health-and-beauty-tips

New Discoveries

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:01:57 +0100

A team of the Scientists at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich identified the gene, called ABCC9 that can reduce the length of time people sleep

Scientists discovered Gene HTR7 which makes People Alcoholic.Serotonin affects mood and sleep and antidepressant drugs often work by regulating it.

Scientists discovered a way to transform ordinary tissue into beating heart muscle cells. It could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for making a damaged heart to repair itself. Scientists used a zebrafish system to develop a small and robust molecule, which can transform stem cells into beating heart muscle cells.

A researcher from Australia National University discovered a new type of cell, which boosts the ability of human body to fight off infections and life threatening diseases

A team of neuroscientists found a gene that turns on when memories are stored in the brain. This discovery could help trace the exact locations of memories in the brain. It could help in creating and altering memory. The gene is called Npas4 , which is very active in the hippocampus. The animal is known to have a brain structure critical in forming long-term memories.

Dracula Therapy

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:54:49 +0100

Dracula Therapy is the latest technique in medical science, being used to fight ageing with your own blood.
The blood extracted from the patient processed with growth hormones in the laboratory is re-injected in the face with micro needles.
The blood with growth hormones then repairs and heals scars and treats wrinkled skin without chemical or surgical procedures.

This procedure was first introduced in Britain and is now available in India.

Scientists discovered Gene HTR7 which makes People Alcoholic

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:52:18 +0100

A new study done by the scientists discovered a gene HTR7, which plays a major role in making a person problem- drinker.

A Texas institute identified the serotonin receptor gene called HTR7, which was common in the brains of alcoholics. They also found that the children of problem drinkers had the same patterns of brain activity and therefore, are at the same risk of becoming alcoholics.

Scientists put more than a 1000 people with generations of problem-drinking in the family on test following which they found a strong link between drinking and the serotonin receptor gene. Serotonin affects mood and sleep and antidepressant drugs often work by regulating it.

9 foods to fight diabetes

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:51:20 +0100

Diabetes is on the rise around the world, but that doesn’t mean you’re destined to be a diabetic. In fact, according to the World Diabetes Foundation, eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and improving your living environment can prevent 80% of type 2 diabetes cases. Changing your eating habits can be hard, but you can start by including these nine easy-to-find foods in your weekly meals. They’re packed with powerful nutrients that stabilize your blood sugar levels and help keep you diabetes-free.

Green leafy veggies:

Vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens are healthy for a number of reasons. They’re low in calories but rich in nutrients like vitamin C, beta carotene, and magnesium that may help prevent diabetes by 14%.

Pulses:

Whether you prefer white beans, soybeans, or lentils, these fiber-rich foods can help stabilize blood sugar. With nearly as much protein as meat, beans are also low in saturated fat, the bad fat that can be harmful to your heart. Try replacing a serving of white rice with a serving of beans.

Fish:

This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that has been shown to help prevent diabetes by reducing inflammation in the body, lowering triglycerides, and raising levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, so eating fish a few times a week can help your heart, too.

Low-fat dairy products:

Dairy products are typically rich in calcium and protein, and low-fat versions contain low levels of saturated fat. However, research shows that low-fat yogurt can be helpful in preventing diabetes. A 2011 study found that eating a lot of yogurt significantly reduced the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Just be sure to eat plain yogurt. The ones with added sugar won’t help you prevent diabetes!

Olive oil:

This oil is a staple of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, because it’s filled with monounsaturated fatty acids. These fats, also found in nuts, are important in preventing diabetes because they may help your body control blood sugar more effectively. Use olive oil instead of butter and margarine when you cook to make your meals healthier.

Nuts:

Just like olive oil, nuts are a great way to get monounsaturated fatty acids, and they also are rich in magnesium, another diabetes-fighting nutrient. Studies show people who regularly eat nuts (usually a serving a day) have lower rates of diabetes than those who don’t. Because they are often high in calories, it’s a good idea to swap nuts for unhealthy parts of your diet, like processed snacks or red meat.

Citrus fruits:

Oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits taste delicious and offer protection from diabetes. They contain antioxidants that may help your body break down fat and balance insulin levels. Plus, they’re low in calories and a much healthier substitute for desserts!

Whole grains:

While refined grains, like white bread, crackers, and cookies, can increase your risk of diabetes, whole grains like wheat bread, quinoa, and brown rice do the exact opposite. Whole grains are rich in fiber, a nutrient that helps your body control blood sugar, and studies show that people who eat more fiber have a reduced risk of diabetes.

Cinnamon:

This tasty spice does more than flavor your food. It may help prevent diabetes, too! Studies show that cinnamon decreases inflammation and helps the body regulate insulin levels, two important ways to stay diabetes-free. Try using it instead of sugar to add flavor to tea, coffee, or even your favorite desserts

OBESITY

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:31:51 +0100

Obesity is a condition when body fats cells increased and causes a serious destruction of health. An average–sized person required 30 to 35 billion of fat cells for his body.
Obesity causes many serious problems and these are
•Reduce life expectancy; mortality rate of obese persons is greater than average-weight persons.
•irregularity in menstrual and creates infertility in women.
•Creates heart diseases
•Diabetes problem also arises, due to increase of fat cells insulin cells don’t function properly
Obese is triggered because of excessive consumption of meals.
Stick with whole grain varieties, including whole wheat, multigrain, rye, millet, oat bran, oat, and cracked wheat.
drink a lot of water and incorporate fruits, raw veggies, and fibrous meals into the diet plan.
Jogging as well as weight reduction go hand in hand very well.
If you avoid sleeping at afternoons in attaining some big weight loss.
Exercises have several other benefits than weight loss. A recent study shows that every hour you spend doing exercise, you increase your lifespan by 2 hours.
Drinking water before each meal is useful, it helps to eat less.

Ghee -clarified butter

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:10:29 +0100

To some it's known as clarified butter, to others it's the golden elixir of healing - ghee is a staple ingredient in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic healing known for its versatility, great taste, and many health benefits.
It's derived from butter through a process of cooking off its milk solids until it becomes an easily digestible, healthier alternative to butter and oil, and it can be used for cooking or as an ingredient to add flavor and richness to foods such as kitchari.

Cooking benefits Excellent cooking oil - Since ghee doesn't start smoking until it's heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, it will neither burn nor splatter easily. Its chemical structure also remains more stable than other oils when heated.

Stores well - Thanks to its low moisture content, ghee can go weeks without refrigeration. It can last up to six months in the fridge or one year in the freezer,
The key to ghee longevity: store it somewhere cool, keep it covered, and make sure it doesn't get contaminated by other liquids - don't double dip!

Flavorful - Thanks to its strong flavor, not much ghee needs to be added to a dish to make it sing.

Health benefits Easily digestible - The process of cooking off milk solids from butter burns off its lactose and cholesterol (says Holistic Chef Shani Cranston of hOMe Grown Living Foods).
This makes it much easier to digest than butter or vegetable oils.

Anti-inflammatory - According to the Sushruta Samhita, a text of the ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda, ghee is the ultimate anti-inflammatory food.

Whole body healing - Ayurvedic practitioners use the golden elixir for everything from rejuvenating skin to aiding digestion to balancing hormones.

Flexibility - Dr. Vasant Lad, founder and director of the Ayurvedic Institute, explains ghee's popularity among yogis by stating that it lubricates connective tissues and makes the body more flexible.

Enhances your essence - As reported by Paul Pitchford in Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, ghee boosts ojas, the underlying essence of body issues; this leads to an increased immune system and greater longevity.

Increases agni - In Ayurveda, proper digestion revolves around agni, the body's digestive fire. Consuming ghee boosts one's agni, leading to better digestion and faster metabolism.

Butter's yummy richness adds to many a dish, yet its unhealthiness prevents people from using it. Though it still has a high fat content, ghee's many health benefits make it a fine alternative to butter or oil that you can make yourself.

Monosodium Glutamate

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:04:50 +0100

Our large profit-driven food companies have found that manufactured free glutamic acid, in the form of monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, etc., etc., when added to our processed foods, masks off flavors and makes the blandest and cheapest foods taste wonderful. Since free glutamic acid is cheap and since its neurotoxic nerve stimulation enhances so wonderfully the flavor of basically bland and tasteless foods, such as many low-fat and vegetarian foods, manufacturers are eager to go on using it and do not want the public to realize any of the problems. .

Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. Glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that is found in nearly all foods, especially high protein foods such as dairy products, meat and fish and in many vegetables. Foods often used for their flavouring properties, such as mushrooms and tomatoes, have high levels of naturally occurring glutamate.
The human body also produces glutamate and it plays an essential role in normal body functioning.

Foods which contain the largest doses of MSG are spicy corn chips, many soups, certain Chinese foods, ranch dressing, sausages, hot dogs, barbecued meats, smoked meats, processed deli meats, and sauces. Also included are most powdered packets like chili, gravy, taco seasoning, French onion dip and dried dip mixes.

Monosodium glutamate used to be blamed for the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” because the first anecdotal report was made following consumption of a Chinese meal and monosodium glutamate is widely used in Asian cooking.
Symptoms said to be experienced included burning sensations along the back of the neck, chest tightness, nausea and sweating. However, a double-blind controlled challenge of individuals claiming to suffer from the “syndrome” failed to confirm monosodium glutamate as the causative agent.

According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex or MSG side effects can result in:

Numbness

Burning sensation

Tingling

Facial pressure or tightness

Chest pain

Headache

Nausea

Rapid heartbeat

Drowsiness

Weakness

Difficulty breathing for asthmatics

When the word spreads and the public demands food without neurotoxic free glutamic acid, then our lives can be dramatically improved and we can be free from this often hidden source of suffering.

The Power of Garlic

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:27:46 +0100

Researchers have widely believed that the organic compound, allicin – which gives garlic its aroma and flavour – acts as the world's most powerful antioxidant.
But until now it hasn't been clear how allicin works, or how it stacks up compared to more common antioxidants such as Vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, which stop the damaging effects of radicals.

Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal plants, and it's been credited with fighting heart disease, lowering blood pressure and helping to fight off colds.

The therapeutic qualities of garlic are nothing new. Sanskrit records reveal that garlic remedies were pressed into service in India 5,000 years ago,
while Chinese medicine has recognised garlic's powers for over 3,000 years.
So, what is it about garlic that makes it such a boon to our health? When cloves are chewed, crushed or cut,
they release a sulphur-bearing compound called allicin - the chemical that gives garlic its pungent taste and smell.
And it's the allicin that scientists have discovered is the magic ingredient thought to be responsible for garlic's therapeutic qualities.

Garlic helps lower blood sugar and may be used (under a doctor’s supervision) by people with diabetes in addition to their regular regime of
insulin and special diets. Researchers have found that certain compounds in garlic such as allicin, allyl propyl disulfide and
S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide work by increasing the amount of insulin in the blood by blocking the liver’s inactivation of insulin, making more insulin available to the body
Among the complications of diabetes may include high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, arteriosclerosis,
kidney disease and kidney failure (requiring dialysis or kidney transplant), nervous system damage, amputations and blindness. The following is a partial list of the health benefits of garlic or its constituents for diabetics:
■Lowers glucose levels in the blood
■Combats or prevents arteriosclerosis
■Fights infections
■Strengthens the immune system
■Lowers bad cholesterol
■Regulates blood pressure
■Fights or prevents heart disease
■Promotes blood flow
■Fights respiratory diseases
■Inhibits cancer
■Kills herpes on contact
■Thins blood
■Is an anti-oxidant
■Detoxifies
■Treats HIV/AIDS infections

Study explains how heart attack can lead to heart rupture

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:17:04 +0100

For people who initially survive a heart attack, a significant cause of death in the next few  days is cardiac rupture -- literally, bursting of the heart wall. A new study by University of  Iowa researchers pinpoints a single protein as the key player in the biochemical cascade that leads to cardiac rupture.
The findings, published Nov. 13 as an Advance Online Publication (AOP) of the journal Nature Medicine, suggest that blocking the action of this protein, known as CaM  kinase, may help prevent cardiac rupture and reduce the risk of death.

After a heart attack, the body produces a range of chemicals that trigger biological processes  involved in healing and repair. Unfortunately, many of these chemical signals can become "too much of a good thing" and end up causing further damage often leading to heart failure and sudden death.

Two of the medicines that are most effective for heart failure are beta-blockers, which block
the action of adrenaline, and drugs that block the angiotensin receptor.The third tier of
therapy is medication that blocks the action of aldosterone.

Aldosterone levels increase in patients following a heart attack, and higher levels of the hormone are
clearly associated with greater risk of death in the days immediately following a heart attack.

Increased aldosterone levels also are associated with a burst of oxidation in heart muscle, and in 2008,
Anderson's team showed that oxidation activates CaM kinase. Anderson's research has also shown that
kinase is a lynchpin in the beta-blocker and angiotensin pathways.
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Wonder drug’ to wipe out cancer is here

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:05:07 +0100

Scientists claim to have achieved a major breakthrough by creating a "wonder drug" which kills off cancer - in fact, it could wipe out some of the most deadly forms of the disease.

An international team, led by University of California, says that the KG5 drug works by making cancer
cells "commit suicide"; it stops tumorous cells multiplying and they then shut themselves down, the
'Nature Medicine' journal reported.

The radical drug will bring fresh hope to patients with aggressive and deadly tumours and could be
available in as little as five years, say the scientists , who hope to deliver the it in pill form,
which has very few side-effects .

Proved effective in tests against pancreatic, breast and kidney cancers, it could well have a positive effect on a broad range of other tumours.

KG5 works in a totally different way to traditional therapies by altering the structure of a cancer growth
protein, an enzyme known as RAF.

The protein has been longstudied , but its role in cell division - critical to cell proliferation and
tumour growth - is a surprise. Existing treatments block RAF's activity. However, KG5 changes the entire
shape of the protein, which neutralizes it without leading to unwanted side-effects . To date, KG5 has
been tested in animals and tissue samples taken from patients.

The team has since developed variants of KG5 that are 100-fold more powerful than the original drug.