Month: July 2014

UWI and University of Havana discuss Caribbean challenges

UWI and University of Havana discuss Caribbean challenges

On June 24 and 25, representatives of the University of West Indies (UWI) and the University of Havana, Cuba, met at the Institute of International Relations located at the UWI’s St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss “Development challenges and possibilities for a deeper integration”.

This first workshop on Contemporary Caribbean was coordinated by Professor Milagros Martínez, chair of Caribbean Studies (Cátedra de Estudios del Caribe) at the University of Havana together with Dr Mark Kirton of the Institute of International Relations.

Participants debated major problems of the contemporary Caribbean, especially the challenges associated with small island developing states and the regional integration recent dynamics. The cases of Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba were specifically examined.

Source: caribbean news now

Boy, 2, who ‘downs bottles of beer’ feared to be China’s youngest alcoholic

Two-Year-Old Chinese Boy Attracts Global Attention due to Alcohol Addiction

Cheng Cheng, a two-year-old Chinese boy can live without milk, but not without alcohol.

The toddler, who lives in the Anhui province of China, has become an international sensation for showing extreme addiction to alcohol at such a young age.

Cheng was just 10-months-old when he tasted alcohol for the first time and downed his first bottle of beer before celebrating his first birthday, The Daily Mail reported.

The boy’s father is said to have dipped chopsticks in white wine and put it in his infant’s mouth. “At that time, all of us in the family have already thought that this child can really drink a lot when he grows up,” Cai Teng, Cheng’s aunt told the Shanghaiist.

Though his parents tried to lure him toward milk and juices, all attempts failed and the boy now can go to any lengths just for a sip of alcohol.

The boy’s addiction to alcohol has made special occasions and festivals, a difficult experience for the whole family.

“As sometimes he is really noisy, we have no options but let him to try a little bit of wine,” a family member, added.

Concerned about the unhealthy habit, the family is taking extreme precaution to keep bottles away from the little boy. “We will not let him drink or touch alcohol anymore as we afraid that it will affect his growth,” Cai added.

The picture of the toddler emptying a large bottle of alcohol has gone viral on the net, raising concerns both among local authorities and health experts.

Though, the Chinese boy showed an ability to tolerate beer at a young age, some recent incidents show that exposure to alcohol at a young age can be risky and life-threatening. For instance, an eight-year-old boy named Lejin from Kollam district of Kerala in India died after he consumed his father’s Bacardi Gold rum.

There is a clear reason why kids are not allowed to consume alcohol. According to health experts, exposure to alcohol at a young age can affect children’s development. A CDC fact sheet on underage drinking links the habit to disruption of normal growth, memory problems, alterations in brain development, alcohol poisoning, death and academic problems. Additionally, prolonged exposure to alcohol can damage the liver and increase the risk of being hooked to alcohol in adulthood.

Source: IB Times

The way of Eating fruits

The way of Eating fruits

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It’s not as easy as you think. It’s important to know how and when to eat.

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil….

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining — every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc — actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice – drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don’t even drink juice that has been heated up. Don’t eat cooked fruits because you don’t get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation.. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this ‘sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE’: (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.

MCI cuts 200 MBBS seats in Chattisgarh

Medical-Counci-India

The Chhattisgarh government is making desperate attempts to convince the Medical Council of India (MCI) to reverse its recent decision to 200 medical seats in the state for the ensuing 2014-15 academic years. With the cut, only 250 seats are left, leaving other aspirants in a lurch.

According to information, the MCI found a host of deficiencies in all the state-run medical colleges at Raipur, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur and Raigarh and it cut 50 seats in each of the institutions. While Raipur and Bilaspur Medical colleges hitherto had 150 seats each, the MCI has permitted to counselling for only 100 seats in each college.

The Jagdalpur Medical College, which earlier had 100 seats, has been permitted to recruit for only 50 seats. The Raigarh Medical College, which only had 50 seats, has been declared a “zero year” with the all the seats being cut for various deficiencies, including faculty.
Source: Times of India

Home Remedies for Obesity

home remedies for obesity

Obesity, which is excessive accumulation of fat in the body, is determined by measuring a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Generally, a BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered desirable. If your BMI is 30 or more, you are considered obese.

You can calculate your BMI using the following:

BMI=(Weight in lbs / (Height in inches x Height in inches)) x 703, or if you measure with the metric system use BMI= Weight in kg / (Height in meters x Height in meters)

This problem is mostly attributed to poor lifestyle choices, such as eating processed foods high in fat, oversized food portions, overeating, excessive drinking, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, and other similar habits. Genetic factors and hormonal problems also tend to increase the risk of developing obesity.

Obesity is a great concern not merely because of the excess weight, but also because it makes you susceptible to a number of serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and others.

It is important to adopt healthy lifestyle changes to combat this problem. In addition, you can use some easy yet effective natural remedies to help with your weight loss efforts.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for obesity.

1. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is one of the best home remedies for fighting obesity. It helps improve digestion and aids in detoxification. Healthy digestion is an essential pre-requisite for weight loss as it helps your body get the nutrients required to burn fat. Furthermore, it helps remove toxins from your body that slow down your metabolism.

Mix three teaspoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of honey, and one-half teaspoon of black pepper powder in one cup of water. (If you use freshly ground black pepper, then just add one-quarter teaspoon.)
Drink it in the morning on an empty stomach.
Do this daily for at least three months.
Alternatively, you can simply have a cup of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another popular home remedy to reduce excess weight. Though the actual weight loss benefits of it are still unknown, preliminary research has shown that it can help protect against obesity. It helps breakdown fat and hence prevents the accumulation of body fat.

Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Drink it daily in the morning and preferably before meals.
You can also drink a cup of water mixed with one teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.

You can have up to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a day. Do not exceed this amount, as it may reduce your blood potassium levels over time and lower your bone mineral density.

3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is useful in treating obesity because it stimulates the metabolism, increases energy consumption, and mobilizes unused fat in the body. It contains natural collagen proteins that make the body work harder in order to absorb the proteins. In addition, it helps remove toxins from the digestive system and colon.

Take two fresh aloe vera leaves, peel them, and scoop out the pulp.
Put it in a blender along with one cup of citrus juice, such as orange or grapefruit juice, or simply water. Blend it for two to three minutes. Drink this daily for at least a month.

4. Green Tea
Green tea is another popular natural remedy to promote weight loss. A study at Penn State revealed that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, helps slow down weight gain by limiting fat absorption and increasing the body’s ability to use fat.

Furthermore, green tea is packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, carotenoids, zinc, selenium, chromium, and other trace minerals.

Drink about three to four cups of green tea daily to combat obesity. You can also combine it with ginger tea or cayenne pepper.

5. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper helps control obesity and aids in weight loss. It contains capsaicin that stimulates your body to burn fat and increase energy expenditure. In addition, it stimulates digestion and suppresses excess appetite caused by malabsorption of nutrients in the body.

Make cayenne pepper tea by pouring a glass of hot water over cayenne pepper (start with one-tenth of a teaspoon or just a dash of cayenne pepper and gradually increase its quantity to one teaspoon). Squeeze the juice from half a lemon in it. Drink this tea regularly at least for a month.
Mix two tablespoons each of lemon juice and maple syrup in 10 ounces of water (one glass contains 8 ounces). Stir in a dash of cayenne pepper and drink it.
Use cayenne pepper and other spices, such as ginger, black pepper, and mustard seeds, generously in your meal preparations.

6. Curry Leaves
Eating 10 fresh curry leaves daily in the morning works as a great Ayurvedic remedy to deal with obesity and diabetes caused by obesity. Continue this treatment regularly for at least three to four months.

Research shows that curry leaves contain mahanimbine, an alkaloid that has anti-obesity and lipid-lowering effects. Thus, it helps lower body weight and reduces total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

7. Tomatoes:

Eat a couple of tomatoes every morning on an empty stomach. Make sure you eat the peels and seeds as well because they contain dietary fiber. Tomatoes contain compounds that tend to alter the levels of hormones that affect your appetite.

Furthermore, being rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and magnesium, manganese, choline, folate, and other nutrients, they are good for your health. Also, they are packed with antioxidants that protect against cancers.

8.  Cabbage:

Make raw or boiled cabbage an integral part of your weight loss diet. It contains tartaric acid that inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Moreover, it is rich in vitamin C and low in calories but high in fiber and water content.

Being a cruciferous vegetable, it contains phytochemicals that help improve the imbalance of estrogen metabolism that not only causes your body to store fat but also promotes breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and others. Other cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and Swiss chard are also beneficial in this regard.

9. Fennel seeds

Fennel seeds are believed to be useful in weight loss because of their diuretic properties. Diuretics help you lose weight quickly by reducing water retention. They do not cause long-term weight loss though.

Slightly dry roast and grind fennel seeds. Sieve the powder. Take one-half teaspoon of this powder twice daily with warm water. This remedy will also help relieve abdominal gas, indigestion, and constipation.
You can also drink fennel tea 15 minutes before meals.

10. Honey and Cinnamon

Include honey and cinnamon tea in your diet to boost your metabolism, increase your energy, and detoxify your body. All of these effects support weight loss. Honey fights obesity by promoting fat metabolism. Cinnamon helps you avoid overeating by fighting insulin resistance and also reduces oxidative stress associated with metabolic syndrome.

Pour a cup of hot water over one-half teaspoon of cinnamon powder (you can also use cinnamon sticks). Let it steep for half an hour. Mix in one teaspoon of organic honey.

Drink half of it in the morning on an empty stomach, about half an hour before breakfast. Store the rest in the refrigerator and drink it at night before going to bed.

Along with these remedies, make sure you drink eight glasses of water throughout the day to flush toxins out of your body.

Studies have found that plant-based foods can help fight obesity becausethey contain phytochemicals that prevent oxidative stress, which contributes to obesity. So, opt for more plant-based foods rather than processed, fast foods. Plus, include grapes, peaches, figs, carrots, and blueberries in your diet.

Another very important yet ignored tip to fight obesity is to have a proper breakfast. Research shows that those who have a big breakfast are more likely to lose weight and even a few inches off their waistline compared with those who eat a large dinner.

Source: top 10 home remedies

High cholesterol linked to greater breast cancer risk

High cholesterol linked to greater breast cancer risk

In a significant discovery, scientists have found a link between high blood cholesterol and breast cancer in a study of more than one million patients over a 14 year time period in Britain.

“Our preliminary study suggests that women with high cholesterol in their blood may be at a greater risk of getting breast cancer,” said Rahul Potluri, founder of the Algorithm for Comorbidities, Associations, Length of stay and Mortality (ACALM) study.

It raises the possibility of preventing breast cancer with statins, which lowers cholesterol, he added. The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of more than one million patients across Britain between 2000 and 2013.

There were 664,159 women and of these, 22,938 had hyperlipidaemia and 9,312 had breast cancer. Some 530 women with hyperlipidaemia developed breast cancer.

The researchers found that having hyperlipidaemia increased the risk of breast cancer by 1.64 times.

“We found that women with high cholesterol had a significantly greater chance of developing breast cancer. This was an observational study so we can’t conclude that high cholesterol causes breast cancer but the strength of this association warrants further investigation,” Potluri said.

The research was presented on Friday at “Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology (FCVB) 2014” seminar in Barcelona, Spain.

Source: khaleej times

Cheap Portable Device to Diagnose TB Faster

Cheap Portable Device to Diagnose TB Faster

Researchers have developed a cheap enzyme-based method that can diagnose tuberculosis (TB) more accurately and faster than available devices.

This inexpensive portable diagnosis system can cut the time it takes to spot TB bacteria from weeks or months to less than half an hour.

Chemist Jianghong Rao of Stanford University and microbiologist Jeffrey Cirillo of Texas A&M University developed a chemical called CDG-3 that glows when it is broken down by an mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB bacteria) enzyme called BlaC.

The researchers found they could detect as few as 10 TB bacteria in a millilitre sample.

They then tested the method on 50 sputum samples from people in Texas.
It correctly identified all the samples that contained M tuberculosis visible under a microscope, and 80 per cent of those in which infections were not visible.

When tested in people without TB, the CDG-3 probe diagnosed them correctly 73 per cent of the time.

Rao and Cirillo are now working to develop a portable, battery-powered device that measures the fluorescence coming from CDG-3 as it is broken down.
The device is expected to hit the market in 2015.

A single test will cost about $5 (Rs 295) and will take less than 30 minutes to deliver a diagnosis, said the paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

A device to cultivate single bacteria species: Millions of microbial species populate the world, but so far only a few have been identified due to the inability of most microbes to grow in the laboratory.

Edgar Goluch, an engineer, and Slava Epstein, a biologist, both from Northeastern University in the US have now developed a device that allows scientists to cultivate a single species of bacteria that can then be studied and identified.

This new device permits just a single bacterial cell to enter an inner chamber containing a food source, to which the only access is a microscopic passageway just slightly narrower than a single cell.

The passageway is so small that the first cell to enter it gets stuck, blocking entry by any other cell or species.

Once inside, this cell proliferate as in previous devices, and when it does it fills up the inner chamber with a pure, single-species sample, since it is isolated from competition from other species.
The researchers demonstrated the device’s ability to separate mixtures of cell types in a laboratory setting.

In one experiment, the researchers separated two different bacterial species whose cells are slightly different sizes — E coli and P aueruginosa.
In a second experiment, they isolated a combination of similarly sized but differently shaped species that commonly show up together in the marine environment — Roseobacter sp and Pscyhoserpens sp.

Finally, they used the device to separate cells of the same species that had been differentially tagged to glow either red or green.
The findings appeared in the journal PLOS ONE.

Source: Oman Observer

 

10 Amazing Health Benefits of Lettuce

10 Amazing Health Benefits of Lettuce

10 Health Benefits:

1. Low Calorie Content and Almost Zero Fat.
Lettuce has only 12 calories for one shredded cup.
This is why it is so good for weight loss.

2. Helps Weight Loss
Lettuce contains fiber and cellulose. Besides filling you up, fiber improves your digestion. Improving your digestion may not sound like a good thing for losing weight, but it is actually essential for long term weight control.
Fiber also helps remove bile salts from the body. When the body replaces these salts it breaks down cholesterol to do so. This is why lettuce is also good for your heart!

3. Heart Healthy
Lettuce’s vitamin C and beta-carotene work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. This prevents the build up of plaque.

4. Omega-3 Fatty acids.

Romaine lettuce has a two to one ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. That’s a great ratio.
The fat content in lettuce is not significant UNLESS you eat a lot–but we actually suggest you do!

5. Complete Protein
Romaine lettuce’s calories are 20 percent protein. Like all whole foods, much of this protein is complete, but the amount can be increased by combining with balancing proteins.

6. Helps with Insomnia
The white fluid that you see when you break or cut lettuce leaves is called lactucarium.
This has relaxing and sleep inducing properties similar to opium but without the strong side effects. Simply eat a few leaves or drink some lettuce juice.

7. Lettuce is Alkaline Forming
The minerals in lettuce help remove toxins and keep your acid/alkaline balance in order. Once you are balanced on this level there are a host of benefits including greater energy, clearer thinking, deep restful sleep, and youthful skin. To browse more benefits check out Benefits of An Alkaline Body.

8. Low Glycemic Index
Lettuce has an average glycemic index of 15, but because it has so few calories, its glycemic load is considered zero. Foods with low glycemic indexes are great for anyone watching their blood sugars for medical reasons, or for weight management.
Of course, lettuce has no refined or white sugars and the host of problems that come with them.

9. Whole Life Food
Lettuce is almost always eaten raw, providing us with many micronutrients not found in cooked or processed food. Eating raw food also adds vital energies not recognized by nutritional science.

Large food corporations have not found a way to package lettuce long term or stick it in cans or boxes. Let’s hope they never do!
In fact, lettuce is one of the few foods which can be found organic and prewashed already in bins for you to eat immediately.

10. Lettuce Tastes Great.
Even though lettuce is very low in calories, many varieties still have a sweet taste. To maximize benefits from your food you should really WANT to eat it with your whole body–not just your mind saying it is good for you. If you like the bitter taste you can find more bitter lettuce options, too!

Source: health digezt

5 Things you should know before getting a facial

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING A FACIAL

1- Determine what your there for before you go: relaxation or treatment
Just like a massage, there are varying types of facials- some that are geared towards pampering and relaxation, and some that are geared towards treatment of specific skin issues. Knowing ahead of time what your goals are for the experience will ensure that you get the best results, and that your skin therapist heads sown the right path. Relaxation treatments typically consist of a thorough cleansing, minor exfoliation, steamy hot towels, and luxurious masques. While treatment facials are comprised of stronger exfoliators that may sting or tingle, extractions of pimples and blackheads, and the use of agents that may cause peeling (the good kind of peeling that means new shiny skin is on the way!)

2- Don’t book your facial on the eve of a big event

Facials often leave your skin a little red, especially if pimple extractions took place. [they are my favorite part… weird right?] Give yourself plenty of time to recover from any redness or peeling that may occur in the couple of days following your treatment. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so I recommend about 3-4 days after your facial for anything major such as a wedding or event. Your skin will still be glowy!

3- Speaking of GLOWY- shiny has a whole new meaning!
Post facial, you’ll be squeaky clean like you’ve never been before! After several cleansings, hot towels, steam, and luxurious products- your skin will be completely free of any dirt, buildup or makeup. This means that when you walk out of the spa and back into the dressing room, you may not recognize yourself when you pass by a mirror. It’s ok- many of the other spa patrons will be in your same boat. And while it is tempting to quickly apply your makeup to feel human again- I suggest you refrain as long as possible to give your skin a chance to really breathe, free from all that gunk. This means yes, you’ll have to walk to your car with a bare face, and yes, your husband may look at you a little sideways- but if you can handle it… 12 hours sans makeup will do your skin some serious good!

4- A facial isn’t just for the face
While the vast majority of the treatment concentrates on the face, the rest of your body gets some good vibes too! The facial includes work on the neck and upper chest area, called the decollate. It’s all part of the body that needs to be cared for to help prevent aging, and to protect against the suns UV rays. So your therapist will continue the use of the steamy towels, masques, and lotions down on to your chest as part of the whole regimen. Beyond that your therapist will also offer a nice massage to the hands, head, shoulders or feet- usually while the treatment masques are working their magic on your face. It’s incredibly relaxing and all around good for the body and soul.

5- The benefits of a facial go well beyond a clean face
Not only does your facial treat the skin, it also treats the systems in the body that provide nourishment to the skin and its cells. While I was earning my esthetics license, I became interested in the lymphatic system and its role in the bodies health. The lymph system resides just under the surface of the skin and can be triggered to carry toxins out of the body with touch. Facial, neck and chest massage trigger movement in the lymph system that in turn, increases blood flow, circulation, and healthy cell turn over. All of which have huge benefits for your over all health and appearance. Pretty amazing, right!?!

So, if your lacking some luster in your skin, struggling with fine lines or acne, or just need an hour away for some ‘me-time’- I highly recommend you book yourself a facial. You won’t regret it! Be sure you come back next week to learn about my at-home facial routine too.

Source: Beauty snoop

Master of Medical Science(MMSc) at Texila American University

Master of Medical Science(MMSc)

Texila American University has developed knowledge; competency and research based customized Master of Medical Science programs in various medical specialties to augment the dearth of specialty doctors in various medical fields. Similar programs are very much in vogue in countries like United Kingdom, Australia and Malaysia. Dual degree will be offered , by TAU & UCN.

A unique program which helps to attain the Masters in a span of ONE year. Students with basic Medical Education is inducted into this program.

For more details register here: http://www.tauedu.org/texila-connect/signup.html

Watch our MMSc Program Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly5pQPLTnO8