Want to protect your kids from obesity? Get enough sleep

 If you wish to protect your kids from obesity, make sure you get enough sleep on a daily basis as a study has shown that a parent’s sleep has an effect on the likelihood that their children will be overweight or obese.
More parental sleep is related to more child sleep, which is related to decreased child obesity, the findings showed.

“We viewed how long parents slept and how long children slept as part of a household routine and found that they really did go together,” said Barbara Fiese from University of Illinois in the US.

In the study, socioeconomic characteristics were assessed in relation to protective routines and prevalence of being obese or overweight for 337 preschool children and their parents.

The routines assessed in parents included adequate sleep (over seven hours) and family mealtime routine.

The four protective routines assessed in children were adequate sleep (10 or more hours per night), family mealtime routine, limiting screen-viewing time to less than two hours a day, and not having a bedroom TV.

The only significant individual protective factor against obesity or overweight in children was getting adequate sleep.

Children who did not get enough sleep had a greater risk for being overweight than children who engaged in at least three of the protective routines regularly, even after controlling for parents’ BMI (body mass index) and socio-demographic characteristics, Fiese said.

But the researchers also learned that the number of hours a parent sleeps is related to how much sleep children are getting.

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Make the most of Strawberries

Strawberries are making their way in the summer menus, so get ready to eat them dipped in chocolate, smothered in cream, dropped in champagne or simply eaten fresh.

What’s more – they can add to your beauty and health too!

Neil Nugent, executive chef of product development at Morrisons, a chain of supermarkets in Britain,provides his top five ways to make the most of your strawberries this summer, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

- Try dipping in a good balsamic vinegar. It’s a perfect appetiser.

- Serve whole with shaved parmesan cheese, a kind of Italian extra-hard cheeses. The salty cheese goes perfectly with the strawberries to create a sweet fragrant flavour.

- Try on a skewer-rub with a little olive oil, then barbeque quickly over hot coals and then serve with freshly ground black pepper.

- Strawberries are perfect for smoothies with a little yoghurt, banana and orange juice.

- Crush strawberries using a fork with a little sugar and freshly chopped mint. This is delicious served with vanilla ice cream.

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New policy for holistic health care system: President

The government Monday announced it will formulate a new health policy to achieve the objective of holistic health care system that is universally accessible, affordable and effective.

“Our country needs a holistic health care system that is universally accessible, affordable and effective. To achieve this objective, my government will formulate a New Health Policy and roll out a National Health Assurance Mission,” President Pranab Mukherjee said addressing the joint sitting of both houses of parliament.

He added that the mission will promote naturopathy and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy).

The president said that to address the shortfall of health care professionals, health education and training will be transformed.

India has a shortage around 6.4 million allied health professionals, according to a study.

Mukherjee also said, “AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) like institutes will be established in every state in a phased manner.”

At the moment, there are eight AIIMS-like institutes in the country.

Recognised in Southeast Asia as a centre of excellence in the field of medical sciences, education and research, the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has inspired the government to set up similar super-speciality institutes in other states.

With the aim to provide similar kind of multi-speciality facilities at affordable rates in other states, the Congress-led UPA government in 2006 approved the setting up of six AIIMS like institutions.

But the idea was first proposed in 2003 by the then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. It was, however, cleared in 2006 by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The six institutes are in Patna (Bihar), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Bhubaneswar (Orissa), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand).

These institutes will also provide undergraduate medical education for 100 students a year.

In 2009, the government approved two more such institutes, taking the final number to eight. The two AIIMS-like institutes are being set up at Raiganj (West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district) and Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh). Rae Bareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

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E health authority to monitor healthcare providers

The union health ministry was planning to set up a central authority to ensure the compliance of standards in electronic health record (EHR) by all healthcare providers, an official said here Wednesday.

“The ministry intends to set up a mechanism to monitor and evaluate implementation of and adherence to EHR standards and guidelines by various healthcare practitioners and vendors,” said Lov Verma, the health and family welfare secretary.

He was speaking at Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) national summit on “ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) in Healthcare”.

“We need to have an e-health authority which will be the regulator and which will see that EHR standards are being adhered to,” he said.

Verma said with the adoption of ICT, the ministry was hoping to achieve remote consultation, diagnosis and treatment through tele-medicine while at the same time facilitate collaboration and co-operation among healthcare providers.

“ICT will bring a lot of transformation in healthcare service delivery as providers will have easier access to patient data and citizens will get the benefits in terms of better healthcare services.”

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Minimal Approach makes Joint Replacement almost painless

Despite struggling with diseased joints and restricted motion, many people often feel intimidated by the idea of a joint replacement surgery because they believe it will have painful after-effects and will not be sustainable. This apprehension, however, is unfounded.

With the advent of minimally invasive joint replacement procedures, it is possible for doctors to conduct surgical intervention through just one or two small incisions. This not only makes the post operative time much less painful for patients but also ensures a faster rehabilitation as compared to traditional joint replacement surgery to replace a diseased or a damaged joint.

As compared to traditional joint replacement surgery, the minimally invasive approach ensures a better long-term stability of the joint because the muscles and tendons around the joint are not damaged during this surgery.

In a hip replacement surgery, a doctor removes the head of the thighbone and then places artificial implants to replace the faulty ball and socket of the hip that have been causing problems and restricting movement. The artificial implants will relieve the patient of the constant pain that he or she lives with and also improve mobility remarkably. You will be able to lead a much normal life, walk, climb stairs, stand up from a chair without much problem and have much better quality of life

“In a minimally invasive hip replacement procedure, a smaller incision 3-6 inches, as compared to 10 inches in the traditional method is made and special instruments are used to insert an artificial implant. This results in less damage to the muscle and tissue surrounding the area, lesser blood loss and a faster return to normal life. The most important advantage of this procedure is that the major muscles in the hip and thigh area that give support to the joint are not cut. This not only speeds up recovery but also reduces the risk of dislocation of the replaced joint as the muscles around it are strong and functioning” saysDr.Rajeev K Sharma,Orthopedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon,Indraprastha Apollo Hospita,New Delhi

Most patients are able to walk a day after the surgery and put their weight on the artificial implant. With the wound needing healing much smaller, they are able to start physiotherapy very soon after the procedure and the hospital stay is much shorter.

55-year-old Sanjoy (not his original name) developed arthritis of the joints at an early stage and required a hip replacement. However, he believed he was too young to go for a joint replacement and felt the surgery would be painful and his active lifestyle will be compromised.

However, a day after the surgery, he was on his feet. On the third day, he was walking around without any support. A few months after the minimally invasive procedure, he is leading a perfectly normal life. With the diseases hip joint replaced, his mobility restored and quality of life improved.

This procedure is particularly more suitable for younger patients who have more active lifestyles and need greater strength to their joints for a longer period of time. This may cut the need for a revision surgery. It is also good for patients in whom a major surgery can be risky.

Prolonged restricted movements, apart from deteriorating quality of life and productivity, may also lead to other health complications like obesity, diabetes and cardiac ailments. Hence, it is advisable to patients rendered increasingly immobile due to arthritis or other joint diseases to go for a joint replacement.

In the case of knee replacement too, new techniques for opening the knee have improved the quality if surgery in recent years. The latest techniques help protect the crucial tendons and muscles around the knee for better post operative recovery and long term stability of the artificial joint.

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Lung cancer rapidly increases in Indian women

Lung cancer is on rise for Indian women in comparison to a distinct decrease witnessed in men over the last 20 years.

Lung cancer has always been associated as a “men’s disease” whereas now women account for almost 50% of deaths caused by lung cancer. It would be an interesting insight to learn that Lung cancer is the main cause of death in women, which surpasses breast cancer. It is disheartening women are cognizant of the symptoms much rather late or are diagnosed with lung cancer by when the deadly disease begins to spread to other organs, reducing the chances of speedy cure.
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Most women detected with lung cancer die within a year and the majority of living lung cancer patients have been identified within the last five years. Smoking and pollution contribute to 90% lung cancer deaths. However, non-smokers have a 20-30% higher chance of developing lung cancer since they are regularly exposed to indirect smoke, work-related exposure to carcinogens and radon, resulting in 10% lung cancer cases. Hence the highest number of lung cancer patients in the world due to massive air pollution, 90% of which are non-smokers have been tracked in Kolkata.

A study of Medicare beneficiaries with a history of heavy smoking found that new lung cancer screening guidelines would likely double the proportion of lung cancers found at an early stage, but at a steep cost of some $9.3 billion over five years according to U.S. researchers. It is a known fact that pollution is harmful to health,  environmental pollution is now the main reason leading to increased cases of lung cancer  for people and the government to wake up and indulge in consistent efforts to control the smoke and other pollutants.

We have abundant diagnostic techniques and chemotherapeutic drugs available, hence early screening and diagnosing can save more lives. The survival rates for female lung cancer patients can be increased by the emphasizing on the awareness on this issue.

To discuss in detail the various medical techniques and treatment procedures that can prevent delayed lung cancer diagnosis, we would be happy to facilitate an interaction with our doctors.

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Detoxify, sleep well for radiant skin

Hectic work schedules often keep women away from spending any time on nurturing their skin. But it’s easy to do it at home by detoxifying the body and getting proper beauty sleep.

Sun, stress, pollution and dirt leads to several skin concerns like uneven skin tone, blemishes and dull looking skin. However, an expert at cosmetic brand Lakme has shared tips on how one can get the desired flawless and radiant skin in the comfort of your home, said a statement.

* Detox your body: Your body is a result of what is going on inside it. Skin problems develop when your skin can’t do its job of eliminating toxins efficiently. Drink warm water with lemon every morning to help flush toxins from the body. Reduce your intake of alcohol for a few days to give your body and skin a break. Up your intake of fresh fruits, vegetables and water to boost the amount of skin-saving nutrients you’re getting.

* Get some beauty sleep: Sleep affects your physical and mental well-being. When you sleep, you’re allowing your body to begin the healing process. Good sleep directly leads to fresh looking skin. Try and hit the sack earlier than you usually do and you will see the result within no time on your skin.

* Skin serum is in: Gone are the days when serum was only for your hair. Skin serums are the latest trend in skin care. Whoever thought skin serums were only used by experts at the salon, think again. You can now use skin serums even in the comfort of your home with ease. Vitamins in these serums help make your skin even and radiant.

* Strip off your make-up before going to bed: Leaving make-up and dirt on skin doesn’t just clog pores but it also causes skin dullness. Always wipe off your make up and wash your face with a face wash to remove all the dirt and grime that your skin has collected throughout the day. Massage your face with a hydrating creme after you wash your face to help replenish your skin while you sleep.

* Don’t forget to apply sunscreen: We know, you’ve heard it a million times, but stepping out of the house during the day without wearing sunscreen is like directly forcing your skin to dullness. Sunscreen not only prevents your skin from tanning but also keeps it moisturized and hydrated throughout the day. Applying sunscreen everyday helps your skin retrieve its natural moisture.

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Women with diabetes at higher heart disease risk: Study

with diabetes are 44 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD) than men with diabetes, a large global study has revealed.

“Taken together, these data provide convincing evidence that diabetes poses a greater relative risk for cardiovascular diseases in women than in men,” said professor Rachel Huxley from University of Queensland in Australia.

The data used stretches back almost 50 years, from 1966 to 2011, and includes 64 studies, 858,507 people and 28,203 CHD events.

Women with diabetes were almost three times more likely to develop CHD compared with women without diabetes, while men with diabetes were only twice as likely to develop CHD than men without diabetes.

Combining the two sets of data showed that women with diabetes were 44 percent more likely to develop CHD than men with diabetes even after consideration was made for sex differences in other CHD factors, researchers noted.

This study, the largest ever of its kind, backs up findings from a smaller analysis including fewer studies that showed a 46 percent increased risk of dying from CHD in women with diabetes compared with men with diabetes.

The sex difference in diabetes-related risk for incident CHD was consistent across sub-groups defined by age and region and remained unchanged after excluding non-fatal CHD events.

The study appeared in the journal Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

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Health Benefits of Motherhood

A woman’s body has a great deal to do during pregnancy.

Sometimes the transformation taking place will cause irritation or discomfort, and on occasions they may seem quite frightening.

All of us are aware about the constant exasperating symptoms like fatigue, morning sickness, mood swings, leg cramps that pregnant women face.

However, in spite of the  roller coaster ride, pregnancy brings several advantages to a mother’s health. After the nine months journey, she receives a lot of benefits that are rarely discussed.

The changes that take place during pregnancy enhance a woman’s well being. Childbirth and breastfeeding also provide benefits of its own to the mother.

Dr. Bhavana Mishra, Consultant Gynecologist at Apollo Cradle shares few positive effects of post pregnancy with HealthyDunia.com:

a. Building ImmunityMany women post pregnancy tend to fall sick at a lesser rate. Due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy, it helps a woman develop her immune system.

b. Reducing Cancer risk
Pregnancy can reduce the possibilities of Breast cancer and Ovarian cancer. There are studies which mention that breast feeding for more than three months helps women protect against breast cancer. One of the possible reasons for the decreased risk is due to total number of lifetime menstrual cycles being reduced due to pregnancy.

c. Reduces Menstrual Problems
Once the menstrual cycle start post pregnancy, there are very less chances for her to experience pain. The probable reason behind this reduction in pain is due to the prostaglandin receptor being eliminated in the uterus post pregnancy. Prostaglandin are the hormones that enable the contraction during labor. Due to its elimination, there are fewer menstrual cramps experienced.

d. Adopting Healthy Lifestyles
Pregnancy motivates women to gain healthy habits and avoid consuming unhealthy elements. For instance, many women tend to quit smoking or consuming alcohol during pregnancy and this helps them continue to resist themselves in future. Pregnant women learn to stick to a healthy diet and a regular exercise schedule which helps them maintain themselves. Diabetic patients also learn to manage their diets through this period.

e. Greater receptiveness towards sense of taste and smell
Pregnant women have an increased level of estrogen in the body which creates a natural barrier that keeps her away from perilous elements like alcohol and tobacco. Since the woman’s body is detoxified from nicotine and alcohol, her sensory organs show better receptiveness towards the sensation of taste and smell. Since most women usually continue abstaining from consumption of tobacco and alcohol, her sense organs show better development.

f. Healthy hair and skin
Due to the improvement in blood circulation and the skin retaining moisture during pregnancy, there is a visible radiant glow in her skin. Women often experience less hair loss during pregnancy which leads to growth of a thicker and stronger mane later.

Since she takes care of her health and lifestyle a lot more during pregnancy, she tends to have an increased awareness about the sense of well being. Healthy habits inculcated during pregnancy also help women to emerge as strong, fit and happy women.

Pregnancy helps enhance a woman’s well being physically and mentally. Post pregnancy, women tend to notice a lot of changes in their body that are beneficial.

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40 is not too late to hit the gym

Even if you are above 40, it is not too late to hit the gym as researchers have found that “relatively intense” endurance exercises confer benefits on the heart irrespective of the age at which a person begins fitness training.

“Despite biological changes with age, the heart still seems – even at the age of 40 – amenable to modification by endurance training,” said David Matelot from the “Inserm 1099″ research unit at the University of Rennes in France.

“Starting at age 40 does not seem to impair the cardiac benefits,” he added.

The study was performed with 40 healthy men (without cardiovascular risk factors) aged between 55-70 years who were divided for assessment according to the level of exercise they took and the ages at which they began.

Ten people had never exercised for more than two hours a week throughout their lives, and 30 had exercised for at least seven hours a week for over five years – either beginning their programmes before age 30 or after age 40.

When the researchers tested the men on fitness measures like heart rate and maximal oxygen uptake, both groups of men who trained regularly fared about equally, and significantly better than their peers who had never trained.

“It is never too late to change your way of life and get more physically active,” Matelot said.

“Using the stairs rather than the elevator, or gardening regularly, can also be beneficial,” said the findings recently presented at the “EuroPRevent Congress” in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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Too much exercise can be a bad thing

One tries different workout methods to look fit but too much exercise can lead to damage too, says an expert.
Whilst diet is almost always carefully planned out, or at least thought of, many fail to realise the impact training can have on the rest of their body, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Whilst brisk walking for 30-45 minutes five days a week has been shown to boost immunity, more strenuous activities may have a negative impact on the body, says fitness expert Erin McCann.

“When the body is exposed to physical stressors such as exercise it responds in a similar way to how it does when exposed to mental stress – the hormone cortisol is released.

“Cortisol stimulates energy production and improves muscle endurance which supports fight or flight reaction. Cortisol however also acts as an immunosuppresant and following even just a moderate workout, immune function can take up to 72 hours to fully recover. This leaves individuals open to viral or bacterial infections,”said McCann.

McCann suggests top three ways to support immune function:

i. Incorporate adequate recovery time into your workout schedule. This will aid muscle recovery, reduce the risk of injury and improve immune health.

ii. Increase consumption of immune supporting nutrients and antioxidants through food. Examples include Vitamin C containing foods, like berries and broccoli, as well as zinc rich foods like eggs and pumpkin seeds.

iii. Supplement with immune boosting nutrients and herbs that are not commonly found in an ‘every day’ diet. Examples of these unique immune supporting agents are astaxanthin, reishi mushroom, bee propolis and olive leaf. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, and is often used by athletes to support muscle recovery and immunity.

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