Yoga improves sleep, curbs pain

Yoga is not only a healthy way of meditating and maintaining overall wellness, but can also better an individual’s sleep along with limiting their dependence on medicines for back pain and sleep disturbance. A new study has highlighted that Yoga and physical therapy (PT) are effective approaches to treating the aforementioned conditions while reducing the need for medication.

The research showed significant improvements in sleep quality lasting 52 weeks after 12 weeks of yoga classes or one-on-one PT, which suggests a long-term benefit of these non-pharmacologic approaches. In addition, participants with early improvements in pain after 6 weeks of treatment were three and a half times more likely to have improvements in sleep after the full, 12-week treatment, highlighting that pain and sleep are closely related.

Sleep disturbance and insomnia are common among people with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Previous research showed that 59 per cent of people with cLBP experience poor sleep quality and 53 per cent are diagnosed with insomnia disorder. Why medicines aren’t a good option is because it can have serious side effects, and risk of opioid-related overdose and death increases with use of sleep medications.

“Identifying holistic ways to treat these conditions could help decrease the reliance on these medications as well as keep patients safer and more comfortable,” said study lead, Eric Roseen, DC, MSc, a researcher in the department of family medicine at BMC. 

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School children discover ancient family recipe with antimalarial properties

London schoolchildren recently discovered that some of their families' soup recipes, which have been passed through generations, have antimalarial properties.

Researchers helped the schoolchildren test their family soup broths for activity against the malaria parasite, for a study which was published in the Journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Several of the soup broths, collected from traditional family recipes that originated around the world, showed activity against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, either by curbing its growth or preventing it from maturing. The soup recipes had been passed down through the generations for the treatment of fever.

Five of the broths were able to curb the growth of the parasite in its disease-causing stage by more than 50 per cent. In two of these, the inhibitory activity was comparable with that of a leading antimalarial drug, dihydroartemisinin.

Four other broths were more than 50 per cent effective at blocking the ability of the parasites to mature to a form that infects mosquitoes, potentially blocking the process of transmission.

Dihydroarteminisin contains artemisinin, which was isolated from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The researchers behind the new study hope that they may similarly discover new antimalarial compounds from the work looking at the soup. The next step is to identify the active ingredients responsibly.

Lead researcher Professor Jake Baum, from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said: "Malaria kills more than 400,000 people per year and infects more than 200 million, yet resistance to our frontline drugs continues to emerge. We may have to look beyond the chemistry shelf for new drugs, and natural remedies shouldn't be off our watch list, as artemisinin shows."

The pupils brought in samples of homemade clear soup broths from family recipes from across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Filtered extracts of the broths were then tested against two stages of the parasite: when it can infect mosquitoes, and when it can cause the disease in humans.

The recipes for each of the broths varied. They were vegetarian, chicken or beef-based, with no particular ingredient common to those with the strongest antimalarial activity.

The active ingredients in the broths studied are yet to be identified and tested. To move forward, the active ingredients would need to be isolated, before tests of toxicology and effectiveness, first in human cells and later preclinical trials.

Professor Baum said: "It's really interesting to find potential routes for future drug development in something like your grandmother's soup. In all honesty, the true strength of the study, however, was engaging children in the idea of what's the difference between a natural remedy and a real medicine - the answer is evidence! The children understood that soups could really become a drug if you test them the right way."

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IIT-Kharagpur Engineer Builds Device That Fits On Car Exhaust And Reduces Air Pollution

Many cities across the globe are currently combating air pollution, and automotive vehicles are one of the main reasons for this.

However, now an IIT Kharagpur graduate has created a device to help curb pollution caused by vehicles on the road.

The device is called PM 2.5. Developed by Debayan Saha, who has also been a Global Biodesign Fellow at Stanford University. This device is attached with the exhaust of the vehicle. He claims that one car fitted with PM 2.5 can eliminate pollution released from 10 cars in its vicinity.

He said in a statement, "The technology developed by us uses a combination of electric energy and wave energy to influence the pollutants like PM 2.5 such that they act like a magnet attracting other particulate pollutants from the ambient atmosphere to get attached to it. As they grow bigger in size they become heavy and fall off safely on the ground like soil," 

He further added, "One car on the street can now alleviate the pollution in its immediate environment, and potentially neutralize the pollution emitted from 10 cars in its vicinity. Diving really deep into the problem they found main culprit is not PM 2.5 but its tiny size because of which it can easily enter into our lungs and bloodstream." 

Recent research also revealed that air pollution is fastening the process of memory loss in paople and ageing the brain by 10 years. One of the lead researchers stated, "When it comes to remembering a string of words, a 50-year-old in polluted Chelsea performs like a 60-year-old in Plymouth." 

Recently, Delhi's air quality went down considerably.  Even the Center-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) advised people of the sensitive category to avoid morning walks and any other outdoor activities. Spike in pollution levels has also considerably risen the respiratory and eye-irritation problems in people.

Saha plans to commercialise this product and is currently in talks with various organisations.

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5 effective ways to curb air pollution

A survey published in Lancet Planetary Health says that “Air quality in India is so poor that 1.2 million deaths in the country last year can be attributed to air pollution. Adding to it another research, which was recently published in the journal JAMA, states that exposure to air pollution can have similar impact on your health as smoking a pack of cigarette can have. It can cause severe damage to your lungs and is also associated with cardiovascular diseases. The main culprit behind this is the ground-level ozone. It is an extremely powerful oxidizing agent that is known to cause various health related issues. WHO states that air pollution is responsible for increased number of patients in the hospitals and increased risk of premature death. In fact, this international body says that air pollution is associated with an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths world-wide. In that case, it becomes extremely important to look for ways to effectively curb air pollution. Here we tell you about them.

Start travelling by using public transportation rather than using your own car every time you step out of your house.

Avoid fireplace and the use of wood stove.

Do not burn leaves or traces of other things.

Make sure you do not use gas-powered lawn and garden equipment

Keep your vehicle’s engine properly tuned.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                       https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                     FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                   

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Novel blood test can measure severity of pain

A first-of-its-kind blood test that can measure the severity of pain in patients may help curb unnecessary prescriptions of painkillers, which are often addictive. For the study, researchers tracked hundreds of participants to identify biomarkers in the blood that can help objectively determine how severe a patient’s pain is. The blood test would allow physicians far more accuracy in treating pain-as well as a better long-term look at the patient’s medical future.

“We have developed a prototype for a blood test  that can objectively tell doctors if the patient is in pain, and how severe that pain is,” said a professor.

“It’s very important to have an objective measure of pain, as pain is a subjective sensation. Until now we have had to rely on patients self-reporting or the clinical impression the doctor has,” he said.

“When we started this work it was a farfetched idea. But the idea was to find a way to treat and prescribe things more appropriately to people who are in pain,” he said.

Researchers looked at biomarkers found in the blood -- in this case molecules that reflect disease severity. Much like as glucose serves as a biomarker to diabetes, these biomarkers allow doctors to assess the severity of the pain the patient is experiencing, and provide treatment in an objective, quantifiable manner. With an opioid epidemic becoming an increasing concern, the Prof. said never has there been a more important time to administer drugs to patients responsibly.

“The opioid epidemic occurred because addictive medications were over-prescribed due to the fact that there was no objective measure whether someone was in pain, or how severe their pain was,” he said.

“Before, doctors weren’t being taught good alternatives. The thought was that this person says they are in pain, let’s prescribe it. Now people are seeing that this created a huge problem,” he said.
“We need alternatives to opioids, and we need to treat people in a precise fashion. This test we’ve developed allows for that,” he added.

In addition to providing an objective measure of pain, the blood test helps physicians match the biomarkers in the patient’s blood with potential treatment options. Researchers utilise a prescription database -- similar to fingerprint databases employed by the FBI -- to match the pain biomarkers with profiles of drugs and natural compounds cataloged in the database.

“The biomarker is like a fingerprint, and we match it against this database and see which compound would normalise the signature,”he  said. “We found some compounds that have been used for decades to treat other things pair the best with the biomarkers. We have been able to match biomarkers with existing medications, or natural compounds, which would reduce or eliminate the need to use the opioids,” he added. 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       

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Eat More Fruits and Vegetables To Reduce !

The fact that obesity is a step toward long term health problems is not unknown.

It can negatively affect most of your organs – especially the heart – make you vulnerable to diabetes, joint pains, arthritis, make it difficult for women during pregnancy – basically, impact your overall health.

Obesity is one of the biggest problems at present, that is rapidly becoming a part of everyone's life. The rising number of obese people around the world just goes to show how we are allowing a particular lifestyle to dictate us into an unhealthy state of being.

Of course, various diets along with a regular, suitable exercise regimen can help you shed the kilos, however, a study has discovered that a conscious decision of making a lot of healthy fruits and vegetables a part of your daily diet can help curb obesity risk.

Pro-vegetarian diets (with a higher consumption of plant-based foods compared to animal-based foods) could provide substantial protection against obesity, according to the University of Navarra research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Porto, Portugal (17-20 May).

This observational study found that people who ate a high pro-vegetarian diet, rich in food coming from plant sources like vegetables, fruit, and grains, cut their risk of developing obesity by almost half compared to those who were least pro-vegetarian, with a dietary pattern rich in animal food like meat, and animal fats.

Current evidence suggests that such a pro-vegetarian diet has a protective role in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but little is known about its role on the risk of developing obesity in healthy populations.

The study was carried by student Julen Sanz examined the association between varying degrees of pro-vegetarian (plant-based) diet and the incidence of obesity in over 16,000 healthy, non-obese adults from the SUN Cohort (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra), a study tracking the health of Spanish graduates since 1999.

The authors acknowledge that their findings show observational differences rather than evidence of cause and effect. They conclude: "Our study suggests that plant-based diets are associated with substantially lower risk of developing obesity. This supports current recommendations to shift to diets rich in plant foods, with lower intake of animal foods."

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Tablet devices may curb agitation in dementia patients

Using tablet devices to employ music or art therapies may be a safe and a potentially effective approach to manage agitation among patients with dementia, according to a new study led by a scientist of Indian origin.

"Tablet use as a nonpharmacologic intervention for agitation in older adults, including those with severe dementia, appears to be feasible, safe, and of potential utility," said Ipsit Vahia, from McLean Hospital in the US.

"Our preliminary results are a first step in developing much-needed empirical data for clinicians and caregivers on how to use technology such as tablets as tools to enhance care and also for app developers working to serve the technologic needs of this population," said Vahia, who led the study.

The research builds upon previous studies demonstrating that art, music, and other similar therapies can effectively reduce symptoms of dementia without medication.

By using tablet devices to employ these therapies, however, patients and providers also benefit from a computer's inherent flexibility.

"We know that art therapy can work, music therapy can work. The tablet, however, gives you the option of switching from one app to another easily, modifying the therapy seamlessly to suit the individual," he said.

Researchers loaded a menu of 70 apps onto the tablets for the study. The apps varied greatly in their cognitive complexity -from an app that displayed puppy photos to one that featured Sudoku puzzles.

The researchers found that tablet use was safe for every patient, regardless of the severity of their dementia, and that with proper supervision and training, the engagement rate with the devices was nearly 100 per cent.

The study also found that the tablets demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing symptoms of agitation, particularly - but not exclusively - among patients with milder forms of dementia.

Vahia cited several examples of the tablet's potential to improve a patient's condition.

One particular patient, who only spoke Romanian, was very withdrawn and irritable, and medications were ineffective in controlling his symptoms.

"We started showing him Romanian video clips on YouTube, and his behaviour changed dramatically and instantaneously," said Vahia.

"His mood improved. He became more interactive. He and his medical support team also started using a translation app so that staff could ask him simple questions in Romanian, facilitating increased interaction," he said.

"These significant improvements are a clear testament of the tablet's potential as a clinical tool," he added.

The research was published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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Using tablet devices to employ music or art therapies may be a safe and a potentially effective approach to manage agitation among patients with dementia, according to a new study led by a scientist of Indian origin.

"Tablet use as a nonpharmacologic intervention for agitation in older adults, including those with severe dementia, appears to be feasible, safe, and of potential utility," said Ipsit Vahia, from McLean Hospital in the US.

"Our preliminary results are a fir ..

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UK scientists discover hormone to curb alcohol cravings

Scientists in the UK have discovered a liver hormone which plays a crucial role in controlling the drinking limits of the body.
The discovery of FGF21, reported in the ‘Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences’ journal this week, could
lead to a pill that could help alcoholics curb their cravings for alcohol.

Professor Gunter Schumann, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London said: “Our study reveals a
previously unrecognised liver-brain pathway which regulates alcohol consumption in humans, and which could one day be targeted therapeutically to suppress consumption in problem drinkers”.

“The results point towards an intriguing feedback loop, where FGF21 is produced in the liver in response to sugar and alcohol intake, which then acts directly on the brain to limit consumption. We cannot rule out the possibility that beta-Klotho acts by affecting neighbouring genes, so further genetic studies are warranted,” Schumann said.

DNA samples were analysed from more than 105,000 people of European descent, who were also questioned about their weekly drinking habits. Although the effect that the gene had was small, the possible mechanism involved may lead to a target for drugs to help people to cut down on their drinking.

Co-author Professor Paul Elliott, from Imperial College London, said: “Our findings may eventually lead to new treatments for people whose health is being harmed by drinking.”

By looking at the genomes of the research sample, researchers found that even moderate drinking was increased by gene mutation.

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