Health

It’s official: Chocolate is ‘as good as exercise’

Epicatechin (a plant compound found in chocolate which stimulates the muscle response) treatment combined with exercise could be a viable means to offset muscle ageing, say scientists.

It is the news that chocoholics have been waiting for: Chocolate is as good as exercise, a new study has claimed.

Scientists at Wayne State University in the U.S. found that small amounts of dark chocolate may improve health in a similar way to exercise.

The researchers who focused on the mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses in cells that generate energy, discovered that a plant compound found in chocolate, called epicatechin, appeared to stimulate the same muscle response as vigorous activity, the Daily Telegraph reported.

“Mitochondria produce energy which is used by the cells in the body. More mitochondria mean more energy is produced the more work can be performed,” said Dr. Moh Malek, who led the research on mice.

“Aerobic exercise, such as running or cycling, is known to increase the number of mitochondria in muscle cells,” Dr. Malek said.

“Our study has found that epicatechin seems to bring about the same response, particularly in the heart and skeletal muscles.”

For their study, published in the Journal of Physiology, the researchers gave a specific type of epicatechin from cocoa to the laboratory mice twice a day for 15 days.

At the same time, the animals underwent 30 minutes of treadmill training each day.

It was found that mice only fed epicatechin had the same exercise performance as those running on the treadmill.

The findings would lead to better ways of combating age-related muscle wasting, the scientists hoped.

Dr Malek said, the number of mitochondria decreases in skeletal muscle as we age, and this affects us physically in terms of both muscle energy production and endurance.

“Applying what we know about epicatechin’s ability to boost mitochondria numbers may provide an approach to reduce the effects of muscle ageing.”

According to the researchers, middle-aged mice who both exercised and ate epicatechin showed an even greater benefit.

“It appears epicatechin treatment combined with exercise could be a viable means to offset muscle ageing,” said Dr. Malek.

“At the moment it would be a leap of faith to say the same effects would be seen in humans. But it is something we hope to identify in future studies,” he added.

Premature deaths by non-communicable disease high in India: WHO

The WHO report says cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory problems, blood pressure and diabetes are an offshoot of growing affluence of the middle classes. Here, Dr. Mohans Diabetes Specialities Centre, Chennai conducts blood sugar test for morning walkers and senior citizens

India ranks very high among the nations struck by the rising wave of “premature deaths” caused by non-communicable diseases, mainly heart and blood ailments, the WHO said in its latest report on Wednesday.

The report said that cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory problems, blood pressure and diabetes are an offshoot of growing affluence of the middle classes as well as worsening health conditions among people below poverty line.

“Exposure to the four main behavioural risk factors that contribute to NCDs — tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets, remains high worldwide and is increasing in the majority of low-and middle-income countries,” said Ala Alwan, WHO’s Assistant Director General.

India is placed in the “lower middle” income group.

Barring Afghanistan, India is worst affected by what are often described as NCDs (non-communicable diseases) in South Asia with around 38 per cent of premature deaths of males and 32.1 per cent of females below 60 years.

The total number of NCD deaths are estimated at around 2967.6 (000s) in males and 2273.8 (000s) females.

“NCDs are estimated to account for 53 per cent of all deaths,” said the WHO’s “Non-communicable Diseases Country profiles” on India.

Rising incomes and insecurity caused by the stress factors have contributed to 24 per cent cardio-vascular diseases which are primarily centred on stroke and heart attack.

The second high death component in the CVDs is due to respiratory diseases, primarily lung and pulmonary diseases, which claimed around 11 per cent of lives. Deaths from other NCDs and diabetes account for 12 per cent.

India also ranks among the top 10 countries burdened with highest mortality arising from countries of communicable diseases, especially tuberculosis, as well as high maternal and child mortality.

Around 37 per cent of deaths in India are caused due to communicable, maternal, prenatal and nutritional conditions.

In sharp contrast, India’s neighbours such as China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are among other nations having low proportion of premature deaths due to NCDs.

The report said “common, preventable risk factors” are a leading cause of the death and disability burden in nearly all countries regardless of economic development.

In India and elsewhere, the leading risk factor for mortality is blood pressure (responsible for 13 per cent of deaths globally), followed by tobacco use (9 per cent), raised blood glucose (6 per cent), physical inactivity (6 per cent), and overweight and obesity (5 per cent).

With changing food habits and growing consumption of tobacco among population aged 15 or older, deaths from NCDs are bound to engulf the world, said medical professionals.

In addition, rising physical inactivity in which the percentage of the population aged 15 or oder engaging in less than 30 minutes of moderate activity per week or less than 20 minutes of vigorous activity three times per week, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, overweight, obesity, and raised cholesterol, are transforming India into a NCD country.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis on the rise, says WHO report

In this file photo a woman suffering from tuberculosis covers her face at a clinic on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Fifteen of the 27 countries with the highest incidence of multidrug-resistant TB are in eastern Europe, but Asia has also been hit hard by the disease.

Cases of tuberculosis (TB) resistant to a multitude of drug treatments are rising “at an alarming rate” across Europe, with an estimated 81,000 new cases every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report published Wednesday.

Fifteen of the 27 countries with the highest incidence of multidrug-resistant TB are in eastern Europe, but Asia has also been hit hard by the disease.

Almost 12 per cent of newly diagnosed patients with TB have the multidrug-resistant form, as do 37 per cent of those who have previously been treated for TB, the report said.

While countries in eastern Europe and central Asia were hardest-hit by drug-resistant TB, their treatment success rate of 65 per cent was greater than that in western Europe.

“In western Europe TB is widely perceived as a problem of the past, but the disease remains active, mainly in cities,” said the WHO report, presented in London.

It said 3,500 new cases were reported in London every year – more than anywhere else in western Europe. Across Britain, there were around 9,000 cases annually.

Almost 50 per cent of patients affected by the multidrug-resistant form of TB will die because no drugs are strong enough to treat them, said the WHO.

The organization has launched a multi-billion-dollar action plan aimed at saving 120,000 lives in the period up to 2015.

Vascular ageing value higher in India

One-third of population has conditions conducive to development of a vascular illness:study

Even as the Indian Council of Medical Research is getting set to launch a country-wide study to arrive at Indian diagnostic reference values, here are the results of a study involving over 8,000 participants that underline the urgency of such a task.

The results of the first phase of Sri Ramachandra University’s PURSE-HIS project, conducted between April 2008 and June 2011, clearly demonstrates the fact that a different set of reference or ‘normal’ values will have to be narrowed down for the Indian ethnic group.

There is undoubtedly a need for a different set of reference values for the Indian population, S. Thanikachalam, who led the project at SRU, said. “For instance, one-third of the population has conditions conducive to the development of a vascular illness – stroke, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease, among others.”

In fact, the study showed that the normal reference value for vascular aging among Indians was much higher than in the Caucasian population. Carmel Mary McEniery, senior researcher, University of Cambridge, said the aging was advanced by at least 10 years, in comparison with the Caucasian population.

Thereby, the vascular age of a 30-year-old in India would be comparable only to that of a 40-year-old in, say, the United Kingdom.

Prof. McEniery and John Ronald Cockroft of Cardiff University, who were in Chennai to explore the possibilities of further collaboration on the study, were treated to a full-fledged presentation on the results.

S. Ramaswamy, director, Vasomeditech, who was also involved in the study, explains that this increases the risk of a vascular incident, and that too at a much earlier age than other ethnic groups. Vascular thickness ignites stiffness of the blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis, Dr. Thanikachalam added.

About 20 per cent of the urban study participants were diabetic, which made them four times prone to complications such as retinopathy, early heart attack, and limb amputation. The study also showed that the incidence in semi-urban areas, and rural areas was steadily increasing.

In fact, it was disturbing to find that the rural (12.02 per cent) and semi-urban (9.6 per cent) populations had a higher Impaired Fasting Glucose (pre-diabetic condition) than the urban group, Dr. Thanikachalam said. The Impaired Glucose Tolerance levels were also similarly high for suburban and rural populations, indicative of a large group of people who were likely to develop diabetes. “We are exploring the possibilities of a collaboration to look at prevention too,” Dr. Thanikachalam said.

Similarly, warning bells have been sounded for rising pre-hypertension levels as well (readings between 130/85 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg). “India has to focus on pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension. Homocysteine levels, indicative of folic acid deficiency, were also abnormal, and this induces vasculitis. With all these factors, coupled with high oxidative stress, which we have found, the indications are that disease is just round the corner,” Dr. Thanikachalam said.

Siddha drugs

A small number who were part of this study, 73, were treated for their diabetes with Siddha drugs, for six months, and it was found that the drugs were efficacious and safe.

However, the Committee had suggested certain changes in dosage, and formulation of capsule be incorporated into a larger study.

The second phase of the study is likely to probe the genetic angle of diabetes and vascular ageing, Dr. Thanikachalam said. The project, which studied participants from Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram, is being funded by the technology development transfer wing of the Department of Science and Technology. The study results were sent to Tufts University for re-validation, he added.

Ensure no unethical practices in Pharma industry: President

President Pratibha Patil receiving an icon of ancient Charminar memento after she declared open the 71st FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, first ever congress in India, at Hyderabad on Sunday.

Anguished over manufacture of spurious drugs and unethical practices in the Pharmaceutical industry, President Pratibha Patil today said there was need for the industry and health care organisations to ensure quality and safety of medicines.

“It is the responsibility of every health care provider and health care organisation to ensure that quality and safety of medicines are not compromised. There are instances of spurious drugs, which are harmful, being produced. This is a crime and an unethical practice,” she said.

Patil was speaking after inaugurating the 71st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences organised here by International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and Indian Pharmaceutical Association.

“It should not be left to the Government alone to identify such unscrupulous producers. The industry must also have a wing to find out such practices and bring it to the notice of the Government,” she said.

The President said about 50 per cent of drugs worldwide are prescribed, dispensed, or sold “inappropriately” which becomes a major reason for health complications and called for efforts from the industry to curb the misuse.

Patil said the Indian pharmaceutical industry is expected to become a USD 20 billion industry by 2015, from its present turnover of USD 12 billion.

She said though medical science has made tremendous progress, “it is a matter of concern that a very large part of the world population, mostly in developing countries, has inadequate or no access to health care or essential medicines at affordable cost.”

Patil said there was need for all developing countries to work closely for addressing health care issues and meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The President said the industry and experts must figure out how to provide access to health care and essential good quality medicines for all at a reasonable cost.

She said there are ample opportunities in the sector for public-private partnership for achieving the mission to extend the coverage of health care, particularly amongst urban poor and rural areas.

Patil also said India has much to offer to the world in terms of alternative medicines and the government should tap available resources and draw on indigenous knowledge of medicine.

She said Indian Pharma industry is already the third largest in the world by volume and Indian companies have an extensive presence across the globe.

Indian generic drugs have helped in bringing down the cost of treatment of various diseases world-wide, which includes HIV/AIDS, and “our pharmaceutical products are known to be of good quality, safety and efficacy,” she said.

The President suggested that the conference should focus on creating access to affordable, quality medicines within a sound regulatory environment.

The President left for New Delhi from the Begumpet airport here at around 1.30 pm after inaugurating the event.

Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha, Ministers D K Aruna, Danam Nagender and Mukesh Goud were present at the airport.

Chief Secretary S V Prasad, Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan and representatives of Armed Forces were also present there.

The five-day World Congress of Pharmacy would cover different aspects of pharmacy and pharmaceuticals sciences, like FIP Academic Pharmacy, Clinical Biology, Community Pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy, Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmacy Information and FIP Social Administrative Pharmacy.

How to Eat a Healthy Balanced Diet

Apple

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for sustained energy and illness prevention. Eating healthy is not about cutting calories or strict dieting; it’s about ensuring your body gets the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Instructions

• Avoid cutting calories, but do not consume too much. Healthy and active adults need approximately 2,000 calories a day. The more exercise you do, the more calories you need. Use a daily calorie calculator (see Resources section below) to determine how many calories you need each day.
• Add fruits and vegetables to every meal, and even to snacks. For example, add bananas to your cereal at breakfast, eat a salad and an apple with lunch and have tomatoes and canned peaches with your dinner. This can help you get the recommended three to five (or more) servings of fruits and vegetables.
• Try new foods. Make an effort to pick out something new at the grocery store every week. Browse the produce section and choose a fruit you have never had before. This can help give you a healthier, more balanced diet so you’re not eating the same things all the time.
• Check your portions. More appropriate portions can make a huge difference. One way to check portions is to read the nutrition label and see the recommended serving size. (See the link in the Resources section below for appropriate portions.)
• Cut out excess sugars, salts, caffeine and alcohol. These (in excess) are toxic to the body and will deplete nutrients. Eat a healthy well balanced diet and enjoy your foods and drinks containing these toxins in moderation only, or cut them out altogether.
• Clean your home of junk food. If it isn’t there you are less likely to eat it, especially at nighttime. When you are able to cut out junk foods (sugary, salty snacks) you will eat what is available in your home, which should be healthy choices such as fruits, vegetables, pretzels, and crackers.
• Balance your diet with proteins and carbohydrates. Include meats, beans and fish for protein. Avoid cutting out carbohydrates, as you need these for energy. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and pasta contain needed carbohydrates

Tips & Warnings

Drink more water. Instead of a soda or beer, have a glass of water. Chew food thoroughly. Rushing a meal is not healthy. Always have a healthy breakfast. Avoid late-night snacks.

Aerobic exercise the most effective way to lose belly fat

Researchers have found out that aerobic exercise is the most efficient and most effective way to lose the belly fat. An aerobics class in progress at "O2" in Chennai.

A new study has found that aerobic exercise is the best bet when it comes to losing that dreaded belly fat.

Belly or abdominal fat – known in scientific communities as visceral fat and liver fat – is located deep within the abdominal cavity and fills the spaces between internal organs. It’s been associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain kinds of cancer.

“When it comes to increased health risks, where fat is deposited in the body is more important than how much fat you have,” said Duke exercise physiologist Cris Slentz, Ph.D., lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Physiology. “Our study sought to identify the most effective form of exercise to get rid of that unhealthy fat,” he added.

When Duke University Medical Center researchers conducted a head-to-head comparison of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and a combination of the two, they found aerobic exercise to be the most efficient and most effective way to lose the belly fat that’s most damaging to your health.

“Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass,” said Slentz.

“But if you are overweight, which two thirds of the population is, and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories,” he added.

Aerobic training burned 67 p.c. more calories in the study when compared to resistance training.

The study will be published in the American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Eat chocolate daily to reduce heart disease risk: Study

Five studies reported a beneficial link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Here’s good news for all chocolate lovers — a research has indicated that a daily dose of chocolate could slash the risk of developing heart disease by a third.

Scientists have known for some time that a small amount of cocoa—rich dark chocolate can be good for you because of its high antioxidant and anti—inflammatory properties.

But now a review of seven previous studies has suggested that the benefits may be more widespread.

Researchers analysed the studies of more than 100,000 participants with and without existing heart disease.

For each study, they compared the group with the highest chocolate consumption against the group with the lowest consumption.

Five studies reported a beneficial link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and the risk of cardiovascular problems.

They found that the “highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29 per cent reduction in stroke compared with lowest levels,” reports the Daily Express.

Researcher Dr Oscar Franco, from the University of Cambridge, said just how eating chocolate affects your heart remains unclear. He said further studies were needed to test if chocolate causes the reduction or if it can be explained by some other factor.

The finding has been published online in the British Medical Journal.

Vitamin A pills ‘could save thousands of children’

The WHO backs vitamin A supplementation

Giving vitamin A supplements to children under the age of five in developing countries could save 600,000 lives a year, researchers claim.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, UK and Pakistani experts assessed 43 studies involving 200,000 children, and found deaths were cut by 24% if children were given the vitamin.

And they say taking it would also cut rates of measles and diarrhoea.

The body needs vitamin A for the visual and immune systems to work properly.

It is found in foods including cheese, eggs, liver and oily fish.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, around the world, 190 million children under the age of five may have a vitamin A deficiency.

But despite widespread efforts, supplementation programmes do not reach all the children who could benefit.

Capsules are now distributed twice a year in at least 60 countries, with average annual coverage rates nearing 80%.

However, University of Oxford and Aga Khan University researchers who carried out this work say the effectiveness of vitamin A is so well-established that policy-makers should provide supplements to all children at risk.

‘Effective and cheap’

They evaluated studies that involved children aged six months to five years, and compared rates of illness and death among those who were given vitamin A and those who were not.

They found vitamin A supplements reduced child mortality by 24% in low- and middle-income countries.

They calculate that, considering the estimated 190m children who are vitamin A deficient, reducing deaths by 24% would save more than 600,000 lives each year.

Dr Evan Mayo-Wilson from the University of Oxford, who worked on the study, said: “Until other sources are available, supplements should be given to all children who are at risk of vitamin A deficiency.

“After just one year, children who had taken supplements were less likely to have died than children who received a placebo [dummy version].

Vitamin A supplements are highly effective and cheap to produce and administer.”

He said there had been recent criticism of vitamin A programmes – with some saying there were risks that respiratory infection rates could increase, particularly in children who were not vitamin A deficient – but he added there was “little doubt” that vitamin A prevented young children from dying.

In an editorial for BMJ Online, Professor Wafaie Fawzi, from the department of nutrition, epidemiology, and global health at Harvard School of Public Health, added: “Effort should now focus on finding ways to sustain this important child survival initiative and fine tune it to maximise the number of lives saved.”

Banish the blues

NOW, YOU CAN JUMP WITH JOY Exercise and a balanced diet can help you overcome PMS.

Alisha was a cheerful 17-year-old. She was a good student. But just before her menstrual cycle, life would suddenly become an emotional rollercoaster. She would be irritable, moody and lose her temper.

What she experienced each month was the classic symptoms of PMS or pre-menstrual syndrome. There is a medical explanation for her peculiar behaviour. Before menstruation, the body hormones interact with the brain, causing mood swings. So you laugh, cry, or go into depression, at short intervals. The mood shifts are only temporary, but it was more traumatic for the people around Alisha to put up with her tantrums!

Once Alisha realised she had a problem, she was able to cope with it better. Her doctor advised her not to give in to her sugar cravings, which would only cause greater mood fluctuations, but to eat fruits, drink plenty of water, and ensure she had a balanced diet. She also did walking, deep breathing and stretching exercises regularly.

Over time, this made a huge difference. She still had her off days, but she was much more in control of her life. Her friends and family too could breathe easy!

Alisha’s fitness tips:

* To relieve cramps, bathe using warm water.

* Exercise and stretch your body; keep blood circulation going.

* Drink plenty of water.

* Avoid consuming too many sugary foods.

The Inside Story

The pear-shaped uterus is where babies grow before they are born. The uterus is connected to two ovaries, which produce eggs and the female hormone oestrogen. On either side of the uterus, are the Fallopian Tubes, where the sperm meets the egg. Every month, the uterus develops a thick lining of tissue, to help nourish a baby. However, when the egg does not get fertilised with male sperm, the lining, along with the blood, is discharged through a passage called the vagina. This discharge is called menstruation, or simply, a monthly period.

Did you know 1 in 2 adolescent girls is anaemic?

With monthly menstruation, you lose blood. If you do not eat well, the iron in your blood tends to be low, and you can become anaemic. This may make you feel weak and easily tired. You can also look pale. To up the iron levels in your blood, your diet needs to be rich in iron. And when you have iron with vitamin C, found in orange juice or lemon, it gets absorbed better. So have more of the foods on this list!

* Meat

* Fish

* Chicken

* Leafy greens/ broccoli

* Legumes

* Cereals

* Prunes, raisins, apricots, figs

* Watermelon

Thigh, back and stomach discomfort

Cramping in the abdomen, back, or upper thighs is common. You can get some relief with a heating pad, hot water bag, a warm bath, application of anti-inflammatory ointments and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, but only if suggested by your doctor. Often, light exercise, such as going for a walk or stretching, can help ease the pain.

Fit fact: Symptoms of PMS are probably reduced due to the mood-elevating and stress-relieving benefits of exercise!

Water retention

Eighty-five per cent of all women have bloating, or water retention, during PMS. The cause of bloating is believed to be linked to hormone changes in the body.

Cut down on caffeine and refined sugars, because poor nutrition only increases water retention. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to relieve bloating. Reduce your salt intake, as salt makes your body retain water. Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. (No, water will not make you bloat; it will drain the extra salt that can cause water retention!)

Green tea or chamomile tea can soothe the pain caused by your period, and the mild diuretic effect can relieve the water retention.

Back stress relievers

Walk or march for 5 minutes to warm your body up, before you start these exercises.

Cat-camel stretch

Sit on all fours (on your hands and knees). Carefully arch your back and hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds. Then gently round your back (like the hump of a camel) and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise 5 times.

Hip and lower back stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Hands clasped behind your knees, slowly draw both your knees towards your chest. Hold in this ‘knees-to-chest’ position; breathe as you allow your body to relax. Roll your spine down gently as you revert to the start position. Hold for 10 seconds.

Cobbler pose

In a seated position, bend your knees and slowly bring your feet together in the namaste position; feel the stretch in your inner thighs. Hold for 10 seconds.

The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist.