bite Eats Hole in Young Woman’s Ear

The ear of a woman bitten by a Mediterranean recluse. The black tissue is dead, or necrotic.

The ear of a woman bitten by a Mediterranean recluse. The black tissue is dead, or necrotic.

One woman’s Italian vacation took a turn for the worse when she woke up with pain in her ear one night. She had no way of knowing then that she’d just been bitten by a Mediterranean recluse spider, and that a chunk of her ear would soon be liquefied by the spider’s venom. But that’s exactly what happened, according to a recent report of her case.

The 22-year-old woman soon sought treatment for her pain in an Italian hospital, where doctors prescribed an antihistamine. But the swelling in her face and pain in her ear didn’t get any better. Once she was back home in the Netherlands, the ear got worse, and portions of it turned black — a clear sign that the skin and cartilage cells were dead.

The dead tissue made it clear to doctors that the woman had been bitten by a Mediterranean recluse, a spider whose bite is known to destroy skin and underlying fat, causing “sunken-in” scars or “a disfigured ear, if you are very unlucky,” said Dr. Marieke van Wijk, a plastic surgeon in the Netherlands involved in the woman’s treatment.

Source: escience news

6 new gluten-free foods that actually tastes good

Blue Diamond Artisan Sesame Seed Nut Thins

Top these nutty brown rice and almond crackers—spiked with crunchy sesame seeds—with your favorite hummus or flavored cream cheese.

To buy: $3 for one 4.25-ounce box, at supermarkets.

Ginny bakes Chocolate Chip Love Go-Pack

Buttery and sweet, these cookies are a celiac’s dream milk-dunking treat.

To buy: $2.30 for one pack of 2 cookies, at Whole Foods Markets and natural food stores.

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Muesli

Muesli is the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to breakfast. A serving is packed with chewy gluten-free oats, flaky coconut, tart dried fruit, and crunchy pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Try a bowl with almond or oat milk.

To buy: $6 for a 16-ounce bag, at supermarkets.

Van’s Honey Nut Crunch

Gluten-free can mean cardboard-like cereals, but not here. These puffy squares are rich in fiber with a touch of sweetness from the honey.

Crunchmaster Sea Salt Multi-Grain Crisps

These salty whole-grain crisps are made with a mixture of gluten-free flours (including brown rice, oat, and millet) and crunchy flax seeds for addictive snacking.

To buy: $2.60 for one 3.54-ounce box, at supermarkets.

Cup4Cup Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

This should be the go-to dough mix for any wheat-free pizza lovers. The ultra-pillowy, tender crusts will fool even discerning palates.

To buy: $15 for one 18-ounce bag,

Source: Fox news