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In the news ... what the
editors are researching ...
Mindfulness
meditation works. Among primary care
patients with subthreshold depression,
mindfulness meditation training reduces the
incidence of major depression and improves
depression symptoms. Intervention participants
were invited to attend weekly two-hour
mindfulness training sessions for eight
consecutive weeks. The authors suggest
that, for patients with subthreshold
depression who have not had a major depressive
episode in the past six months, mindfulness
training is a feasible method of preventing
major depression. American Academy of Family
Physicians
Physical
exercise helps protect cells. Physical
activity had influenced brain metabolism: it
prevented an increase in choline. The
concentration of this metabolite often rises
as a result of the increased loss of nerve
cells, which typically occurs in the case of
Alzheimer's disease. Physical exercise led to
stable cerebral choline concentrations in the
training group, whereas choline levels
increased in the control group. The
participants' physical fitness also improved:
they showed increased cardiac efficiency after
the training period. Overall, these findings
suggest that physical exercise not only
improves physical fitness but also protects
cells. Goethe University Frankfurt. Translational
Psychiatry
Once
you read this, you’ll never want to eat figs
again
Teenage
weight gain linked to increased stroke risk
as an adult. Kids who become overweight
during their teenage years may be more likely
to develop a stroke decades later than kids
who did not become overweight during those
years. Neurology, the medical journal
of the American Academy of Neurology
Broccoli,
new substance against diabetes. Researchers
have identified an antioxidant - richly
occurring in broccoli - as a new antidiabetic
substance. A patient study shows significantly
lower blood sugar levels in participants who
ate broccoli extract with high levels of
sulforaphane. "There are strong indications
that this can become a valuable supplement to
existing medication," says Anders Rosengren,
Docent in Metabolic Physiology at the
University of Gothenburg. Science
Translational Medicine
Lifting
your spirits - You don't have to spend
hours at the gym or work up a dripping sweat
to improve your mood and feel better about
yourself. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle -
spending large parts of your day sitting at
home or at work - simply getting out of your
chair and moving around can reduce depression
and lift your spirits. University of
Connecticut. Journal of Health Psychology
Meditation
keeps emotional brain in check - Meditation
can help tame your emotions even if you're not
a mindful person. "It just takes some
practice," said Yanli Lin. Mindfulness, a
moment-by-moment awareness of one's thoughts,
feelings and sensations, has gained worldwide
popularity as a way to promote health and
well-being. But what if someone isn't
naturally mindful? Can they become so simply
by trying to make mindfulness a "state of
mind"? Or perhaps through a more focused,
deliberate effort like meditation? "If you're
a naturally mindful person, and you're walking
around very aware of things, you're good to
go. You shed your emotions quickly," Jason
Moser said. "If you're not naturally mindful,
then meditating can make you look like a
person who walks around with a lot of
mindfulness. But for people who are not
naturally mindful and have never meditated,
forcing oneself to be mindful 'in the moment'
doesn't work. You'd be better off meditating
for 20 minutes." Michigan State University. Frontiers
in Human Neuroscience
Yoga
improves arthritis symptoms and mood -
A randomized trial of people with two common
forms of arthritis has found that yoga can be
safe and effective for people with arthritis.
Johns Hopkins researchers report that 8 weeks
of yoga classes improved the physical and
mental wellbeing of people with two
common forms of arthritis, knee osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis. "There's a real
surge of interest in yoga as a
complementary therapy, with 1 in 10
people in the U.S. now practicing yoga to
improve their health and fitness," says Susan
J. Bartlett, Ph.D., an adjunct associate
professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and
associate professor at McGill University "Yoga
may be especially well suited to people with
arthritis because it combines physical
activity with potent stress management and
relaxation techniques, and focuses on
respecting limitations that can change from
day to day." Journal of Rheumatology
Green tea and apples - Dietary studies
have shown that people who eat the largest
amounts of fruit and vegetables have a reduced
risk of developing chronic conditions, such as
heart disease and cancer. There could be
several reasons for this. Some fruit and
vegetables naturally contain high amounts of
compounds called polyphenols, which could
provide protective health benefits. Dr Paul
Kroon and his team at IFR have shown that
polyphenols in green tea and apples block a
signalling molecule called VEGF, which in the
body can trigger atherosclerosis and is a
target for some anti-cancer drugs. Inhibition
of VEGF signalling by dietary polyphenols has
previously been implicated in other studies,
but this study provides the first evidence
that polyphenols can directly interact with
VEGF to block its signals, at the levels you
would see in the blood stream after eating
polyphenol rich foods. "If this effect happens
in the body as well, it provides very strong
evidence for a mechanism that links dietary
polyphenols and beneficial health effects,"
said Dr Paul Kroon. Institute of Food Research
Curcumin - turmeric
offers potential therapy for oral cancers -
Turmeric - the familiar yellow spice common in
Indian and Asian cooking - may play a
therapeutic role in oral cancers associated
with human papillomavirus. One of the herb's
key active ingredients - an antioxidant called
curcumin - appears to have a quelling effect
on the activity of human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is a virus that promotes the development
of cervical and oral cancer. There is no cure,
but curcumin may offer a means of future
control. "Turmeric has established antiviral
and anti-cancer properties," says
corresponding author Dr Alok Mishra of Emory
University, Atlanta, USA. "And according to
our new findings, we could say that it's good
for oral health too." While Dr Mishra cannot
comment on the therapeutic benefits of
turmeric in cooking, he says that the use of
turmeric and other anti-oxidants may be good
for health in general, and HPV-related oral
cancers in particular. ecancermedicalscience
Vitamin
D deficiency, depression linked. Vitamin
D deficiency is not just harmful to physical
health--it also might impact mental health,
according to a team of researchers that has
found a link between seasonal affective
disorder, or SAD, and a lack of
sunlight. "Seasonal affective disorder is
believed to affect up to 10 percent of the
population, depending upon geographical
location, and is a type of depression related
to changes in season," said Stewart, an
associate professor in the department of
counseling and human development services.
"Evidence exists that low levels of dopamine
and serotonin are linked to depression,
therefore it is logical that there may be a
relationship between low levels of vitamin D
and depressive symptoms," said Kimlin, a
Cancer Council Queensland Professor of Cancer
Prevention Research. University of Georgia.
Medical Hypotheses
International
Day of Yoga
"In
a world of excess, of seeking after
materialism, yoga promises restraint and
balance. In a world suffering from mental
stress, yoga promises calm. In a distracted
world, yoga creates focus, creates
concentration. In a world of fear, yoga
promises strength and courage. A healthy body
and a disciplined mind are the foundations of
a world free from fear." The Prime Minister,
Shri Narendra Modi
"Yoga
is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual
practice that originated in India. The word
‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join
or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and
consciousness." United Nations
Heroes
and Villains - What do Mahatma Gandhi,
Einstein, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King
Jr., Newton, Jesus, Nelson Mandela, Edison,
Lincoln and the Buddha all have in common?
They all make up the top 10 heroes in world
history. The study also lists the top 10
villians. University of the Basque Country. PLOS ONE
International
Day of Yoga - To honour Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's vision of Yoga as a globally
uniting force, Tech Mahindra announced its
support for the cause. Underscoring the fact
that global health is a long-term development
objective that requires closer international
cooperation through the exchange of best
practices, United Nations proclaims 21st
June the International Day of Yoga.
CP
Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra, said,
"We are happy to be a catalyst in the
transformational journey from wellness of
business to wellness of being. We strongly
believe that these two can be married and the
technology using the web, social media and
devices can enable the growth of Yoga and
bring true well-being to humanity. Tech
Mahindra as a technology company feels proud
to be part of this program and pledge our
full-fledged support."
Vikas
Swarup, Spokesperson designate Ministry of
External Affairs, said, "International Day of
Yoga is a key event in the global calendar, so
we applaud every attempt to help make this
event popular and successful. We are pleased
with this CSR initiative by Tech Mahindra,
which brings together two key elements of
India: a 5000-year-old legacy and the current
power of India's IT industry to the world."
New Delhi - Global Exhibition on
Services: The Prime Minister, Shri
Narendra Modi, said India had made the
transformation from a country worried about
its “brain-drain,” to a country that thinks of
“brain-gain.” Inaugurating the first Global
Exhibition on Services, the Prime Minister
said India should assess its “service”
capabilities in the global perspective. He
said India had vast potential to meet the
skilled manpower needs of the entire world,
and called for a careful mapping of global
needs, which India could fulfill over the next
decade. The Prime Minister mentioned sectors
such as nursing, high-end financial services,
arbitration, tourism, music and vegetarian
cooking as examples of what India had to offer
to the world, besides the already established
IT and other core sectors.
Mumbai
- Jai Ho! Democracy. Indian film industry
veterans come together for a relevant
political comedy. Jai Ho! Democracy stars
thespians from the National School of Drama
(NSD) and some of the best actors - Om Puri,
Annu Kapoor, Seema Biswas, Adil Hussain and
Satish Kaushik. Written and directed by Ranjit
Kapoor, who also wrote the cult film Jaane Bhi
Do Yaaro. Jai Ho! Democracy takes a comic look
at how the powers-that-be continue to
procrastinate and maintain status quo, unfazed
by the gravity of the situations at hand. It
also explores the funny side of how the media
gets desperate in highlighting unworthy
issues. Indian Production House
Zada,
aged just 5 years, knows why she doesn't
want
to eat animals (meat) Other children:
1 : 2 : 3
Hanuman Jayanti - The Prime Minister,
Shri Narendra Modi, conveys Hanuman Jayanti
Greetings.
Smart
Cities India - Government of India plans
to set up 100 smart cities. The main focus of
the government behind the development of smart
cities is to transform India into a digitally
empowered economy. Bharat Book Bureau
Bollywood
- Discovery Channel's league of
incredible men join to form Discovery Real
Heroes, who will push the limits of endurance,
survival and adventure. Discovery Real Heroes
will take on some of the planet's most
unforgiving terrains to demonstrate, how to
survive in some of the harshest conditions.
Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal has associated
with Discovery Channel to present these
champions' thrilling adventures on screen.
Prescription
for living longer - New research shows
that loneliness and social isolation are just
as much a threat to longevity as obesity.
"The effect of this is comparable to obesity,
something that public health takes very
seriously," said Julianne Holt-Lunstad. "We
need to start taking our social relationships
more seriously." Loneliness and social
isolation can look very different. For
example, someone may be surrounded by many
people but still feel alone. Other people may
isolate themselves because they prefer to be
alone. The effect on longevity, however, is
much the same for those two scenarios.
Previous research puts the heightened risk of
mortality from loneliness in the same category
as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and being an
alcoholic. This current study suggests that
not only is the risk for mortality in the same
category as these well-known risk factors, it
also surpasses health risks associated with
obesity. Brigham Young University.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Rediscovering
a culture of health - It has been
described as an epidemic of modern times and
perhaps felt more acutely in Canada's First
Nations communities than anywhere else. Over
the past several decades diabetes has
become a prevalent health concern among
Aboriginal Canadians, but it wasn't always so.
"We know that prior to the 1950s, diabetes was
essentially unheard of in Aboriginal
populations in Canada," says Richard Oster, a
senior research coordinator for the Believing
we can Reduce Aboriginal Incidence of Diabetes
(BRAID) Research group at the University of
Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
"It's since exploded to rates that are at
least two to five times higher than what's
found in the general population."
"What
we found is that those communities that have
more people speaking and knowing their
language, and who are presumably more
connected to their culture, have significantly
less diabetes," says Oster. "In fact, some of
those communities had diabetes rates that were
lower than the general public rate."
Oster believes Canada's Aboriginal
communities need to be allowed to revitalize
their culture. As part of that he says
their distinct languages also need to be
urgently protected.
"We
know that stress leads to diabetes.
That's been proven," says Oster. "If you
allow culture to be a part of your life
it provides social support for people, it
provides spiritual tranquility, and
it provides stability in turbulent times. In
part, that's how I think it can help reduce
diabetes.
"Our study provides proof of something (First
Nations people) have known for thousands
of years -- that health and culture
are inseparable." University of Alberta
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
International Journal for Equity in Health.
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