CHICAGO: Taking vitamin B can prevent a common type of vision loss in older women, according to the first rigorous study of its kind. It’s a slight redemption for vitamin supplements, which have suffered recent blows from research finding them powerless at preventing disease. Continue reading »
Most people do not know the five warning signs of a stroke and what to do if they suspect one — especially those most likely to suffer one, according to new research.
Older people and those who’ve already had a stroke were among the groups found to be least able to recognise the symptoms of a stroke and know to immediately call emergency service. Continue reading »
There is a growing body of evidence to show that an apple a day can keep not just the doctor away, but breast cancer too.
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed invasive cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women in US, said Rui Hai Liu, Cornell University associate professor of food science. Recently, Liu reported that fresh apple extracts significantly inhibited the size of mammary tumours in rats – and the more extracts they were given, the greater the inhibition. “We not only observed that the treated animals had fewer tumours, but the tumours were smaller, less malignant and grew more slowly compared with the tumours in untreated rats,” said Liu, which confirmed the findings of his preliminary study in 2007. Continue reading »
Young adults who keep a cool head under stress may be less likely to develop high blood pressure as they age, according to a recent study.
A study of 4,000 young adults showed that those who stressed out the least while playing a difficult video game and taking other tests were less likely to develop high blood pressure in their 40s, BBC radio reported. Continue reading »
People who live in neighborhoods packed with fast-food restaurants are more likely to suffer strokes, US researchers said.
They said residents of one Texas county who lived in neighborhoods with the highest number of fast-food restaurants had a 13 per cent higher risk of experiencing a stroke than those in neighbourhoods with the fewest such restaurants. Continue reading »
By Sarwat Ghulam Rasool
KARACHI: An expert has said that people who eat meat regularly have a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s than those who eat vegetables.
“Alzheimer’s is basically a neuron degenerative disease, a most common cause of the dementia. Dementia is a word that is used for the progressive declining of brain function including memory lost. In Alzheimer’s, patients first lose their short-term memory and as the disease further develops, they start to lose their long-term memory as well,” said prominent health consultant Dr SM Asrar. Continue reading »
Just two to three cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of a stroke by almost 20 per cent.
A study of 83,000 women over a 24-year period showed coffee lovers were much less likely to suffer a clot on the brain.
The finding came as a surprise to scientists who had set out to investigate reports that coffee increased the risk of a stroke.
Although the study was carried out in women, it is thought any benefits would also apply to men. Continue reading »
Eating meals that include all ingredients known to improve cardiovascular health could add years to your life.
Researchers from Rotterdam, found that adding almonds, garlic, vegetables and other heart-healthy ingredients to daily diets, might increase the life expectancy of men aged 50 or above by more than 6 years, Health News reported. Continue reading »
PARIS: The world’s largest experiment using gene therapy to combat the AIDS virus has yielded ‘a major advance’, demonstrating that the technique is both beneficial and safe, scientists said on Sunday.
Data from an advanced phase of the test process confirms that the quest to use transplanted genes to roll back the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is valid, they said.
Doctors, led by Ronald Mitsuyasu of the University of California in Los Angeles, recruited 74 HIV-infected volunteers for the experiment, whose results have been reported online by the journal Nature Medicine. Half the group were given blood stem-cells infiltrated by a crippled virus containing a key gene, while the other were given a harmless look-a-like substance. Continue reading »
Researchers have turned the fruit fly into a lab model for an innovative study of gliomas, the commonest of malignant brain tumours, since the insect shares most of the genes with humans.
“Gliomas are a devastating disease but we still know very little about the underlying disease process,” explained John B. Thomas, professor in the molecular neurobiology lab of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and senior co-author of the study. “We can now use the power of Drosophila genetics to uncover genes that drive these tumours and identify novel therapeutic targets, which will speed up the development of effective drugs.” Continue reading »
Don’t take passive smoking lightly or you could end up with impared thinking, sleeplessness, depression and clouded consciousness, according to the latest research. This is the first large-scale study to conclude that exposure to passive smoking could also lead to dementia and other neurological problems in adults. The research was led by David Llewellyn of University of Cambridge and his associates, which used saliva samples from nearly 5,000 non-smoking adults aged over 50 years. Continue reading »
Chewing gum with a phosphate-binding ingredient can help treat high phosphate levels in dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study.
The results suggest that this simple step could maintain proper phosphate levels and also help prevent cardiovascular disease in these patients.
Hyperphosphatemia (high levels of phosphate in the blood) commonly occurs in CKD patients on dialysis. Continue reading »
Associated Press of Pakistan
Consumption of fish appears to have a beneficial effect on the electrical system of the heart, which prevents life-threatening heart rhythm disorders.
Previous reports have linked fish intake with a reduced risk of sudden death and irregular heartbeats, but the mechanisms responsible for this association were unknown, Health News reported. Continue reading »
Associated Press of Pakistan
Extreme stress can trigger what seems to be a heart attack, but is really something known as broken heart syndrome.
Unlike conventional heart attacks stemming from blocked arteries, broken heart syndrome, or stress cardiomyopathy, is caused by an extended surge in adrenaline, such as after a car crash or even learning of the death of a loved one. It may only require short-term treatment because the heart usually recovers by itself, BBC radio reported. Continue reading »
Blood cancer or leukaemia is a growing disease in Pakistan, affecting both genders and all age groups. This observation was made by consultant oncologist Dr. Saleem Siddiqui while addressing media persons here at Shifa International on Tuesday.
Although there is no credible data to measure the incidence or prevalence of leukaemia, or for that matter, many diseases in Pakistan, doctors make such observations on the basis of increasing number of patients visiting their clinics with a specific disease, in this case leukaemia.
Continue reading »