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Issue 122
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5109 Kali Era, Sarvajit
Year, Magham/Phalguna
month
2065
Vikramarka Era, Sarvajit
Year,
Magham/Phalguna
month
1929
Salivahana
Era, Sarvajit
Year, Magham/Phalguna
month
2008
AD, February
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Contents
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Diet
and Exercise
Low-fat Diet and Regular
Exercise for Alzheimers
A survey of more than 2,000 people nationwide showed most people didn't know
about the connection between cardiovascular conditions and the risk for dementia.
By 2030, the number of African-Americans ages 65 and older is expected to
double to 6.9 million, says the Alzheimer's Association. People ages 65 and
older are at increased risk of Alzheimer's.
Richard Day Research conducted the survey in January for the Alzheimer's
Association and the American Heart Association. The survey found:
One-third of black Americans reported having a diagnosis of high blood pressure;
about one in five said they had high blood cholesterol.
More than half of the African-Americans in the survey realized that such
factors put them at higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, but
just 8% realized such conditions put them at an elevated risk of dementia,
a general term for brain diseases that cause confusion and memory problems.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.
We can't do anything about advancing age, but we can take steps to reduce
the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure or clogged arteries.
For example, a healthful, low-fat diet and regular exercise can reduce the
risks.
Low-Fat
Diet and Regular Exercise for Stroke
Stroke is the nation's third-leading cause of death. Strokes have tripled
in recent years among middle-aged women in the U.S., an alarming trend doctors
blame on the obesity epidemic. It occurs when blood flow to the brain is
stopped when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or bursts. Physical activity
can help prevent blood clots and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.
Being merely moderately fit by walking briskly half an hour a day can lower
the risk of having a stroke, according to a new study whose findings apply
to women as well as men. Much of the previous research on stroke and
fitness has been on men and relied on participants to report their physical
activity, said Steven Hooker, who heads the University of South Carolina's
Prevention Research Center in Columbia and led the study. About a quarter
of those in the new study were women, and everyone had a treadmill test to
measure his or her fitness level.
Recently, the percentage of middle-aged women in the United States who have
had strokes has tripled. A study presented at the International Stroke Conference
in New Orleans says rising obesity rates are the likely culprit. The increase
in strokes occurred even though more women were on medication to control
cholesterol and blood pressure, and despite the fact that almost all of the
traditional risk factors had not changed enough to explain the increase,
the new study found. What had changed, researchers say, was the women's size.
Average waist size was 2 inches bigger and average BMI two points higher,
they found. Abdominal fat has been shown to be a stronger risk factor for
women than for men.
In its stroke prevention guidelines, the American Stroke Association recommends
at least 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity on most days
of the week.
Salt
and Obesity
Salt or no salt, sweet soda is bad for your health and should be avoided.
A British study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension
theorizes that when children get thirsty from eating salty meals and snacks,
they often turn to sugary sodas. That, in turn, adds extra calories to their
diet. The researchers suggest that cutting back on salt might cut down on
obesity, going so far as to call salt a hidden factor in the obesity epidemic.
About 80% of the salt children are consuming comes from processed foods,
rather than from added table salt, the researchers say. Besides the calorie-cutting
benefit, the researchers say that even modest reductions in salt intake can
lower blood pressure. It is well known that healthy eating and exercise
will also be needed to prevent childhood obesity or any obesity.
How to Control
Obesity
To keep your belly in check, take three simple steps: Strength-training to
preserve muscle mass, Exercise aerobically to burn fat and Diet should include
heart-healthy fat while avoiding saturated fats and cutting about 100 calories
per day. Remember the acronym SED.
Heart Disease
Warning signs of a heart attack include shortness of breath; weakness or
lightheadedness; and pain or discomfort in the chest, arms, shoulder, jaw,
neck or back. Anyone with these symptoms should call 911, according to the
American Heart Association. Only a quarter of Americans can recognize the
warning signs of a heart attack and know what to do first. That's the finding
of a survey.
Obesity and Cancer
Being obese or even overweight may increase a person's risk of developing
up to a dozen different types of cancer, European researchers report in a
new study. The new study, published in the journal Lancet, suggests it could
also increase chances for cancer of the esophagus, thyroid, kidney, uterus
and gall bladder, among others. In men, an average weight gain of 33 pounds
increased the risk of esophageal cancer by 52 percent, thyroid cancer by
33 percent, and colon and kidney cancers each by 24 percent, the research
found. In women, a weight gain of 29 pounds increased the risk of cancer
in the uterus and gall bladder by nearly 60 percent, esophagus by 51 percent
and kidney by 34 percent, the study said. The link was weaker for bone
and blood cancers, for both men and women. In Asian and Indian populations,
there appeared to be a stronger link between increased BMI and breast cancer,
the study said.
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Miscellaneous
The Fish Poison
The FDA said that fish such as grouper, snapper, amberjack and barracuda
represent the most significant threat to consumers. They feed on fish that
have eaten toxic marine algae. The toxin is stable in the tissue of living
fish and does them no harm. But larger carnivores have higher concentrations
of the toxin in their tissues. As a result, the greatest risk of poisoning
for humans comes from the largest fish. Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include
nausea, vomiting, vertigo and joint pain. In the most serious cases, neurological
problems can last for months or even years. Several outbreaks of the illness
were confirmed in Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, the FDA said. Overall,
there have been at least 28 reported cases across the country, with the first
case being reported in late November.
Tobacco - the Killer
Tobacco use killed 100 million people worldwide in the 20th century and
could kill one billion people in the 21st unless governments act now to dramatically
reduce it, the World Health Organization said in a report. Governments around
the world collect more than $200 billion in tobacco taxes every year but spend
less than one fifth of 1 percent of that revenue on tobacco control, it said.
The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 calls on all countries
to dramatically increase efforts to prevent young people from beginning to
smoke, help smokers quit, and protect nonsmokers from exposure to second hand
smoke. It urges governments to adopt six "tobacco control policies"
-- raise taxes and prices of tobacco; ban tobacco advertising, promotion and
sponsorship; protect people from second hand smoke; warn people about the
dangers of tobacco; help those who want to quit smoking; and monitor tobacco
use to understand and reverse the epidemic.
WHO called the rise in tobacco use by younger women "one of the most ominous
potential developments of the epidemic's growth." Only 86 of 193 countries
surveyed have recent data on tobacco use for both adults and youths. Seventy-four
countries still allow smoking in health care institutions and about the same
number allow smoking in schools. And more than half the countries, with two-thirds
of the world's population, allow smoking in government offices and workplaces,
the report said. Only two countries -- Uruguay and New Zealand -- had
both comprehensive smoke-free laws and high enforcement, it said. For the
tobacco industry to survive, and keep existing customers hooked and attract
new customers, "it spends tens of billions of dollars a year on advertising,
promotion and sponsorship," WHO said.
Botox Poison Kills
The popular anti-wrinkle drug Botox and a competitor have been linked to
dangerous botulism symptoms in some users, cases so bad that a few children
given the drugs for muscle spasms have died, the government warned. Botox
is best known for minimizing wrinkles by paralyzing facial muscles. Botulinum
toxin also is widely used for a variety of muscle-spasm conditions, such as
cervical dystonia or severe neck spasms. The FDA said the deaths it is investigating
so far all involve children, mostly cerebral palsy patients being treated
for spasticity in their legs. The FDA has never formally approved that use
for the drugs, but some other countries have.
However, the FDA warned that it also is probing reports of illnesses in
people of all ages who used the drugs for a variety of conditions, including
at least one hospitalization of a woman given Botox for forehead wrinkles.
Sexually
Transmitted Oral Cancer
The sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer in women is poised
to become one of the leading causes of oral cancer in men, according to a
new study. The HPV virus now causes as many cancers of the upper throat
as tobacco and alcohol, probably due to an increase in oral sex researchers
say. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the leading cause of cervical cancer
in women. It also can cause genital warts, penile and anal cancer.
Merck's vaccine, approved for girls in 2006, is a three-dose series priced
at about $360. It is designed to protect against four types of HPV, including
one associated with oral cancer. Merck plans to seek U.S. Food and
Drug Administration approval for the vaccine in men later this year, meaning
a government decision would be likely in 2009.
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Recipes
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Low-Fat Eggplant Lasagna Recipe
INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 medium eggplant,
diced; 2 10 ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted; 1 64 ounce jar
pre-made tomato sauce; 1 pound lasagna noodles.
PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a medium
frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the garlic for two minutes, then add the
eggplant and stir. Cover the frying pan and cook until the eggplant is just
tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the bottom of a 9x12 inch baking pan
with 2 cups of the tomato sauce, then cover the tomato sauce with 4 or 5
uncooked noodles. Cover this with a thin layer of sauce, then add the cooked
eggplant and another thin layer of sauce. Add another layer of noodles followed
by a thing layer of sauce, then the spinach and another thin layer of sauce.
Add the remaining noodles and sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake
for 45-50 minutes. Noodles are cooked when they can be pierced with a fork.
Vegetarian Lasagna
INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. box lasagna noodles; 6 cups marinara sauce; 24 oz. low
fat cottage cheese;
32 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/2 cup chopped herbs (basil, oregano,
or thyme); 2 eggplants,
cut into circular slices ¼–1/8-inch thick; 6–8 zucchini, cut lengthwise
into slices 1/4–1/8-inch thick;
5–6 portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced; 2 red onions, thinly sliced; 4
tablespoons olive oil; 4 cloves garlic;
3/4 cup chopped onions; Two 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes; 1/3 cup chopped
basil.
PREPARATION: Sauté or oven-roast the vegetables until they are cooked
through.
Set aside. To make the marinara sauce, begin by heating the olive oil in
a pan over medium heat.
Add the chopped onions and stir until golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes
and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in the basil and add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In the bottom of a 16" x 12" pan (a disposable pan is best), place a layer
of dry noodles.
On top of that, add about 1/3 of the marinara sauce, about 1/2 of the cottage
cheese, and about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle herbs over the top, and add a layer of vegetables. Repeat the process.
Finish with a layer of noodles, then top with tomato sauce and a thick layer
of mozzarella cheese.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap, then wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bake
for 35 minutes, or until a knife pokes easily through the lasagna.
Remove the plastic and foil and bake at 450° for 10 minutes, or until
the top is browned.
Remove lasagna from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh
basil leaves or other fresh herbs.
http://vegetarian.about.com/
Curried Indian Chickpeas
INGREDIENTS: 1 onion, chopped, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup vegetable broth,
2 15 1/2 ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, 1 tsp curry powder,
1 tsp coriander powder or turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 3 tbsp prepared chutney,
2 15 1/2 ouce cans diced tomatoes
PREPARATION: Sautee the onion in olive oil until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Cover, and allow to cook
for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Chana Masala (Masala = Spice, Chana = Chickpeas) with Spinach
INGREDIENTS: 1 can chickpeas in water (also called garbanzo beans)
or 1 1/2 cups precooked + 1/2 cup water; 1/2 onion, diced; 3 cloved garlic,
diced; 3 tbsp olive oil; juice from one lemon, (approx 2 tbsp);
1/2 tsp cury powder; 1/2 tsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp garam
masala; 1 large bunch of spinach or two handfuls, rinsed.
PREPARATION: In a large skillet or frying pan, sautee onions and garlic
in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add chickpeas straight from
the can, including all the water. Add spices and lemon juice, cover, and
simmer about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if needed,
until chickpeas are cooked and soft. Reduce heat, add spinach and cover.
Allow spinach to wilt for 2-4 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy your chana
masala!
Samosa
INGREDIENTS: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tbsps ghee (clarified butter);
Salt to taste; 5 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed roughly; 1 tsp
cumin seeds; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp raw mango powder (aamchoor); 1/2
tsp red chilli powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; Salt to taste; Vegetable/ canola/sunflower
cooking oil for deep frying.
PREPARATION: Mix the flour with the ghee and salt to taste. Add a little
water at a time to it, to make a firm, smooth dough. Keep aside. In a pan,
heat 2 tbsps of oil and add the cumin seeds to it. When they stop spluttering,
add the coriander, tumeric, red chilli, raw mango and garam masala powders.
Fry for just a few seconds. Add the potato to this spice mixture and mix well.
Season with salt. Simmer and cook for 7-10 minutes. Keep aside. Divide
the dough you made earlier in to golf ball-sized portions. On a lightly floured
surface, roll each ball out into a circle roughly 7-8" in diameter.
Cut each circle into 2 with a sharp knife. Take one semi-circle and
lightly wet its straight edge with water. Fold it into a cone, joining this
wet edge and pressing gently to seal well. Fill this cone 3/4 full with
the potato filling made earlier. You can put any semi-dry filling you desire
into Samosas - minced meat, spinach, etc. Lightly wet the open edges
of the cone and press together to seal well. Use all the dough up in a similiar
manner. Deep fry the Samosas till golden. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with Tamarind Chutney and Mint-Coriander Chutney.
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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
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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.
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