Many Women are in risk with Unsafe abortion in Far-West

MAY 20, BAJURA,  

Growing number of women are risking their lives and opting for unsafe abortion in the remote Far-Western districts, according to health officials. The matter has become worse as some of the local pharmacies have been selling abortion medications illegally.  

Jukotaki Soo-ky Mahatara of Bajura nearly lost her life while trying to abort the child she was carrying by taking the medicine she had bought from a local pharmacy recently. Mahatara was rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Kolti after she started to bleed profusely. Unable to treat her, the health workers at the PHC referred her to a Nepalgunj hospital. 

Another woman, Rajudevi Aauji, was also taken to the PHC after she suffered from complications resulted from the abortion drug she had taken to terminate her pregnancy on her own.   

Health officials say the problem of unsafe abortion practice is also widespread in Achham and Bajhang districts. Every other day 

hospitals and other health facilities in these districts receive cases of abortion-related complications. 

“It’s as if an epidemic has broken out in the remote regions of the Far West. There are several cases of unsafe abortions, some of them resulting into death of a 

mother,” says Taraman Kunwar, health assistant working in Achham.

Dr Niraj Singh of Bajhang District Hospital says some pharmacies are operating with the sole intention of making money and the innocent women are falling prey to their agenda. “These women take the medicine from these pharmacies. And after they start to have complications, they come to the hospital for treatment,” says Dr Singh.

According to legal regulations, a nursing staff can conduct abortion on a woman who is nine weeks into her pregnancy, while the pregnancy above that periods can only be terminated by authorised doctors. But in remote Far Western districts, many abortions are self-conducted by the mother herself, often with the help of medicine sold by local pharmacies. A common medicine being used is Misoprostol.  

Health officials say these medicines could be bought from bordering areas like Gauriphant, Basanta, Rupahadiya for Rs 250. The pharmacies sell them for up to Rs 3,000 across the border.

The limits of ‘no pain, no gain’

On the surface, exercise-related fatigue seems simple and easy to understand. We exert ourselves and, eventually, grow weary, 

with leaden, sore muscles, at which point most of us slow or stop exercising. Rarely, if ever, do we push on to the point of total physical collapse.

But scientists have long been puzzled about just how muscles know that they’re about to run out of steam and need to convey that message to the brain, which has the job of actually telling the body that now would be a good time to drop off the pace and seek out a bench.

So, a few years ago, scientists at the University of Utah began studying nerve cells isolated from mouse muscle tissue. Other research had established that contracting muscles release a number of substances, including lactate, certain acids and adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, a chemical involved in the creation of energy. The levels of each of those substances were shown to rise substantially when muscles were working hard.

When they exposed the mouse cells to a combination of all three substances, many of the nerve cells responded. In living muscle tissue, these neurons presumably would send messages to the brain alerting it to growing muscular distress. Interestingly, the scientists found that different neurons responded differently, depending on how much of the combined substances was added.

Eventually, the scientists next decided to repeat and expand the experiment in humans. For a study published in February, they recruited the thumbs of 10 adult men and women. Their thumbs were needed since the researchers wanted to study muscles that were accessible and easily held still. The researchers injected lactate, ATP or the various acids just beneath the tissue covering one of the thumb muscles.

After the discomfort from the injection had faded, they asked the volunteers if they felt anything. None did. They then injected volunteers’ thumbs with the three substances combined and at a level comparable to the amounts produced naturally during moderate exercise. After a few minutes, the volunteers began to report sensations similar to fatigue, although the thumbs had not been exercised at all.

In a subsequent injection, the researchers increased the amount of the combined substances until they approximated those produced during strenuous exercise. The volunteers reported intensified sensations of muscular fatigue and also some glimmerings of aching and pain .

Finally, the researchers upped the levels of the substances until they were similar to what is seen during all-out, exhausting muscular contractions. After this injection, the volunteers reported considerable soreness in their thumbs.

What the study’s findings indicate, said Alan R Light, senior author, is that the feeling of fatigue in our muscles during exercise probably begins when these substances start to build up. Small amounts of the combined substances stimulate specific nerve cells in the muscles that, through complicated interactions with the brain, cause the first feelings of tiredness and heaviness in our working muscles.

These feelings bear only a slight relationship to the remaining fuel and energy in our muscles. They don’t indicate that the muscle is about to be forced to stop working. But they are an early physiological warning system, a way for the body to recognise that up ahead lies a limit.

Each subsequent increase in the levels of lactate and other substances amplifies the sense of fatigue, Dr Light said, until the substances become so concentrated that they apparently activate a different set of neurons, related to feelings of pain . At that point, the exercise starts to hurt and most of us sensibly will quit, staving off muscle damage should we continue.

Of course, improvements in physical performance sometimes demand that we continue through fatigue and on to achiness. “There is some truth” to the adage about “no pain , no gain,” Dr Light said. But disregarding all the signals from your muscles can be misguided, he said.

Gretchen Reynolds

—©2014 The New York Times 

Heart Attacks Threaten Peoples Over Age 40! Determine yourself.

Will you suffer a fatal heart attack?

What most people don’t know is that nearly half of those who die from heart attacks each year never showed prior symptoms of heart disease. Right now, millions of people over age 40 are suffering from heart disease and do not even know it.

Most people know by now that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of both men and women in America. In fact, nearly one-third of all U.S. deaths result from heart disease.

That’s why world-renowned cardiologist, Chauncey W. Crandall M.D., F.A.C.C., has created the Simple Heart Test — a quick online test to help everyday people determine their own personal risk for heart disease. 

Click here to determine your risk for free using Dr. Crandall’s Simple Heart Test.

Focusing on prevention, Dr. Crandall’s simple, two-minute test is dedicated to identifying telltale symptoms that oftentimes go completely unnoticed — until it’s too late. Of course, this doesn't substitute for regular medical check-ups or consulting with your physicians about your heart health. 

If questioned carefully, many patients will recall some vague symptoms, such as indigestion or back pain that they blamed on something else at the time. 

Other risk factors involve family history. A recent CNN Health report reveals that out of the 600,000 people who die from heart attacks each year, more than half have a family history of heart disease. Even if just one direct family member has a history of heart disease, it can increase risk by a whopping 33 percent.

According to Dr. Crandall, “…knowing your risk for heart disease gives you a powerful starting point to take action to prevent — or even reverse — this debilitating condition,” He urges, “Don’t be caught off guard. Know your risk now.”

Dr. Crandall’s simple heart test also provides instant results, giving patients the ability to take action right away. Discover your risk for heart attack – click here.

Through extensive humanitarian work in Third World countries such as Haiti, Angola, Colombia, and Bolivia, Dr. Crandall has published a number of research studies and clinical trials revealing the astonishing fact that cultures still exist in the world that have little or no heart disease.

He believes that through vigilance and prevention, heart disease shouldn’t have to exist anywhere at all.

Dr. Crandall practices interventional, vascular, and transplant cardiology, and is head of the Cardiac Transplant Program at Florida's Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic.

© 2014 NewsmaxHealth

Heavy women drinkers at greater mortality risk: Study

April 21, BEIJING.

Read this carefully if you cannot imagine your evenings without wine or vodka, and especially if you are a woman.

The increased risk of death associated with alcohol intake is not the same for men and women, a study has warned.

"While alcoholism is more common in men than women, female drinkers face greater risks to their health compared with male drinkers," said Susan G. Kornstein, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Women’s Health that published the study.

A Chinese team of researchers compared the amount of alcohol consumed and death from all causes among nearly 2.5 million women and men.

It showed that the differences between the sexes became greater as alcohol intake increased.

“Females had an increased rate of all-cause mortality conferred by drinking compared with males, especially in heavy drinkers,” noted Chao Wang from Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Wang and co-authors modelled the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of death and compared the results for drinkers versus non-drinkers and among male and female drinkers.

Back pain : Introduction, types and Prevention!

Back pain is a common problem that affects most people at some point in their life. It usually feels like an ache, tension or stiffness in your back.

The pain can be triggered by bad posture while sitting or standing, bending awkwardly, or lifting incorrectly.

Back pain is not generally caused by a serious condition and, in most cases, it gets better within 12 weeks. It can usually be successfully treated by taking painkillers and keeping mobile.

Find out more about what can cause back pain.

Types of back pain

Backache is most common in the lower back, although it can be felt anywhere along your spine, from your neck down to your hips. You can find information on the specific types of back pain on the following pages:

• neck pain 
• whiplash
• shoulder pain 
• frozen shoulder
• ankylosing spondylitis
• slipped disc
• sciatica
• Read more about the symptoms of back pain.
• Treating back pain

If you have back pain, you should try to remain as active as possible and continue with your daily activities. In the past, doctors recommended rest for back pain, but most experts now agree that being inactive for long periods is bad for your back. Moderate activity, such as walking or doing everyday tasks, will help your recovery. 

You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, if you feel the need to. Hot or cold compression packs may also help reduce the pain. You can buy compression packs from your local pharmacy, or a bag of frozen vegetables and a hot water bottle will work just as well. Find your nearest pharmacy.

Your state of mind can also play an important role. Although it can be difficult to be cheerful if you are in pain, research has shown that people who remain positive tend to recover quicker than those who get depressed.

Some people choose to have manual therapy, such as physiotherapy, chiropractic or osteopathy, as soon as the pain starts. Private appointments cost around £40.

For back pain that lasts more than six weeks (which doctors describe as chronic), treatment typically involves a combination of painkillers and either acupuncture, exercise classes or manual therapy. 

Spinal surgery is usually only considered when all else has failed.

Read more about treating back pain.

Backache in pregnancy

It's quite common to get backache in pregnancy. If you're pregnant, you may not want to take painkillers, but there are other ways of easing the discomfort.

Read more about back pain in pregnancy

When to see your GP

Most cases of back pain get better on their own and you do not need to see a doctor.

However, you should visit your GP if you are worried about your back or you are finding it difficult to cope with the pain.

Read more about how back pain is diagnosed.

You should seek immediate medical help if your back pain is accompanied by:

• fever of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
• unexplained weight loss
• swelling in the back
• constant back pain that doesn't ease after lying down
• pain in your chest or high up in your back
• pain down your legs and below the knees
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• inability to pass urine 
• numbness around your genitals, buttocks or back passage 
• pain that is worse at night 
• These are known as 'red flag symptoms' and could be a sign of something more serious.

Preventing back pain

How you sit, stand, lie and lift can all affect the health of your back. See the back pain guide for how to sit, stand and lift correctly to avoid backache.

Try to avoid placing too much pressure on your back and ensure your back is strong and supple. Regular exercise, such as walking and swimming, is an excellent way of preventing back pain. Activities such as yoga or pilates can improve your flexibility and strengthen your back muscles.

Ninety percent of street children are involved in drug abuse!

APRIL 11 - Kathmandu. 

Around ninety per cent of the street children are found involved in drug abuse in different 30 districts.

A recent study carried out by Chabahil Pashupati Children’s Home found that the street children mostly take drugs to escape from their harsh life and due to peer pressure.

Chairman of the Children’s Home, Bijay Shrestha, said the children are found leaving their homes in the rural areas for cities as they lack homely environment due to their parents’ poor economic condition. These children who leave their homes for the cities end up as street children. As street children, they get into bad habits and start smoking cigarette butts, chewing paan, and consuming alcohol, among others, said Strestha.

The children’s home has carried out the study in the Kathmandu Valley, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur, and Jhapa, among others districts.

Improving the habit of such children was very difficult, said Arjun Mohan Bhattarai of the Children’s Home.

Bhattarai said the Children’s Home has been carrying out a study on the street children, their protection and care, and is also running rehabilitation programmes for the last 12 years. RSS

Reduce your High Level of Uric Acid

High uric acid level can be reduced with a change in diet. Doctors strongly recommend making simple changes in diet like eliminating beef rolls and choosing green leafy vegetables, cabbage and high fiber foods instead for regulating uric acid levels.

Choose complex carbohydrates

Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and fewer refined carbohydrates such as white bread, cakes and candy. Because foods rich in complex carbohydrates promote feelings of fullness, and prevent overeating and are useful in maintaining a healthy weight.

Avoid bakery products

Avoid cakes, pastries, cookies and other sugary delights which are rich in saturated fats and trans fats.

Cold-pressed olive oil

Use cold-pressed olive oil in cooking instead of shortening, butter or vegetable oils. Oils that have been subjected to heat or processing turn rancid quickly. Rancid fats destroy vitamin E in your body - this vitamin is necessary for controlling uric acid levels. Olive oil helps you avoid the production of excess uric acid, which is associated with the consumption of rancid fats.

Take in a healthy dose of vitamin C

To help reduce the amount of uric acid in your system, regularly taking 500 mg of vitamin C will decrease your uric acid levels in a month or two.

Drinks

Drink plenty of fluids to help flush uric acid from your body

Drink a minimum of 3 and 1/2 liters of water daily. Water is a medium that aids the kidney to 'strain' the impurities from your body.

Also avoid high-protein weight-loss diets which can cause you to produce too much uric acid (hyperuricemia).

High-fibre foods

Foods high in dietary fibre may help lower uric acid levels in your blood. Dietary fibre may help absorb uric acid in your bloodstream, allowing it to be eliminated from your body through your kidneys. Increase the consumption of dietary soluble fibres such as Isabgol, Oats, Spinach, Broccoli to name few.

Celery seed extract

The seeds of the celery plant have long been used to treat gout, rheumatism and arthritis. Celery possesses sedative, antioxidant and mild diuretic action and is considered a urinary antiseptic. In rare cases, this herb is also used to treat sleeplessness, anxiety and nervous breakdown. Although the seeds of this plant are often used in herbal supplements, the roots may also be used.

Antioxidant-rich foods

Fruits and vegetables such as red bell peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, broccoli and grapes are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins. Antioxidants which are vitamins that prevent free radical molecules from attacking your organ and muscle tissue cells may help lower uric acid levels.

Cherries

Cherries contain chemical compounds that may help neutralize uric acid allowing your body to eliminate this acid as waste. Some researchers recommend consuming 30 to 40 cherries every four hours during an attack.

Apple cider vinegar

It is believed that raw, apple cider vinegar can help alleviate high uric acid levels by changing the pH values of your blood. But it has to be raw, un-distilled, un-pasteurized apple cider vinegar; the kind you get from your local health food store.

Saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and alcohol

All above affect your triglycerides, a type of fat that can clog your arteries and increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes.

High-fructose corn syrup

This is a type of sweetener in soft drinks and other processed foods that can elevate your levels of triglyceride and uric acid - a chemical associated with diabetes, gout, alcoholism, kidney disease and other health problems.

Limit meat, poultry and fish

Animal proteins are high in purine and this will result in high uric acid levels in the body

Limit or avoid alcohol

Alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid from your body. Drinking beer in particular has been linked to gout attacks. If you are prone to uric acid attacks, limit alcohol consumption to one drink three times a week.

Private hospitals used Asthma drug for headache patient

APRIL 07 - CHITWAN, 

The cases of extreme negligence on the part of the hospitals, especially privately run hospitals, have been on the rise in the district. In a recent case, the hospital pharmacy at Narayani Community Hospital (NCH) dispensed asthma medication to a patient suffering from headache, which apparently was not even prescribed by the doctor.

Tej Narayan Pandey of Gaindakot-2, Nawalparasi had taken his wife, Laxmi, 37, to the Narayani Community Hospital after she complained of headache on Monday and returned after a routine check-up. And though Dr Mahendra Agrahari prescribed three medicines, Pandey was coerced into buying an extra medication other than that prescribed by the doctor, at the hospital pharmacy. 

Though he did not take notice of it at the time, Laxmi’s health worsened after taking the medication and had problems breathing and suffered from stomach ache on the first day. 

She had to be rushed back to the hospital after she fell unconscious and collapsed the next day. It was only when she was brought to the hospital he came to know that the pharmacy staff had given him medicines for asthma.

Dr Agrahari admitted that the pharmacy had given out wrong medicine. “This is a case of extreme negligence on the part of the pharmacy, by deliberately giving medicine other than prescribed by the doctor,” Pandey said. 

He alleged that instead of tending to the patient immediately, the hospital administration tried to hide the matter by asking him to “sit and discuss” it when he brought Laxmi back to the hospital. Laxmi’s relatives also closed the pharmacy for two hours in protest. After an agreement was reached, Laxmi is being treated at a cabin in the hospital. 

Following the incident, the hospital remained tense throughout the day and police had to be mobilised after some of the protesters tried to vandalise hospital property.

However, this is not the first time the hospital was embroiled in such incident. Barely a month ago, Karna Bahadur Gurung of Krishnapur in Bharatpur-7, who had gone to seek treatment for a mass of tissue in his nose had to pay with his life due to doctors’ negligence . 

Healthy Recipe: Protein Quinoa Pancakes with Video

We love pancakes as much as the next guy—but at nearly 800 calories for three flapjacks, butter, and syrup, a short stack is a little short on healthy eating. Instead of hitting up your local diner, why not whip up this protein-packed take on the brunch favorite from celebrity chef Paula Hankin. The best part: "These reheat well, so you can pre-make them over the weekend and have breakfast for a couple of days," Paula says, "which is terrific for busy guys on the go."

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 full scoop JCORE Body-Lite Protein Powder (or protein powder of choice)
½ cup whole grain oats
1½ cup white quinoa
¼ tsp ground flaxseed
⅓ cup walnuts
¼ tsp cinnamon
6 strawberries, sliced
Cooking spray
Smart Balance
Sugar-free syrup

Directions:
1. To make batter, combine egg whites, protein powder, oats, quinoa, flaxseed, walnuts, cinnamon, and 4 strawberries in a medium bowl until blended.
2. Spray a pan with cooking spray and place over low heat. Ladle batter into pan and cook for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side until light brown on both sides.
3. Top with Smart Balance, syrup, walnuts, and remaining sliced strawberries.

Watch on video:

12 Healthy Foods and Drinks That Can Make You Fat

1. Avocado:
Avocado is everywhere, and rightfully so. It’s a superfood. Each fruit is packed with 10 grams of fiber and more than twice the potassium of a banana. Avocado has been shown to lower cholesterol levels, reduce cancer and diabetes risk, and improve skin health. The drawback: Due to its high-fat content (heart-healthy monounsaturated fat is still fat) and the heavy praise avocado receives for its health benefits, it’s all too easy to go overboard. “While they’re packed with more than 20 vitamins and minerals, avocados are still calorically dense,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The Miracle Carb Diet. “Use moderation when adding them to your salads, sandwiches, and anything else.”

2: Nuts:
Hit up a sporting event or hang out at a local bar and you’re sure to come across a variety of nuts—and guys chowing down on them like they’re pieces of popcorn. It’s the perfect example of good gone bad. Like avocado, nuts are loaded with heart-healthy fats. But healthy doesn’t always mean lean. A couple of beers and a few handfuls of nuts and you’ve tallied up some serious calories. “A 1-ounce serving of nuts contains 135 calories, and how many nuts you get in a serving will depend on your nut of choice,” Zuckerbrot says. “Think about it: Would you rather have 12 cashews or 22 almonds?” 

3. Protein Bars:
Protein is good, right? Damn right it is. But not if it’s double-decked with ab-killers fat and sugar. Your protein-bar approach: Save them for when you’re in a jam, like when you’re traveling or out on a long hike, and in those instances eat half the serving size at a time. Rule No. 2: shop smart. Pick a bar with reduced sugar, or opt for a ready-to-drink (RTD) alternative. These products typically contain half the fat and sugar, and 100 fewer calories, compared with bars.

4. Granola and Trail Mix:
In theory, whole-grain, fiber-rich mixes make great on-the-go snacks. Problem is, they’re often dressed up with ingredients like honey, dried fruit, seeds, and chocolate—plus it’s hard to stick to the proper portion size. “A serving of granola is only one-quarter cup—about 4 tablespoons—which is hardly enough to keep you feeling full until lunch,” Zuckerbrot says. Your plan of attack: Again, save these convenient eats for when you’re in jam and opt for a stripped-down mix sold in a bag that contains a single serving.

5. Dried Fruits: 
Take all the nutrients and antioxidants from several servings of fruit and shrink them down into something that’s super easy to eat. Sounds great, right? Well, these miniature fruit snacks are often loaded with added sugar, plus it’s not out of the norm to plow through an entire bagful. Go for fresh instead. “Two tablespoons of dried cranberries or raisins have the same amount of calories as 1 cup of fresh raspberries or 1¼ cups of strawberries,” notes Zuckerbrot.

6. Chocolates:
High-cocoa chocolate contains compounds called polyphenols, which research shows may keep blood vessels dilated and help lower blood pressure. But before making a daily habit of the dark sweets, be mindful that along with cocoa comes saturated fat and sugar. “You may think it’s good for your heart, which it can be if eaten in moderation. But go overboard and you’ll get lots of calories that can pile on weight, which isn’t heart healthy at all,” Zuckerbrot says. Look for brands with the highest percentage of cocoa and opt for smaller packages versus the temptation of larger bars.

7. Gluten Free Foods:
Even if you don’t have a wheat allergy, you may be drawn to gluten-free versions of pizza, pasta and pancake mix because they just sound healthier. But get this: “Many gluten-free products actually have more calories than similar versions that contain gluten,” warns Zuckerbrot. “Ingredients such as cornstarch and brown rice flour, which are used by manufacturers to mimic the texture and taste of gluten, are more calorically dense than the ingredients they replace.” Your best bet: stick to whole foods that are naturally gluten-free, like quinoa.

8. Nutritional Water: 

These tricked-out thirst quenchers might promise magical powers, like reviving you from the worst hangover of your life or helping you stay focused at work on a Friday afternoon, but the boost you feel after downing a vitamin-enhanced beverage comes more from sugar than it does from a slew of B vitamins and electrolytes. Some 20-ounce bottles contain more than 30 grams of the sweet stuff. And just like your body absorbs nutrients more effectively from real food than it does supplements, the same thing applies to the vitamins and minerals that have been used to fortify these rainbow elixirs. “Get your nutrients from food, and stay hydrated calorie-free with pure water,” suggests Zuckerbrot.

9. Smoothies:
Order a blended drink at a juice bar and it’s all too easy to end up with a gut-busting beverage in your hands. Thanks to colossal cup sizes—we’ve spotted smoothies as big as 32 and 40 ounces—and dessert-like ingredients such as peanut butter, chocolate, real coconut milk, and sherbet, slurping down 600 to 1,000 calories (or more) is a cinch. A better bet: make your drink at home. “Add ice, a serving and a half of produce, and yogurt for a protein boost and rich, creamy texture,” advises Zuckerbrot.

10. Tuna:
In its plain form, tuna is a smart pick, not to mention one of the most wallet-friendly ways to eat healthy. One can contains fewer than 200 calories, has only about 1 gram of fat, and packs 42 grams of muscle-building protein. But turn your tuna into tuna salad, and that’s where things go downhill. A tablespoon of mayo adds 10 grams of fat, plus 90 extra calories. “Go for low-fat or fat-free mayo instead,” Zuckerbrot says. “And to cut back on calories even more, serve your sandwich open-faced on just one slice of bread. Even better, put that scoop of tuna salad over a green salad.”

11. Coffee:
A cup of black coffee sets you back a measly 5 calories, but it’s hard to stomach the stuff straight up. We know you’re smart enough to stay away from fat-laden frappuccinos topped with whipped cream, but innocuous-sounding blends of espresso and milk can still carry a load of calories if you aren’t careful. For example, a 20-ounce latte made with whole milk weighs in at almost 300 calories and 15 grams of fat—and that’s before adding sugar. “If you want to add lightness to a robust brew, add just a splash of cream instead of the full cup of milk that goes into a latte,” Zuckerbrot says. “If it’s sweet you need, choose non-nutritive sweeteners and sugar-free syrups.”

12. Flavored Greek Yogurt:
We get it: Greek yogurt’s got a tart taste, and it’s tempting to reach for a sweetened-up variety (there are dozens of flavor combos to pick from, after all). But a 6-ounce container of blueberry Greek yogurt packs approximately 16 grams of sugar, half the recommended grams of sugar per day. “Your best bet is to stick to plain fat-free Greek yogurt and add your own berries,” Zuckerbrot says.

The weight loss secret you never heard

If you seem to have more than an inch to pinch on your waist no matter what you eat or whether you focus on intervals or weight training, the problem may not be your stomach but another organ.

You probably don’t give much thought to your liver (except maybe when you contemplate that third vodka soda), but its health is key to your overall health and weight. Your liver is the ultimate multitasker: It acts as a filter to remove toxins (like medications and alcohol) and nutrient byproducts such as ammonia from the blood; it aids in digestion by producing bile to help break down fat and absorb fat- and water-soluble vitamins and minerals; and it plays a part in regulating glucose, blood pressure, blood sugar, insulin, estrogen, testosterone, immunity, and blood cholesterol production and removal. And you thought you had a long to-do list!

Because of all of this activity, your liver may be in need of a little TLC. When it’s overworked, toxic residues can build up, causing inflammation that is associated with obesity. A stressed out liver can also cause fat to build up, especially around the belly. Added together, this can mean that no matter how much you restrict calories, weight loss is near impossible—unless you detox your liver.

Scientists develop drug to protect against AIDS

Washington: A single injection of an experimental drug may someday protect people from infection with the AIDS virus for up to three months, a US study said Tuesday.

The study, published in the US journal Science, showed that the drug called GSK 744LA can protect macaque monkeys from repeated intrarectal infections with the deadly SHIV, a hybrid between the human and monkey AIDS virus, Xinhua reported.

AIDS
Representational picture

The efficacy and safety of the drug have not been tested in humans, but David Ho, whose team at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre in New York led the study, the drug may be maintained at adequate level for about three of four months in humans.

"Therefore, we believe the drug should be given once every quarter," said Ho, noting that their results "give a big momentum boost to this HIV prevention effort".

In the new study, the researchers gave two injections of the drug to eight macaques and then "challenged" the animals by putting SHIV into their rectums once a week. They found none of the animals became infected after eight challenges.

In a second experiment, SHIV readily infected eight untreated control monkeys.

This novel approach was based on the proven strategy of protecting people who do not have HIV but are at high risk for infection with antiretroviral pills known as oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

"It has been shown already that taking anti-HIV medications once a day... could protect high-risk individuals from catching HIV. However, in such an approach, most persons cannot follow the prescribed regimen with good compliance/adherence," said Ho.

"With long-acting drug like 744LA, we take away this adherence problem, with the expectation that protection results would be better," he said.

Robert Grant, a virologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), who was not involved in the study, believed that the new study "would be a game changer".

"This is the most exciting thing happening that I know of in HIV prevention studies today," Grant, a pioneer of oral PrEP studies in humans, told the Science journal.

Philip Johnson of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, however, questioned the compliance. "This is going to require multiple injections over the lifetime of an individual," Johnson told Science. "How feasible is it truly in the long term? "

Ho said while HIV vaccines that protect are "still far far away", their approach could be used in the interim period before a protective vaccine is developed.

He said their next step is to proceed, together with drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, to conduct human trials.

"We will soon begin a phase-2 human trial of 744LA in the US. It is anticipated that we will obtain more data, including more safety information, on this long-acting drug within the next year," he said.

"We are now in discussion with the company on how to ultimately proceed with clinical trials to test the protective efficacy of 744LA in high risk populations throughout the world, including in gay men in China where HIV infection rates are very high."

Drugstore Decides to Stop Selling Tobacco

Today CVS, one of the largest drugstore chains, announced that soon they will no longer be carrying tobacco or tobacco products. The announcement came as part of their new push for healthier decisions and overall wellness of their customers and as you can imagine it generated lots of reactions today. Obviously there are lots of reason for a decision like this but as a whole it is being considered an absolutely brilliant step forward and will likely be good news for society and the company.

Smoking and tobacco are becoming more and more of an outcast of society due to various health issues, despite this nearly every large chain store has continued to sell the product. CVS is the first big company to step up and fight against tobacco by stopping sales and many experts are hopeful that this will eventually spread to other major store as well. Either way it is great news to see a large corporation fighting against smoking and tobacco in the strongest way possible. CVS will officially pull tobacco out of their stores nationwide by October 1st, only time will tell if it makes any impact or whether any other companies decide to follow suit.

A vitamin is a biological enzyme or its co-factor

A biological enzyme is a molecule that enhances the speed of a specific biochemical reaction, in the human body, 1 million times! The enzyme itself is not consumed in the process.

The biological enzyme acts as an template upon which the reacting molecules attach briefly, before being converted to chemical products.

For such a biochemical reaction to take place, another molecule or atom called a co-factor is usually also required.

The co-factors in biochemical enzymatic reactions may be vitamins or ions of one of the basic elements, e. g. ions of zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iodine, or selenium.

The basic elements may form crystals, i. e. aggregates of identical ions (atoms) forming a grid according to their specific chemical properties. Such an aggregate is called a mineral.

Both vitamins and minerals are necessary for the body to function properly. If your body does function properly, it means that it has received all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Sicknesses, diseases, or bodily injuries which won't heal may be a result of deficiencies in one or more vitamins or minerals. There is a whole catalogue of diseases that arises from vitamin or mineral deficiency.

It is a fact that a proportion of people with incurable diseases or bodily injuries may get well, simply by taking one single supplement pill of vitamins and minerals per day.