The Telangana Science Journal

Health and Nutrition

(An International Electronic Science Digest Published from the United States of America)
(Dedicated to one of the most backward regions in India, "Telangana," My Fatherland )

Chicago, IL, USA

Iowa City, Iowa, USA

(Click here to subscribe to this free e-journal)
To join The Indian American Chemical Society (TIACS), Please send an email to: TIACS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


Issue 116

5109 Kali Era, Sarvajit Year, Shravana/Bhadrapada month
2065 Vikramarka Era, Sarvajit Year,  Shravana/Bhadrapada month
1929 Salivahana Era
Sarvajit Year, Shravana/Bhadrapada month
 2007 AD, August


Contents
Home

Management
AJIN

TSJ

MS

Vegetarian Links

Disclaimer

Soliciataion

Contact

VPC

More Links

Vedah

Diet and Exercise

Broccoli
Wheatgrass
Go Green and Vegan
Apple Juice
Almonds
Waist to Bottom Ratio
It's our Fault, not Virus
Exercise, Caffeine and Cancer
Back To School

Miscellaneous

Sleep and Nap
Human Evolution
New Era Medicine Center in India
Alternative Medicine in Australia
Thalidomide and Anti-abortionists in 1962
Simple Test for Cerivcal Cancer
Reasons for Sex
Smoking

Recipes

Baingan Ka Bharta
Black Bean and Mango Salad
Mango and Peach Salsa
Chilled Mango Chipotle Soup
Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice Dessert
Cranberry Peach Cobbler Recipe
Chinese Noodle Salad with Ramen


Diet and Exercise


Broccoli
A rare but none the less severe and sometimes fatal skin disease called epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) has been found to be prevented by a chemical found in high concentrations in broccoli. The disease's symptoms are blistering and skin breakage and the agent that helps prevent it is called sulforaphane.

Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is frequently found in health food supplements as it has a high concentration of minerals, vitamins, protein, enzymes and chlorophyll, probably because out of the 102 minerals found in soil it is able to absorb 92 of them. It is hailed as a super food as it contains virtually every main mineral, vitamin and amino acid that the human body needs for its nutritional requirement plus the chlorophyll content works to draw out toxins in the body. Wheatgrass is the wheat plant when it is only 1 to 2 weeks old and the nutritional content of 15 pounds of it is equal to 350 pounds of vegetables. It also yields a generous amount of juice per pound when juiced. Some of the reported benefits for wheatgrass are that it helps to remove heavy metals from the body, improves the body's healing ability, cleans skin which in turn can help with psoriasis and eczema problems, aids in preventing tooth decay and assists regulation of blood sugar problems. http://www.healthypages.co.uk/newsitem.php?news=5599

Go Green and Vegan
Thinking of helping the planet by buying an eco-friendly car? Go for it. And you could do more by going vegan, say Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin of the University of Chicago. The typical US diet, about 28 per cent of which comes from animal sources, generates the equivalent of nearly 1.5 tons more carbon dioxide per person per year than a vegan diet with the same number of calories, say the researchers.

The difference in annual emissions between driving a typical saloon car and a hybrid car, which runs off a rechargeable battery and gasoline, is just over 1 ton. If you replace your gas-guzzler or even Toyota Camry with a Toyota Prius and follow a vegan diet, which is healthier also, your total green house gas emissions would be less by about 2.5 tons per year.  America's contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions is 1/3rd of the total global emissions. By changing our life style and cutting down on our consumption, we could save the world form the impending disaster.
http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutri3.pdf
http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutriEI.pdf
http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutri.html

There have been several studies that reveal that many foods contain cancer-preventive properties. All one need to do is find out which food contains which phytonutrients with known anti-cancer properties. By choosing the relevant foods, which are mostly fruits and vegetables, your health can be maintained. If a particular ingredient is lacking, it can be added as a pure substance in the form of a supplement.


Apple Juice
The National Heart and Lung Institute in the UK have just published the results of their study revealing the effects that apple juice has on asthma, in the European Respiratory Journal. It was found that the apple juice does not need to be freshly squeezed to be effective but can even be the long life version made from concentrate. By drinking apple juice daily, the chance of suffering from wheezing is reduced by 50 percent. Wheezing is seen as a good indicator of asthmatic problems approaching.



Almonds
Many nutritionists are recommending almonds as an excellent source for many of the body's essential nutrients. It's a perfect nature's package, containing an antioxidant called flavanoid, also found in green tea. Flavanoids have the effect of trapping free radicals and stopping unsaturated fatty acids from oxidizing that would otherwise lead to tissue damage. Almonds contain the monounsaturated fat which is considered good; it's the same type found in avocados and olive oil.  Fat-soluble flavonoids and vitamin E work better in your body when they are in the company of good fat. They also contain calcium, zinc, manganese and potassium.  People should replace dairy food fats such as milk and butter with ones derived from almonds, according to The Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University.



Waist to Bottom Ratio
The traditional indicator of obesity is BMI.  However, it does not give the entire picture.  Scientists believe that the fat around the stomach is dangerous and measure of it tells you the risk of heart disease.  One way to measure it is to measure your waist around your navel and your bottom. Divide the first number with the second.  For men the ratio should be below 0.95 and for women below 0.85. Any thing above is an indication of risk of heart disease.



It's our Fault, not Virus!
A common virus could be contributing to the obesity epidemic in the United States. A study presented at the American Chemical Society annual meeting in Boston in August found that human stem cells exposed to adenovirus-36, a bug responsible for causing colds and pinkeye, turned into fat cells and stored fat. In the study, researchers took fat tissue from liposuction patients, removed adult stem cells from the tissue, and exposed the cells to the virus. More than half of them turned into fat cells, compared to only a small percentage of the stem cells that weren't exposed to the virus. The researchers said that their findings could point the way to a vaccine to prevent obesity in some people. However, The Associated Press quotes other experts who say that most obesity is caused not by a virus, but by too many calories and too little exercise.

A mother's weight could affect her baby's risk for birth defects. A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that women who were obese before pregnancy had a higher risk of having babies with abnormalities of the spine, heart, arms, legs and abdomen. They added that pregnant women should not turn to diet pills, fasting or other extreme weight-loss measures.


Exercise, Caffeine and Cancer
Caffeine and exercise together could provide a double dose of skin cancer protection. A mouse study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that exercise and caffeine prevented cancer development separately, but together they increased the natural process of destroying cancerous cells fourfold.


Back To School
Teach your children to make healthy choices in the school cafeteria.
- Eat items from each of the five food groups.
- Choose more fruits and vegetables. Encourage your child to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables, for example, by adding lettuce and tomatoes to sandwiches, choosing gelatin desserts with fruit, or asking for extra tomato sauce on the spaghetti.
- Avoid unnecessary fats. Encourage your child to choose lower-fat options when available. For example, spread mustard on a sandwich rather than mayonnaise, drink low-fat or nonfat milk (whole milk is recommended only for children younger than 2 years), and choose pretzels over potato chips.
- Skip the vending machine. Some students have short lunch periods and grab food from vending machines rather than waiting in cafeteria lines. Although convenient, foods in vending machines, such as chips and granola bars, are often not healthy.

Packing Healthy Lunches From Home
When packing lunches at home, use the food pyramid as a guide for healthy eating. Teach your child the importance of eating a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups. Since most children consume one-third of their daily calories at their midday meal, a nutritious lunch would typically include:
- One serving of fruit
- One serving of vegetable
- Two servings of grains (bread, cereals, rice, pasta)
- One serving from the protein group
- One serving from the dairy group

Make lunch more appealing by varying what is to be eaten, unless, of course your child asks for the same well-balanced lunch every day and eats it. Here are some suggestions for packing lunches:
- Sandwiches travel well and are favorite lunch-bag items. Make them with a variety of breads, such as whole-wheat, oatmeal, rye or multigrain loaves; pita bread; English muffins; bagels; lavash; or flour tortillas. Fill sandwiches with peanut butter, cheese, hummus or vegetables. Cut the sandwiches into fun shapes using large cookie cutters.
- Serve potato salad or pasta salad made with multi-color or fun-shaped noodles. Add  beans, peas for additional protein. Avoid the mayonnaise.
- Cut up raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumbers. Send them with a small container of low-fat dip.
- Include a piece of fruit for dessert, washed and ready to eat, or a container of fruit salad.
- Try cubes of reduced-fat cheese or string cheese with whole-grain crackers.
- Few kids can resist yogurt, a good source of protein and calcium, which now comes in many different flavors and forms.
- Choose healthy snacks. Pack pretzels, popcorn, rice cakes, whole-grain crackers, dry cereal or trail mix.

If your child frequently brings lunch home uneaten, ask why. Didn't you like the foods? Were they too messy or too difficult to eat? Were the foods not at the right temperature? What foods are your friends in school eating? Most of these problems are easily solved by the following:
- Involve your child in deciding what to make for lunch together. Children are more likely to eat their lunch if they have helped prepare it. Let them assist with choosing a weekly lunch menu, making a shopping list and then doing the grocery shopping with you. When possible, let them actually help you make the lunch, too.
- Be sure all lunch items are easy to eat. Peeling and slicing fruits and vegetables at home often make them easier to eat at school. For example, juicy tomatoes may drip on a child's shirt, but wedges could be eaten easily and neatly with a fork or even fingers. A child with a loose front tooth could eat apple slices but not easily bite into a whole apple.
- Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Use insulated lunch boxes. Keep foods cold with ice packs or frozen juice boxes. Send hot foods in a thermos.
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC267/34970/34977/357945.html?d=dmtChildGuide#2

Although summer is still in full swing, school is just around the corner! So, take some time this month to help your child get ready for school by following these tips, adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Backpack Safety:
- Choose the right backpack. Look for wide, padded shoulder straps because narrow ones dig into shoulders, causing pain and poor circulation. Check for a padded back, which protects against sharp edges on objects inside the pack and increases comfort.
- Organize the backpack, using all compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back.
- Pack light. Be sure the backpack never weighs more than 10% to 20% of the student's body weight.
- Always use both shoulder straps. Wearing a backpack over one shoulder may strain muscles and increase curvature of the spine.
- Consider a rolling backpack. This may be a good choice for students who must carry a heavy load. However, keep in mind that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs and are quite difficult to roll in snow.
For more visit: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC267/333/35203/397237.html?d=dmtHMSContent




Miscellaneous

Sleep and Nap
It is recommended that children ages 3 to 5 years get 11-13 hours of sleep per night; ages 5-12, 9 to 11 hours; and adolescents, 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours. Although most experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep a night for adults, the exact amount needed to function at our best varies from person to person. In a study adults who slept for six hours were 12 percent more likely to experience major weight gain and 6 percent more likely to become obese when compared with those who slept seven hours a night. The amount and quality of sleep affects hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism.

A study at NASA on sleep-deprived military pilots and astronauts showed that taking a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34 percent and alertness 100 percent. Naps that are too long or taken too late in the day, however, affect the quality of nighttime sleep, so proper planning is important. Generally, a 20- to 30-minute nap is enough time to reap the benefits of increased alertness and performance and improved mood.



Human Evolution
New fossil evidence reveals an overlap of about 500,000 years during which Homo habilis and Homo erectus must have co-existed in the Turkana basin area, the region of East Africa where the fossils were unearthed. Their co-existence makes it unlikely that Homo erectus evolved from Homo habilis. A broken upper jaw-bone and intact skull from humanlike creatures, or hominids, are described in Nature.


Thalidomide and Anti-abortionists in 1962
In 1962, Sherri Finkbine, a TV presenter from Phoenix in Arizona, was denied an abortion in her home state following intense negative publicity surrounding her case. The 30-year-old mother decided to terminate her fifth pregnancy after discovering that tranquilizers she had taken in the first few weeks of her pregnancy contained the drug Thalidomide. The fetus had no legs and only one arm.  Mrs Finkbine, host of children's television programme "Romper Room", told her story to the local newspaper, believing it would alert other mothers in the same situation to the dangers of the drug.  But she became the focus of an intense anti-abortion campaign and worldwide public condemnation.  The negative publicity led her local hospital in Phoenix to withdraw a tentative offer of a legal abortion for fear they may be held criminally liable - the law in Arizona required that abortion can only be carried out to save the mother's life.  Mrs Finkbine and her husband, Robert, a schoolteacher, took the case to the Arizona State Supreme Court but were unsuccessful.  Despite vilification from anti-abortionists across the United States and the world she flew to Sweden where the operation was carried out in August.  After the operation, it was confirmed that the fetus had no legs and only one arm.

When she returned to Phoenix Mrs Finkbine's local doctor asked her to register with another physician. She was dismissed from her job, and her husband was suspended from his high school teaching post. Their children were hounded, anonymous death threats poured in by post and telephone and the press swarmed around their home.

Worldwide, some 8,000 women who took thalidomide as a sedative and to alleviate morning sickness gave birth to babies with deformities.


New Era Medicine Center in India
"New Era Medicine" Center is going to be established in India.  A new initiative is underway in India to establish several 'medical cities' in order to lower the poor ratio of hospital beds to population and to offer better and all round health care.  The tendency has been to import allopathic medicine and treatment from the West 'as is' into India, but now the aim of Dr Trehan and other eminent healthcare professionals is to incorporate the natural treatments and therapies available in India along with allopathic medicine, all under one roof.  Dr Naresh Trehan, who is a surgeon and also president of the Indian Healthcare Federation, is on course to establish the 'Medicity' in the Gurgoan region of India. His inspiration came from the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. which is the worlds most prestigious and largest medical cities, being a hospital, research and development center and institution rolled into one.



Alternative Medicine in Australia
One of the chief areas of concern for health care professionals and government bodies regarding the whole arena of alternative health medicines and therapies is the lack of recognized studies and trials of the available alternative treatments. The Australian government is funding the establishment of the National Institute for Complementary Medicine (NICM) to the tune of $4 million.



Simple Test for Cerivcal Cancer
Cervical cancer is largely preventable. It causes about 250,000 deaths every year and is the second-most common cancer in women. Nearly 80 percent of those women are in the developing world.

A simple visual screening test is done by a nurse or trained health care worker who washes a woman's cervix with vinegar and gauze using a speculum to hold it open. After one minute, any pre-cancerous lesions turn very white and can be seen with the naked eye under a halogen lamp, according to a study published in The Lancet. Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France and their colleagues from Tamil Nadu in India used the technique to screen 49,311 women in Dindigul district, India, from 2000 to 2003. When pre-cancerous lesions were found, health care workers gave immediate treatment to destroy the abnormal cervical tissue. All of the women in the study were healthy and between 30 and 59 years old when the study began. The research was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.


Reasons for Sex
Researchers at the University of Texas spent five years and their own money to study the overlooked why behind sex while others were spending their time on the how. After exhaustively compiling a list of the 237 reasons why people have sex, researchers found that young men and women get intimate for mostly the same motivations. It's more about lust in the body than a love connection in the heart. Dah!

Another study of sex and seniors finds that many older people are surprisingly frisky, willing to do, and talk about, intimate acts that would make their grandchildren blush. And the study finds that people whose health was excellent or very good were nearly twice as likely to be sexually active as those were in poor or fair health. Dah! The survey also bolsters the "use it or lose it" factor seen in previous studies. The federally funded study, done by respected scientists, was published in New England Journal of Medicine.

Smoking
Smoking appears to permanently alter the activity of key genes, even though most cigarette damage is repaired over time, say Canadian researchers, writing in the journal BMC Genomics. It has been shown that the poisons in cigarette smoke can alter the activity of genes. If you give up smoking, your risk of lung cancer falls significantly, but former smokers continue to have a slightly higher risk of lung cancer compared with someone who has never smoked.

Rates of incurable lung disease are higher than previously thought, a study across 12 countries suggests. Rates are set to rise further as the population ages, reported the US researchers in the Lancet study. Smoking is a major factor in developing the disease and explains much of the difference between rates in men and women. There was also a strong link with age with the risk of the disease almost doubling with every 10 years over the age of 40.



Recipes
Baingan Ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplant), A Punjabi Indian Recipe
INGREDIENTS: 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil. Divided; 2 eggplants, sliced in half; 1/3 tsp mustard seed; 2 bay leaves; 2 green chilies, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced; 1 onion, diced; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp chili powder;1/2 tsp mango powder (optional); 1/2 tsp garam masala (a mixture of curry, cumin and coriander can make a reasonable substitute); dash salt, to taste; 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
PREPARATION: Drizzle the eggplants with one tablespoon olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until soft. Cool and remove peels. Mash or blend until smooth. In the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil, heat the mustard seeds, bay leaves, chilies, ginger and onions for a few minutes. Add the eggplant and remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Allow to cook for at least 6 to 8 more minutes. Serve hot with rice or Indian bread.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianindianrecipes/Vegetarian_and_Vegan_Indian_Food_Recipes.htm


Black Bean and Mango Salad ( courtesy of Bush's® Beans)
INGREDIENTS: 1 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed; 2 cups mango, diced; 1 cup sweet red bell pepper, diced; 6 green onions, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped; 1/4 cup fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 seeded Jalapeno pepper, minced or hot sauce to taste; Salt to taste.
PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients, including beans in bowl. Toss and serve.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianandvegansalads/r/beanmangosalad.htm



Mango and Peach Salsa
INGREDIENTS: 2 mangos, peeled and chopped; 2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped; 1 sweet onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro; juice of one lime; dash salt and pepper
PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients and chill. If you have a food processor, you can process all the ingredients in chunks, rather than dicing and chopping. Chill before serving
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/MangoSalsa.htm



Chilled Mango Chipotle Soup
INGREDIENTS: 2 mangoes; juice from 1 lime; 1/2 tsp ginger powder; dash salt and pepper, to taste; 1 tsp chipotle powder; 2 cups water or vegetable broth
PREPARATION: Puree all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add more spices to taste, and serve cold.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/coldsoups/r/mangochipotle.htm

 

Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice Dessert
 INGREDIENTS: 1 cup Thai Sweet Rice (also called "sticky rice", available at Asian markets and grocery stores); 1 ripe mango, cut into bite-size pieces (look for mangos that are fragrant and easily bruised), or 1 pkg frozen mango; 1/2 can coconut milk; 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar (or maple syrup), or more to taste; 1 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 Tbsp. Water; pinch of salt; 1 tsp. Vanilla.
PREPARATION: Soak the sweet rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.  Add 1 more cup of water and a pinch of salt. Stir into the rice, lifting any rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a bubbling boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low (#2.5 on the dial). After 10-20 minutes, the water should all be absorbed by the rice.
Rice Cooking Tip: Don't worry if the rice still seems a little undercooked when the water is gone. Just remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 10-15 minutes. The heat within the rice pot will finish cooking the rice. Put the covered rice in the refrigerator until cold and sticky. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, warm coconut milk together with a pinch of salt, sugar, and vanilla on medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (5 minutes). Add cornstarch or arrowroot powder (dissolved in the water) to the sauce and stir. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. Remove from heat. To serve, place scoops of cold sweet rice in bowls. Ladle warm sauce over to create an “island” of rice. Around the island, place slices of peeled, fresh mango. (If using frozen mango, be sure to give it enough time to thaw before serving.) Enjoy!
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/breakfastrecipe1/r/cranpeachcobble.htm



Cranberry Peach Cobbler Recipe
INGREDIENTS: 5-6 peaches, sliced; 2 tbsp flour; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/3 cup dried cranberries; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 2/3 cup quick cooking oats; 1 cup water; 3 tbsp melted margarine; 3/4 cup brown sugar.
PREPARATION: Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.  Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/breakfastrecipe1/r/cranpeachcobble.htm



Chinese Noodle Salad with Ramen
INGREDIENTS: 2 heads green cabbage, shredded; 1/3 cup sesame seeds; 4 green onions, sliced; 1 package ramen and seasoning packet; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1/3 cup rice vinegar; 2 tbsp honey or agave nectar; dash black pepper, or to taste.
PREPARATION: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, sesame seeds and green onion. Break the ramen noodles into small pieces, and add to cabbage. In a separate small bowl whisk together the remining ingredients, including the ramen flavor packet. Pour over the cabbage and noodles and toss gently to combine. Let stand for at least one hour before serving.






Notice: This material contains only general descriptions and is not a solicitation to sell any insurance product or security, nor is it intended as any financial, tax, medical or health care advice. For information about specific needs or situations, contact your financial, tax agent or physician.
Back to the Top

Source: The primary sources cited above,  New York Times (NYT), Washington Post (WP), Mercury News, Bayarea.com, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Intellihealthnews, Deccan Chronicle (DC), the Hindu, Hindustan Times, Times of India, AP, Reuters, AFP, womenfitness.net, about.com etc.




Copyright ©1998-2007
Vepachedu Educational Foundation, Inc
Copyright Vepachedu Educational Foundation Inc., 2007.  All rights reserved.  All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for special medical conditions or any specific health issues or starting a new fitness regimen. Please read disclaimer.





Om! Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya, Mrityorma Amritamgamaya, Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih!
(Om! Lead the world from wrong path to the right path, from ignorance to knowledge, from mortality to immortality and peace!)
One World One Family





Management
The Andhra Journal of Industrial News (AJIN)
The Telangana Science Journal (TSJ)
Mana Sanskriti (Our Culture) Journal (MS)
Disclaimer Solicitation
Contact
VPC