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Sunday 31 August 2014

Sleepless teens may pile on the pounds

 23 August 2014 

According to recent research, inactivity is not the only thing that leads to obesity during the teenage years, less than six hours of sleep increases chances of becoming obese by 20%. AFP RELAXNEWS
According to recent research, inactivity is not the only thing that leads to obesity during the teenage years, less than six hours of sleep increases chances of becoming obese by 20%. AFP RELAXNEWS

TEENS who think sleep is overrated should guess again, according to a recent study conducted at Columbia University in New York that suggests sleep deprivation during adolescence could lead to obesity.
The research team concluded that 16-year-olds who log less than six hours of sleep per night have a 20% increase in their risk of becoming obese by age 21 when compared to those who slept eight hours per night.
"Lack of sleep in your teenage years can stack the deck against you for obesity later in life," says Shakira F. Suglia, ScD, assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health.
"Once you're an obese adult, it is much harder to lose weight and keep it off."
Suglia and her colleagues are the first to study the long-term effects of sleep deprivation in the teenage years and their results could be some of the strongest evidence to come indicating a risk for elevated body mass index.
The research team collected their data from 10,000 Americans aged 16 to 21 who were participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, interacting with them during home visits in 1995 and 2001 to survey their height and weight.
Almost one fifth of the 16-year-olds reported sleeping less than six hours per night, and by age 21, this group was 20% more likely to be obese than peers who reported eight hours of sleep per night.
Researchers say lack of physical activity contributed to participants' obesity but did not account for the relationship between the obesity and sleep deprivation.
Although they had expected to find a difference between boys and girls and how their bodies responded to sleeplessness, none were found pertaining to obesity.
"The message for parents is to make sure their teenagers get more than eight hours a night," says Suglia.
"A good night's sleep does more than help them stay alert in school. It helps them grow into healthy adults."
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend nine to ten hours of sleep for teenagers. – AFP Relaxnews

Go to Healthwise for more articles

Saturday 30 August 2014

Grapefruit not only food that can affect medication

Michelle Healy, USA TODAY4:26 p.m. EST January 22, 2013

Healthwise

From grapefruit to calcium to licorice, some foods and their nutrients can interfere with the way your medicines work.

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From milk and cookies to chocolate and peanut butter, some foods make a tasty combination. But attention to medical labels, and not your taste buds, is needed when combining certain foods with medications.
Milk and other calcium products, for example, can block the absorption of certain antibiotics. And eating large quantities of chocolate while taking some antidepressants can cause a sharp rise in blood pressure. Even some licorice can reduce the effects of certain blood pressure drugs and diuretics.
A recently published review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that found an increasing number of prescription drugs could have potentially dangerous interactions with grapefruit and grapefruit juice highlights the importance of consumers being aware of possible food and drug interactions.
It's been known for some time that grapefruit juice can "both increase or decrease the absorption of a small number of drugs," says Hartmut Derendorf, chairman of pharmaceutics at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Derendorf was not involved in the Canadian review.
"If the drug is metabolized in the gut wall to a large extent and this metabolism is blocked, then the concentrations in the blood will go up. An example is the lipid-lowering drug simvastatin (Zocor)," says Derendorf. "For other drugs such as the antihistamine fexofenadine (Allegra), grapefruit juice blocks the uptake into the bloodstream and the concentrations in blood will go down."
In all such cases there are alternative medications available that will not interact with grapefruit and the other citrus fruits that contain furanocoumarins, the culprit behind the "grapefruit juice effect," Derendorf says. These include Seville oranges (often used in marmalade), limes and tangelos, a cross between tangerines and grapefruit. Sweet oranges, such as navel and Valencia, do not contain furanocoumarins.
There's more attention than ever before being paid to reducing interactions between food and drugs, Derendorf says, and researchers are focused on finding safe alternatives, removing the chemical compounds that cause interactions, and in some cases, changing the genetic makeup of foods so that they do not interfere with medications.
In December, a team at the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center published a paper about ongoing efforts to create a grapefruit hybrid with significantly reduced interaction risk.
Concerns about the interactions between foods and drugs are not limited to prescription medications. Dietary supplements (which also include vitamins, minerals and herbs) can likewise interfere with how some medications work.
"Often, people think that herbal supplements are benign and don't have interactions, and that's absolutely false," says Christine Gerbstadt, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Most supplements have the exact same chemicals and ingredients as pharmaceutical drugs but simply in a naturally occurring form or lower dose," she says.
Drugs, of course, can have negative interactions with other drugs, and the same can be true of supplements. Calcium supplements, for example, may decrease the absorption of dietary iron, which is why people at high risk for iron deficiency are encouraged to take calcium supplements at bedtime, instead of with meals.
When being prescribed any medication it's important to inform your physician of all medications you're currently taking — prescription, over-the-counter and dietary supplements — to read the patient information material that comes with the medication and to ask about potential interactions, Gerbstadt says.
"Your pharmacist and registered dietitian can also provide a wealth of information," she says. "No one person can know it all, but huge databases are available to help professionals get access to this information."
A sampling of the potential interactions between foods and medications, including some supplements, according to the Food and Drug Administration:
-- Grapefruit juice: Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, such as simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), and pravastatin (Pravachol); some blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as Nifediac and Afeditab ; some organ transplant rejection drugs, such as Sandimmune and Neoral (both cyclosporine); some anti-anxiety drugs, such as BuSpar (buspirone); some anti-arrhythmia drugs, such as Cordarone and Nexterone (both amiodarone); some antihistamines, such as Allegra (fexofenadine); the anti-malaria drugs Quinerva or Quinite (quinine); and Halcion (triazolam), a medication used to treat insomnia.
-- Licorice: The sweetening compound glycyrrhizin in black licorice may reduce the effects of some blood pressure drugs or urine-producing drugs including Hydrodiuril (hydrochlorothiazide) and Aldactone (spironolactone). It may increase the toxicity risks from Lanoxin (digoxin), used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.
-- Chocolate: Antidepressant Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (such as phenelzine (Nardil, Nardelzine) and tranylcypromine (Parnate) are just one category of drugs that shouldn't be consumed with excessive amounts of chocolate and other caffeinated foods. Caffeine can also interact with stimulant drugs such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), increasing their effect, or by decreasing the effect of sedative-hypnotics such as Ambien (zolpidem). Using bronchodilators with caffeinated foods and drinks can increase the chance of side effects, such as excitability, nervousness, and rapid heart beat.
-- Potassium-rich foods (such as bananas, oranges, and green leafy vegetables): Can add to high potassium levels in the body caused by ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitors including captopril (Capoten) and enalapril (Vasotec) prescribed to lower blood pressure or treat heart failure. Too much potassium can cause an irregular heartbeat and heart palpitations.
-- St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): Can reduce concentrations of medications in the blood, including digoxin (Lanoxin), used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms; the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin (Mevacor and Altocor), and the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil (Viagra).
-- Vitamin E: Taken with a blood-thinning medication such as warfarin (Coumadin) can increase anti-clotting activity and may cause an increased risk of bleeding.
-- Ginseng: May increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulants (blood thinners such as warfarin and heparin). Can also increase the bleeding effects of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen. Combined with MAO inhibitors such as Nardil or Parnate may cause headache, trouble sleeping, nervousness and hyperactivity.
-- Ginkgo biloba: High doses can decrease the effectiveness of anticonvulsant therapy in patients taking seizure-control medicines Tegretol, Equetro or Carbatrol (carbamazepine), and Depakote (valproic acid).
For more information:
-- Download Avoid Food-Drug Interactions, an online guide by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Consumers League
-- Download What You Should Know About Your Medications, an online guide by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
-- View the list of medications that might interact with grapefruit cited in the Canadian Medical Association Journal article
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/20/food-drug-interactions/1827229/

Other articles of interest:

http://healthticket.blogspot.my/2012/10/grapefruit-interferes-with-medication.html

http://healthticket.blogspot.my/2012/11/grapefruit-with-some-prescription-drugs.html

http://healthticket.blogspot.my/2014/08/grapefruit-not-only-food-that-can.html

Friday 29 August 2014

Four pillars of health

Wednesday June 16, 2010
When your health foundation is rock solid, you have a higher probability of enjoying a good quality of life.
OUR health is akin to a house. True health is three layered, the core of which is spiritual health. The middle layer is mental health and the most exposed surface is physical health.
I am not qualified to dwell on the struggles of spirituality, but certainly, I have had my fair share of dealings with the hurricanes and devastation of the latter two.
The four pillars of true health that needs to be balanced are exercise, lifestyle and habits, things we do not get enough of in our diet (balanced micronutrients), and last but not least, what we stuff ourselves with, which is more often than not, too much of what the body doesn’t need, the consequence of our gastronomic passions.
Exercise
Exercise is an integral component of true health. It is essentially a planned regimen of physical activities devoted to mental and physical well-being.
Washing the car, mopping the floor, and running errands cannot be considered as ideal forms of exercise. These are stressful activities and naturally evoke the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which are not “friendly”.
In contrast, during periods of programmed physical activities, our brain releases a mood elevating substance called endorphin (related to morphine), which gives us the “runner’s high”. Interestingly, the release of this same chemical is triggered by chilli consumption and orgasm. Chillies, hot sex, and exercise have one thing in common: the feel-good factor.
There is no reason to run 30 miles a week. Brisk walking for 30 minutes a day suffices. The benefits of exercise include greater joint mobility, flushing the circulatory system, increase bone strength, and a general feeling of well-being. A typical routine should include muscle-stretching, muscle-toning, and aerobics. Sudden exertive maneuvres without proper warm-up can tear certain structures, as we do get “tender with age”.
Once the good habit is cultivated, exercise becomes addictive.
Lifestyle
Sleep is like a ship docking for maintenance. Even machines need a rest. There is no dispute to the fact that sleep deprivation certainly drains you, mentally and physically.
Scientists are sometimes a curious bunch. Some proposed the concept of sleep debt, like a financial account. If one is short of sleep today, “pay back” the next day. Jim Horne, a foremost sleep researcher, suggests in the journal Sleep that sleep debt is a myth.
An infant needs 18 hours of sleep a day, a teenager should get in eight to10 hours, and an adult and elderly about seven to eight hours a day.
Sleep allows the body to repair itself and regenerate enzymes to get ready for the onslaught of the following day. Sleep deprivation leads to daytime drowsiness, irritability, and certainly the bags and wrinkles would appear earlier.
Stress in life is unavoidable. It affects us all from the cradle to the grave, and comes from all directions – domestic, environmental, occupational, financial, just to name a few. Life would be mundane without stress.
Some experience emotional anguish when the handling mechanisms break down. The backlash of the physiological upheaval leads to mild irritability, psychological impairment, hypertension, stomach ulcers, cardiovascular diseases and compromised immune system.
During acute stress, the body reacts by producing adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones quicken the heart rate, heighten anxiety, and pump up the blood pressure, getting the body ready to “fight or flight”. Many people who are constantly stressed succumb easily to repeated infections like the common cold as the immune system is weakened.
Stress, whether real or perceived, is a part of life. To one person, the issue might be a small matter, while to another, it is a matter of life or death. Over the years, I have observed that part of the reason why there’s much unhappiness and poor health is that many of us have become tunnel-visioned and have misplaced our priorities. We seem to see only the problems and are blind to the good things around us.
Wisdom from a great teacher taught me to package and store things of the past – both good and bad – live your life well today, and look forward to a better tomorrow. It is pointless to dwell on the negative experiences, but more fruitful to plant positive thoughts as new seeds of the mind. If we were unhappy yesterday, unhappy today, it is a certainty that unhappiness awaits us tomorrow, unless we change the way we send signals to the brain. Stress is the thread linking a “dys-eased” mind to disease.
Smoking and excessive alcoholic consumption are habits that score no points in the quest for better health. The long list of health consequences extends from lung disease, stomach ulcers, and heart disease right down to cervical cancer.
It is not just nicotine causing the damage but a host of carcinogens that induce free radical onslaught at the cellular level. Women smokers should be aware of the risk of cancer of the cervix being doubled, especially in the presence of the human papillomavirus.
As for alcohol, a glass of wine a day does give you a small amount of antioxidants (resveratrol and proanthocyanidin). I know of some who went on to tilt the glass a little too much, ending in liver disease. The message here is, do not drink if you don’t; and take a small glass of red wine, if you have to.
Food
We eat out of pleasure rather than survival, and the selection of the meal of the day depends on the whims and fancies of our taste buds rather than nourishment of the body. We take in too much of the wrong things and too little of the right.
We are what we eat. Too much of the wrong stuff is the perfect recipe for chronic diseases.
Let’s for a brief moment revisit the purpose of food, which are called macronutrients. Carbohydrates provide the primary source of fuel that drives the body around and in terms of calories, should constitute 50% to 60% of the total energy value in our diet.
Proteins are not readily available as energy but provides the body with raw materials to maintain muscles, organs, skeletal tissues, hormones, cellular components, and enzymes. In terms of calories, it should contribute 15% to 25%.
Dietary fats should contribute 15% to 20% in terms of caloric value.
Unfortunately, it is not so straightforward. Our diet comprises too much saturated fat and transfat, which greatly contribute to heart disease and a myriad of inflammatory disorders. The healthy mediterranean diet is well known for being high in consumption of olive oil, which is monounsaturated fat.
Adults need 20g to 30g of fibre a day. Both forms, soluble and insoluble fibres, are recommended. Whenever we refer to fibre, most people think of constipation. However, the benefits of insoluble fibre include reduction of cholesterol level and reduced absorption of sugar. Insoluble fibre gives bulk to stools and acts like a brush, cleansing the intestines.
Cellular micronutrients
The human cell is the basic unit of life. The mystery of health and disease, life and death, lies here. It is a complex entity with thousands of functions, including many metabolic processes like production of energy, cloning enzymes, repair, detoxification, etc.
To enable these reactions, raw materials and co-factors are needed. Hence human cells need a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, known as essential nutrients, as they have to be obtained from the diet.
Today, with the high level of stress, toxins, highly processed foods, and convenient fast foods, our nutrient needs are higher. In fact, after World War II, a benchmark standard for essential nutrients was established, known as the RDA (recommended daily allowance). It served to guide our intake of the minimal level of nutrients to prevent deficiency diseases like scurvy, beri-beri, night blindness, etc. The RDA is largely outdated today, except in some poorer countries where nutritional status is still below par.
A much higher level has been established, known as optimal level, which is many times higher than the RDA. This is the level known to retard degenerative disease, reduce oxidative stress, and slow down biological ageing. Antioxidants and phytonutrients are the frontline defence against free radicals and inflammation.
Essential fatty acids like omega 3 and 6 are also needed by our body, but our diet has too much omega 6, which in excess is pro-inflammatory. Food sources rich in omega 3 are cold water fatty fish, flax seed oil, soya, and walnut oil. However, the actual amount of omega 3 fatty acid derived from vegetable sources is minimal.
The four pillars uphold our health. Weakening any one of them is detriment to health. Most people know exactly what the message is. The question is, how much do we understand and more importantly, how much of the script are we willing to follow?
Staying healthy demands more than a little effort, but rest assured, it is well worth it.

Thursday 28 August 2014

Why olive oil lowers blood pressure

Sunday May 25, 2014

Why olive oil lowers blood pressure

Eating unsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, along with leafy greens and other vegetables creates a certain kind of fatty acid that lowers blood pressure, scientists say.
Eating unsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, along with leafy greens and other vegetables creates a certain kind of fatty acid that lowers blood pressure, scientists say.
The secret to the Mediterranean diet may be in the salad.
Eating unsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, along with leafy greens and other vegetables creates a certain kind of fatty acid that lowers blood pressure, scientists said recently.
These nitro fatty acids are formed when consuming spinach, celery and carrots that are filled with nitrates and nitrites, along with avocado, nuts and olive oils that contain healthy fats.
Nitro fatty acids appear to inhibit an enzyme known as soluble epoxide hydrolase, which regulates blood pressure, said the research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.
The study was based on experiments in lab mice, and was funded by the British Heart Foundation.
“The findings of our study help to explain why previous research has shown that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular problems like stroke, heart failure and heart attacks,” said Philip Eaton, professor of cardiovascular biochemistry at King’s College London.
While most experts agree that the Mediterranean diet – which consists of lots of vegetables, fish, grains, red wine and fatty nuts and oils – brings health benefits, there has been little scientific consensus about how or why.
Some have touted red wine as a driving force behind the ability of Europeans to eat high fat cheeses and meats while maintaining better overall health than Americans.
But research published last week found that a key antioxidant in red wine, resveratrol, did not help people in Italy live longer or avoid cancer or heart disease. – AFP Relaxnews

Wednesday 27 August 2014

Eye of the tiger: Study finds Asian-American mums really are fearsome

Sunday May 25, 2014

Eye of the tiger: Study finds Asian-American mums really are fearsome



Healthwise

'Tiger mum' Amy Chua, who caused a ruckus with her parenting memoirBattle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, may just have been vindicated by a Stanford University study.
Asian-American “tiger mothers” may be better at motivating their children to complete difficult tasks, but children raised by European-American mothers could be described as more independent.
Those are some of the findings of a new study that builds on the conversation started in 2011 when self-proclaimed tiger mum Amy Chua penned a controversial parenting memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, which was criticised for typecasting Asian mothers as unforgivingly strict and demanding.
For their study, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, researchers from Stanford University asked high school students to describe their relationships with their mothers, and challenged them to a series of tasks that were designed to make the students fail. The objective was to test the kids’ levels of motivation and perseverance.
When instructed to think about their mothers, students of Asian-American mums were observed to be more motivated to complete a task despite experiencing failure, compared to students born to Western or European-American mums. In fact, these students performed better when prompted to think about themselves during the exercises.
The fundamental difference: Children of Asian-American mums draw on their connectedness to their mothers to overcome difficulties, while children of Western mums view themselves as independent. “In European-American contexts, overcoming failure is a personal project, not a group project,” researchers said.
Another notable finding: While children of Western mums considered the pressure they get from their mothers as negative, students of Asian-American mums said they still feel supported by their mothers regardless of the pressure they experienced.
Researchers also say their findings extend beyond the home, as kids from Asian-American mothers are more likely to observe hierarchy and respect the authority of a teacher than European-American students.
It’s the latest study to come from the “tiger mum” controversy. Findings out of Michigan State University found that high-achieving Chinese students were more depressed and anxious than their Caucasian peers. The 2012 study emphasised the importance of rearing happy children more than academic scholars. – AFP Relaxnews


http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Family/NewsAndEvents/2014/05/25/Eye-of-the-tiger/

Go to Healthwise for more articles

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Taking care of liver health

Sunday May 25, 2014


Taking care of liver health

Although fatty liver disease is often associated with alcohol consumption, nondrinkers are also at risk, especially those who are obese. – shutterstock/AFP
Although fatty liver disease is often associated with alcohol consumption, nondrinkers are also at risk, especially those who are obese. – shutterstock/AFP
Go to Healthwise for more articles

Addressing myths about liver disease.
THE liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the body. It is located in the upper right portion of the abdomen and is involved in many vital processes.
Some of the functions of the liver include:
· Converts the food you eat into energy and produces chemicals your brain and spinal cord need.
· Produces bile, a substance that helps you digest food and absorb important nutrients.
· Controls the production and excretion of cholesterol.
· Helps fight infections by producing immune factors and removing bacteria from the blood.
· Controls blood clotting.
· Filters and neutralises drugs, alcohol and environmental toxins that enter the body.
· Stores vitamins, minerals and sugars, and releases them in the blood when your body needs them.
· Regulates fat stores.
There are many preconceived notions, misconceptions and myths about liver disease. Knowing the facts and dispelling the harmful myths can be your key to a healthy life.
Myth: I should feel pain when my liver is unwell.
In the early stage of liver disease, your liver may become inflamed.
However, unlike most other parts of the body that become hot and painful when inflamed, an inflamed liver may not cause any discomfort at all.
Liver inflammation can slowly worsen, causing scarring or fibrosis.
As fibrosis worsens, cirrhosis develops, and the liver becomes seriously scarred, hardened and unable to function properly.
By the time you experience symptoms such as jaundice, your liver would have been severely damaged.
Myth: Victims of liver disease are alcoholics.
Liver disease is not a disease specific to alcohol drinkers. There are more than 100 causes of liver disease.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a disease of the liver not associated with excessive or prolonged alcohol consumption, is the most common cause of abnormal liver tests in the US.
Certain groups of people are recognised as having an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, especially those who are obese, those who have diabetes, and those with high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in their blood.
Myth: Alcohol can damage the liver only when taken in excess.
Alcohol is harmful to the liver, so any amount can produce damage to the liver.
Myth: Stopping alcohol intake when one has advanced liver disease is useless.
Even in advanced liver disease, it is still beneficial to stop drinking alcohol. Studies show that people with advanced liver disease (cirrhosis) who continue drinking have only a 33% chance of surviving for five years compared to 65% of those who stopped.
Myth: Fatty liver only affects fat people.
Thin people or those of average build can also get fatty liver. People can develop fatty liver even if they do not have health problems such as diabetes or obesity.
Regardless of build, people can get fatty liver from an unhealthy lifestyle that causes fat deposits to build up in their liver cells.
Myth: I am a healthy adult. I don’t have to worry about liver problems.
Liver problems can strike anyone, from infants to seniors. Liver disease can be hereditary, caused by toxic substances, viruses and bacteria, or a complication of an unhealthy lifestyle.
One of the first signs of liver damage is fatty liver, a condition characterised by the accumulation of fat in liver cells.
Beware fatty liver
In general, fatty liver is reversible if caught early and the cause is treated (e.g. stop drinking alcohol, treat metabolic syndrome). However if it progresses and the liver is inflamed, it can lead to permanent damage.
Fatty liver is commonly associated with alcohol intake or metabolic syndrome (diabetes, hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol), but can also be due to any one of many causes.
If the issue of fatty liver is not addressed, the condition can progress to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver. The most common causes are alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis infection and fatty liver. Other causes include toxins (e.g. certain medications) and autoimmune disorders.
Sadly, cirrhosis cannot be cured, but progression of the disease can be slowed down by treating the cause, e.g. taking antiviral medications, maintaining a good diet, not drinking any alcohol.
Tips on liver care
The liver takes care of your overall health, but it also depends on you to take care of it so that it can do its job properly.
Here’re some tips on how to do this:
Eat right – Eat a balanced diet rich in different types of vegetables, fruits and proteins. Avoid excess fats and carbohydrates as they can cause fat deposits in the liver. Eat smaller meals as they are easier to digest and are less of a burden to the liver.
Avoid alcohol – Drink moderately or stop altogether. This covers beer, wine, cocktails, champagne and liquor in any other form.
Do not abuse drugs – Even seemingly harmless medicines can damage the liver. Follow your doctor’s prescribed treatment strictly. Do not indulge in recreational drugs.
Avoid environmental pollutants – When using insecticides and sprays, make sure the room is well-ventilated, or wear a suitable mask.
Beware of herbal supplements – Be careful what you take. Not everything “natural” is safe. Some herbal remedies are reported to cause liver toxicities.
Observe practices that lessen the risk of infection to the liver – Wash your hands properly after using the toilet and before eating, practise safe sex and consider vaccination for viral hepatitis.
Stay active – Exercise regularly to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. There is good evidence that gradual weight loss coupled with increased exercise will help reduce fat deposits in the liver.
De-stress regularly – Make time for hobbies, meditation, tai chi, yoga or whatever that helps you relax and unwind. The less stress on you, the less stress on your health, including your liver.
Consider liver supplements – Consult your doctor if you have concerns about your liver health. Essential phospholipids (EPLs) may help. Phospholipids are the building blocks of all body cells, including that of the liver. They are a class of lipids (fats) that serve an extremely important function in the body. When the cell membrane loses phospholipids, it is said to be damaged and the function of the cell is weakened. Severe damage to the cell membrane can kill the cell and affect the vital functions of the organ.
Your body can produce some types of phospholipids, but others must be supplied by your diet. Phospholipids that can only be obtained through dietary intake are called “essential phospholipids”.
This article is courtesy of Essentiale.

Monday 25 August 2014

Beware fatty liver disorder

Sunday May 25, 2014

BY TAN SRI DR MOHD ISMAIL MERICAN


Published: Sunday May 25, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday June 4, 2014 MYT 6:50:56 PM

Beware fatty liver disorder

Fatty liver tends to be more common in obese people, although it can also occur in people with normal weight.
Fatty liver tends to be more common in obese people, although it can also occur in people with normal weight.

Go to Healthwise for more articles

It is time to pay heed to the emerging threat of NAFLD.
MINISTER of Health, Datuk Seri Dr. S Subramaniam recently alluded to preventable deaths from fatty liver and reminded Malaysians to be aware of the current scourge of this relatively new disease that can lead to end stage liver disease and liver cancer.
Many lives could be saved from prevention and early detection.
The Malaysian Liver Foundation (MLF) is in fact fully aware of this emerging threat, and later on this year, will be organising a one-day symposium on fatty liver.
Doctors are urged to attend so that they can help their patients who have fatty liver by providing them with the latest information, proper treatment and advice.
Fatty liver usually refers to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) to distinguish it from fatty liver due to excessive alcohol consumption or other secondary causes.
It is increasingly recognised worldwide and is now the most common liver disorder in countries where obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and metabolic syndrome are common.
There is already global concern regarding the increasing prevalence of obesity and fatty liver, and this has now taken centre stage since obesity is a common associated risk factor.
Obesity has in fact become a major public health problem of the 21st century. In Malaysia, 60% of the population is either overweight or obese. Fatty liver tends to be more common in this group, although it can also occur in people with normal weight, especially if they have other associated diseases.
The incidence of fatty liver is expected to increase with increasing sedentary lifestyles and changing dietary patterns of the population.
It gets serious if it is associated with inflammation in the liver. The occurrence of fatty liver is influenced by age, gender and ethnicity, and most patients are diagnosed in their 40s or 50s.
Older patients with fatty liver are likely to experience more severe disease with progression to advanced fibrosis and earlier deaths.
Fatty liver was once thought to be a benign condition. However, new studies have revealed that patients with fatty liver have increased overall mortality compared with matched control populations.
The most common cause of death in patients with fatty liver is actually cardiovascular disease rather than liver-related complications.
But patients with the more serious variety called Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) are likely to have long term complications such as cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and increase in liver-related mortality.
Most patients with fatty liver have no symptoms. Those with NASH, however, may complain of fatigue, malaise and vague right upper abdominal discomfort.
In addition, patients often have findings associated with other disorders that may accompany the disease, such as diabetes and hyperlipidaemia.
Fatty liver is suspected if a patient has increased liver enzymes without an obvious cause, or an abdominal ultrasound done routinely detects it.
Doctors of course must exclude other causes of fatty liver or liver diseases by taking a thorough history from the patient. In particular, they have to exclude excessive alcohol consumption or concurrent medication.
Once the diagnosis is made, patients should get proper advice and counselling from their doctors. They should not press the panic button as not many will progress to the more serious variety, NASH.
Known risk factors such as obesity or diabetes type 2 must be managed well.
Most doctors would recommend lifestyle modification as the first mode of treatment because patients with fatty liver are linked with other metabolic conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia.
Treatment should be more aggressive in patients with NASH while those with fatty liver alone have an excellent prognosis and should only be followed up regularly.
Weight loss for those who are overweight and increased physical activity can lead to sustained improvement in liver enzymes, histology, serum insulin levels, improved fatty liver on imaging studies and quality of life.
A reasonable goal for many patients is to lose 0.5 to 1 kg/week. More rapid weight reduction may be associated with worsening of liver disease.
Patients with fatty liver are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and often have multiple risk factors. It is important therefore that in the overall management of patients with fatty liver, blood glucose control in patients with diabetes must be optimised, and hyperlipidaemia, if present, should be treated.
Several drugs including anti-diabetic agents, statins, vitamin E and others have been recommended, but there is no conclusive data to support them yet.
More work, including dedicated research, needs to be done and these will be discussed at the forthcoming fatty liver symposium.

Sunday 24 August 2014

Still the world’s most liveable city: Melbourne

Thursday August 21, 2014


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The Australian city retains its top ranking for the fourth consecutive year while Damascus plummets to the bottom of the list.
Melbourne tops the ranking as the world’s most pleasant city to live in for the fourth year running, but an Economist Intelligence Unit poll also finds that turmoil in Ukraine and the Middle East have pushed other cities down the list.
Vienna, Vancouver and Toronto captured second, third and fourth places in the list of 140 cities released on Aug 19. At the bottom was Damascus, the capital of war-torn Syria, while just above it, in ascending order were: Dhaka, Bangladesh; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and Lagos, Nigeria. The Economist survey also includes a listing of cities whose “liveability” has declined most in the past five years.

That's where everyone should be: Melbourne, seen from the banks of the Yarra River, is ranked as the most liveable city in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's annual survey. The Australian city has topped the survey for the past four years. – Reuters
Damascus again fares worst, recording a 28% decline in five years but others on the list include the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, both declining by 3.3%, Sofia down 3.5% and Athens dropping by 3.7%. Kiev, capital of Ukraine where pro-Russian rebels are battling Ukrainian forces in the east of the country, dropped 17.8%, the survey found and is ranked 124th of 140.
“The ranking... shows that, since 2009, average liveability across the world has fallen by 0.7% led by a 1.3% fall in the score for stability and safety,” the EIU said in a statement.
“While this may seem marginal, it highlights that over 50 of the cities surveyed have seen declines in liveability over the last five years. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have underlined continuing fallout from a decade of destabilising events ranging from the war in Iraq to the Palestinian Intifada and the Arab Spring,” it added.
The EIU’s survey assesses the liveability of cities based on a number of key factors, including stability and the quality of healthcare, culture, the environment, education and infrastructure. – Reuters
EIU's Top 10 Most Liveable Cities 2014
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver, Canada
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Adelaide, Australia
6. Calgary, Canada
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Perth, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
And the Bottom 10 
10. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
9. Tripoli, Libya
8. Douala, Cameroon
7. Harare, Zimbabwe
6. Algiers, Algeria
5. Karachi, Pakistan
4. Lagos, Nigeria
3. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
2. Dhaka, Bangladesh
1. Damascus, Syria

http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Features/2014/08/21/Still-the-worlds-most-liveable-city-Melbourne/

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