Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Health

  • Facebook can worsen or improve mental health

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    Facebook can either help people recover from mental health problems or make their symptoms worse, a new research shows, adding that the key is to use the social networking tool cautiously and strategically. While some participants in the study found that having a Facebook profile played a part in rebuilding their identities after a mental…

  • Eating out linked to high BP

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     Love to eat out often — Take care because this may not go down well with your blood pressure, says a new study. Eating meals away from home has been shown to be associated with higher caloric intake, higher saturated fat intake and higher salt intake. These eating patterns are thought to cause high blood…

  • The shorter you are, more your risk of coronary heart disease.

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    That’s the key finding of a new study led by the University of Leicester which discovered that every 2.5 inches change in your height affected your risk of coronary heart disease by 13.5%. For example, compared to a 5ft 6inch tall person, a 5 foot tall person on average has a 32% higher risk of…

  • NHS doctors turn heat on Tories

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    As medical and public health professionals our primary concern is for all patients. We invite voters to consider carefully how the NHS has fared over the last five years, and to use their vote to ensure that the NHS in England is reinstated’  Several prominent doctors in the NHS have accused the coalition government of a…

  • Depressed should avoid Facebook

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     Are you feeling depressed lately after spending most of your time on Facebook? Stop comparing yourself with successful peers and use the website only for sharing memories and information with new and old friends. According to a researcher from University of Houston, social comparison paired with the amount of time spent on Facebook may be…

  • Peanuts with meal good off heart

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    Including peanut in a high-fat meal may protect your heart from the negative effects of such a diet, suggests a new study. Peanuts can be substituted for high-fat, nutrient-poor foods in the diet that contain solid fats, said the study recently presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s 79th scientific sessions and annual meeting in…

  • Most parents can’t see obesity in their kids

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    Parents of obese children may not be able to recognise that their kid is overweight unless they are at very extreme levels of obesity, new research led by an Indian-origin scientist shows. Moreover, the study published in the British Journal of General Practice found that parents are additionally more likely to underestimate their child’s weight…

  • High-fat diet can alter your behaviour

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    High-fat diet can affect brain health and promote changes in your behaviour, including increased anxiety, impaired memory, and repetitive behaviour, warns a new study. The findings published in the journal Biological Psychiatry suggest that even those who are not obese should avoid fatty foods to stave of diet-induced psychiatric disorders. High-fat diet produces changes in…

  • NRI develops new imaging technique

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    A new imaging technique developed by an Indian American scientist will allow pathologists a peek into the structures of tissues and cells, enabling quicker and better diagnostic assessments. Rohit Bhargava, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois, led the team of researchers that developed the new technique that uses a combination of advanced…

  • Cancer treatment breakthrough by NRI professor

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    Queen’s University cancer researcher Madhuri Koti has discovered a biomarker that will help lead to better predictions of the success of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. Biomarkers are an indicator of a biological state or condition, and the discovery could lead to better treatment options in the fight against ovarian cancer, according to a press…

  • Britain at risk of mosquito-borne diseases

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    Climate change could accelerate the emergence of vector-borne diseases such as chikungunya, dengue fever, and West Nile virus in Britain, says a new study. The findings detailed in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases indicate that vector-borne diseases, which are transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, are on the rise and have spread…

  • Ayurveda a hit among Moscow women

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    Ayurveda has been a big hit in Russian capital Moscow, with many women who were looking at alternate health care practices asking about it during the country’s largest tourism fair. The public and industry representatives streamed into the Kerala Tourism stall during the four-day 22nd Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT) that ended .…

  • Sir Edward supports medical campaign

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    Sir Edward Garnier, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, joined the British Heart Foundation to deliver a life-saving petition to get CPR taught in schools. The BHF is calling on the UK Government and education authorities to help create a Nation of Lifesavers and make CPR a mandatory part of secondary education. The campaign has…

  • Damaged heart has good hope

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    In a development that could pave the way for heart tissue regeneration, US and Chinese scientists claim to have successfully used a tiny molecule that fine-tunes gene expression to stimulate the mouse heart to grow new cells. Unlike other organs, the adult human heart lacks the ability to form new cells and repair damage after…

  • Kidney ailments to affect more

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    Over 5 mn will undergo dialysis, kidney transplant by 2030: Study The number of people receiving treatment for advanced kidney failure – such as dialysis or kidney transplant – will double to over five million by 2030, mostly in developing regions such as Asia and Africa, a study said on Saturday. Renal replacement therapy (RRT),…

  • US researchers develop custom blood cells

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      In a first, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University have successfully engineered custom blood cells after correcting a genetic error in stem cells from patients with sickle cell disease. “It may be possible in the not-too-distant future to provide patients with sickle cell disease with an exciting new treatment option,” said Linzhao Cheng, member…

  • Modi launches India developed Rotavirus vaccine

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  launched Rotavirus vaccine Rotavac, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. Billed as one of the first novel vaccines to be developed completely in the developing world, it is expected to help in significant reduction in infant deaths due to Rotavirus diarrhoea in India and other parts of the world. Krishna Ella, chairman…

  • Onion extract lowers blood sugar, cholesterol

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    Combined with the antidiabetic drug metformin, an onion extract can help lower high blood glucose (sugar) and total cholesterol levels among diabetics, says a study. The onion extract used for the experiment in rats was a crude preparation from onion bulb. “We need to investigate the mechanism by which onion brought about the blood glucose…

  • WHO to begin Ebola vaccination trials

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     The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that it will begin conducting Ebola vaccination trials in Guinea this week to test whether the vaccine is effective to prevent Ebola. The phase III trial in one of the world’s most affected countries by Ebola will start on March 7 to test the VSV-EBOV vaccine for efficacy and…

  • Cartilage from stem cells created

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    Providing a ray of hope for arthritis patients, scientists have succeeded in producing cartilage formed from embryonic stem cells. In future, this may be used to treat the painful joint condition osteoarthritis. Scientists have developed a protocol under strict lab conditions to grow and transform embryonic stem cells into cartilage cells (also known as chondrocytes).…

  • Youth obesity linked with high BP

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    As the number of overweight adolescents go up, so does the number of youth with high blood pressure, a study shows. Body mass index (BMI) in adolescents has a statistically significant association with both systolic blood pressures (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP), the findings showed. “An important finding in our analysis is that BMI…

  • Top Asian Doctors Defend NHS Services

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    Asian Lite published a column by Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chair of the BMA council and a GP of 30 years service, challenging the NHS reforms of the coalition government. Here four prominent doctors –Dr Sheo B Tibrewal, Dr Johnson D’souza,  Dr Priyada Pandya and Dr Bashir Qureshi – supporting the reforms introduced by the…

  • Britain to study children from cradle to grave

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    Britain has launched an ambitious study that will follow 80,000 children from cradle to grave to prepare healthy individuals for the future. The “Life Study” project aims to track a generation of 21st century babies and work out which factors in their early lives are important in shaping their health and wealth as they grow…

  • Arsenic risk high with formula milk

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    In the first study of urinary arsenic in babies, Dartmouth College researchers have found that formula-fed infants had higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants. The researchers measured arsenic in home tap water, urine from 72 six-week-old infants and breast milk from nine women in New Hampshire. Urinary arsenic was 7.5 times lower for breast-fed than…

  • Eggs, meat won’t give you bad cholesterol: Study

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    Much to the delight of egg and meat lovers, a US advisory health panel has determined that dietary restrictions may not affect the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. The recommendations may mark a major shift in dietary habits of some people as they have long been warned against eating high-cholesterol food such as…

  • Swine flu have claimed 703 lives in India

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  has asked health officials to ensure necessary treatment and adequate medicines for swine flu patients while affected states have been offered central assistance even as the death toll due to the disease reached 703. A high-level meeting, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, was convened here to review the situation and…

  • India-Britain to minimise antibiotics abuse

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      In a landmark India-Britain collaboration, scientists are seeking to address the problem of antibiotics abuse. The UK-Indian Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimising the Indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA) will focus on research in anti-microbial resistance (AMR). This will be led by the University of Sheffield and University of Bradford to establish smart materials for…

  • British women at higher dementia risk

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     Dementia is now a leading cause of death among British women and they are far more likely to end up suffering from physical and emotional stress, and consequent job losses, find researchers. “Women are dying from dementia but not before it has taken a considerable toll on minds and bodies. In Britain, dementia hits women…

  • Coconut oil can beat high BP

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    A combination of daily coconut oil intake and exercise training results in reduction in blood pressure and bringing it to normal level, says a research. The reduction in blood pressure might be explained by the improvement of the reduced baroreflex sensitivity and by the reduction in oxidative stress in the serum, heart and aorta –…

  • Loneliness haunts most people in England

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    Loneliness and isolation were the most widespread social problems in England, afflicting wealthy and deprived sections alike, the country’s clergy said in a survey. According to the survey published by the Church Urban Fund and the Church of England, social isolation was listed as a more common problem than unemployment, homelessness and poor housing by…

  • Britain pledges millions to Ebola fund

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    The British government has pledged nearly 33 million pounds (approx $50 million) to a new Ebola fund, BBC reported. The money will allow the three severely affected West African countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – to devote more spending to fight the outbreak. Chancellor George Osborne said Britain was the first country to…

  • E-cigarettes compromise the immune system

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    E-cigarettes compromise the immune system in the lungs and generate some of the same potentially dangerous chemicals found in traditional nicotine cigarettes, says a team of researchers including an Indian-origin scientist. “Our findings suggest that e-cigarettes are not neutral in terms of the effects on the lungs,” said senior author Shyam Biswal, professor at the…

  • Tobacco biggest cause of cancer

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    Tobacco is the single most important factor which causes cancer, but the disease can be prevented by taking simple steps like eating a healthy diet, managing obesity and proper exposure to the sun, say experts. Vinit Talwar of the capital’s Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute said while in women, cancer is caused due to over exposure…

  • New BP guidelines to avoid heart disease

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    If new hypertension guidelines are followed sincerely, it could help us significantly prevent deaths owing to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) each year without increasing overall health care costs, an analysis conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found. “Our findings clearly show that it would be worthwhile to significantly increase spending on office visits,…

  • Ebola toll nearly 8,800: WHO

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     The number of people killed by the Ebola virus disease has reached 8,795, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. A total of 22,057 cases of the Ebola virus disease have been reported, WHO said in a statement Tuesday. In line with statistics, the maximum number of Ebola-related deaths has been registered in Liberia. There…

  • Bone stem cells may regenerate bones

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    Indian-American researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has identified stem cells that are capable of regenerating both bone and cartilage in bone marrow of mice. The cells called osteochondroreticular (OCR) stem cells were discovered by tracking a protein expressed by the cells. Using this marker, Mukherjee and his team found that OCR…

  • Key cancer-promoting gene discovered

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    A team of researchers, including an Indian-origin scientist, has discovered a key cancer-promoting gene that may explain how a protein – TGF-beta – can prevent cancer from forming and encourage its aggressive growth. With the new insight into the cancer mystery, considered to be a major paradox of cancer biology, the findings could provide a…

  • Ebola toll exceeds 8,100: WHO

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    The number of people killed by the Ebola virus disease (EVD) has reached 8,153, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said in a statement. A total of 20,656 cases of EVD have been reported, the report released Monday said. The data refer to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to the statistics, the maximum number…

  • ‘Aspirin could tackle dementia’

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    An Australian university has been commissioned by the US-based National Institutes of Health to investigate aspirin’s anti-dementia powers, local media reported Monday. Dementia, where a person’s cognitive mind, function and memory dissolves, is one of the biggest medical challenges for elderly people. Monash University in Melbourne has begun a 50 million Australian dollar ($41 million)…

  • Broken heart takes months to heal

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    How much time does it take to heal a broken heart? According to a new survey, most adults take just about three months or 11 weeks to see that the break-up turns positive. For the results, researchers studied 155 young adults who had experienced failed relationships recently. They found that 71 percent of them agreed…

  • Yoga a potential therapy for cardiovascular disease: Study

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    A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials has concluded that the popular mind-body practice of yoga can be a potential therapy for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Out of 1,404 records, 37 randomised controlled trials were included in the systematic review and 32 in the meta-analysis. Compared to non-exercise participants, yoga showed significant…

  • Social networking platform to help insomniacs

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    An expert from Loughborough University in Britain has developed a social network platform called ‘Sleepful’ to help insomniacs access online a promising “talking therapy”. Called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the therapy is based on evidence that falling asleep is strongly influenced by two psychological processes – learning and thinking. Good sleepers learn to…

  • India opens Green corridor for transplants

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     The heart of a brain dead one year and 10-month-old infant was harvested here and flown to Chennai  by a special aircraft to be transplanted in a two year and eight-months-old child, in record time, thanks to the ‘green corridor’ the city traffic police opened up for the emergency operation. “We got a call from…

  • A hug a day keeps the doctor away

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     It may not be a far-fetched idea to replace apple a day with a hug as researchers have found that more frequent hugs protect stressed people from getting sick. The team from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) found that greater social support and more frequent hugs protected people from the increased susceptibility to infection associated with…

  • Diabetes UK & Tesco unveil eating guide

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    Diabetes UK and Tesco have teamed up to launch a new healthy eating guide available in combined English, Urdu, Bengali and Guajarati. The Enjoy Food guide will help South Asian families with diabetes shop, cook and eat well, and take the uncertainty out of cooking with diabetes. It offers nutritional advice and recipes as well…

  • ‘Poor sanitation conditions killing mothers, babies’

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    Lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene in birth settings is killing mothers and newborns in the developing world, shows a new study. A boy waits for filling tanks with clean water at al-Ajlub district, 180 km south of Yemen’s capital of Sanaa. (File photo) In a flagship paper, 16 researchers from various organisations, including the…

  • Modi urge youths to take up yoga

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      Elated over the UN decision to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday urged the youth to take up yoga “diligently and regularly”. “I have been practicing  yoga for years, and you can’t believe the positive difference it has made in my life,” he said in a…

  • Poor sleep may lead to dementia

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    Having proper sleep every night may protect your brain from degeneration as researchers have found that people who have sleep apnea or spend less time in deep sleep are at increased risk of dementia. People who do not have as much oxygen in their blood during sleep, which occurs in sleep apnea, are more likely…

  • Gene therapy holds promise for the blind

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    A new genetic therapy was found effective in restoring light responses to the degenerated retinas of mice and dogs, indicating that it may be feasible to restore some light sensitivity in blind humans. The therapy uses a virus to insert a gene for a common ion channel into blind cells of the retina and photoswitches…

  • Male smokers face greater cancer risk: Study

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    In a discovery that could possibly persuade smokers to quit, researchers at the Uppsala University in Sweden have found a strong association between smoking and the loss of the male Y chromosome in blood cells. The same team had previously shown that the loss of the Y chromosome is linked to cancer. Since only men…