Health Benefits of Fasting

• Fasting initiates rapid weight loss with little or no hunger. Once the ‘ketosis’ of fasting sets in, it becomes quite easy to go without food.
• Fasting promotes detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins.
• Fasting gives the digestive system a much needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and elimination process are rejuvenated.
• Fasting promotes the resolving of inflammatory processes such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• Fasting helps in controlling allergic reactions, including asthma and hay fever.
• Fasting promotes the drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs and swelling in the abdomen.
• Fasting corrects high blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will reduce blood pressure to a safe range within two weeks or less in the vast majority of cases. And the blood pressure will remain low after the fast if the person eats correctly and lives healthily.
• Fasting makes it easy to overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions. Fasting rapidly dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs
• Fasting clears the skin and whitens the eyes. It is common to see skin eruptions clear while fasting, and the whites of the eyes never look so clear and bright as they do after a fast.
• Fasting restores taste appreciation for wholesome natural foods. People say that their taste buds come alive after fasting and that food never tasted so good.
• Fasting is the perfect gateway to a healthful diet and lifestyle. Going on a fast gives you the motivation and enthusiasm to make a fresh start and commit yourself to a new and better way of life.
• Fasting actually shrinks the stomach – not in a harmful way, but restoring it to its normal size. People tend to be satisfied with less food after fasting.

THE 3 FIVES

Five Keys to safer food

1.  Keep clean

Wash your hands with soap before handling food and often during food preparation

Wash your hands with soap after using the toilets

Wash and sanitize all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation

Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests and other animals

2. Separate raw and cooked

Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods

Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods

3.  Cook thoroughly

Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure that they have reached 70°C. For meat and poultry, make sure that juices are clear, not pink. Ideally, use a thermometer Reheat cooked food thoroughly

Avoid overcooking when frying, grilling or baking food as this may produce toxic chemicals

4. Keep food at safe temperatures

Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours

Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5°C)

Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60°C) prior to serving Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator

Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature

5.  Use safe water and raw materials

Use safe water or treat it to make it safe Select fresh and wholesome foods

Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw

Do not use food beyond its expiry date

Five Keys to a healthy diet

1. Give your baby only breast milk for the first 6 months of life

From birth to 6 months of age your baby should receive only breast milk, day and night

Breast feed your baby whenever the baby feels hungry

2.  Eat a variety of foods

Eat a combination of different foods: staple foods, legumes, vegetables, fruits and foods from animals

3.  Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits

Consume a wide variety of vegetables and fruits (more than 400 g per day)

Eat raw vegetables and fruits as snacks instead of snacks that are high in sugars or fat

When cooking vegetables and fruits, avoid overcooking as this can lead to loss of important vitamins

Canned or dried vegetables and fruits may be used, but choose varieties without added salt or sugars

4.  Eat moderate amounts of fats and oils

Choose unsaturated vegetable oils (e.g. olive, soy, sunflower, corn) rather than animal fats or oils high in saturated fats (e.g. coconut and palm oil)

Choose white meat (e.g. poultry) and fish that are generally low in fats rather than red meat

Limit consumption of processed meats and luncheon meats that are high in fat and salts

Use low- or reduced-fat milk and dairy products, where possible

Avoid processed, baked, and fried foods that contain industrial trans fatty acids

5.  Eat less salt and sugars

Cook and prepare foods with as little salt as possible Avoid foods with high salt contents

Limit the intake of soft drinks and fruit drinks sweetened with sugars

Choose fresh fruits for snacks instead of sweet foods and confectionery (e.g. cookies and cakes)

           Five Keys to appropriate physical activity

1. If you are not physically active, it’s not too late to start regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities

Find a physical activity that is FUN

Gradually increase your participation in physical activity Be active with family members - in the home and outside

Reduce sedentary habits such as watching TV and playing computer games

2. Be physically active every day in as many ways as you can

Walk to the local shops

Take the stairs instead of the lift Get off the bus early and walk

3. Do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on 5 or more days each week

Make physical activity part of your regular routine. Organize to meet friends for physical activity together Do some physical activity at lunch time with colleagues

4. If you can, enjoy some regular vigorous-intensity physical activity for extra health and fitness benefits

Vigorous physical activity can come from sports such as football, badminton or basketball and activities such as aerobics, running and swimming

Join a team or club to play a sport that you enjoy Ride a bike to work instead of taking the car

5. School- aged young people should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate– to vigorous-intensity physical activity each day

Encourage young people to participate in sport and physical activity for fun

Provide young people with a safe and supportive environment for physical activity

Expose young people to a broad range of physical activities at school and at home

Marking the first world Hepatitis day, 28 July 2011 by WHO

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids. Common modes of transmission for these viruses include receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment and for hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby at birth, from family member to child, and also by sexual contact.

Acute infection may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may include symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Key facts 
        

• Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.
• The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person - not through casual contact.
• About 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with the virus and about 350 million live with chronic infection. An estimated 600 000 persons die each year due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B.
• About 25% of adults who become chronically infected during childhood later die from liver cancer or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) caused by the chronic infection.
• The hepatitis B virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV.
• Hepatitis B virus is an important occupational hazard for health workers.
• Hepatitis B is preventable with a safe and effective vaccine.

• Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that can cause mild to severe illness.
• It is spread by faecal-oral (or stool to mouth) transmission when a person ingests food or drink contaminated by an infected person's stool.
• The disease is closely associated with poor sanitation and a lack of personal hygiene habits, such as hand-washing.
• An estimated 1.4 million cases of hepatitis A occur annually.
• Epidemics can be explosive in growth and cause significant economic losses: 300 000 were affected in one Shanghai outbreak in 1988.
• Improved sanitation and the Hepatitis A vaccine are the most effective ways to combat the disease.

• Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
• HCV infection sometimes results in an acute symtomatic illness. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.
• HCV is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person.
• About 130–170 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus, and more than 350 000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver diseases each year.
• HCV infection is curable using increasingly effective antivirals.
• Despite ongoing research, there is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C virus infection.

Commercials May Have Negative Influence On Kids’ Eating Habits

Parents have suspected all along that television commercials are leading their kids to request sugary, fatty or salty foods, and now researchers at the Institute of Psychology, Health and Society in the U.K., have confirmed this suspicion.

A team of scientists found that children who watched commercials for fast food or unhealthy snacks before a cartoon were more likely to choose such foods after their program, when compared to kids who viewed advertisements for toys.

"Obesity in young children is now a major health concern around the world. Our studies highlight that there are global connections between advertising, food preferences and consumption," said researcher Emma Boyland.

She noted that the effect of commercials on kids goes beyond a branding preference, since the children were shown to have an overall preference for unhealthy food.

Additionally, study authors said the finding suggests that kids who watch a lot of television are more likely to become overweight or obese, when compared to their peers who instead choose to do other activities. Kids who watched more than 21 hours of TV weekly were more susceptible to the ads and also had a higher body mass index than other children.

Folic acid Helps to score more marks

Much research has shown the benefits of folate intake for pregnant mothers. Some studies have indicated that women who had folic acid deficiencies were more likely to experience delivery complications or have babies with birth defects.

For this reason, the U.S. requires that some foods are fortified with the B vitamin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthcare providers should instruct their female patients who are of child-bearing age to consume 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid each day through either supplements or dietary means.

A recent article published by Reuters Health cited a study that appeared in the journal Pediatrics, which found that teens who had normal or elevated levels of folic acid performed better in school than those who with deficient amounts.

Researchers explained that the nutrient is found in green produce like leafy vegetables and legumes.

The study's results showed that levels of folic acid corresponded with the participants' academic grades, indicating that individuals with folate deficiencies had decreased brain health, compared to their counterparts with normal or high amounts.

Source: drcutler.com

8 Glasses of water a day - Myth

There is currently no clear evidence of the benefit from drinking increased amounts of water, yet the we-don't-drink-enough-water myth has endless advocates including the NHS, claimed GP Margaret McCartney a Scottish physician.

The NHS Choices website states: Try to drink about six to eight glasses of water (or other fluids) a day to prevent dehydration.

While many schools also feel it appropriate to insist that pupils are accompanied to school by a water bottle, other organisations, often with vested interests, reinforce this message, she said.

For example, Hydration for Health (created by French food giant Danone - makers of bottled waters including Volvic and Evian) recommends 1.5 to 2 litres of water daily as the simplest and healthiest hydration advice you can give.

It also claims that, even mild dehydration plays a role in the development of various diseases.

But McCartney disagreed that that there is no high quality published evidence to support these claims.

While there are some conditions that do benefit from drinking increased water, such as in people with recurrent kidney stones, other evidence for preventing disease is conflicting, added McCartney.

 

Source: The times of India

Importance of Good Poster - Solution for pain

Poor postures makes you feel more pain. In a new study, people who slouched when sitting or standing had an increased sensitivity to pain.

The researchers then put a blood-pressure cuff on each participant. As the cuff was inflated at a fixed rate, participants were instructed to say "Stop" when they experienced discomfort from the pressure and the reduced blood flow.

Those who used the most dominant posture were able to comfortably handle more pain than those assigned a more neutral or submissive stance.

By simply adopting more dominant poses, people feel more powerful, in control, and able to tolerate more distress, concluded the researchers, who are from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business and the University of Toronto's J.L. Rotman School of Management.

Assuming a dominant pose may also help reduce the pain of remembering an emotionally distressing event such as the breakup of a romance, according to the researchers.

The study expanded on previous research that showed that adopting a powerful, expansive posture may lead to elevated testosterone, which is associated with increased pain tolerance, as well as decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Similarly, an October 2010 study conducted by Harvard Business School and Columbia University researchers showed that "high-power poses" that take up space make people feel more powerful and in charge, while constrictive postures may lower a person's sense of power and willingness to take risks.

The new findings were published in the June issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

The researchers then put a blood-pressure cuff on each participant. As the cuff was inflated at a fixed rate, participants were instructed to say "Stop" when they experienced discomfort from the pressure and the reduced blood flow.

Those who used the most dominant posture were able to comfortably handle more pain than those assigned a more neutral or submissive stance.

By simply adopting more dominant poses, people feel more powerful, in control, and able to tolerate more distress, concluded the researchers, who are from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business and the University of Toronto's J.L. Rotman School of Management.

Assuming a dominant pose may also help reduce the pain of remembering an emotionally distressing event such as the breakup of a romance, according to the researchers.

The study expanded on previous research that showed that adopting a powerful, expansive posture may lead to elevated testosterone, which is associated with increased pain tolerance, as well as decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Similarly, an October 2010 study conducted by Harvard Business School and Columbia University researchers showed that "high-power poses" that take up space make people feel more powerful and in charge, while constrictive postures may lower a person's sense of power and willingness to take risks.

The new findings were published in the June issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Source: foxnews.com

A glass of milk contains cocktail of 20 chemicals

LONDON: How safe is the glass of milk you drink daily? If a new study is to be believed, it may contain a cocktail of up to 20 chemicals used in various painkillers and antibiotics . Using a highly sensitive test, a team of Spanish and Moroccan scientists found traces of a host of chemicals in samples of cow, goat and human breast milk.

Though the doses were far too small to have an effect on anyone drinking them, the researchers said their findings highlighted how man-made chemicals are now found throughout the food chain, the Daily Mail reported. The highest quantities of medicines were found in cow milk, and the researchers believe some of the drugs and growth promoters were given to the cattle, or got into milk through cattle feed or contamination on the farm.

The team analyzed 20 samples of cow milk bought in Spain and Morocco, along with samples of goat and breast milk. Their breakdown , which is published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, revealed that cow milk contained traces of anti-inflammatory drugs niflumic acid, mefenamic acid and ketoprofen - commonly used as painkillers in animals and people. It also contained the hormone 17-beta-estradiol , a form of the sex hormone oestrogen . The hormone was detected at three millionths of a gram in every kilogramme of milk, while the highest dose of niflumic acid was less than one millionth of a gram per kilogram of milk.

The scientists, however, said their technique could be used to check safety of other types of food. "We believe the methodology will help provide a more effective way of determining presence of these kinds of contaminants in milk or other products," said researcher Evaristo Ballesteros from the University of Jaen in Spain. "Food quality control labs could use this tool to detect these drugs before they enter the food chain. This would raise consumers' awareness and give them the knowledge that food is... harmless, pure, genuine, beneficial to health and free of toxic residues," he added.

Source: The times of  india.

Healthy Energy booster - Beetroot Juice Boosts Performance in Athletes

Researchers from the University of Exeter suggest that drinking beetroot juice increases the performance of athletes since it contains nitrate which plays an important role in physical performance.

The researchers conducted the experiment on nine club level cyclists, asking them to take part in time trials over 4km and 16.1km. The cyclists were made to take part in the trials twice, each time drinking half a litre of beetroot juice. Unknown to the participants, the researchers had removed the presence of nitrate on one occasion.

The researchers also measured the VO2 levels of the athletes in order to make sure that they put in maximum efforts each time. The researchers found that drinking beetroot juice with nitrate meant that the cyclists were 11 seconds quicker over the 4km distance and 45 seconds faster over the 16.1km distance.

Writing in the report published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, lead author Professor Andrew Jones said, “This is the first time we’ve studied the effects of beetroot juice, and the high nitrate levels found in it, on simulated competition. The findings show an improvement in performance that, at competition level, could make a real difference.”

Source-Medindia

Ultraviolet radiation and human health

Skin cancer is caused primarily by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation – either from the sun or from artificial sources such as sunbeds.

Globally in 2000, over 200 000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed and there were 65 000 melanoma-associated deaths.

Excessive sun exposure in children and adolescents is likely to contribute to skin cancer in later life.

Worldwide approximately 18 million people are blind as a result of cataracts, of these 5% of all cataract related disease burden is directly attributable to UV radiation exposure.

Sun protection is recommended when the ultraviolet index is 3 and above. Small amounts of UV radiation are beneficial to health, and play an essential role in the production of vitamin D. However, excessive exposure to UV radiation is associated with different types of skin cancer, sunburn, accelerated skin ageing, cataract and other eye diseases. There is also evidence that UV radiation reduces the effectiveness of the immune system.

Effects on the skin

Excessive UV exposure results in a number of chronic skin changes.

·        Cutaneous malignant melanoma: a life-threatening malignant skin cancer.

·        Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: a malignant cancer, which generally progresses less rapidly than melanoma and is less likely to cause death.

·        Basal cell carcinoma of the skin: a slow-growing skin cancer appearing predominantly in older people.

·        Photoageing: a loss of skin tightness and the development of solar keratoses.

Effects on the eyes

Acute effects of UV radiation include photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis (inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva, respectively). These effects are reversible, easily prevented by protective eyewear and are not associated with any long-term damage.

Chronic effects of UV radiation include:

·        Cataract: an eye disease where the lens becomes increasingly opaque, resulting in impaired vision and eventual blindness.

·                Pterygium: a white or creamy fleshy growth on the surface of the eye.

Other health effects

UV radiation appears to diminish the effectiveness of the immune system by changing the activity and distribution of the cells responsible for triggering immune responses. Immunosuppression can cause reactivation of the herpes simplex virus in the lip ("cold sores").

Vulnerable groups

Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of UV radiation. Excessive sun exposure in children is likely to contribute to skin cancer in later life. The mechanisms are unclear, but it may be that skin is more susceptible to the harmful effects of UV radiation during childhood.

A person's skin type is also important. Fair-skinned people suffer more from sunburn and have a higher risk of skin cancer than dark-skinned people.

Protective measures

 Ø Limit time in the midday sun.

 Ø Seek shade

 Ø Wear protective clothing such as a broad brimmed hat to protect the eyes, face and neck.

 Ø Wear sunglasses with side panels that provide 99 to 100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection.

 Ø Use and liberally reapply broad-spectrum sunscreen of sun protection factor (SPF) 30+ on skin areas that cannot be covered by clothes. Sun protection is best achieved by seeking shade and wearing clothes rather than applying sunscreens. Sunscreens should not be used for extending time spent in the sun, and people using sunscreen during sun tanning should voluntarily limit their time spent in the sun.

 Ø Avoid sunbeds: use of sunbeds before the age of 35 is associated with a 75% increase in the risk of melanoma.

 Ø Protect babies and young children: always keep babies in the shade.

   Ø Encouraging children to take the simple precautions above will prevent both short-term and long-term damage while still allowing them to enjoy the time they spend outdoors. Parents and guardians should ensure that children are protected adequately.

BASIC KITCHEN SAFETY

·    Make sure all wires, cords and plugs on your appliances are not frayed and that the plugs have 3-prong grounded connections. This would include coffee makers, toasters, blenders, microwaves, mixers, etc.

·  Don’t use extension cords. You can obtain a junction box that has built-in GFI (ground fault interrupters). This will allow you extra plug in space and the GFI will kick in if there is a power shortage. Helps avoid water/electrical shock accidents.

·    Get rid of any appliance that is broken or damaged. New ones are very inexpensive these days. If a new one would bust your budget, try garage and tag sales (just make sure you’re not buying somebody else’s broken appliance).

·        Put a childproof lock not only on the cabinets with your medicines and cleaning supplies, but also your oven.

·        Don’t leave the kitchen with pots & pans cooking on the stove. Make sure to turn off burners as soon as you take the pot off.

·        Avoid wearing inappropriate clothing while cooking. That means loose sleeves and sweaters.

·        Keep dish towels, pot holders and oven mitts away from the stove.

·        Keep matches and lighters in high places where curious little hands can’t reach them.

·        If using candles in the kitchen, don’t leave the room (or home) while they’re burning. Make sure they are in a safe place and are in flame proof containers.

·        Check furniture, curtains, dish towels, etc. to be sure they are not blocking heaters or vents.

·        Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen, but not near the stove or the heater.

·        In case of a grease fire, salt and/or baking soda will help if you do not have a fire extinguisher.

·        Keep emergency numbers handy.

·        Scalding is one of the most common injuries in the kitchen. Make sure to turn pot handles away from the front of the stove and away from little curious hands.

·        Scalding can occur from hot steam as well. Be careful when lifting lids from hot food (including opening that hot bag of microwave popcorn)!

·        Handling Knives: (a) Always cut away from your body when using a knife. It can slip and cut you, (b) Always use a cutting board, (c) Protect your counter tops, (d) Keep blades sharp, (e) Keep knives clean (including handle) – slippery handles can cause injuries, (f) Don’t put knives in a sink of soapy water – they may not be seen and accidents can occur, (g) Wash and dry carefully keeping sharp edge away from your hands, (h) Always lay them flat, never on the back or edge, (i) Don’t attempt to catch a knife as it falls – better it hits the floor than cut your hand, (j) Wash knives with warm soapy water after each use.

·        Be sure appliances are unplugged before touching sharp edges (blenders, can openers, mixers, etc.).

·        Never stick a fork in a toaster to retrieve trapped toast – you may get shocking results.

·        Always be sure the blender is unplugged before touching the blades.

·        Be careful about sharp edges: scissors, broken glass, potato peeler, etc.

·        Never ever, ever leave cooking foods unattended – not even for a minute.

·        Casualness causes casualties – don’t answer or talk on the phone while cooking – you can be distracted and injuries can result.

·        Clean up spills immediately – wet floors are slippery when wet.

·        Keep the kitchen floor clear or toys and other items.

·        Be certain that walking areas are always clear of toys and other items.

·        Keep young children out of the kitchen while cooking.

·        Always use a step-stool to reach high places.

·        Store cleaning supplies and all chemicals in a safe place. Use safety latches.