HIV / AIDS

What are HIV and AIDS?
Over the last fifteen years a new disease spread by a family of viruses, HIV, has spread globally. HIV stands for Human lmmuno-deficiency Virus. HIV has been given this name because its long-term effect is to attack the immune system of the body, making it weak and deficient. We live virtually in a sea of microorganisms and at every moment an enormous number of them are entering our body. It is the immune system that normally fights off these microorganisms and keeps us healthy. Any compromise with the working of the immune system has profound effect on our body.

After about 5 to 10 years of contracting the HIV infection, the virus has weakened the immune system of the patients so much that they develop a number of different illnesses such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, persistent diarrhea, fever and skin infections. This condition is called AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

Why do you need to know about it?
At the moment it is estimated that 13 million people in the world may have HIV. Every day there are thousands of new cases of HIV infections in the world and these occur in every country. People who have HIV may have no symptoms for many years, and infected people may not even be aware that they have the virus. They look and feel well, but can infect other people during this time.

The most difficult aspect of HIV/AIDS is that though there are medicines, which can help them, cope with these illnesses, there is no vaccine, and no cure for the HIV, so almost all the infected people become more and more ill and eventually die. It is important that we all know and understand about this infection, so we can protect ourselves and our families.

We have responsibility not only towards ourselves but also towards our children who are growing up in a very different world from that of our childhood. They will have many new opportunities, but also may sometimes be faced with new relationships, standards of behavior and new risks. It is up to us to explain the truth of the situation to them in an honest and informed way, so they may have the knowledge to take the necessary steps to protect their health.

We have to understand that presently prevention is the only cure of HIV/AIDS and that can come about only if we are adequately informed about it. Following are some frequently asked questions about HIV/AIDS:

How does HIV affect the body? Is it the same as AIDS?
When HIV gets into a persons blood it attaches itself to a special type of white blood cells called as helper T-Lymphocytes. These Helper T- cells are crucial in defending the body against many infections. during all this the persons have no symptoms at all. They look and feel well. They may not know they now have the virus, but could pass it on to someone else through having sex, or by sharing needles or syringes.


Being HIV Positive is not the same as having AIDS. The HIV actually goes inside the white blood cells and lies their quietly. After about 5 to 10 years the HIV virus tricks the cell to start making the viral proteins, this results in the formation of a huge number of viral particles inside the white cells and eventually the cells burst releasing thousands of new viruses in the blood. The released viruses infecting new white cells This cycle goes on and on, and eventually the immune system of the body is overwhelmed and is no longer capable of fighting the infections.

Eventually the infected person may lose weight and become ill with diseases like persistent severe diarrhea, fever, or pneumonia, or skin cancer. He or she has now developed AIDS. People with AIDS can be helped with medicines for the different infections. At the moment though, in spite of much research, there is no cure for HIV or for AIDS and so, sadly, it is almost certain that people diagnosed with AIDS will die.

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Introduction to sexually transmitted diseases

What are sexually transmitted diseases?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are diseases that can spread from one person to another by sexual contact. STDs can cause pain, and some can cause infertility and even death if not treated. Some common curable STDs are gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydial infection, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.
Each year there are more than 333 million new cases of curable STDs, one million new cases of HIV infection, and millions of other viral STDs such as herpes and hepatitis B.

How can sexually transmitted diseases be contracted?
By definition STD’s are diseases contracted during sexual contact but the important thing to keep in mind is that as far sexual contacts, as far as STDs are concerned includes, more than just sexual intercourse (vaginal and anal). Kissing, oral-genital contact, and the use of sexual "toys," such as vibrators too can cause STDs.

What can be done to prevent STDs?
People can avoid STDs by changing their sexual behavior. They can follow any of the ABCs:

a. Abstain from sex -This is the only guaranteed protection.

b. Be mutually faithful -Always have sex with the same person. This person must not have sex with any other person and must not have a STD.

Important: You cannot usually tell whether a person has a STD. Just by looking at him or her. People with STDs, including HIV, usually do not look sick.

c. Consistently use condoms -Use them every time and use them correctly. To prevent STDs, people at risk should use condoms even when they use another family planning method. If a woman’s sex partner is not willing to use to use condoms, she should try to use spermicide. It is important to note that spermicides do not stop HIV/AIDS. The diaphragm and cervical cap may also help prevent some STDs.


Are all STD’s treatable?
Most STDs are treatable. However, even the once easily cured gonorrhea has become resistant to many of the older traditional antibiotics. Other STDs, such as herpes, AIDS, and genital warts, all of which are caused by viruses, have no cure. Some of these infections are very uncomfortable, while others can be deadly.

Getting Treated
Many STDs can be treated and cured, especially in their early stages. Some, such as HIV and herpes, cannot be cured, but sometimes their effects can be stopped for a time.
Prevention is better than cure. Especially since, sometimes scarring or infertility can follow.
A person who thinks he or she may have STD should:

1. Get diagnosed and treated immediately.
   
   
2. Take all of the medicine according to instructions, even if the symptoms go away. The medicines can cause some side effects, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. If any of these side effects occurs and is severe, the person must return to the clinic that provided the medicine. All of the medicine must be taken for a lasting cure.
   
   
3. Avoid sex with anyone until three days after the treatment is finished and all symptoms are gone.
   
   
4. Tell his or her sex partner or partners so that they get treated too. Unless all sex partners are treated at the same time, they may infect each other again and again. It is especially important for a man to tell a woman. This is because many women do not have symptoms until the STD has reached a more serious stage.

If friends have symptoms, urge them to seek care. Urge them use condoms and/or spermicide and to see a health care provider for a check up. There really is no such thing as "safe" sex. The only truly safe sex is abstinence. Sex in the context of a monogamous relationship wherein neither party is infected with a STD is also considered "safe". Most people think that kissing is a safe activity. Unfortunately, syphilis, herpes, and other diseases can be contracted through this relatively simple and apparently harmless act. All other forms of sexual contact carry some risk. Condoms are commonly thought to protect against STDs. Condoms are useful in preventing certain diseases, such as herpes and gonorrhea. However, they do not fully protect against other diseases such as genital warts, syphilis and AIDS.

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Infertility

Infertility is defined as the failure to become pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse. There are two types of infertility; Primary infertility, which is infertility without any previous pregnancy; and secondary infertility, when there has been a previous pregnancy.

What are the causes of infertility?
A basic infertility evaluation is carried out to find out the cause of infertility.

Common causes of infertility are:

1. Ovulation problems
2. Tubal causes
3. Sperm causes
4. Unexplained infertility
5. Age-related factors

Some less common causes are:

1. Uterine problems
2. Endometriosis
3. Previous tubal ligation
4. Previous vasectomy
5. Various drugs
6. Cervical factors

When to see your doctor?
Though there is no specific time frame as to when to consult your doctor but you can see your doctor if the pregnancy does not take place even after one year of unprotected intercourse.

You might want to wait a little longer if you are in your twenties but if both of the partners are in mid or late thirties then the advice will be to seek professional help.

Age of the female is an important factor for if she has crossed 35 or is near to it then it is advisable to seek help at the earliest.

Is it correct that the female partner is responsible for infertility?
No, male factors account for up to 40 percent of infertility problems.

How would the doctor go about it?
The first diagnostic step is the evaluation of the infertile couple and to determine which partner is infertile.

Normally the steps of a basic infertility evaluation would include:

1. History:
   Taking a thorough medical history including any other medical conditions you might be having, any history of drug intake, and any other obstetric or gynaecological problems that you may have.
   
   
2. Physical examination
   A thorough physical examination.
   
   
3. Blood tests
   Depending on the individual couple’s situation, various blood tests on either the female or the male may be needed. They can include testing for the levels of various sex hormones.
   
   
4. Taking a sample of semen and doing a semen analysis
   
   
5. Finding out if the woman is ovulating or not (i.e. producing egg in every menstrual cycle)
   
   
6. Hysterosalpingogram
   This test is done in order to assess the anatomy of the cavity of the uterus and the fallopian tubes.
   
   
7. Laparoscopy
   May be required after basic tests have been done. The surgeon looks inside the abdomen through an endoscope to look for any deformities of the tubes or for endometriosis.
   
   

What if they still can’t find the problem?
There are known cases of ‘unexplained infertility’ i.e. cases in which standard testing has not found a cause for infertility

Treatment for unexplained Infertility
This can include a combination of the following modalities

1. Ovarian stimulation
   -by drugs such as ‘clomiphene citrate’
   -using hormonal injections plus intercourse
   
   
2. Assisted reproductive technologies as treatment for unexplained infertility
   In vitro fertilization (IVF)
   
   
3. Gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT)
   In GIFT a mixture of sperm and eggs are introduced into the end of the fallopian tube at laproscopy.

What is the success rate of these advanced procedures?
Although pregnancy rates vary from center to center on the specific technique used but generally a 30% success rate can be expected.

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Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the one of the commonest malignancies afflicting women. In some parts it is the most common malignancy. It is currently estimated that one in 14 of all female children born will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

Breast cancer causes:
Despite extensive investigation into the cause of breast cancer there is still no known cause. However, a combination of environmental factors and genetic mutations are thought to be responsible for this cancer. In familial breast cancers, a molecular change in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a major role in the onset of the disease.

Breast Cancer Types
Breast cancer is mainly of two types:

• Ductal carcinoma- occurs in milk ducts
• Lobular carcinoma- occurs in the milk secreting breast lobules

Categorically breast cancer can also be divided into following types:

• In-situ breast cancer- cancer cells remains confined within their place of origin and do not attack surrounding breast tissue.
• Invasive or metastatic breast cancer- cancer cells break free of their place of origin, and spread to different parts of the body.

Like all cancer types, breast cancer also progresses through different stages. Breast cancer stages are based on the size of the breast lump or tumor, whether the cancer is in-situ type or malignant, and whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast tissue.

Breast Cancer Symptoms
Following abnormalities in the breast anatomy are suggestive breast cancer symptoms:

• Unusual swelling of all or one specific part of the breast
• Continuous skin irritation or dimpling
• Persisting pain in breast
• Persisting nipple pain or inversion of nipple
• Inflammation or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• An unusual discharge from the nipple other than breast milk
• Lump in the underarm area

What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known and most likely involves many factors:

Geographical: It is much more common in the western world.

Gender: Women are a hundred times more likely to have breast cancer as compared to men.

Age: Breast cancer risk increases with age. 16% of women aged between 40-60 years have breast-related problems, and complain of breast lumps. In most of the cases, these breast lumps may carry a potential breast cancer risk.

Genetic: A family history of breast cancer will increase the risk of developing breast cancer in a woman by three to five times. Recently, a breast cancer gene (BR CA 1) has been identified. If a woman has this gene present in her chromosomes, there is an 85% chance of developing either breast or ovarian cancer, or both in her lifetime.

Hormonal: It appears to be more common in women who did not bear children. It is also less common in women who have their first child at early age.

Women who started their menstrual periods before age 12, those who delayed menopause until after age 55, and those who had their first pregnancy after age 30 have a mildly increased risk of developing breast cancer (less than two times the normal risk).

Fitness levels and life style related factors such as smoking are also some of the most commonly known breast cancer risk factors that can be checked.

Breast Cancer Prevention:
Cancer prevention though a very ambiguous concept due to their molecular cause of origin, can be achieved through small but effective changes made to lifestyle:

• Restricted alcohol consumption
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Inclusion of limited fat in diet
• Regular exercise
• Avoiding unnecessary consumption of antibiotics
• Reverting to organic food free of pesticides

Besides, long-tern hormone therapy may also undermine breast cancer. But screening is by far the best breast cancer prevention method.

What factors have a protective effect?
Pregnancy and breast feeding have a protective effect in preventing breast cancer.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Screening:
The prognosis of breast cancer is closely related to the stage of disease at the time of diagnosis, therefore screening for breast cancer is extremely important. Numerous studies have confirmed that populations which get screened for breast cancer yield patients having much smaller tumors with much better prognosis. Currently, mammography and breast examination serve as the foundation in screening for breast cancer. Mammography is an x-ray examination of the breast. It has the ability to detect a cancer in the breast when it is quite small, long before it may be felt by breast examination. Eighty-five to 90% of all breast cancers are detectable by mammography. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of breast cancers are not visible on mammography, but can be felt on physical examination of the breast.

The importance of Breast Self Examination cannot be overstressed. A percentage of breast cancers is not seen on mammography and it is extremely important for a woman to perform Breast Self Examinations.

Currently, it is recommended that a woman should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40 years. Between 40 and 50 years of age mammograms are recommended every other year. After age 50 years, yearly mammograms are recommended at womens health care centers.

Other diagnostic tests and procedures:
Ultrasound: An ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to visualize structures inside the body. It is often used to distinguish between cysts and solid tumors in the breast. Fluid within cysts can be aspirated (withdrawn with a needle and syringe) for analysis in the laboratory.

Biopsy: It is a procedure which involves removal of a piece of tissue to analyze under the microscope. Biopsy still remains the only confirmatory test for breast cancer. If an area of the breast is suspicious for a cancer, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm or deny the diagnosis.

Breast Cancer Treatment:
In recent years, there has been an overwhelming explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer. So, once breast cancer is detected, one should go for the following treatment options:

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Surgery followed by Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Combined Therapy
• Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer
• Hormonal Therapy - Aromatase Inhibitors
• Targeted Therapies
• Complimentary and Holistic Medicines
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors Therapy

Breast Cancer Awareness:
A pink ribbon is universally accepted as the emblem of breast cancer awareness campaign. It denotes the struggle of the breast cancer patients. It was in 1996, when the pink and the blue ribbon was first designed to create awareness of the fact that "Men Get Breast Cancer Too!”

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Breast Feeding

Breast feeding practice is followed everywhere in India, except among higher socio- economic groups, who tend to look for alternatives to breast-feeding. Ignorance of the advantages of breast-feeding and the proper method often leads to discontinuation in most cases.

Basic Facts:

1. The ability of the breasts to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth, without the stimulation of breast-feeding.
2. The immunity factors in breast milk can help the body fight off infections.
3. Breast milk contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes, which aid the baby’s digestion.
4. Breast and formula feeding can be used together.

Advantages of breast-feeding.

1. It is the simplest way to feed the baby.
2. It increases the period of lactation amenonhoes after childbirth.
3. Breast milk also contains infection-fighting anti-bodies from the mother.
4. Breast feeding in the initial 4- months of the baby’s life reduces the chances of infection and increases the immunity of the baby.
5. The amino acids in breast milk, the building blocks of proteins, are well balanced for the baby. These proteins best aid the baby’s intestinal tract.
6. The emotional bonding between the baby and mother is strengthened & gives a feeling of satisfaction and achievement to the mother.
7. It is much cheaper than artificial feeding.

The baby should be put to the breast as soon as possible after birth. The initial yellowish and thick fluid (colostrum) is rich in proteins and protective antibodies. The practice of giving ghutti should be discouraged, because the nourishment of the baby is delayed, increasing chances of infection and delaying the stimulation for milk production.

Some important points:

1. The mother should sit in a comfortable position, hold the baby in her arms and offer the baby her whole breast & not just the nipple.
   
   
2. The baby should be fed from a different breast each time so that both breasts produce the maximum amount of milk.
   
   
3. The baby should be fed, whenever she is hungry. Before offering the second breast to the baby, it should be ensured that the baby sucks the fat rich hind milk from the first breast.
   
   
4. A daily bath is sufficient to keep the breasts clean.
   
   
5. Frequent cleaning with soap removes the natural oils from the breasts, predisposing the nipples to develop fissures.
   
   
6. Burping the baby after every feed by holding her against the shoulder is advisable.
   
   
7. A mother who is feeding her baby should eat healthy foods to keep up her strength & feed the baby letter.
   
   
8. At times the breasts may feel hot, heavy and hard, due to accumulation of milk.
   
   
9. The mother should be encouraged to let the baby continue to suck for as long as possible.
   
   
10. If still enough milk is not removed, the milk should be squeezed out in a clear (preferably) boiled cup using the thumb and the finger.
    
    
11. A warm compress on the breast or a warm bath is also helpful.
    
    
12. It the baby is fed frequently both during the day and night this condition (engoryememt of breast) is uncommon.
    
    
13. If nipples are cracked and painful, the mother is advised to leave a drop of hind milk on, the nipple after feeding as this helps in healing. Malai can also be can applied.

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Premenstrual Syndrome

DEFINITION
PMS consists of various physical and/or emotional symptoms that occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation. It is characterized by premenstrual discomfort in the lower abdomen and back, and in the breasts. All these features precede the period by a week or ten days. Fortunately, a woman obtains relief when her menstrual period begins. Another feature of PMS is a symptom-free time for several days every month, in the first half of the menstrual cycle.

Features: these include physical features like acne, backache, bloating, sore breasts, and headache. Emotional symptoms might include changes in sexual desire, difficulty concentrating, irritability.

Women may gain upto a kg. of weight or more in the latter part of the menstrual cycle due to water retention in the body. Emotional stress often contributes to the symptoms.

The only saving grace in this problem is that few women experience all these symptoms! Most have a few that recur each month.

The symptoms of certain medical conditions can resemble PMS. These conditions include allergies, depression, diabetes, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, and thyroid problems.

CAUSES
There's still some disagreement about what causes PMS, but it definitely seems to be linked to hormones. A relative lack of the hormone progesterone is suspected along with increase in a water retaining substance called anti diuretic hormone.

TREATMENT
The assessment of the emotional and work related stress is very important. Many women find that a balanced diet and healthy snacks are helpful, as are avoiding caffeine and reducing salt intake. Simple reassurance often does wonders, but often it is necessary to treat the symptoms with various drugs
Diuretics ("water pills") can reduce bloating
Analgesics like ibuprofen, aspirin ease headache or cramps
Combined oral contraceptives also called the birth control pill may be useful for some women.
Evening primrose oil (gamma linolenic acid) is also used widely these days.

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Pregnancy

Symptoms of Pregnancy
For a woman having a regular monthly cycle, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period, or sometimes women who are pregnant have a very light period, losing only a little blood. However, symptoms of pregnancy are very obvious, and keep changing with the pregnancy calendar. Some of the most important pregnancy symptoms are:

• Feeling sick, not necessarily in the morning, but at any time.
• The breasts may become larger and tender. Veins may become prominent and nipples may darken and stand out.
• Increased frequency in passing urine.
• Tendency for constipation.
• Tiredness.
• An increased vaginal discharge without any associated complaint.
• A metallic taste in the mouth.
• Dislike for certain things like tea or coffee or fatty foods.
• Increased liking for certain things like spicy foods.

Pregnancy test can be carried out on urine samples, as early as from the first day of a missed period-that is, about fourteen days after the conception.

A positive pregnancy test result is almost definitive of pregnancy. If the test is negative, it is less reliable. It can be repeated after a week, or a doctor can be consulted.

What you should eat?
Pregnancy puts additional nutritional demands on your body. You require to eat judiciously to meet the demands of the body. Make sure that you eat a mixture of different foods each day in order to get all the various nutrients that you and your baby need during pregnancy.

Your diet should have plenty of fruit and vegetables which provide vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eat them lightly cooked or raw. Let starchy foods like bread, potatoes, rice and breakfast cereals with vegetables form the main part of any meal.

Eat some good sources of nutrients like fish, eggs, cheese, beans, and lentils every day during pregnancy. Dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt are important for women health as they contain calcium and other nutrients needed for your baby's development.

Unusual appetite or excessive food cravings is considered an early sign of pregnancy. But try to avoid sugar and sugary foods like sweets, biscuits and cakes and sugary drinks like cola during the time of pregnancy. Cut down on fat and fatty foods as well.

Mineral and vitamin supplements
A large number of pregnant women suffer from varying degrees of anemia so additional iron supplementation is provided by pills. Also tablets of Folic acid (a vitamin necessary to prevent certain spinal disorders in the growing baby) along with Calcium are generally prescribed by the women's health care providers.

Pregnancy and weight
Weight gain is another one of the most common pregnancy symptoms. Most women gain between 10 -12.5kgs (22 - 28lbs). Weight gain varies a great deal and depends on your weight before pregnancy. Unnatural weight gain, more or less than the average, could be an indicator of a problem and not necessarily one of those obvious signs of pregnancy. So, you must walk up to the nearest women's health clinic and get your weight gain monitored on a regular basis. Also if you weigh more than 100kg or below 50kg, your health care provider may have special advise for you.

Smoking during pregnancy
Try to stop smoking the moment you notice in you the early signs of pregnancy. When you smoke, carbon monoxide and nicotine passes into your lungs and blood stream. This means that: a) your baby gets less oxygen and cannot grow as well as it should, and b) the nicotine makes your baby's heart beat faster. Constantly breathing in other people's smoke may also have a harmful effect during your pregnancy.

Babies of mothers who smoke are, on an average, 200g (about 8 oz) lighter than other babies. These babies may have problems during and after labour and are more prone to infection; it will be better for your baby later too if you stop smoking. Babies born of smoking pregnant women are more likely to suffer from illnesses such as asthma; and there is an increased risk of cot death.

Alcohol
It has now been shown that even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to your baby. Alcohol has adverse effects on women health as well as on the baby's development, and can produce a lot of anomalies generally termed as 'Fetal Alcohol Syndrome'. So, to be safe, avoid alcohol totally during your pregnancy.

Pills medicines and other drugs
You should be very careful while taking any kind of medication as soon as the signs of pregnancy start showing up. Majority of drugs have adverse effects on the growing fetus, especially in the earlier part of the pregnancy, and the first three months are crucial. You should better go to the nearest women's health center and ask the doctor about any medications you want to take. Make sure your doctor or dentist knows you're pregnant before prescribing anything or giving you any treatment.

At the same time it is important to remember that if you are on treatment for some chronic conditions like epilepsy or diabetes you should consult your doctor and continue your medications because control of such conditions is vitally important for you as well as the pregnancy. This should be done as soon as the pregnancy signs are detected.

Suggested Reading -
Pregnancy and your Feet - "Oh, my aching, swollen feet!" Most pregnant women, already handling so many changes in their bodies, find themselves echoing this complaint amongst other pregnancy symptoms.

Ultrasound Images of Pregnancy - Every would be parent is curious to see how the baby is growing inside the mother. Here are some very good Ultrasound images of a growing fetus.

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Women's Health

The woman's body is wonderfully complex and delicate. However, multiple roles as the mother, daughter, wife, homemaker, wage earner can be physically and mentally quite taxing. As a woman, you might share some common health risks with men, such as heart disease, but because of your special reproductive role, you are also at risk of some distinctly female disorders.

With regards to women health care there are many tips that will help ensure you to take proper care of yourself and leave yourself as healthy and happy as possible. One of the best things that you can do is, start to put yourself first, leaving all the priorities at back. And for proper health and wellness you need to look good to feel good.

It only takes a little more than 10 minutes of physical activity a day to start seeing and feeling the improvements, and to live longer. Any additional activity on top of that is just going to help boost your overall health and maximize your life span.

Drinking a cup of tea a day is one of the best ways of maximizing your life span and to maintain good health. Green tea as well as black tea contain great amounts of caffeines which are responsible for the risk of cancer as well as many forms of heart diseases.

Strong legs are important for women's well-being
Most women in their 70's and 80's tend to decline in their health rapidly because of hip fracture mostly caused when they fall down. Once that happens, the immobilization prevents them from getting their much needed exercise to ensure a healthy lifestyle. This problem can easily be prevented by doing some simple thigh and leg exercises on a daily basis.

This section deals with answers to some common problems like, menstrual disorders, pregnancy, breast feeding etc. Information on Sexually Transmitted Diseases, FAQs for women, and Contraceptives too have been included in this section. 

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Popular energy drinks may have hidden risks

NEW YORK — Energy drinks are hugely popular, but each one could be giving you more caffeine than a cup of coffee, a study said.

In addition, that caffeine could combine with other ingredients in potentially risky ways, with the use of energy drinks with alcohol a particular concern.

"What we know is that a typical energy drink can have as much as a quarter cup of sugar, and more caffeine than a strong cup of coffee," said John Higgins of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, who led a study that appeared in this month's Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Caffeine content of energy drinks ranges from 70 to 200 mg per 16-oz serving. By comparison, an 8-oz cup of coffee can contain between 40 to 150 mg depending on how it's brewed.

Even more of an issue is how ingredients often not mentioned on the labels -- such as the herbal stimulant guarana, the amino acid taurine, and other herbs, minerals and vitamins == might interact with the caffeine, he told Reuters Health.

The concern is how such interaction might affect heart rates, blood pressure and even mental states, especially when consumed in large amounts, with alcohol, or by athletes.

Higgins and colleagues reviewed medical literature on energy drinks and their ingredients between 1976 and 2010, only to find there has been little research into their impact.

'High-risk behavior' Some small studies, usually on physically active young adults, have shown the drinks can increase blood pressure and heart rates. But evidence of more serious effects such as heart attacks, seizures and death are anecdotal, they wrote.

Norway, Denmark and France banned Red Bull after a study showed rats that "were fed taurine and exhibited bizarre behavior, including anxiety and self-mutilation."

"We're not rats, but consumption has been shown to be positively associated with high-risk behavior," Higgins and his colleagues wrote.

Energy drinks are often promoted to, and used by, athletes for an "extra push." But Higgins and his group noted that based on the way caffeine and some other ingredients affect the body, there's a risk that energy drinks can seriously dehydrate users.

"The possibility of dehydration and increased blood pressure make water or lower-octane sports drinks, which contain electrolytes, some minerals and carbohydrates, a better choice," he added.

Non-athletes should drink no more than one a day, never mix them with alcohol, and drink lots of water after exercising. People with hypertension should never drink them, and people with health conditions such as heart disease should consult their doctors before using the drinks.

Regulation of the drinks could go a long way toward solving potential problems, Higgins added.

"Manufacturers can put whatever in them, advertise however and people consume however. Whenever you have a situation like this, you are going to run into problems," he said.

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HEALTH

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13 Keys to a Healthy Diet

Developing healthy eating habits isn't as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.

You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.

Following these three basic steps doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and try to eat small portions of them.

You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat. A healthy diet doesn't have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing.

The following basic guidelines are what you need to know to construct a healthy diet.

1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the "good" carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can't get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.

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Vitamin D Deficiency Not Tied to Fatal Strokes in Blacks

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Exercise, healthy diet to combat diabetes

With the largest number of diabetes patients in the world, India needs to promote a healthier lifestyle among its citizens if it has any chance of battling the disease, experts said Sunday.

"Diabetes is either hereditary or lifestyle-related in our country. So now the need is to move away from the sedentary lifestyle," S.K. Wangnoo, senior consultant of endocrinology at the capital's Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said in an Interview.

According the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, there are about 220 million diabetes patients worldwide. Nearly 50.9 million of them are in India. Around 9 per cent of the country's population is expected to be affected by the disease by 2030, he said.

"Awareness on issues like obesity and proper nutrition is lacking in the country. Right now, we need to emphasise on nutrition-related education in schools," Wangnoo added.

Diabetes, a metabolic disorder, usually occurs when the body does not produce insulin -- a hormone that is required to convert sugar and carbohydrates into energy.

Avoiding fatty food, regular exercise, and health check-ups are some of the ways to avoid diabetes, doctors say.

The sentiment was echoed by former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram, who was in the capital to inaugurate a sugar clinic at Apollo Hospital.

"When I found out I was diebetic, I was stunned. However, the disease can be fought. Awareness can prevent the disease," he said.

"We need to have more diabetes awareness clinics. That is how we can spread awareness among youths," he added.

Experts also suggest keeping a watch on the symptoms.

"Increased fatigue, frequent urination, weight fluctuation, blurry vision, and poor wound healing are the common symptoms," said Anoop Misra, director and head, department of diabetes and metabolic diseases at Fortis Hospitals in the capital.

Doctors also expressed concern at the growing instances of childhood obesity.

"There has been an alarming increase in diabetes among children, especially Type 2 diabetes, which is lifestyle-oriented. We need to work together with government, schools, health departments, and civil societies," said N.K. Pandey, chairman and managing director of Asian Institute of Medical Sciences in Faridabad.

But experts remain optimistic, saying that the disease can be defeated.

"Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. It's never too late to start," Wangoo said.

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Eye Infections

What is an Eye Infection?

An eye infection is usually a condition caused by bacteria or a virus. While there are many different types of eye infections with different causes and treatments, the most common is bacterial conjunctivitis. Another well-known infection is blepharitis – chronic inflammation of the eyelid due to infection. One of the most well-known forms of blepharitis is staphylococcal. Styes are another common form of eye infection. A stye is an infection in the tiny oil glands along the edge of the eyelid that surround the base of an eyelash.

The eye is constantly exposed to a variety of pathogens, but infections occur when the normal defenses of the eye are compromised. The source of the infection may be local (e.g., from the eyelids) or remote (e.g., from the sinuses) and can be the result of trauma, eye surgery, contact lens wear, immune deficiencies, or other diseases resulting in bacteria growth or viruses.

What Are the Symptoms of Various Eye Infections?

Bacterial conjunctivitis results in red, itchy eyes that burn and discharge liquid. There may be more tearing than usual and your eyes may appear swollen.

Blepharitis is one of the most common disorders of the eye and is often the underlying reason for eye discomfort, redness and tearing. Other eye symptoms of blepharitis include: burning, itching, light sensitivity, and an irritating, sandy, gritty sensation that is worse upon awakening. In staphylococcal blepharitis, there is scaling and crusting along the eye lashes.

Styes usually begin as a red, tender bump, and usually come to a head in about three days. The stye then breaks open, drains and heals in about a week.

Who Does an Eye Infection Affect?

Eye infections can occur in any age group of patients, and since relatively benign infections can develop into serious disorders, most eye care practitioners treat infections aggressively. People who have undergone eye surgery or experienced trauma to the eye are at greater risk of infection. And because some eye infections are highly contagious, those who come in contact with someone who has the infection are at a much higher risk of becoming infected.

How to Avoid Eye Infections

Eye infections may be spread through contact with the eye drainage, which contains the virus or bacteria that caused the infection. Touching an infected eye leaves drainage on your hand. If you touch your other eye or an object when you have drainage on your hand, the virus or bacteria can be spread. Here are some ways to prevent the spread of eye infections:

• Wash your hands before and after touching your eyes or face and before and after using medicine in your eyes.
• Do not share eye makeup.
• Do not use eye makeup until the infection is fully cured, because you could reinfect yourself with the eye makeup products. If your eye infection was caused by bacteria or a virus, throw away your old makeup and buy new products.
• Do not share contact lens equipment, containers, or solutions.
• Do not wear contact lenses until the infection is cured. Thoroughly clean your contacts before wearing them again and replace your contact lens case.
• Do not share eye medicine.
• Do not share towels, linens, pillows, or handkerchiefs. Use clean linens, towels, and washcloths daily.
• Wash your hands and wear gloves if you are looking into someone else's eye for a foreign object or helping someone else apply an eye medicine.
• Wear eye protection when in the wind, heat, or cold to prevent irritation.
• Wear safety glasses when working with chemicals.
• Avoid exposing your eyes to contaminated water.

How Are Eye Infections Treated?

Effective treatment of an eye infection first depends upon an accurate diagnosis by the physician. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious, and treatment may require absence from work or school. Often a general practitioner can prescribe an anti-infective topical solution or ointment for treatment. It is important not to rub the eyes, because doing so contaminates hands and fingers. Hands should be washed thoroughly and often throughout the day. Warm compresses applied to the eye can soothe the symptoms.

The treatment for blepharitis is similar to the treatment for other eye infections. A warm compress on the infected eye is the most critical element of effective treatment. This therapy removes the eyelid debris, reduces the bacteria and stabilizes the tear film by releasing oily secretions from eye glands.

Following basic guidelines for stye infections can help reduce the seriousness and the duration of the stye. Home treatment such as not wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the stye has healed, and applying warm, wet compresses to the eye several times daily should heal the stye in days. If home treatment does not work, prescription medications, such as eye ointments or eye drops, may be needed. Talk with a health professional if a stye becomes very painful, grows larger quickly, or continues to drain (particularly if the drainage is pus) or if the redness and swelling around a stye spreads over the eyelid, inside the eyelid, or over the eyeball.

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Heart full of Love

A Close look at how love is generated and how it works on health and body

On Valentine’s Day, a close look at how love is generated and how it works on health and body.

Valentine’s Day – a day when love is in the air, hearts and fluttering eyelids. It is a day when the young exchange gifts to express their love swelling in their heart. Why young? Even golden oldies have started joining the love band-wagon and rediscovering life.

You must be wondering what has Health to do with love. Heart is understandable, fluttering eyelids, well – passable, but love? Well, scientists consider love as a drug that is good for your heart and brain.

It might sound unfair to clinically dissect love and term it a function of a few naughty genes or chemicals with a few ‘college-going’ molecules or proteins that have mastered the art of sending a few lovelorn SMS to the brain. Probably Dr Spock of Star Treck would have loved to knit his brows and wonder why people go crazy over love.

Studies have shown that falling in love physically is very similar to taking drugs. It has an effect on the heart, shows typical signs of withdrawal symptoms and a few may get addicted too! That later.

Being attracted to someone is actually the result of a series of chemicals and hormones at work. The first spark comes from the brain that releases a neuro-transmitter chemical called dopamine. This results in a chain reaction leading to the heart pounding three times faster than normal. The extra gush of blood finds its way to the cheeks and sexual organs. This sudden diversion of blood makes your stomach feel a bit empty and this causes the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. Since the blood goes to specified areas, the hands and legs get a diminished supply of blood resulting in the palms getting cold and a slight shiver setting in. This is why many in love look a bit disoriented, nervous and they wear a new colour on their face.

Did I hear you say ‘how unromantic’? Well there is more.

How does the body benefit while in love? When in love, the body releases special chemicals that make you feel good, content and happy. This can spur creativity and that probably explains why most poets, artists, writers and people with extraordinary talents are also good at love.

Love can result in sexual activity and this can affect the entire body – from head to toe. Doctors believe that love-making is a good aerobic exercise that improves the circulation and can do wonders to the heart. Studies have shown that sexually active people tend to suffer from fewer heart attacks may be due to their better fitness. But you need to attain the right age to do this so that it can benefit the body.

It can also benefit in weight reduction. Intercourse can burn around 200 calories. And all this happens in just a few minutes work compared to a 15-minute workout on a treadmill at a gym.

In love-making the body releases endorphins, which can mitigate chronic pain of back ache, arthritis and migraines. Since brain chemicals are involved, sexually active people are less vulnerable to depression and suicides. Love-making is also good to calm anxieties, ease fear and can break down inhibitions – all this because of special hormones released by the brain and body.

Some research work has shown that frequent love-making can boost levels of key immune cells that can help fight colds and other infections.

A small study has shown that oxytocin and DHEA hormone released during love-making may prevent breast cancer cells from developing into tumors. Frequent love-making has also been linked to longer life – may be due to the beneficial effects on the heart and immune system.

But if love is just a chemical reaction, why is it that we do not fall head over heals over everyone. Why is that we get attracted to some and not to all? Well, again a bouquet of chemical is at work. Researchers say that the body releases special chemicals that the nose does not catch, but the brain does. And the brain selects the odour of somebody who has a very different immune system. That is why you seldom fall in love with a close relative.

For survival, mankind needs as diverse a gene pool as possible. Otherwise one disease will wipe out the entire humanity.

But if you thought that love involves a huge part of the brain, you are mistaken. In 2000, Andreas and Semir Zeki of University College, London, located the areas of the brain activated by romantic love. They took students who said they were madly in love, put them into a brain scanner, and looked at their patterns of brain activity. The results were rather surprising for such a wonderful emotion called love. The research showed that only a relatively small area of the human brain is active when a person is involved in deep love. But more parts of the brain are active and involved when the motion switches to ordinary friendship. “It is fascinating to reflect”, the pair conclude, “that the face that launched a thousand ships should have done so thorough such a limited expanse of cortex.” (As quoted in The Economist).

The second surprise was that the brain areas active in love are different from the areas activated in other emotional states, such as fear and anger. Parts of the brain that are love-bitten include the one responsible for gut feelings, and the ones which generate the euphoria induced by drugs such as cocaine. So the brains of people deeply in love do not look like those of people experiencing strong emotions, but instead like those of people snoring coke. Love, in other words, uses the neural mechanisms and pathways that are activated during the process of addiction. “We are literally addicted to love,” Dr Young observes.

When a person is in love, the special chemicals and hormones give the body an extra-ordinary feel-good envelope – an effect that is very similar to what cocaine or the drug Ecstasy does to the body and mind. Addiction experts say that attraction and lust are very similar to drugs – it leaves you wanting more. However, the ‘high’ is only temporary – just like in cocaine.

Brain scans have also revealed that the different flavours of love come different spots in the brain. Researchers say that love primarily comes in three distinct flavours: lust, romantic love and long-term attachment. In many cases there can be an overlap, but in essence these are separate phenomena.

Studies have proved that a dip in the chemicals and hormones involved in love result in a decrease in sexual activity. That is why people on drugs for certain ailments find themselves less active sexually because their chemical pool gets altered. Age will also do the same thing.

But love is much more than just genes, chemicals and hormones. So forget all this and just celebrate the different hues of love on Valentine’s Day. You can always fool the body’s chemicals and as someone said: love is in the mind and heart. Life, they say, is like a game of tennis. You need to first serve and it all begins with LOVE ALL.

FROM The New Indian Express,

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Sleeping on a problem ‘best way to solve it’

It may sound unusual, but sleeping on a problem may be the best way to solve it, says a study.

Researchers in the Netherlands have found that distracting oneself for a few minutes with something else or, even better putting off the issue until the next day, helps the brain come up with the ideal solution.

They have based their findings on a series of experiments which showed that people who consciously struggle with a difficult question are more likely to get the wrong answer, compared to those who put it on the mental backburner.

In the tests, students were asked to choose the best models from four imaginary makes of car. Each one had 12 different features but two had better road holding and fuel economy. After reading about each car, one group of students was asked to make an instant choice.

Another group carried out a second test which was designed to occupy their minds for five minutes before making their decision. Volunteers in that group, dubbed “unconscious thinkers”, were more likely to select the best car, the findings revealed.

According to the researchers, this is because their subconscious minds were given the time to weigh up all the pros and cons. “Putting it off” could also work for someone in a dilemma about a major financial commitment, they say.

Lead researcher Maarten Bos of Radboud University, said the experiments proved that forgetting about a decision often produced the best results, especially if it involved a complicated issue.

The students who did the best were the ones who had been distracted and were therefore unable to “consciously think” about the cars.

He said: “Unconscious thought produces better decisions than when people decide immediately. Although in our current experiments participants did not actually sleep on their decision, the benefit of a period of rest is clear.

“It allows us to differentiate between the vital and the irrelevant aspects. When your grandparents advised you to sleep on a decision first, they may have intuitively sensed the benefits of letting it rest to get a clear grasp of one’s priorities. The research shows our grandparents were right.”

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Beetroot juice helps prevent dementia

Drinking beetroot juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults, potentially halting the progresses of dementia.

“There have been several studies showing that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure, but we wanted to show that drinking beet juice also increases perfusion, or blood flow, to the brain,” said Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest University’s Translational Science Center.

“There are areas in the brain that become poorly perfused as you age, and that’s believed to be associated with dementia and poor cognition,” Shapiro said.

High concentrations of nitrates are found in beets, as well as in celery, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables like spinach and lettuce, report the journal Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry.

When you eat high-nitrate foods, ‘good bacteria’ in the mouth turn nitrate into nitrite, according to a Wake Forest statement.

Research has found that nitrites can help open up the blood vessels in the body, increasing blood and oxygen flow.

In the study, researchers looked at how dietary nitrates affected a group of adults aged 70 and above.

The MRIs showed that after eating a high-nitrate diet for four days, blood flow to the white matter of the frontal lobes increased. This area is commonly associated with degeneration that leads to dementia and other cognitive conditions.

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Antibiotics have long lasting impacts on gut bacteria

Researchers of a new study have concluded that antibiotics leave long-term impacts on gut flora.

The scientists say that short courses of antibiotics prescribed to treat pathogenic bacteria can leave normal gut bacteria harbouring antibiotic resistance genes for up to two years after treatment.

They also believe that this reservoir increases the chances of resistance genes being surrendered to pathogenic bacteria, aiding their survival and suggesting that the long-term effects of antibiotic therapy are more significant than previously thought.

Studies have shown that high levels of resistance genes can be detected in gut microbes after just 7 days of antibiotic treatment and that these genes remain present for up to two years even if the individual has taken no further antibiotics.

“The long-term presence of resistance genes in human gut bacteria dramatically increases the probability of them being transferred to and exploited by harmful bacteria that pass through the gut. This could reduce the success of future antibiotic treatments and potentially lead to new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said Cecilia Jernberg from the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control.

The review highlights the necessity of using antibiotics prudently.

“Antibiotic resistance is not a new problem and there is a growing battle with multi-drug resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria. The development of new antibiotics is slow and so we must use the effective drugs we have left with care,” Jenberg added.

The study is published in the latest issue of journal Microbiology.

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Watermelon lowers blood pressure

No matter how you slice it, watermelon has a lot going for it –– sweet, low calorie, high fibre, nutrient rich –– and now, there's more.

Evidence from a pilot study led by food scientists at The Florida State University suggests that watermelon can be an effective natural weapon against prehypertension, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.
It is the first investigation of its kind in humans. FSU Assistant Professor Arturo Figueroa and Professor Bahram H. Arjmandi found that when six grammes of the amino acid L-citrulline/L-arginine from watermelon extract was administered daily for six weeks, there was improved arterial function and consequently lowered aortic blood pressure in all nine of their prehypertensive subjects (four men and five postmenopausal women, ages 51-57).
"We are the first to document improved aortic haemodynamics in prehypertensive but otherwise healthy middle-aged men and women receiving therapeutic doses of watermelon," Figueroa said. "These findings suggest that this 'functional food' has a vasodilatory effect, and one that may prevent prehypertension from progressing to full-blown hypertension, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

"Given the encouraging evidence generated by this preliminary study, we hope to continue the research and include a much larger group of participants in the next round," he said.
Why watermelon?
"Watermelon is the richest edible natural source of L-citrulline, which is closely related to L-arginine, the amino acid required for the formation of nitric oxide essential to the regulation of vascular tone and healthy blood pressure," Figueroa said.
Once in the body, the L-citrulline is converted into L-arginine. Simply consuming L-arginine as a dietary supplement isn't an option for many hypertensive adults, said Figueroa, because it can cause nausea, gastrointestinal tract discomfort, and diarrhoea.

In contrast, watermelon is well tolerated. Participants in the Florida State pilot study reported no adverse effects. And, in addition to the vascular benefits of citrulline, watermelon provides abundant vitamin A, B6, C, fibre, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Watermelon may even help to reduce serum glucose levels, according to Arjmandi.
"Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States," Arjmandi said. "Generally, Americans have been more concerned about their blood cholesterol levels and dietary cholesterol intakes rather than their overall cardiovascular health risk factors leading to CVD, such as obesity and vascular dysfunction characterised by arterial stiffening and thickness -- issues that functional foods such as watermelon can help to mitigate.
"By functional foods," said Arjmandi, "we mean those foods scientifically shown to have health-promoting or disease-preventing properties, above and beyond the other intrinsically healthy nutrients they also supply."

Figueroa said oral L-citrulline supplementation might allow a reduced dosage of antihypertensive drugs necessary to control blood pressure.
"Even better, it may prevent the progression from prehypertension to hypertension in the first place," he said.
While watermelon or watermelon extract is the best natural source for L-citrulline, it is also available in the synthetic form in pills, which Figueroa used in a previous study of younger, male subjects. That investigation showed that four weeks of L-citrulline slowed or weakened the increase in aortic blood pressure in response to cold exposure. It was an important finding, said Figueroa, since there is a greater occurrence of myocardial infarction associated with hypertension during the cold winter months.

"Individuals with increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness -- especially those who are older and those with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes -- would benefit from L-citrulline in either the synthetic or natural (watermelon) form," Figueroa said. "The optimal dose appears to be four to six grammes a day."
Approximately 60 per cent of U.S. adults are prehypertensive or hypertensive. Prehypertension is characterised by systolic blood pressure readings of 120-139 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) over diastolic pressure of 80-89 mm Hg. "Systolic" refers to the blood pressure when the heart is contracting. "Diastolic" reflects the blood pressure when the heart is in a period of relaxation and expansion.
Findings from Figueroa's latest pilot study at Florida State are described in the American Journal of Hypertension.

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Easy tips for a healthy heart

A strong heart is a result of healthy lifestyle choices. Be active and stress-free.

Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors -- high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise -- following simple changes in lifestyle.
Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.

Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Watch your diet
Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.

Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.

Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.

Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.

Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.

Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.

Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.

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Veggies lessen breast cancer risk

Scientists have found that women with high vegetable intake are less likely to develop estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer than women with low vegetable intake.

Investigators of the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) studied 59,000 African American women from across the US conducted by investigators at the Slone Epidemiology Center since 1995.

The investigators followed 51,928 participants for 12 years, during which time 1,268 cases of breast cancer developed. 

Among cases on which hormone receptor status was obtained, 35 percent were estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative breast cancers.

The incidence of breast cancer was 43 percent lower among women consuming at least two vegetables per day compared with women who ate fewer than four vegetables per week.

According to the BUSM researchers, specific types of vegetables may play a greater role in reducing breast cancer risk. The investigators reported that high intake of cruciferous vegetables in particular may be associated with reduced risk of breast cancer overall.

Cruciferous vegetables, which include broccoli, mustard and collard greens, and cabbage, are sources of glucosinolates, which may play a role in preventing the development of breast cancer through their effects on both estrogen metabolism and detoxification enzymes.

The researchers also observed evidence suggesting that increased carrot consumption may be associated with lower risk of breast cancer.

Carrots are rich sources of carotenoids, which may reduce cancer risk through their antioxidant properties.

The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

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Rise and shine for breakfast time

Do you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? A good breakfast provides all the nutrients that people need to start their day with! One of the biggest mistakes we make in today's fast paced lifestyle is skipping breakfast. There are plenty of reasons why individuals do this, either they are lazy to prepare something, or they think that saving the calories from breakfast will help them lose weight or simply just do not like eating breakfast.

Jump starting the day with breakfast benefits everyone, be it children, teens or adults. Breakfast is the first chance that the body gets to refuel its glucose levels, after 8-12 hours without a meal or a snack. Glucose is essential for the brain and is the main source of energy. It also helps fuel the muscles needed for physical activity throughout the day.

Cash on calories

A good breakfast is one that provides at least one third of the day's calories. It is generally seen that individuals who consume up to a 1/3 of their daily calories in the morning meal will eat less later on that day. When you don't, your body tends to catch-up with the calories and often surpasses what you would have eaten otherwise. The effects of a skipped breakfast are short attention span, lack of alertness, longer reaction time, low blood sugar, decreased work productivity etc. Additionally, without having some fuel in your system, you simply will not have the same concentration levels that you otherwise would and your work, college or school performance is going to suffer. You wouldn't try and drive an empty car to work would you? So why drive an empty body?

The sky's the limit. The only limitation is your imagination. Make it a priority. Eat breakfast. Starting your day with a good breakfast: Boosts your energy Increases your attention span, Heightens your sense of well-being. You'll be in better control of your emotions. So tomorrow morning set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself a chance to have a morning meal. Your body and mind will thank you later on in the day.

What's your excuse?

No time: How much time does it take to eat a bowl of cereal or two toasts and some juice/ milk? You can even eat it on your way to school or work. Making time for breakfast is making time to be healthy.

Not hungry: To get started, don't eat anything after an early dinner. Finish dinner by at least 8.00 p.m.

Might gain weight: Eating breakfast will actually help you reach and maintain your healthy weight. Your appetite will be satisfied longer. You'll be eating food when you can best burn the calories. You'll feel great.

Don't like traditional breakfast: You don't have to eat traditional breakfast foods. Any healthy food is fine.

Don't like eating breakfast: Sorry it can't be helped. You've got to eat.

Tips to get started

Start Small. If you're not a breakfast eater, begin with whole wheat toast and a piece of fruit. In a few days, add more food and gradually work your way to a full breakfast. A good example of a full healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hard boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk or south Indian breakfast like idly or dosa with sambar or Oatmeal with chopped nuts and raisins, a sliced banana or strawberries etc.

Choose Whole Grain Bread. Have it with an egg made the way you like. If you're a veggie, try scrambled tofu (soya paneer) or sliced cucumber and tomato with mint chutney.

Choose oatmeal or high fibre cereal. Many prepared cereals have added refined sugar, often hidden. Read labels carefully to select cereals prepared without excessive sugar, salt, fat, and additives.

Include fruit in your breakfast. Fruit gives you fibre. Fresh fruit is the best choice. You can even add fruits to your cereal or oatmeal.

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