Air pollution 'pandemic' shortens lives by 3 years

A "pandemic" of air pollution is shortening lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and causing 8.8 million premature deaths annually, scientists said on Tuesday.

Eliminating the toxic cocktail of molecules and lung-clogging particles cast off by burning oil, gas and coal would restore a full year of life expectancy, they reported in the journal Cardiovascular Research.

"Air pollution is a larger public health risk than tobacco smoking," lead author Jos Lelieveld of the Max Planck Institute in Mainz, Germany told AFP.

"Much of it can be avoided by replacing fossil fuels with clean renewable energy."

Compared to other causes of premature death, air pollution kills 19 times more people each year than malaria, nine times more than HIV/AIDS, and three times more than alcohol, the study found.

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Coronary heart disease and stroke account for almost half of those deaths, with lung diseases and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure accounting for most of the rest.

Only six percent of mortality stemming from polluted air is due to lung cancer.

"Our results show there is an 'air pollution pandemic'," said senior author Thomas Munzel of the Max Planck Institute's departments of chemistry and cardiology.

"Both air pollution and smoking are preventable, but over the past decades much less attention has been paid to air pollution than to smoking, especially among cardiologists."

The worst-hit region is Asia, where average lifespan is cut 4.1 years in China, 3.9 years in India, and 3.8 years in Pakistan.

In some parts of these countries, toxic air takes an even steeper toll, other research has shown.

In India's Uttar Pradesh -- home to 200 million -- small particle pollution by itself slashes life expectancy by 8.5 years, while in China's Hebei Province (population 74 million) the shortfall is nearly six years, according to the Air Quality Life Index, developed by researchers at the Energy Policy Institute of Chicago.

African lives are also foreshortened by 3.1 years on average, with people in some nations -- Chad, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire -- losing 4.5 to 7.3 years.

Among wealthier nations, the Soviet Union's former satellite states have the deadliest pollution, especially in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.

"We show that about two-thirds of premature deaths are attributable to human-made pollution, mainly from fossil fuel use," Munzel said.

"This goes up to 80 percent in high-income countries," he added.

"5.5 million deaths worldwide a year are potentially avoidable."

- Impact underestimated -

Unavoidable excess mortality stems from natural dust storms, such as in central Asia and northern Africa, along with forest fires, though both phenomena are being amplified by manmade climate change, according to climate scientists.

The least-impacted regions of the world are the Americas, western and northern Europe, and small island states.

The figure of 8.8 million premature deaths from outdoor air pollution each year is double estimates from World Health Organization (WHO).

"The impact of air pollution on cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases was significantly underestimated," Lelieveld explained, echoing a conclusion from other recent research.

Air pollution causes damage to the blood vessels through greater oxidative stress, leading to increases in blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart attacks and heart failure.

The revised number for China is 2.8 million premature deaths each year, two-and-a-half times the WHO estimates.

The researchers said there are signs in India, China and other emerging economies that people are growing intolerant of life-shortening toxic air.

"The realisation that air pollution is a major health risk can contribute to the willingness to phase-out fossil fuels -- with the co-benefit of reducing climate warming," Lelieveld said.

To assess the impact of air pollution on life expectancy, the researchers applied data on exposure to micro-particles (PM2.5) and ozone for the year 2015 to models that simulate how chemical processes in the atmosphere interact with natural and manmade pollutants, and data from the Global Burden of Disease.

Indoor pollution -- mainly from cook stoves fuelled by biomass or coal -- is also a major killer, but was not considered here.

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How to Optimize Your Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

Today, most people are eating a lot of omega-6 fatty acids.

At the same time, the consumption of animal foods that are high in omega-3s is the lowest it has ever been.

Scientists suspect that a distorted ratio of these polyunsaturated fatty acids may be one of the most damaging aspects of the Western diet.

Why Care About Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are called polyunsaturated fats because they have many double bonds (poly=many).

Your body doesn’t have the enzymes to produce them, so you must get them from your diet.

If you don't get any from your diet, you develop a deficiency and become sick. That is why they are termed "essential" fatty acids.

However, these fatty acids are different than most other fats. They are not simply used for energy or stored, they are biologically active and have important roles in processes like blood clotting and inflammation.

But omega-6s and omega-3s don't have the same effects. Scientists believe omega-6s are pro-inflammatory, while omega-3s are anti-inflammatory.

Of course, inflammation is essential for your survival. It helps protect your body from infection and injury, but it can also cause severe damage and contribute to disease when it’s chronic or excessive.

In fact, chronic inflammation may be one of the leading drivers of the most serious modern diseases, including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's and many types of cancer.

Scientists have hypothesized that a diet high in omega-6s but low in omega-3s increases inflammation, while a diet that includes balanced amounts of each reduces inflammation.

Those who follow a Western diet are typically eating way too much omega-6s relative to omega-3s. Many believe this is a serious health problem.

An omega-6 to omega-3 ratio that is too high may contribute to excess inflammation in the body, potentially raising the risk of various diseases.

How Much Omega-6 Did Non-Industrial Populations Eat?

According to Dr. Stephan Guyenet, typical omega-6 to omega-3 ratios for pre-industrial populations ranged from 4:1 to 1:4.

Hunter-gatherers who ate mostly land animals consumed these fats at ratios of 2:1 to 4:1, while the Inuit, who ate mostly omega-3 rich seafood, had a ratio of 1:4. Other pre-industrial populations were somewhere in between.

Anthropological evidence also suggests that the ratio human beings evolved eating was somewhere around 1:1, while the ratio today is about 16:1.

Although these populations had a lower life expectancy than modern people, some researchers estimate that chronic lifestyle diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, were much less common.

Not only did pre-industrial populations get much less omega-6 from their diets, they also got more physical exercise, ate less sugar and didn’t have access to modern junk food.

All of these factors could explain their lower rates of modern lifestyle diseases. However, the effect cannot be solely attributed to a lower intake of omega-6 fatty acids.

People who ate a pre-industrial diet had an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of about 4:1 to 1:4, most falling somewhere in between. The ratio today is 16:1, much higher than what people are genetically adapted to.

The Problem With the Western Diet
Western populations are eating large amounts of processed seed and vegetable oils. Some of these oils are loaded with omega-6s.

The technology to process these oils didn’t exist until about 100 years ago, and people have not had time to genetically adapt to the high amounts of omega-6.

In the graph below, you can see the dramatic increase in soybean oil consumption in the US, from zero to 24 pounds (11 kgs) per person per year. This amounted to a whopping 7% of total calories in the year 1999 .

Soybean oil is currently the biggest source of omega-6 fatty acids in the US because it is really cheap and found in all sorts of processed foods.

In the graph below, you can see how the amount of omega-6 fatty acids found in body fat stores has increased by more than 200% (3-fold) in the past 50 years alone.
 
Thus, the fats people are eating today are leading to actual changes in their bodies, both in terms of their body fat stores and cell membrane health.

A high amount of omega-6 in cell membranes is strongly associated with the risk of heart disease, which makes perfect sense given their potential pro-inflammatory effects :

However, no high-quality controlled studies have investigated the effects of omega-6 acids on heart disease .

Also, controlled studies show that linoleic acid — the most common omega-6 fatty acid — doesn’t increase levels of inflammatory markers .

In fact, it remains unclear whether a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids has any effects on the risk of chronic lifestyle diseases.

On the other hand, lots of evidence supports the positive health effects of omega-3 fatty acids. For example, their heart benefits are significant.

Omega-3s may also improve all sorts of mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder 

Nonetheless, excessive intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6, has several risks. The double bonds in the fatty acid molecules are very reactive.

They tend to react with oxygen, forming chain reactions of free radicals. These free radicals can cause cell damage, which is one of the mechanisms behind aging and the onset of cancer .

If you want to improve your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, it’s probably a bad idea to eat a lot of omega-3 to compensate. Having a relatively low, balanced amount of each is best.

The consumption of vegetable oils high in omega-6 has increased dramatically in the past 100 years. Scientists believe this may cause serious harm.

Avoid Vegetable Oils High In Omega-6

The single most important thing you can do to reduce your omega-6 intake is avoid processed seed and vegetable oils that are high in omega-6, as well as the processed foods that contain them.

Here is a chart with some common fats and oils. Avoid all that have a high proportion of omega-6 

You can see that butter, coconut oil, lard, palm oil and olive oil are all relatively low in omega-6.

In contrast, sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils contain the highest amounts.

For more information on healthy cooking oils, read this article.

It's important to realize that benefiting from a diet low in omega-6 fatty acids is a long-term process and requires permanent lifestyle changes.

Most people store immense amounts of omega-6 fatty acids in their body fat, and it can take a while to get rid of them.

If you are concerned about omega-6 fatty acids, use vegetable oils that contain low amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, such as olive oil. Also, consider taking omega-3 supplements or eating fatty fish twice per week.

The most important thing you can do to reduce omega-6 intake is to eliminate processed vegetable oils from your diet, as well as the processed foods that contain them.

Eat Animal Foods That Are High In Omega-3

Animal foods are among the best sources of the preformed omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

One problem today is that animals are usually fed grain-based feeds containing soy and corn.

This reduces their omega-3 contents, so the polyunsaturated fats in the meat are mostly omega-6 .

Therefore, if you can afford it, grass-fed meat is definitely optimal. However, even conventionally raised meat is healthy, as long as it is not processed .

Even some conventionally raised meats like chicken and pork may be high in omega-6. If you want to decrease your omega-6 intake as much as possible, choose meats from the leaner parts of those animals.

It’s also a good idea to buy pastured or omega-3 enriched eggs, which are higher in omega-3s, compared to eggs from hens raised on grain-based feeds.

One effective way to increase your omega-3 intake is to eat seafood once or twice per week. Fatty fish like salmon are particularly good sources.

If you eat a lot of conventionally raised meats and/or don't eat much seafood, consider taking a fish oil supplement. Cod liver oil is a good choice that contains added vitamins D and A.

There are also some plant sources of omega-3, including flax and chia seeds. However, these contain a type of omega-3 called ALA. The human body is inefficient at converting ALA into the active forms — EPA and DHA .

For this reason, animal sources of omega-3s, such as fish and grass-fed animals, are usually better choices. However, vegan-friendly supplements containing EPA and DHA from algae are available.

You can increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by taking supplements or eating grass-fed meat or fatty fish.

The Bottom Line

Scientists suspect that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids, relative to omega-3, may promote several chronic diseases.

However, there is still no compelling evidence to support this theory. More high-quality studies are needed to investigate the potential health effects of excessive omega-6 fat intakes.

If you are concerned, this is a simple guide to optimize your balance of the omega fats:

Avoid vegetable oils high in omega-6 (and the processed foods that contain them.
 Eat plenty of omega-3 rich animals, including something from the sea at least once or twice a week.
If needed, supplement with an omega-3 source like fish oil.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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HEALTH BENEFITS OF BOTTLE GOURD / LAUKI

Bottle gourd  or lauki, as it is called, it is really versatile, with many health benefits.

1. Bottle gourd keeps you hydrated and cool in summers: Bottle guard has always been regarded as one of the healthiest vegetables. This versatile vegetable is full of about 92 % water and minerals and is the best that nature can offer to keep your body hydrated and cool. It’s a good idea to have bottle gourd or ‘lauki’ as a juice because cooking deactivates the minerals and vitamins found in it. The juice keeps your stomach cool and reduces body heat or ‘pitta’. You can also eat boiled lauki with curd to get its cooling benefits. This vegetable helps replenish the water lost due to sweating during summers and is also a great remedy for any kind of heat-related ailment like nose bleeding, pimples or ulcers.
2. Helps control weight: It helps control weight as it is packed with fibre which helps in keeping you full for longer, thus reducing food cravings that make you pile on the kilos. It is also a low-calorie vegetable with no fat and thus helps in weight loss.
3.  Storehouse of essential vitamins and minerals: Bottle gourd contains essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, B, K, A, E, Iron, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. These play a critical role in metabolism and body functions.
4. Treats urinary tract infections: Freshly made bottle guard juice mixed with lime juice is one of the best natural remedies for treating pesky UTIs.
5. Cure for stomach problems: Bottle gourd helps in curing constipation and also treats diarrhea. This is due to the fact that the vegetable contains a lot of water and fibre which helps in cleaning your digestive track and allows easy bowel movement. One of the best home remedies for treating diarrhea is to drink bottle gourd juice with a pinch of salt. This helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance of your body, as well.
6. Bottle gourd helps in controlling diabetes: Bottle gourd juice is also beneficial for diabetic patients as it stabilizes blood sugar levels and maintains optimum blood pressure. The best time to have it is in morning before breakfast to reap this benefit. Also, take care to consume the juice immediately as it oxidizes quite fast.                                                            
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The Health Benefits of Corn

 

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 1. Corn reduces the risk of hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer
Due to corn’s rich fiber content (nearly 20% of our daily amount), it is a terrific food for alleviating digestive problems like constipation and hemorrhoids. As a whole-grain, it also helps reduce the risk of colon cancer. A fiber rich diet is good for your bowels and bowel movements, as is well known: this means there is less of a chance of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea. 
2. Corn protects your heart
If your heart is already in a good condition, the optimal fatty acids in corn oil help keep the balance between Omega-3 (good) and Omega-6 (bad) steady, reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and the chances of heart attacks or strokes. 
3. Corn prevents anemia
One of the main causes of anemia is iron deficiency, since it is iron that forms red blood cells. This mineral is plentiful in corn, therefore making a great food to keep anemia at bay.
4. There are cosmetic benefits from corn
Corn starch is often used in cosmetic products already, and it can also be applied to your skin to soothe any rashes or irritations you are suffering from. A lot of traditional skin creams unfortunately contain pore-blocking carcinogens: corn starch provides a better replacement for these harmful products.
5. Corn can control diabetes and hypertension
Eating plenty of fruits and veg, like corn, will much reduce the risk of diabetes, and even alleviate the condition. The corn kernels themselves assist in management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Phenolic phytochemicals are present in whole corn, and they are effective against hypertension since they regulate the release and absorption of the body’s insulin. 
6. Corn promotes good eye health
Corn is a good source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, which it has been argued may help preserve good eye health. High levels of these catenoids in the blood have been frequently associated with a reduced risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
 7. Corn helps prevent diverticular disease
Like nuts and other seeds, it was once thought that sufferers of diverticulitis should avoid high-fiber corn. However, one extensive study has found that popcorn consumers were 28% less likely to develop diverticulitis. 
8. Corn's Antioxidants slow cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s
Antioxidants eradicate the harmful effects caused by free-radicals, and thus they can slow cognitive decline and help prevent such terrible problems like Alzheimer’s. 

Corn is rich in so many good things
Its vitamin C boosts immunity and fights infections
- Its vitamin E has anti-aging properties
- Its thiamine boosts memory, cognitive functions and nerve health
- Its phosphorus helps maintain normal growth, kidney function and bone health
- Its magnesium boosts bone health and regulates heart rate
- Its vitamin B7 keeps skin and hair healthy
- Its high fiber content is good for weight loss diets that lower cholesterol
WARNING 
Unfortunately, although corn is great, it's not perfectly healthy for everybody all the time, particularly when not eaten in moderation, or as part of a well-balanced diet. Here are some of the ill-effects that can come from corn. 

Anti-nutrients: All cereal grains contain phytic acid, which in too-great numbers can impair the absorption of necessary dietary minerals like iron and zinc. If you eat meat regularly this problem will be assuaged. Another solution is to soak your corn before eating, which will greatly reduce the amount of phytic acid.
Mycotoxins: Mytoxins develop when fungi infect the corn, increasing the cancer risks in those for whom corn is a vital staple. Fortunately, in the developed world, food safety authorities monitor the level of mytoxins in all foods, especially corn so that they are stored properly. 

Other ill-effects
1. People with a high risk of heart disease should avoid corn oil due to its fatty acid. Corn oil is also not so good for you because of its high calorific vale. Don’t use it everyday, just occasionally.
2. Canned corn is high in salt, perhaps a quarter of daily intake. Instead, purchase cans with no added salt.
3. Corn is rich in carbohydrates, so that those who consume too much may find that their weight increases.
4. Rarely, some people have corn allergies. Symptoms include: vomiting, migraines, rashes, abdominal pains, bloating, gas, nausea, itchy skin, swelling tongue/mouth; fever; diarrhea, UTI, allergic asthma, mood swings, arthritis. If you experience any such symptoms after consuming corn, do contact your doctor at once.