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Issue 123
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5109 Kali Era, Sarvajit
Year, Phalguna
month
2065
Vikramarka Era, Sarvajit
Year,
Phalguna
month
1929
Salivahana
Era, Sarvajit
Year, Phalguna
month
2008
AD, March
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Contents
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Home
Management
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MS
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Soliciataion
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VPC
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Links
Vedah
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Diet
and Exercise
Belly Fat and Dementia Risk
Abdominal fat can increase your risk for Alzheimer's disease, even if you're
not overweight. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people
in their forties who store a lot of fat in their abdomens have a higher risk
of developing Alzheimer's disease or other type of dementia later in life.
The researchers observed the risk even in people who weren't overweight.
The study looked at data from medical check-ups on men and women age 40 to
45. Their belly size was measured as part of the exam. An average of 36 years
later, the researchers examined medical records to see which of the participants
had dementia. Those who had a normal body weight and high belly measurement
were 89% more likely to have dementia. Overweight people with low belly measurements
had an 82% higher risk of dementia, and overweight people with high belly
measurements had double the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Among obese participants,
those with low belly measurements had an 81% greater chance of developing
dementia, while those with high belly fat had more than three times the risk
of developing dementia.
Woody Allen said: "My brain? That's my second favorite organ." Perhaps he's
speaking only from the male perspective, but the brain ranks highly in importance
for both sexes. Don't lose it to dementia or other disease.
Get moving. Get as much aerobic exercise as you and your doctor think you
can tolerate, which ideally would include brisk walking for thirty minutes
five days a week. Try to include strength training several days a week, either
using weights or resistance mechanisms. A new highly recommended exercise
is ballroom dancing, which is good for your mind as well as your body.
The Fish Myth
According to Dr. Blaylock, you can't count on government agencies like the
FDA (which regulates commercial seafood) and the EPA (which regulates fish
from sports fishing) to protect you. He says they don't share their concerns
over contaminants with us — the general public — through the media or through
public alerts. Why? Because they tread a very thin line trying to protect
the public, while at the same time not wanting to destroy the seafood industry.
After all, commercial fishing is our nation's oldest industry, and also the
world's last remaining industry for a truly wild food resource.
Unfortunately, independent studies have shown that methylmercury (the type
of mercury found in seafood) is highly toxic to many of your organs and tissues
— and especially to the developing brain of fetuses and newborns. And mercury
tends to accumulate in fatty parts of the body (your brain is about 60% fat)
and remain for decades. Mercury triggers chronic brain inflammation and plays
havoc with your immune system.
Even Dr. Blaylock agrees on the importance of omega-3 oils, the healthy oil
found in seafood and many other vegetable sources, such as, but not limited
to, flaxseed, walnuts, almonds, verdelago etc. Omega-3 has been associated
with dramatic reductions in heart-related deaths, strokes, cancer, and arthritis
pain.
Folate
Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets
have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm, according
to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley,
and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
An estimated 1 to 4 percent of a healthy male's sperm has abnormal numbers
of chromosomes, or aneuploidy, that are caused by errors during cell division
(meiosis) in the testis. However, the causes of these errors are not well
understood. If these abnormal sperm fertilize a normal egg, there would either
be a miscarriage or a fetus with a chromosomal disorder such as trisomy,
in which cells have three rather than the normal two copies of a given chromosome.
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in a wide range
of foods, particularly liver, leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and legumes.
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, can have up to 100 micrograms of
folate per serving. It is needed during the synthesis of DNA, RNA and
proteins, and it is necessary for the production of new cells. Folate
also helps keep in check levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that, when
elevated, is linked to heart disease.
Studies have shown that adequate intake of folate by women just before and
during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects,
such as spina bifida or anencephaly. It may be worthwhile to increase the
U.S. recommended daily allowance of folate for men considering fatherhood
from the current level to 400 micrograms per day, the researchers said.
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Miscellaneous
Drug Pollution
A vast array of pharmaceuticals, including prescription drugs and over the
counter drugs, such as antibiotics, anti-convulsants, pain killers,
mood stabilizers and sex hormones, have been found in the drinking water
supplies of at least 41 million Americans, according to an Associated Press
investigation.
Sick people take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the
rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater
is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then,
some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and
piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue. The
AP's investigation also indicates that watersheds, the natural sources of
most of the nation's water supply, also are contaminated. Tests were conducted
in the watersheds of 35 of the 62 major providers surveyed by the AP, and
pharmaceuticals were detected in 28.
Even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don't necessarily
avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which simply repackage tap water, do not
typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry's
main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems.
Contamination is not confined to the United States. More than 100 different
pharmaceuticals have been detected in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and streams
throughout the world. Studies have detected pharmaceuticals in waters throughout
Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe — even in Swiss lakes and the North Sea.
For example, in Canada, a study of 20 Ontario drinking water treatment plants
by a national research institute found nine different drugs in water samples.
Japanese health officials in December called for human health impact studies
after detecting prescription drugs in drinking water at seven different sites.
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/21291/723521.html?d=dmtICNNews
C-Section
The proportion of babies delivered by C-section has increased dramatically
in recent decades in the United States and many other countries. Doctors
who use age, weight and other factors to predict if a pregnant woman will
need a Caesarian section to deliver her baby have a new gauge: the length
of the cervix, researchers said. The cervix closes off the uterus, where
the baby is growing. Researchers in Britain say their study of more than
27,000 pregnancies found that women with the longest cervixes were more likely
to need surgery to deliver their child.
The C-section rate was 25.7 percent for women with a cervix between 40 and
67 millimeters, 21.7 percent for 36 to 39 millimeters, 18.4 percent for 31
to 35 millimeters and 16 percent with a cervical length of 16 to 30 millimeters.
An inch is about 25 millimeters. Eight hospitals in and around London participated
in the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Length was
measured with ultrasound in the 22nd, 23rd or 24th week of pregnancy.
Avoid Medication
We’ve gotten used to taking pills for everything that ails us, but medications
have side effects and cost money. The April 2008 issue of the Harvard Health
Letter takes a look at how to manage seven common conditions without taking
medication. It takes some discipline, but in many cases, the nonpharmacological
approach can do as much as pills.
Here’s a brief look at the conditions and treatments.
Arthritis
There’s a good chance that losing weight will make arthritis less painful.
Combine weight loss with exercise and you may have less pain and more mobility.
Even for those who don’t need to lose weight, exercise that doesn’t put “load”
on the joints reduces pain.
Cholesterol
Your LDL level may drop by 5% or so if you keep foods high in saturated fat
off the menu. Additional soluble fiber may reduce LDL levels as well. So
can margarines fortified with sterols.
Cognitive decline
Memory training and other “brain exercises” seem to help healthy older people
stay sharp. But physical exercise may benefit the brain more than mental
gymnastics.
Depression
Studies have shown that regular physical activity can have a potent antidepressant
effect.
Diabetes
Regular physical activity is a powerful brake on blood sugar levels as well,
because exercised muscle becomes more receptive to the insulin that helps
it pull sugar in from the bloodstream. Eating fewer sweets and easy-to-digest
carbohydrates also helps control blood sugar levels.
High blood pressure
Losing weight, getting more exercise, and eating less sodium all lower blood
pressure.
Osteoporosis
Weight-bearing exercise puts stress on bones, and bone tissue reacts by getting
stronger and denser, fending off osteoporotic processes. Extra vitamin D
and calcium top the list of dietary recommendations.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080324202826.htm
Drosophila Shares Our Genes
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago managed the feat of
drawing blood from a fruit fly and say their method could expedite understanding
of the physiology of important insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, the
common laboratory fruit fly that shares almost three-quarters of its genetic
code with humans, which could provide substantial benefits for neuroscientists.
Under a microscope, the researchers managed to scrape an incision along the
body of a fruit fly larva causing it to leak hemolymph -- insect blood --
onto the underlying collecting plate, and then vacuum it up through a narrow
tube, getting enough sample for analysis. The technique enabled them to gather
from 50 to 300 nanoliters -- billionths of a liter -- of fluid, about one-thousandth
of a drop, without significant evaporation, even when performed in open-air
conditions that are prone to evaporation. Traditional methods require
that several flies or larvae be homogenized to obtain a large enough sample
for analysis. In the new method, only a single larva is used, and only one
biological fluid, the hemolymph, is extracted. The method opens up the possibility
to study an individual, rather than a general population, to learn how body
chemistry affects neurological function. Fruit flies serve as particularly
good laboratory animals because of their ability to quickly breed new generations,
including ones with genetic mutations that are analogues to genes that cause
human diseases.
Cheaper
Alternatives are Not Good Enough
You are offered two painkillers, one selling at full price for $2.50 per
pill and the other for 10 cents each. In most phases of life we all look
for bargains but when the issue is health, the cheaper version may not work
as well for you, according to a recent study by the Stanford Graduate School
of Business. Cheaper products are less successful at stopping pain.
It has long been known that consumers’ beliefs and expectations influence
their judgment of products and services. In a separate recent study that
measured reactions of brain pleasure centers, wine drinkers experienced more
pleasure when sipping a vintage they believed was more expensive. The
experiment may help explain why some high-cost medical therapies are popular
when inexpensive alternatives are available, such as prescription painkillers
versus over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Advertising,
if done well, can also give rise to a positive placebo effect. http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/knowledgebase.html.
Clues to Sexual
Evolution
A new study in the journal PLoS shows that there are great similarities between
the parts of DNA that determine the sex of plants and animals and the parts
of DNA that determine mating types in certain fungi. This makes fungi interesting
as new model organisms in studies of the evolutionary development of sex
chromosomes.
There are three eukaryote kingdoms (organisms with DNA gathered in the cell
nucleus), plants, animals and fungi. In the plant and animal kingdoms
there are individuals of different sexes, that is, bearers of either many
tiny sex cells (males) or a few large ones (females). In the fungi kingdom,
there are no sexes but rather a simpler system of different male and female
gametes that mate. These are distinguished by different variants of a few
specific genes.
There are many ways to determine sex. In humans it is done by sex chromosomes.
It is thought that this sex difference arose in the plant and animal kingdom
from the simpler system of mating types and that this happened several times
independently of each other throughout evolution. The change is believed
to have happened with the inhibition of a step in the copying process in
DNA, which led to two separate chromosomes. These then developed further
over a long period of time.
Kidney
Disease
Kidney disease can be a stealthy killer, slowly damaging organs over many
years before causing recognizable symptoms. Fortunately, you can take
steps to forestall, or slow, kidney disease:
- Control high blood pressure and diabetes. Lowering
both can cut the risk of kidney disease.
- If you have diabetes, take ACE inhibitors (Prinivil,
Zestril) or ARBs (Atacand) to protect your kidneys.
- Don’t take medications, especially pain relievers,
in high doses each day. Ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), can be especially
damaging to kidneys. In rare cases, some statin drugs such as atorvastatin
(Lipitor) and lovastatin (Mevacor) can harm muscles which then release a
protein that harms kidneys.
- When taking any medicine, follow all instructions
carefully.
- Inform your doctor of all medicines you take on a
regular basis, including supplements.
- Prevent kidney stones, which can damage kidneys in
addition to being extremely painful, by drinking liquids, especially water.
Avoid excess colas, which may help stones form.
- Cut down on salt. Kidney damage reduces the kidneys’
ability to excrete salt. Reducing salt also lowers blood pressure.
- Keep your weight in check. If you have kidney disease,
being overweight increases the risk of kidney failure two to five times faster
than those of normal weight.
- Limit your intake of protein. Too much protein can
stress already burdened kidneys.
Eat a healthy daily diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid high-fat,
salty and sugary foods.
Exercise regularly.
Monitor blood pressure to keep it in the normal range of 120 systolic over
80 diastolic.
Keep track of blood glucose levels if there's a personal or family history
of diabetes.
Keep a record of questions to ask your health provider and be assertive in
getting answers.
Take medications as prescribed and alert health providers about any problems.
Be aware of warning signs of kidney failure, such as more frequent urination,
particularly at night; difficult or painful urination; and puffiness around
the eyes and swelling of the hands and feet. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-dialysis_box_bd30mar30,1,2721786.story
Delhi: Medical Tourism
The number of Americans heading abroad for medical
procedures is surging as the country's 46 million people without health insurance
look for treatment they can afford and cash-strapped U.S. companies struggle
to find cheaper ways to provide high-quality medical care to their employees,
according to the American Medical Association.
Mexico has long attracted American travelers looking for cut-rate cosmetic
surgery or dental work, and countries like Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines
continue to lure medical tourists as well. But India, 15 hours away from
the U.S. by plane, is fast becoming the destination of choice for patients
seeking complicated high-end procedures they can't afford or can't manage
to schedule with a doctor they trust at home. These include things like heart
surgery, organ transplants and orthopedic procedures like knee replacement
or hip resurfacing.
Last year, the South Asian giant attracted 150,000 medical tourists from
the United States, Britain, Africa and elsewhere in South Asia, largely by
offering an enticing trio of advantages: highly trained English-speaking
doctors, quick appointments and bargain-basement prices. In India, a heart
bypass goes for $10,000 and a hip replacement for $9,000, compared with $130,000
and $43,000 respectively in the United States, the AMA said.
India's initial rush of patients, however, may be nothing compared with what
is to come. According to the AMA, major U.S. employers and insurers are exploring
whether they could hold down soaring health-care costs by shipping their
workers halfway across the world for elective surgery.
Traveling to India for medical care is not without its problems, of course.
The country may be increasingly known for its well-educated workers, high-tech
call centers and new wealth, but squalor and chaos are still regular features
of life.
Malpractice laws are weaker, leaving patients who run into problems while
being treated with little legal recourse. Patients may struggle to find U.S.
doctors willing to take on after-surgery care once they return home. And
the flight to India may be difficult—even in business class —for anyone with
a serious medical problem.
But India is working hard to make traveling for surgery as appealing as possible
for foreigners. The country recently created a special medical visa classification
for tourists seeking health care. Some top-of-the-line hospitals and hotels
are teaming up to build joint facilities. And many hospitals and medical
tourism sales firms offer package deals—from airport pickup to translators
and airline bookings—designed to insulate visitors from some of the country's
more trying aspects.
At Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, one of the most popular medical tourism
facilities in the country, the cavernous open-air foyer surges with a United
Nations of patients: turbaned Sikhs, women in form-fitting bright West African
garb, hip young Chinese women in low-slung jeans, Indian mothers cradling
their newborns and Afghan patients in woolen pakul hats.
Upstairs on the fifth floor, a spacious modern lobby gives way to air-conditioned
hospital rooms that would look at home anywhere in the United States. Appetizing-looking
club sandwiches—not curry —glide in and out of the rooms on trays delivered
by attendants.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-medical-tourism_goeringmar28,1,5552555.story
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Recipes
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Yellow Thai Curry with
Mixed Vegetables
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup vegetable broth; 1 cup coconut milk; 1 potato, pre-cooked
and chopped; 2 carrots, pre-cooked and sliced; 1 cup broccoli; 1/2 head cauliflower,
chopped; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced, 1 tsp sugar, 3 cloves garlic,
minced; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp curry powder; 3 tbsp chili sauce; 1/3 tsp
salt
PREPARATION: Bring the coconut milk and vegetable broth to a slow simmer.
Add the potatoes and vegetables and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add
the remaining ingredients and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Serve over rice
if desired.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/thaifoodrecipes/r/yellowthai.htm
Easy Mexican
Rice Recipe
INGREDIENTS: 1 onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup olive oil;
1/2 tsp ginger; 1/2 tsp ground coriander; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 tsp
pepper; 2 cups white rice; 3 cups diced or pureed tomatoes; 2 tsp salt; 1
1/2 cups water
PREPARATION: Sautee the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes,
until onions are soft. Add the ginger, coriander, cloves and pepper
and stir to combine. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the tomatoes,
salt and water and stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25
to 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is done cooking.
Mexican Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil; 1 green bell pepper, sliced into
thin strips; 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips; 1 yellow bell pepper,
sliced into strips; 1/2 tsp cumin; dash salt and pepper, to taste; 1/2 tsp
lime juice; 2 1/2 cups cheese, grated; 8 tortillas; salsa (optional).
PREPARATION: Cook the pepper in oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
Add cumin, salt and pepper and lime juice and cook until peppers are just
soft, about 5 minutes. Place 4 flour tortillas flat on a baking pan. Place
a large spoonful or a thin layer of peppers on a flour tortilla. Add a thick
layer of cheese and cover with another flour tortilla. Bake at 375
degrees for about ten minutes, or until cheese has melted. Slice into fourths
or 6 pie pieces, like a pizza. Top with salsa if desired. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/cheesepepper.htm?nl=1
Vegan Quiche
INGREDIENTS: 1 onion, chopped; 6-8 mushrooms, sliced; 3 cloves garlic; 1
tbsp olive oil; 8 oz frozen shortcrust pastry; 1/2 block firm tofu; 1 tsp
soy milk; salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese; 3-4 tomatoes,
sliced thin.
PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the onion, mushrooms and
garlic in oil until soft, about 3 to minutes. Press the pastry into
a quiche dish and bake for 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor,
process the tofu, soy milk and salt and pepper until smooth. Mix together
the tofu and veggies and add the vegan cheese. Gently pour into baked pastry.
Layer the sliced tomatoes across the top of the quiche. Bake for 50
minutes to an hour, or until done. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/breakfastrecipe1/r/basicquiche.htm?nl=1
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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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