Globe Health Tours News

May 30: Following vegan diet that includes fruits and vegetables that are rich in fibre and healthier fats will help to protect against type-two diabetes according to a study. As part of the study nearly 14,000 Spanish volunteers were questioned about their eating habit and studied for a period of four years to find the development of the symptoms. The findings of the research hinted that 83% of the people who followed vegan diet have low risk of type-2 diabetes. The results of the study were published in British Medical Journal.

People living in Crete, Greece and southern Italy follow Mediterranean diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables normally cooked in olive oil and washed with glass of red wine. Regular exercise is part of their routine lifestyle. Modern studies consider Mediterranean diet as the ideal diet to keep the heart healthy. The link between obesity and the chances of developing diabetes has already been proven. Olive oil is found to control blood sugar level and minimise blood pressure.

While UK experts consider this study as not comprehensive. Dr Iain Frame from Diabetes UK opined that the questionnaire format did not try to bring out accurate results. He also added that even though the research findings point to the benefits of Mediterranean diet in reducing diabetes risk, there is need for detailed study in order to get a clear picture.

Diabetes UK suggests people to follow healthy food habit that is less in fat, sugar and salt; and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Indulging in any kind of physical activities will also help to keep the diabetes risk at bay.

Meanwhile a spokesman of the British Nutrition Foundation commented that different elements of the diet will combine together to make a difference. But the study doesn’t allow us to find exactly what kind of diet is having beneficial effect. The Mediterranean diet is high in fibre rich fruits and vegetables and saturated fat, which will help to reduce the risk of diabetes. Olive oil is the main ingredient of the diet, when highly consumed it is found to gain control over blood glucose and reduce inflammation, it will help to prevent the development of diabetes right from the early stage.

More specific studies will add more clarity to the health benefits of following Mediterranean lifestyle.

May 29: Researches on several topics are conducted all over the world for the betterment of human existence. Animals are mainly used for experiments to confirm the outcome of the research. Pros and cons are often raised over the period of years on the experiments on animals. On this backdrop a world expert on primates, Dr Jane Goodall has asked Europe to find an alternative to keep animals away from these experiments.

Dr Goodall was addressing a meeting in Brussels and she called for more initiatives to find an alternative to using animals for experiments. Her comments came at the apt moment as the EU directive on the protection of animals used for research that dates back to 1986 is to be revised soon. In the EU alone nearly 11 million animals are used for experiments each year in a regulated manner.

According to the version of scientists using animals for research cannot be avoided as it is effective in finding solution to health related problems that arise in humans. Dr Goodall was addressing an event organised by animal rights campaigners and a group of Euro MPs. She also presented a 150,000-signature petition that supports her call.

While the Dr Hadwen Trust, a non-animal medical research body in the UK has asked the EU to form a centre of excellence in non-animal research. Wendy Higgins, the spokeswoman of the trust said: “Industrial and academic researches have expressed their discontent over using animals for research purposes.”

Meanwhile the EU’s Directive 86/609/EEC put forth certain level of control on using animals for experimental purposes. It suggests that the experiments “shall be performed solely by competent authorised persons or under the direct responsibility of such a person”.

It further adds that the experiment “shall not be performed if another scientifically satisfactory method of obtaining the result sought, not entailing the use of an animal, is reasonably and practicably available”.

Finding an alternative way to substitute animals in research is the ideal way to bring permanent solution to this issue.

May 28: Persons who suffer from stoke related speech problems are left isolated after they get discharged from hospital as according to the campaigners. The NHS through its community support groups led by stroke specialists is helping those with communication problems to regain confidence.

The government showed its willingness to invest more funds to improve service offered by the community support groups. The number of stroke victims is increasing rapidly and one third of the survivors suffer from communication disability as a result of it, this will make the survivors feel depressed.

Only the victims who lost their speaking ability need long term help. The communication support therapy lend by NHS is helping those people to get back to normal life to a certain extent. Through their initiatives they help the patients to improve their speech or learn basic sign language to enable them to communicate easily.

The Stroke Association runs most of the services on behalf of the NHS, found that only 12% of those with severe communication difficulties are utilising the services provided by the NHS. In England just 1,300 people are getting the service. According to charity’s report the situation is better in Scotland and Wales but there is need for improvement.

While commenting on this Joe Korner of the Stroke Association opined that, “Communication is the vital need whether it is through speech or signs, the ability to interact with others is essential. Depriving of this ability will make stroke victims feel low.”

Meanwhile the Department of Health said that proper investment will be made to enhance the counselling and support services to reach more people who are in need.

May 23: A research conducted by the Harward university researchers has found that changing meal times will help a great deal to help travellers to recover from jet lag. The detailed study conducted on mice has found that the brain has a second “feeding clock” that monitors meal-times.

When one eat less the feeding clock gains control over the master clock that keeps the animal wakeful until the need for food is fulfilled. The finding of the research was published in the journal Science and it suggests that shift workers and long distance travellers can make use of this to avoid tiredness.

There is a powerful master clock in our brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus that controls the daily sleep cycles, behaviour and metabolism. The symptoms of jet lag can be effectively controlled and makes it lot more manageable.

While commenting on this Dr Neil Stanley of Norwich University Hospital opined that the disruption of the “circadian” rhythms is found to be connected with neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, heart disease, depression and insomnia. The Harward team has tried to find the relationship between “circadian” clock and “feeding” clock and its relationship with our eating patterns.”

The lead researcher of the study Clifford Saper said: “Frequent travellers and shift workers can make use of the feeding clock to adapt to changes in time zones and night-time schedules that make them feel groggy and jet-lagged.”

The research findings will benefit those people who used to travel frequently and work in unsociable hours of the day. The symptoms will not disappear completely but that can be managed to a certain extent.

May 22: In future students in schools and colleges will be tested for using brain improving drugs prior to their exams. The Academy of Medical Sciences opined that even healthy people use the drugs for diseases like Alzheimer’s to enhance their alertness and memory. Like athletes urine drug tests will be conducted in children if the issue get worse.

As an attempt to study the use of psychoactive drugs and its impact on brain function the academy set up a working group in the year 2006 that is led by Sir Gabriel Horn, the neuroscience expert at the Cambridge University. Experts also suggest that regulations are needed to check the unfair advantage in exams with the help of memory enhancing drugs.

Researchers have found that many of the addictive drugs and some behavioural addictions including gambling will gain control over neural circuits in a particular region of the brain. The genes that make the brain vulnerable to mental illness have also been identified. Experts who contacted the focus group among the public during their research said the research has made limited progress in drug treatment.

They also added that the most of the medicines used for curing drug addiction fails to cure it completely, but they only try to replace the substance with less addictive and hazardous ones. The group report also suggest that the vaccines could be developed to neutralise addiction, more investment and better co-ordination between industry and government is needed to make that feasible. The researchers also focus on developing better brain enhancing drugs or cognitive enhancers to fulfil this purpose.

UK alone spends £15bn in social and economic costs in connection with drug addiction. An average of one among 10 persons is expected to suffer mental illness. On this backdrop this research deserves far reaching significance.

May 21: While commenting on this the chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter said: “Fruit smoothies are more preferred by people now-a-days this is due to its health related benefits and inimitable taste. Fruit smoothies have high level of sugar and acid that pose threat to the teeth. This particular research had tried to find the link between dental problems and an array of health issues like heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes.

On the other hand, a survey conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation and the company Oral B among 1000 people has found 30% of people opined that fruit smoothies are actually good for the teeth.

Dr Carter further added that, “Fruit smoothies will encourage the habit of consuming more fruits. High concentration of sugar and acids in smoothies are capable of damaging the teeth if sipped throughout the day. Constant sipping of the juice will make the protective enamel to erode and creates pain and sensitivity, which leads to tooth decay.”

To get rid of the attack dentists advice to brush teeth before drinking fruit juice, as it will protect the teeth from damaging effect of the acid. Brushing soon after drinking is not recommended as the enamel will be weakened by the acid contained in the fruit juice.

May 19: An interesting study has revealed that women who are stressed during the time of pregnancy will make their child more vulnerable to asthma or other allergies. The findings of the study conducted by Harvard Medical School, which included 387 babies, will be presented to the American Thoracic Society.

This research adds more value to the belief that stress can be considered as a social pollutant that when inhaled will influence the immune system of the body. The complex mix of genetic and environmental factors will influence the risk of asthma and allergy.

The study considers that these factors will have a significant impact on the environment in which a foetus grows. They also examined the extent to which the stress during pregnancy can affect the foetus and how far it can make the child susceptible to asthma and allergies. The level of Immunoglobulin (IgE) a chemical linked to allergic responses in the umbilical cord blood of 387 babies was measured as part of this study.

While commenting on this Researcher Dr Rosalind Wright said: “This research gives a clear picture about the links of maternal stress and its impact on children’s ability to develop immune power, it also indicates that stress can be considered as a social pollutant that when inhaled into the body will influence the immune system of the body like the physical pollutants like allergens.”

Even though it is a preliminary finding it emphasise the need for maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy to make the child resistant to asthma and allergy.

May 16: As an innovative attempt to check smoking habit a Japanese company has developed a vending machine that could identify age of a person by counting skin sags and wrinkles. This gadget will make use of face recognition technology to restrict anyone under the age of 20 buying cigarettes.

From July onwards strict legal action will be taken against the vending machine companies if they sell cigarettes for people under legal age limit. If the purchasers fail a digital camera “age test” then they have to produce their ID card as a proof of their age. The facial characteristics that include sags, bone structure and crow’s feet were checked against the record of more than 100,000 people and were compared by the Fujitaka company system.

While commenting on this a spokesman of the company Hajime Yamamoto said: “With the inclusion of face recognition the age of a person is determined easily and the person above legal age limit can buy cigarettes as they used to be earlier. Minors attempt to buy cigarette using the borrowed identification cards will be checked once this system is implemented.”

The company claims the system works well and it identifies nine out of ten cases. The remaining 10% will be sent to a “grey zone for baby –faced adults” where they have to insert their ID card or driving licence to prove their age.

In total there are 570,000 tobacco vending machines in Japan. Identifying the scope of the system the finance minister has already given sanction for age detection smart card and a system to identify age from driving licences. But the face-detection method is yet to be approved as its accuracy is still under doubt.

Underage smoking habit is on a decline in Japan but a survey conducted in 2004 revealed that 14% of boys and 4% of girls who are aged 17 and 18 are found to be regular smokers.

May 15: As a precautionary measure against fast spreading bird flu in South East Asia the UK government has began to stockpile anti-viral drug Tamiflu. A recent research has found that stockpiling single drug will not be effective in resisting global flu pandemic.
Tests conducted on the H5N1 strain of bird flu that is rapidly spreading all across South East Asia has found that it is developing resistance to the leading anti-viral drug Tamiflu.

This study was conducted by the Medical Research Council and it emphasised the need for stockpiling more than one kind of drug. The UK government has stockpiled millions of doses of Tamiflu is reviewing its position.

The researchers found that when they passed X-ray crystallography on the key part of flu called neuraminidase (N1), which is responsible for the release of the virus from infected human cells and allows the disease to spread, they characterise a mutation in the structure of N1 that is observed in human cases of H5N1. Due to this mutation the virus become resistant to Tamiflu and remains vulnerable to Relenza.

While commenting on this the lead researcher of the study Dr Steve Gamblin said: “Stockpiling one kind of drug will not provide an effective cover over potential H5N1 pandemic. There is no need to worry as the mutant strains of H5N1 will not spread fast.”

A recent figure has shown that in total 382 people are affected by H5N1 bird flu and 241 of them were killed, the victims were mostly from South East Asia. Most of them who are infected by the disease are poultry workers who have come into intimate contact with infected birds.

Researchers also warn that if the virus acquires the ability to spread from human to human then it will pose huge threat to millions of people all over the world. Health experts in the UK have warned that if such a modified strain emerges then tens of thousands of people could die in Britain alone.

So detailed study and holistic prevention strategy is the need of the hour.

May 13: The rapid increase in the rate of pollution create lots of health related problems. A US study has found that inhaling air pollutants that are raised from the traffic will leads to deadly blood clots. Inhaling small particles that originate out of the burning fossil fuels is expected to increase the risk of getting affected by heart disease and stroke.

A study conducted on 2000 people by Harvard School of Public Health identified that air pollution also enhance the development of deep vein thrombosis that leads to blood clots in the legs. Pollutants in air is capable of converting blood as sticky and more likely to clot..

Initially the blood clots form in the legs and will spread to lungs from there they can lodge and develop as potentially fatal pulmonary embolism. Long periods of immobility will increase the risk of Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Usually passengers who travel for a long time or people who spend lots of time sitting in their office desk are more likely to get affected by DVT.

The pollution rates from the areas where people who are considered as the sample live were analysed by the researchers. People who are exposed to higher level of small particles in the year are more prone to blood clots. According to the report of Archives of Internal Medicine, every 10 microgram per square metre increase in small particulates the DVT risk went by 70%.

While commenting on this the lead researcher Dr Andrea Baccarelli said: “This research give a clear picture about the magnitude of risk posed by air pollution and it emphasise the need for tightening the standards and need to reduce the impact of urban air pollution on human health.”

This study is considered as first of its kind to reveal the link of air pollution and the increased risk of clots in the veins. The prompt air quality legislation is what needed to minimise air pollution.