Skipping Breakfast Linked to Higher Risk of Heart Disease

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all important meals to keep our bodies nourished and energized throughout the day but one meal has long been enjoying a reputation as ‘the most important meal of the day.' Yes, we’re talking about breakfast. Ever since childhood, we are warned not to skip breakfast, and this notion is rooted in truth. Repeatedly skipping breakfast has been found to slow down metabolism, increase cortisol levels, and cause difficulty in concentration.

A recent meta-analysis - a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies - published in the Journal Clinical Nutrition further solidified the importance of breakfast, when it revealed a clear correlation between skipping breakfast and heart disease. After analyzing more than 221,730 participants, the researchers found that passing on breakfast elevated the risk of cardiovascular disease by 22 percent.

These results confirm the findings of a similar meta-analysis conducted in 2019. The previous study, which was published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease analyzed the data of four different studies from the US and Japan and found that those who regularly skipped breakfast were 21 percent more likely to experience cardiovascular disease than participants who regularly ate breakfast. 

 

Moreover, people who skip breakfast were also shown to be more likely to die from heart-related issues and a heart attack in particular. Another study from the same year looked at the eating habits of 113 heart attack patients and found that those who tended to skip breakfast and eat dinner near bedtime were four to five times more likely to die, suffer another heart attack, or experience angina within 30 days after being discharged from the hospital.

Why does breakfast have such a drastic effect on our heart health? 

The word breakfast literally means breaking the fasting period of the prior night. When we don’t eat breakfast, we prolong that period, and later when we do eat we tend to “feast” on heavier, higher-calorie meals to ‘make up' for it. It’s been proven that eating large portions of food in long intervals can result in high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure and blood sugar, compared with nibbling smaller meals more often. Unfortunately, all three of these complications are risk factors for heart disease. They are caused by the extra strain on the body during the few times a person does eat, according to Eric Rimm, associate professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. 

 

The type of food that a person consumes during breakfast might also be a factor. Typically, the morning is when most people tend to eat a healthy meal. "By skipping a meal that usually features fiber or fruit or yogurt, you're missing out on an occasion where people can get healthy nutrients," said Rimm.

Given the heart health risk, and the other health benefits breakfast offers, it’s clear that it is an essential meal, and most people are aware of that. A survey conducted in 2009 found that 93 percent of Americans agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, there is an apparent gap between people’s beliefs and their actions. A 2019 survey found that the average American eats breakfast only three times a week, while 13 percent of the participants said they rarely, if ever, eat breakfast. 

 

Given all this information, we urge you to make eating breakfast a habit, if it isn’t already one.

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

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Poorly controlled diabetes puts children at high risk of Covid complications

Covid-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, took the world by a storm in December 2019. It took millions of lives almost in every corner of the world and affected anyone and everyone. But vaccines and practising precautionary measures helped reduce the number of coronavirus cases in India. However, the second wave of Covid is knocking doors, and the surge in cases has everyone shook in the country. It is not even sparing kids, especially those comorbidities.

Children who have Type-1 diabetes are at a higher risk of coronavirus, and poorly controlled diabetes can add to the problem. A new study found that poor diabetes can up the risk of Covid complications in kids.

Poor Diabetes Control Linked With Covid Complications In Kids

A new study presented virtually at ENDO 2021 found that children with poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes are 10 times more likely to suffer from Covid-19 complications and death compared to those with well-controlled diabetes. The study showed that children with haemoglobin (A1) higher than 9 per cent were 10 times higher at risk of Covid-19 complications than those with A1c levels under 7 per cent.

Lead author Manish Raisingani from the University of Arkansas in the US said that it is extremely important to keep children’s blood sugar under control, especially during the pandemic. For the study, the team reviewed data on about 2,000 children with Type-1 diabetes and Covid-19, along with 30,000 children with Covid-19 who did not have Type-1 diabetes.

They analysed haemoglobin A1c levels in children with diabetes. A1c is a blood test that measures a person’s average blood sugar levels over the past three months. This test also helps people manage their diabetes. People with A1c levels higher than 7 per cent are at a higher risk of diabetes. Children with Type-1 diabetes and Covid-19 are more likely to die, to require an endotracheal tube to help them breathe, to develop pneumonia, or to develop septic shock, compared with children who had Covid-19 and did not have Type-1 diabetes.

How To Properly Care For Children With Type 1-Diabetes?

Along with working closely with the doctor, parents should keep in mind the following things to manage Type-1 diabetes in children.

Regular Blood Sugar Monitoring

It is essential to record your child’s blood sugar at least four times a day, but you may need to check it more times if your child doesn’t have a continuous glucose monitor. Frequent testing will help your child’s blood sugar remain within a target range.

Eating A Healthy Diet

Diabetes patients need to follow a proper diet plan that is rich in nutrition and low in fat and calories. You should include more vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and whole grain in your child’s diet to make sure their body is getting the sufficient nutrients it requires.

Regular Exercise

It is essential for parents to encourage their child to get at 30 minutes of physical activity every day. It will help keep your child’s blood sugar within the normal range. The best way to encourage your child to indulge in some exercise is that you do it with them.

Follow-Up Medical Care

Another important aspect of good diabetes management is regular follow-up appointments with his or her doctor. It is also essential to keep their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, thyroid functions, kidney and liver function in check.

Note: Make sure you consult a medical practitioner before putting to use any of the tips mentioned in the article.

 

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

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Higher airborne pollen levels linked with increased COVID-19 risk

Higher concentration of airborne pollen is associated with increased novel coronavirus infection rates, according to a study that used data from 31 countries across five continents.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen in Germany noted that people in high-risk groups can protect themselves by watching pollen forecasts and wearing dust filter masks.

The team collected data on airborne pollen concentrations, weather conditions and SARS-CoV-2 infections, taking into consideration the variation of infection rates from one day to another, and the total number of positive tests.

The researchers also included data on population density and the effects of lockdown measures.

The study, published in the journal 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences', analysed pollen data from 130 stations in 31 countries on five continents.

The team showed that airborne pollen can account for, on average, 44 per cent of the variation in infection rates, with humidity and air temperature also playing a role in some cases.

During intervals without lockdown regulations, infection rates were on average four per cent higher with every increase of 100 grains of airborne pollen per cubic meter, the researchers said.

In some German cities, concentrations of up to 500 pollen grains per cubic meter per day led to an overall increase in infection rates of more than 20 per cent, they said.

However, in the regions where lockdown rules were in effect, the infection numbers were on average only half as high at comparable pollen concentrations, according to the study.

The researchers explained that high pollen concentrations lead to a weaker immune response in airways to viruses that can cause coughs and colds. They noted that when a virus enters the body, infected cells usually send out messenger proteins, adding this is also the case with SARS-CoV-2.

These proteins, known as antiviral interferons, signal nearby cells to escalate their antiviral defences to keep the invaders at bay.

Additionally, an appropriate inflammation response is activated to fight the viruses, according to the researchers.

However, the researchers said, if airborne pollen concentrations are high, and pollen grains are inhaled with the virus particles, fewer antiviral interferons are generated.

The beneficial inflammatory response itself is also affected, they said.

The study suggests that high concentration of pollen can lead to an increase in the number of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.

Whether individuals are allergic to the different pollen types is irrelevant, the researchers said.

"You cannot avoid exposure to airborne pollen," says Stefanie Gilles, first author of the study.

"People in high-risk groups should, therefore, be informed that high levels of airborne pollen concentrations lead to an increased susceptibility to viral respiratory tract infections," Gilles said.

The researchers noted that when studying the spread of SARS-CoV-2, environmental factors such as pollen must be taken into account.

Increased awareness of these effects is an important step in preventing and mitigating the impact of COVID-19, they added.

Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann, study author and a professor of environmental medicine, advises people at high-risk to monitor pollen forecasts.

"Wearing a particle filtering mask when pollen concentrations are high can keep both the virus and pollen out of the airways," Traidl-Hoffmann said. 

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

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement