Eye the window to diabetes cure

AHMEDABAD: Eyes, our windows to the world, are now emerging as a window of hope for diabetics. A team of scientists, led by Dr Per-Olof Berggren, has successfully cured Type-I diabetes

in mice by tranplanting healthy islets of langerhans, that contain insulin-producing beta cells, from the pancreas into the eyes.

Dr Berggren is head of Cell Biology and Signal Tranduction at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami, as well as professor and head of experimental endocrinology at Karolinksa Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

The revolutionary technique, which allows scientists to study the pancreatic islet function through a microscope, cured Type-I diabetes in mice in just a month. These studies have been on for the last three years and Ahmedabad may well help take it to the next stage. "It's very difficult to study islets in the pancreas or in isolation in a test tube. Eyes have a normal blood flow and we can also look in through them," said Dr Berggren, who is in Ahmedabad to attend a symposium organised by Zydus Cadila group.

Studies have now progressed to transplants in one monkey in Miami and the results have been encouraging. Ahmedabad could soon play a critical role in this pathbreaking research as Dr Berggren is in talks with Zydus Research Centre for collaborative research. The huge monkey population in the city too could swing it our way. "We could be ready to test it on human patients blinded by diabetes in two years," Dr Berggren said, adding that this technique may help study Type-II diabetes as well.

BITE THAT FIGHTS :dietician Neesha Bukht tells

From sniffles to mind-numbing migraines, you can beat it all by biting into the right foods,

— Neesha Maria Bukht is a registered dietician and ISSA trainer attached to Talwalkars

ACHES
Orange, strawberries, guavas and amla are high in Vitamin C help slow wear and tear of joints. It's also essential for the formation of collagen, a key component of cartilage and bone. The vitamin's antioxidants keeps free radicals from wreaking havoc. Two mediumsized oranges will give you the daily required dose of 120 mg.
BAD BREATH
Certain compounds in tea stop the growth of bacteria that breeds bad breath. All you need is one cup, an hour after a meal.
CONSTIPATION
Fibre-rich foods such as apples and pears help the digestive tract function regularly. Fruits that have high water content also help the digestion. Aim for 20 to 35 grams of fibre daily, which can be met by eating five servings of high-fibre fruits and vegetables. Increase your intake slowly, by just four to five grams per day, or you may experience discomfort. Drink at least two additional glasses of water every day to help push the fibre through the digestive tract.
FATIGUE
Spinach has three major nutrients that keep your energy soaring — protein, B vitamins and iron. Spinach also contains complex carbohydrates, the body's main source of energy. Its high iron content raises the haemoglobin by building red blood cells. The high levels of histidine (an amino acid) and beta-carotene (a compound that helps your body build Vitamin A) in spinach build our immunity. Have just one serving of spinach, three times a week to notice a change in energy levels.
FLATULENCE
Peppermint and fennel both work as anti-spasmodics and relax bowel muscles. This helps prevent pain caused by the build-up of gas, which gets stuck in the gastrointestinal tract when the muscles are constricted. Drinking a cup of peppermint tea or eat half teaspoon of sauf after every meal.
HEARTBURN
Ginger helps strengthen the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) — the valve that keeps stomach acid from reversing into your oesophagus and causing a burning sensation.
    Add fresh ginger to your tea or to a cup of hot water. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes, strain and drink.
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS
Fight menstrual cramps, caused by prostaglandin production, with flaxseed. The uterus reacts to prostaglandin released into the tissue by going into spasms. Flaxseed can inhibit the release of certain prostaglandin in the same way that fish does -by providing Omega-3s.
    Have one to two teaspoons of ground flaxseed daily (regardless of whether you are menstruating or not). Sprinkle it over cereals or salad, or stir it into a smoothie.
MIGRAINES
Fatty fish, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, lower the production of prostaglandin, a hormone-like chemical that induces inflammation and cause migraines. Eat 200 gm of tuna, mackerel or sardines, two to three times a week.
MOODINESS
Treat yourself to some chocolate. Chocolate is full of the amino acid L-tryptophan, which can boost the production of serotonin or the happy hormone. Limit your intake to four cubes (100 calories).
RUNNY NOSE
Lemon gives you a high amount of Vitamin C to boost your immune system. Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies, and prevents the entry of viruses. Lemon juice can single-handedly reduce the levels of histamine, the compound that causes runny noses. The juice of one lemon in a cup of tea, twice a day, is all you need.
STRESS
When you're stressed and anxious, munch low-fat foods that are high on carbohydrates. These increase production of serotonin in the brain, which helps you relax. Snack on whole-grain toast or oatmeal topped with one teaspoon of honey, popcorn or two small whole grain khakra.
STUFFY NOSE
Mustard can clear out your sinuses because it contains compounds that tear apart mucus. Hot mustard increases the blood circulation in your chest, making it easier for you to inhale and exhale. Just a teaspoon or 5 gm should do the trick.

A PILL FOR MANY ILLS : ASPIRIN

Treated meat ups childhood leukaemia risk

Vegetables Help Nullify Affect

New York: Children who regularly eat cured meats like bacon and hot dogs may have a heightened risk of leukemia, while vegetables and soy products may help protect against cancer, a new study suggests.
    Researchers found that among 515 Taiwanese children and teenagers with and without acute leukaemia, those who ate cured meats and fish more than once a week had a 74% higher risk of leukaemia than those who rarely ate these foods.
    On the other hand, kids who often ate vegetables and soy products, like tofu, had about half the leukaemia risk of their peers who shunned vegetables and soy. The findings, reported in the online journal BMC Cancer, point to an association between these foods and leukaemia risk — but do not prove cause-and-effect.
    Long-term human studies, as well as animal studies, are still needed to see what role, if any, dietary factors have in leukaemia development, explained David Christiani of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, one of the researchers of the group. However, Christiani said, based on this and previous studies, he and his colleagues recommend that children not eat high amounts of cured meats and fish.
    During the curing process, foods are preserved and flavoured by the addition of salt, sugar and chemicals called nitrites; the foods are often smoked as well. Nitrites are precursors to compounds known as nitrosamines, which are potentially cancer-promoting.
    In contrast, vegetables and soy contain antioxidants that may help neutralize those same compounds. Christiani and his colleagues found that among children who regularly ate cured meats and fish, those who also ate vegetables or soy products had a substantially lower leukaemia risk. Cured meats included foods like bacon, ham and hot dogs, as well as Chinese staples like dried salted duck, salted fish and Chinese-style sausage. REUTERS

Healthy hair secrets

Toss those tresses and you're giving away the state of your health.Your hair is a surefire indicator of just how healthy you are. And chances are, if you're facing a hair problem, you also have a health problem.
    Abnormal hair fall, or growth, or excessive dryness of your hair and scalp and dandruff that refuses to clear, then you need to get professional help. Your condition may be more than just a bad hair day! Here are simple rules to get that gorgeous crown:
CLEAN HAIR:
Basic hair care starts with clean hair. Too much cleansing, however, can be damaging.The scalp produces an oily substance called sebum which coats each hair and keeps it looking shiny and soft. Shampoos are designed to remove excess oil, grease and dirt and to exfoliate the skin cells which clog and suffocate the hair follicles. It is important to choose a shampoo according to your hair type.
    Daily shampooing is not a problem as long as the shampoo is formulated for daily use. If your hair simply feels sweaty it is okay to simply rinse out the sweat too. Shampooing does not cause hair loss, nor does excess sebum clog the hair follicles.
BRUSHING AND COMBING THE HAIR:
Never comb or brush wet hair, as it is more susceptible to stretching and breaking when wet. Finger comb it in gentle massage-like movements.Wait until it is damp before styling. A two minute brushing, stroking and combing routine is sufficient massage exercise for the scalp.This will help distribute natural hair oils and improve blood circulation. More than this will over-stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause oiliness. Never use force while brushing, always brush with gentle outward strokes.
HAIR OIL:
Hair oil is the only hair & scalp conditioner in the world. Contrary to the myth that hair oil does nothing but attract grime and which a lot of specialists endorse, regular oiling is a must. One should apply oil and leave it for a minimum of 4 hours and maximum 24 hours. One should also avoid going out with hair oil on, as oil along with dust particles may clog the pores. Condition your hair by oiling it at least twice a week.
REGULAR HAIR CHECK UP:
It is a must to get a regular hair check up done as it is the body's barometer indicating good health or the lack of it. It can be an early indicator of many diseases such as: l Thyroid problems l Parathyroid problem l Addisons disease l Cushing's syndrome l Anemia l Dietary and mineral deficiency l Hormonal imbalance l Ovarian cyst disease l Tooth problems (Inputs from Mumbai-based Trichologist Dr Apurva Shah)

Holistic Healing Of Mind And Body

Disease will never be cured or eradicated by only the present materialistic methods, for the simple reason that disease in its origin is not material. What we know as disease is an ultimate result produced in the body, the end product of deep and longacting forces. Even if material treatment alone is apparently successful, it is a temporary relief unless the real cause has been removed.
    Misinterpreting the true nature of disease and perceiving it in materialistic terms in the physical body is not healing. It distracts your thoughts from your true origin and hence from the effective method of treatment and, secondly, localising treatment to the body obscures true hope of recovery and raises a mighty disease complex of fear, which never should have existed.
    Disease is in essence the result of conflict between Soul and Mind, and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort. Such efforts can cure and prevent disease by removing those basic factors which are its primary cause. No effort directed to the body alone can do more than superficially repair damage, and in this there is no cure, since the cause is still operative and may at any moment again demonstrate its presence in another form.
    In many cases, apparent recovery is harmful, since it hides from the patient the true cause of his trouble, and in the satisfaction of apparently renewed health the real factor, being unnoticed, may gain in strength. The patient who knows, or who is by some wise physician instructed in, the nature of the adverse spiritual or mental forces at work, if that patient directly attempts to neutralise those forces, health improves as soon as this is successfully begun, and when it is completed the disease will disappear. This is true healing.
    Five hundred years before Christ, some physicians of ancient India, working under the influence of Lord Buddha, advanced the art of healing to so perfect a state that they were able to abolish surgery, although the surgery of their time was possibly as efficient, or more so, than that of the present day. Such men as Hippocrates with his mighty ideals of healing, Paracelsus with his certainty of the divinity in man, and Hahnemann who realised that disease originated in a plane above the physical —all these knew much of the real nature and remedy of suffering.
    What untold misery would have been spared during the last 20 centuries had the teaching of these great masters of their art been followed! But, as in other things, materialism has appealed too strongly to the western world, and for so long a time, that the voices of the practical obstructors have risen above the advice of those who knew the truth.
    Disease, though apparently so cruel, is in itself beneficent and for our good and, if rightly interpreted, it will guide us to our essential faults. If properly treated, it will be the cause of the removal of those faults and leave us better and greater than before. Suffering is a corrective to point out a lesson which by other means we have failed to grasp, and never can it be eradicated until that lesson is learnt.
    Disease may be prevented before its onset — or aborted in its earlier stages — if proper corrective spiritual and mental efforts be undertaken. Nor need anyone despair in any case, however severe, for the fact that the individual is still granted physical life indicates that the Soul who rules is not without hope.
    Excerpted from the writer's book, Heal Thyself.

Space tours make bones brittle

Washington: Astronauts who spend months in space tend to lose bone strength, making them increasingly vulnerable to fractures in later life.
    Universities of California (UC) Irvine and San Francisco evaluated 13 astronauts who spent four to six months on the International Space Station and found that, on average, their hipbone strength decreased by 14%.
    Three astronauts experienced losses of 20% to 30%, rates comparable to those seen in older women with osteoporosis.
    These results alarmed researchers because they revealed a greater rate of bone deterioration than previously measured using less powerful technologies.
    Orthopaedic researchers looking into the effects of long-duration spaceflight usually study the hipbone or spine. The hip experiences the greatest rate of bone loss in space, and a hip fracture almost always requires hospitalisation and major surgery.
    It can impair a person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Fractures of the vertebra also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain and deformity.
    "If preventive measures are not taken, some of our astronauts may be at increased risk for age-related fractures decades after their missions," said Joyce Keyak of UC Irvine, biomedical engineering professor, who led the study.
    For as long as there have been astronauts, researchers have studied why the microgravitational environment of space makes bones more fragile. While previous studies looked at bone mineral density, this study is the first to specifically evaluate bone strength.
    Keyak and her colleagues used a novel computer programme she developed over the past 20 years to identify hipbone fracture risk in people with osteoporosis. The study team used this programme to analyse structurally the hipbone CT scans of one female and 12 male International Space Centre crewmembers, said an UCI release.
    To lessen the effects, space station astronauts must exercise at least two hours every day and undergo weeks of rehabilitation after their return to Earth. IANS
HEALTH HAZARDS
Long periods in space make astronauts vulnerable to a wide range of health risks

    Exposure to weightlessness affects the body upon return to gravity's pull. Muscles, heart function, blood flow, red blood cell production and the immune system are weakened when astronauts first step back onto Earth

    The common ailments are nausea, anaemia, lethargy, headaches, disorientation, fatigue, depression, motion sickness, heart palpitations, weakened defences against infectious disease and losses of blood volume, muscle mass and bone density

    In space, the loss of bone mineral is alarming. It occurs at the rate of 1% to 1.5% a month, especially from the hip and lower spine. This sharply reduces bone strength, leading to fractures in later life

    Some astronauts experience losses of 20 to 30%, rates comparable to those seen in older women with osteoporosis

    Atrip to Mars, a year or two each way, carries the risk of leaving an astronaut crippled upon return to Earth

    The best way to keep healthy is to go for strenuous exercises for at least two hours a day to build muscles during the space odyssey, and to undergo weeks of rehabilitation on return, say experts

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BACTERIA flowing in the BLADDER and the Urinary tract.

This document must be read by everybody to understand the implication of BACTERIA flowing in the BLADDER and the Urinary tract. You must keep a vigil on such occurrences as discomfort and burning sensation.......and run to have yourself examined by a Doctor before things become serious.

 

 

 

Home Remedies: White Teeth

• Brush your teeth with salt; put the salt on the toothbrush instead of regular toothpaste.
• Mix baking soda into your regular toothpaste and brush your teeth with this mixture. You should see results within weeks.
• Use lemon juice to brush your teeth.
• Hydrogen peroxide is an effective chemical used to whiten teeth. Brushing your teeth daily for one minute will give quick results.
• Take some foil and fold it to form to your teeth. Take a little toothpaste and baking soda and mix together really well. Put some of the mixture into the foil and place on your teeth. Leave on for one-hour everyday. Brush teeth normally afterwards. You will notice whiter teeth in just a few days.