Monsoon, winter to worsen Covid-19 spread: IIT-AIIMS study

Controlling the spread of Covid-19 in India may become a greater challenge with the progression of the season towards monsoon, post-monsoon, and thereafter, winter, with a continuous fall in temperature, claims a study conducted jointly by researchers at IIT-Bhubaneswar and AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

Every degree rise in temperature corresponds to a 0.99 per cent decrease in the number of cases and an increase in doubling time by approximately 1.13 days, implying a slowing down of spread, said the study titled "Covid-19 spread in India and its dependence on temperature and relative humidity".

The study, led by V. Vinoj, Assistant Professor of the School of Earth, Ocean and Climatic Sciences at IIT-Bhubaneswar, examined Covid-19 outbreak patterns and cases in 28 states between April and June.

Particularly, they focused on the relationship between Covid-19 spread and environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, specific humidity, and solar radiation.

The results showed that temperature and relative humidity have a significant impact on the disease growth rate and doubling time, according to the abstract of the study posted on ResearchGate, a professional network for scientists and researchers.

The study is currently at pre-print stage and yet to be peer-reviewed.

An analysis for relative humidity revealed that more moisture leads to a higher growth rate of Covid-19 cases and reduced doubling time, said the study.

Lower specific humidity and higher surface-reaching solar radiation reduced the spread and increased the doubling time similar to that of temperature, the results showed.

The researchers noted that past respiratory viral pandemics of the 21st century revealed seasonality in environmental factors to play a role in the dynamics of their spread.

The study comes at a time when daily Covid-19 cases are setting new records. India's total coronavirus cases have already surpassed 1 million, with a record 38,902 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. With 543 new deaths, the total death toll stood at 26,816 on Sunday.

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'How some diets influence mental health while some don't decoded'

A poor diet may worsen mood disorders like anxiety and depression, according to a study which is the most up to date overview confirming that certain foods can influence mental health condition.
According to the researchers, including those from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, there are some areas where this link between diet and mental health is firmly established.

Citing examples, they said, the ability of a high fat and low carbohydrate diet to help children with epilepsy, and the effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on fatigue, poor memory, and depression, are well established in previous research.

The current study, published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, also found found that a Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables and olive oil, shows mental health benefits by offering protection against depression and anxiety.

However, for many foods such as vitamin D supplements, it noted that the evidence is inconclusive.
Foods believed to be associated with autism also do not have any evidence of being associated with improving mental health conditions, the researchers noted.

"With individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence," said Suzanne Dickson, study co-author from the University of Gothenburg.

"With ADHD for example, we can see an increase in the quantity of refined sugar in the diet seems to increase ADHD and hyperactivity, whereas eating more fresh fruit and vegetables seems to protect against these conditions. But there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects," Dickson said.

While certain foods are linked to specific mental health conditions, the researchers said little is known about why a diet involving them causes this effect.

"There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health," Dickson said.

Citing an example of how some food may specifically improve mental health, the researchers said nutrition in the womb and in early life can have significant effects on brain function in later life.
However, they said proving the effect of diet on mental health in the general population was more difficult.

Dickson added that the dietary effects on mental health in adults are fairly small, making it difficult to detect these effects.

The scientists speculated that dietary supplementation may only work if there are deficiencies due to a poor diet, with genetics also playing a part.

Subtle differences in metabolism between people may mean that some respond better to diet changes that others, they added.

Practical difficulties also exist which need to be overcome while testing diets, which set them apart from the routine clinical trial process.

The researchers explained with an example that participants in a clinical trial can be given dummy pills to see if there is an improvement due to the placebo effect, but they can't be easily given dummy food.

"Nutritional psychiatry is a new field. The message of this paper is that the effects of diet on mental health are real, but that we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions on the base of provisional evidence. We need more studies on the long-term effects of everyday diets," Dickson said.

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Food Additive in Frozen Meat, Crackers Worsens Flu

A common food additive found in many products, including frozen meat, crackers and fried foods, could weaken the human immune system against flu, which accounts for 290,000-650,000 deaths globally every year, say researchers.
Besides increasing the severity of flu symptoms, the study found exposure to the compound — tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) — could reduce effectiveness of flu vaccine through its effects on T cells, a vital component of the immune system.

During the study, mice fed tBHQ-spiked diet were slower to activate both helper T cells and killer T cells, causing slower clearance of the virus.

"Our studies showed mice on a tBHQ diet had a weakened immune response to influenza (flu) infection," said a researcher.

"In our mouse model, tBHQ suppressed function of helper and killer T cells. It led to more severe symptoms during a subsequent influenza infection," he said.

When the mice were re-infected with a different but related strain of influenza, those on the tBHQ diet had a longer illness and lost more weight. This suggests that tBHQ impaired the "memory response" that typically primes the immune system to fight a second infection, he said.

tBHQ is an additive used to prevent spoilage, with a maximum allowed concentration of 200 parts per million in food products.

Since tBHQ is not always listed on ingredient labels, the best way to limit tBHQ exposure is to be conscious about food choices. A low-fat diet and less consumption of processed snacks will help reduce tBHQ consumption, he suggested.

Annual flu shot significantly reduces the length and severity of the illness and prevents influenza infection.

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Fungus linked to dandruff may worsen bowel disease

A fungus linked to dandruff in the hair may worsen intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with a certain genetic makeup, new research has found.

Malassezia restricta yeasts found in oily skin and scalp follicles are linked to several skin conditions. These microscopic fungi also often end up in the gut.

In particular, M. restricta was elevated in Crohn's patients carrying a genetic variation known as the IBD CARD9 risk allele, according to the study.

Crohn's disease is a type of IBD that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to abdominal pain, diarrohea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition.

"We were surprised to find that Malassezia restrica was more common on intestinal tissue surfaces in Crohn's disease patients than in healthy people," said study co-author.

"Further, the presence of Malassezia was linked to a common variation in a gene known to be important for immunity to fungi - a genetic signature more common in patients with Crohn's disease than the healthy population," he said.

IBD is characterised by changes in immune responses to the intestinal microbiome. 

While most studies on the microbiome focus on bacteria, the team investigates the fungi's presence and its potential role in intestinal disease.

Changes in intestinal fungi such as M. restricta - and host responses to these fungi - may be a factor in exacerbating symptoms that contribute to disease in a subset of patients with Crohn's disease, said co-author and a  research team member.

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Can Anxiety Trigger Asthma?

Many community members have wondered if there is any connection between anxiety triggering one’s asthma.Some of the responses from experts about their views on the topic.

1) Anxiety can most definitely make asthma symptoms worse. Stress and anxiety can cause physiological changes which can provoke and worsen an asthma flare up. Strong emotions can cause your body to release leukotrienes and histamine which cause narrowing of the airways. It is a pretty normal reaction to have anxiety when your asthma is flaring up. I know I experience it. It’s almost impossible to remain calm, cool & collected when you can’t breathe. What I like to do when my asthma is acting up and I teach my asthma patients, is to focus on your breathing. There are also plenty of relaxation exercises you can try that can help tremendously. I would recommend trying one of them when your asthma isn’t flaring until you’re comfortable with it and will know what to do when you’ll need to be able to try & calm your anxiety. 

2)  Anxiety, along with other strong emotions can trigger asthma. Strong emotions can include anxiety, stress, fear, excitement, crying and even laughing too hard, and they often cause asthma symptoms. This does not mean, however, that asthma is “all in your head” or psychosomatic. Asthma is a real, physical disease. Managing and reducing your stress, just like your other triggers such as  dust mites or cigarette smoke, is key to managing your asthma. Try belly or pursed-lip breathing to reduce stress and anxiety. 

3)Although anxiety doesn’t cause asthma, it can certainly worsen symptoms. In fact, the two conditions can actually make each other worse. Any strong emotions can have an effect on our respiratory system and our airways and particularly so when a person has hyper-sensitive airways, as is the case with asthma. Strong emotions can trigger a chemical response in the body that may release histamine and leukotrienes – both of which can trigger narrowing of airways. Stress and anxiety can also weaken the immune system, making a person more susceptible to viruses and illnesses that in turn lead to asthma problems.

So, if you have asthma it’s important to reduce anxiety as much as possible. You would certainly want to discuss options with your doctor. They may suggest an anti-anxiety medication that can be taken regularly or only when needed depending on the severity and frequency of your anxiety. If you decide to try a natural remedy, of which there are plenty, you would also want to speak to your doctor to determine what may or may not interfere with medications you already take.                                                                  


4)  The hallmark of asthma is hypersensitivity of the airways. For people who have asthma, various triggers can set off an ‘asthma attack‘ or exacerbation, based on this hypersensitivity. The severity of the episode can vary from individual to individual and even within the same individual. It is well known that stress is a common asthma trigger. Stress and anxiety sometimes make you feel short of breath and may even cause your asthma symptoms to become worse. Laughing hard, crying, becoming upset, or feeling stressed or anxious can trigger asthma in some people. You cannot always avoid or control these emotions easily but you can develop ways to deal with them better. In order to reduce the impact stress may have on asthma, make sure your asthma is well controlled so these triggers can become less of a problem. For example, if you find yourself frequently coughing and wheezing when you laugh hard, this could be a clear signal that your asthma is not being controlled properly. It is not always easy to exert control over various emotions that cause stress in one’s life, but every effort should be made to be aware of those stressors and do whatever you can to control them. Ask for support from your family members, friends and even work colleagues where possible. Relaxation exercises and breathing strategies can be helpful in reducing stress. There are many audiotapes and online programs available that teach you these techniques. Making certain to get sufficient sleep can help. Lack of sleep leads to being overtired and can result in less energy being available for you to deal with daily stressors. Be sure to include exercise in your routine. Being active is a great way to deal with stress and keep your mind clear.

5)  This is the age old question, as asthma was — for many years — considered a psychological/ nervous disorder — it was caused by anxiety and stress. This was because asthmatics were observed to be nervous or anxious. This theory was extensively studied and modified by the 1950’s, and by the 1980’s was changed to: “While anxiety cannot cause asthma, it can act as an asthma trigger.” Modern science has pretty much confirmed the link between asthma and anxiety. However, it also appears that anxiety neither causes new-onset asthma nor triggers asthma. What it does do is enhance the immune response responsible for asthma.

Anxiety causes stress. You are in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable or stressed, and your body releases cortisol and epinephrine. The combination of these initially reduce airway  inflammation and open airways. However, when the stressful situation continues long term — you lost your job, someone you loved passed away, you live in abject poverty — your body responds by decreasing cortisol receptors. This is fine for non-asthmatics, and might even be good. However, in asthmatics, it makes it so that they are more likely to have an asthma attack when exposed to their asthma triggers. It also makes it so their airways are less responsive to the effects of corticosteroids, making their asthma increasingly difficult to control.

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9 Worst Things Which Worsens Arthritis

Are you one of 53 million people who have arthritis? Arthritis is the collective name for over 100 joint diseases affecting both adults and children. It can cause joint pain, swelling, inflammation, and affects your range of motion. It can also get worse as you age and may even begin to harm your organs and skin.

When it comes to choosing food that helps to alleviate symptoms, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, there are food ingredients that tend to affects everyone differently, given that there are so many different diseases that fall under the same umbrella. However, if you are trying to treat your body like a temple to get your symptoms under control, you will need to avoid the following things – especially number 3 and 6.
All of these ingredients can worsen inflammation, leading to swelling, discomfort, pain, joint damage and a limited range of motion.

1. Fried Food

Everyone loves a treat of deep-fried food from time to time, but how much you have can be the difference between a body that’s free from inflammation, and one that’s causing you a lot of pain and discomfort!
Fried food is in no way beneficial for your health. It can lead to diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and causes inflammation which affects your joints. However, new research suggests that eating less fried food can reduce inflammation which has to be beneficial for your bones!

2. Corn Oil

If you like to indulge in bakery goods from time to time, then you may notice it affects your arthritic joints negatively. That might be because they contain corn oil which can trigger inflammation in your bones.

3. Cigarettes

We already know that cigarettes are harmful to our overall health, but they can also cause inflammation which is one of the worst problems for people living with arthritis. While cigarettes are not necessarily food, they are something that close to 37 million people in the United States have every day.

If you aren’t going to quit cigarettes for the health of your lungs, you can at least do it for your joints. Smokers are also more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not smoke.
Pay attention to ingredients in your snacks from now on. Make sure that instead of corn oil, use oil that contains omega-3 fats , such as olive oil which is an anti-inflammatory option instead.

4. Candy

A sweet treat from time to time is not going to do any long-term damage, but include it in your daily diet, and you may run into problems!

Candy and other high-sugar sweets are responsible for many health conditions such as poor dental health, cellular aging, and diabetes, but they can also be responsible for gout.

Gout is an inflammatory disease that causes pain in your joints. Sugar raises your uric acid levels which bring about the worsening of gout symptoms, or the development of new ones.

5. Cheese & Dairy

There is a delicate balance between helpful and harmful with milk and related products. However, if you are typically quite sensitive to food products with regard to your arthritic symptoms, then cutting out the cheese and milk might be something you may like to consider.

Dairy, for some people, can cause and enhance joint and arthritic pain due to their proteins. While other people have no problem at all, you may like to cut out different dairy options and see if your discomfort worsens or gets better.

6. Trans Fats

Out of all fats available for consumption, trans fat is by far the worst. It can cause inflammation which can affect your joint helath and increase your likelihood of developing chronic conditions as well.
Trans fat has no benefits and is prevalent in many fried and snack foods. According to various studies, there is also no confirmed “safe” consumption level. Avoid it completely and don’t eat food with “partially hydrogenated oils” on the packaging.

7. MSG

MSG, also known as Mono-Sodium Glutamate, is a leading player in joint inflammation and liver health. While its primary goal is to flavor food, it’s not doing your body any favors as it goes about it.
Unfortunately, MSG is in many common foods – especially Asian cuisine and sauces. However, some manufacturers also put it in deli meat, soup, and even salad dressing. Avoid it at all costs – particularly if you suffer from a joint condition.

8. Refined Carbohydrates

While carbohydrates are not the worst offenders for inflammation, refined carbs are. White rice, bread, and even white potatoes can all cause inflammation that affects the health of your joints.
These foods are known as high-glycemic index foods, and too much of them can also escalate the rate of obesity. Do your joints and body a favor and opt for wholegrain variety foods instead. Your body and pain levels will thank you for it.

9. Alcohol

A tipple of liquor every now and again is not going to cause your body too much grief, but if you suffer from a joint condition such as arthritis, you are best to consume in moderation.

As most people know, alcohol can do tremendous damage to your liver. When you disrupt your liver, you can then suffer from pain and inflammation in your joints.

However, there are some upsides to alcohol consumption. Some research shows that up to 10 grams of alcohol per day may be able to reduce your risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Once you’ve got arthritis, you’ve got it for life, and you will find there are times where your pain levels are at their highest. While medication can go a long way to relieving your pain and discomfort, there are also ingredients and food that can help or hinder it too.

Pay attention to these nine items above. Everything from cigarettes to carbohydrates can be causing inflammation, and you may not even realize it. Take control of your diet and notice the difference!

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