A mountain of medical facts

Did you know that your thumb is the same length as your nose or that your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to boil or that a higher IQ equals more dreams? These are some of the crazy quirky facts that you find on posters exhibited at the Medical College as part of the Medex exhibition organised by the Students’ Union.
One poster even says - ‘Believe it or not - Heart attacks are more likely to happen on Monday.’ But don’t look around for explanations, you won’t find any, in the posters at least. Explanations, you will find, for all your questions on anatomy, physiology, chromosome abnormalities, on how the eye works, how a surgery is done, radiodiagnostics, microbiology, neurology, nephrology and the hundred little things that could go wrong with your skin.
"This is the first time that all the 38 different departments of a medical college are getting together to put up a show of this magnitude. We also have special stalls put up by Regional Cancer Centre, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Dental College, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology and the Ayurveda College,’’ said Sujith Varghese Abraham, a fourth year medical student who is also the general convenor of the Medex exhibition.
Right from the time you step into the exhibition venue through a skull made of sponge and scaffolding, it will be one whirlwind tour through the human body, the precision with which it works, the factors that affect this precision, what could go wrong where, communicable and non-communicable diseases, how to treat and repair the body and even forensic medicine that explains how a decomposed or mutilated body can be identified scientifically.
If things get too heavy, you can take a break and go watch skeletons do a jig. These skeletons can even play musical instruments, but of course, controlled by human beings.
If the community medicine stall takes you to all tick-borne and mosquito-borne diseases, the microbiology department takes you right to all the microbes - various hues and shapes of bacteria, fungi and viruses. They even have still models of the AIDS virus, influenza virus, rabies virus and cultures of bacteria and fungi. And if you think these microbes are too small for you, you can go watch a cadaver being opened up or the laparoscopic techniques that are demonstrated as part of the exhibition.
The answer to all these germs from the proverbial Pandora’s Box lies in venue number three, that of the Pharmacy College, where you can really see the process of how a drug is made, how it can be modified for various uses and so on. A major part of the pharmacy show is based on plant-derived drugs, though they do give a brief mention about the synthetic drugs.
From the first step of identifying, isolating and purifying the active compound from plants to pre-clinical and finally the clinical trials, the pharmacy students make sure that the visitor understands every intricate process. They also explain with clarity how a tablet or capsule is made, right from making the gelatin coating to drying, weighing, mixing, blending and finally punching the tablets and making it sugar-coated or otherwise.
Besides all these, there are video shows, live demonstrations of machinery, free screening tests and seminars to keep you engaged throughout the day. So, what are you waiting for?
Source:The Express News Service

2-day meet on yoga and naturopathy in Mysore

Department of Ayush in association with My-Ayush Research Foundation has organized a two-day meet on yoga, naturopathy as a prelude to an international conference, at Maharaja's Centenary hall from January 21. The meet has been organized as part of the five-day international level yoga, naturopathy and arogya expo scheduled in Bangalore from February 13.
My-Ayush Research Foundation chief coordinator T Ajit Kumar told reporters on Thursday that the conference has been organized to create awareness about how yoga and naturopathy help in preventing and curing diseases. During the conference 18 experts will demonstrate about uses of yoga and naturopathy, he stated. Yoga expert Narayan Guru Swamiji will demonstrate Durga Namaskar, as this form of yoga will help in curing and preventing diseases in women, said Ajit Kumar and a book 'Know about your food' of CFTRI will be given to participants, said Ajit Kumar. The book provides details about maintaining healthy diet, he stated.
A food mela is also being organized on the occasion and entry for which will be free.
Meet is organized as part of international yoga expo scheduled to be held in Bangalore from Feb13.
Source:TNN

India takes lead to forge ties between SAARC nations to promote traditional medicines

The ministry of commerce has started the initiative to forge broader cooperation between the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries on traditional medicines with a view to tap the emerging potential in the field at the global level through joint efforts and by forming a common platform.
The ministry has already drafted the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and launched consultations with the stakeholders to garner their inputs before finalising the document. It has also sought views from the concerned departments including Ayush that will represent India in the agreement with SAARC countries, sources said.
The MoU would seek to strengthen and further develop co-operation between the countries on co-operation in the field of traditional systems of medicine. “Such co-operation would serve their common interest and contribute to the enhancement of the traditional systems of medicine and social development of the peoples of both countries,” it said.
The areas of co-operation for the promotion of traditional medicine will include the regulation of teaching, practice, drugs and drugless therapies of traditional systems of medicine, supplying all medicine materials and documents necessary for demonstration and reference, exchanging experts for training of practitioners, paramedics, scientists, teaching professionals and students in traditional medicine; and accommodating interested scientists, practitioners, paramedics and students in institutions for research, educational and training programmes on traditional medicine.
One of the key agendas of the MoU will be to work towards mutual recognition of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy Pharmacopoeia of India and the Herbal Pharmacopoeia of other SAARC countries. It will also facilitate mutual recognition of educational qualifications in traditional medicines awarded by Central/State recognised Universities of respective countries.
Other objectives of the cooperation would be setting up of chairs on traditional systems of medicine which are legally recognized by the concerned government, providing scholarships for future education in recognized institutions, recognition of traditional preparations as drugs on reciprocatory basis as per the existing laws of respective countries, and granting of permission to practice traditional medicine on reciprocatory basis by the qualified practitioners as per the existing laws.
“The protection of intellectual property rights shall be enforced in conformity with the respective national laws, rules and regulations of the parties and with other international agreements signed by both parties,” the draft MoU says.
Source:Pharmabiz

Laughter Is Indeed The Best Medicine

The Joy Of Laughter
Good health is a treasure that many of us tend to take for granted, but as we get older we seek it and appreciate it even more. Many experts have had seminars and conferences dealing with health issues. Many audio-visual material and innumerable books have been produced claiming a knowledge of how to achieve and even maintain good health. However, I have discovered that there is one great tip that is often overlooked by the health conscious. It is simply the therapeutic effects of laughter. Which is the reason I chose the topic Laughter Is Indeed The Best Medicine.Tips On Laughter
Laughter is one of the most natural and spontaneous activities we can get involved with. It does not take much effort on our part, but it has been stated that the more emotional we become during an outburst of laughter, then the more therapeutic the effect.
Laughter is free, and it has no side effects, unlike the drugs being issued by the pharmaceutical companies. We do not have to remember to laugh, because it is merely a reaction to a stimulus such as a joke being verbally told or one remembered. Humor from cartoons, comedies or joke books are just as effective. Remember the saying 'laugh and the word laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.' I believe crying is also contagious, but laughter has far more power and it does more good.
Laughter is free. Since it does not cost s anything we do not have to budget for it, or do without it because we cannot afford it. There are no side effects associated with laughter. We do not have to worry about the fine print. There need not be any concern about treating one disease and then having new symptoms of another disease caused by laughter. It is an overwhelmingly enjoyable activity that comes with innumerable great benefits.
Why Is Laughter Therapeutic?
Experts have stated that when laughter takes place, the diaphragm contracts and expands sporadically to allow the lungs to accommodate the sudden increase and decrease of oxygen. This results in chain reactions in our bodies. The interchange of oxygen keeps the heart pumping faster thus circulating blood throughout the body and preventing sluggishness. In addition, the walls of the blood vessels expand during the process and so the blood flow increases. This can significantly reduce the risks of heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, though the effect is only momentarily, it is a great antidote for good blood circulation.
Laughter relaxes the muscles and massages the organs so it releases physical tension. It is even effective in reducing and relieving pain. It has been reported that patients diagnosed with migraines have been healed by simply engaging in regular tumults of laughter. It has been reputed to have the same effects as aerobic exercises. Therefore it is highly recommended as a mild form of exercise with the potential to reduce weight and maintain physical fitness.
Laughter forces us to eliminate negative thoughts momentarily, while we focus on the stimulus for laughter. It also reduces the hormones which are associated with stress. Fear, anger, guilt and other negative emotions are reduced or even eliminated during laughter. No wonder it is also known as a stress buster and an ideal way of maintaining good mental health. It effectively produces a feeling of well being or inward peace and satisfaction.
In addition, it boosts the immune system by increasing the production of antibodies and it reduces the production of cortisol which would otherwise suppress immunity.
Certain natural chemicals, such as endorphins and neurotransmitters are released in the process which actually contribute to good health. Obviously, if laughter is not commonplace in our lifestyle, the effects are not significant in maintaining or even achieving good health.
Laughter is one of the most natural and spontaneous activities we can participate in. It does not take much effort on our part, but it has been stated that the more emotional we become during an outburst of laughter, then the more therapeutic the effect.
Laughter is free, and it has no side effects, unlike the drugs being issued by the pharmaceutical companies. It is a natural reaction of the body like yawning, breathing deeply and stretching. All these activities can be done anywhere and at any time. They all are of great benefit to the body, yet they are too often taken for granted. We do not have to remember to laugh, because it is merely a reaction to a stimulus such as a joke being verbally told or remembered. Humor from cartoons, comedies or joke books are just as effective.
There is a time to laugh and a time to cry, but I would prefer to laugh any day. The benefits of laughing far outweigh the benefits of crying. It is therefore a good idea to read books which promote good humor or watch comedies regularly. It is best to laugh with others as at social gatherings. There is usually a self-imposed clown or more who as the life of the party encourage laughter.
Laughter in not confined to one group of people who are defined by their age, culture, gender, race or any other criteria. Rather, it is in fact universal and so everyone can and should participate in a good daily dose of laughter. We will then understand and experience why laughter is indeed the best medicine.

Looking At Delicious Food Pics Can Make You Hungry

A new study has confirmed that just looking at the pictures of delicious food is suffice to make one feel hungry.Max Planck researchers' have documented a study on healthy young men that proves that the amount of the neurosecretory protein hormone ghrelin in the blood increases as a result of visual stimulation through images of food.
As a main regulator, ghrelin controls both eating behavior and the physical processes involved in food metabolism.
These results show that, in addition to the physiological mechanisms for maintaining the body's energy status, environmental factors also have a specific influence on food consumption.
Thus, the pervasive presence of appetizing food in the media could contribute to weight increase in Western populations.
It has long been known that, in addition to the physiological regulatory circuits for the maintenance of a sufficient energy status for the body, external stimuli like smell or the sight of food also influence our feelings of hunger and our resulting eating behavior.
The danger that the exposure to such images will result in the consumption of food that is not needed to maintain the body's energy status is particularly high in our advertising-dominated society.
In a study involving healthy male subjects, Axel Steiger and his research group at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry investigated the molecular processes for the control of food consumption.
They examined the specific physiological reaction of the test subjects to images showing either delicious food or non-edible objects.
The concentrations of different hormones in the blood such as grehlin, leptin and insulin, which play a role in the regulation of food consumption, were measured.
The researchers actually observed that the concentration of grehlin in the blood increases specifically in response to visual stimulation with food images.
"The findings of our study demonstrate, for the first time, that the release of ghrelin into the blood for the regulation of food consumption is also controlled by external factors," Petra Schussler, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute said.
"Our brain thereby processes these visual stimuli, and the physical processes that control our perception of appetite are triggered involuntarily. This mechanism could prompt us to eat a piece of cake just two hours after breakfast," she added.
She thus recommends that individuals with weight problems should preferably avoid looking at images of appetizing food.
Source-ANI

Eating From Small Plate May Not Help To Lose Weight

Plate size does not help to reduce the food intake, finds a study.
The study conducted at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth has revealed that the size of one's dinner plate does not help to curb energy intake or control portion sizes."Smaller plates are often recommended as a way of controlling intake, but that simply isn't an effective strategy," said Meena Shah, senior researcher and professor of kinesiology at Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth.
"There was no plate size, weight status, or plate size by weight status effect on meal energy intake," she stated.
Researchers including Shah, senior researcher, Rebecca Schroeder, lead researcher, and Walker Winn from Texas Christian University, and Beverley Adams-Huet from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas examined 10 normal weight women and 10 overweight or obese women over two different days at lunch.
Subjects were randomly assigned to consume lunch using either a small (21.6 cm) or large (27.4 cm) plate.
The meal, which consisted of spaghetti and tomato sauce, was served in an individual serving bowl. Each subject was asked to self-serve the food from the bowl onto the assigned plate and instructed to eat until satisfied.
The meal was consumed alone and without any distractions. During the second lunch, each subject went through the same procedure but using the alternative size plate.
"It is possible that plate size does not have an impact on energy intake because people eat until they are full regardless of what utensils they are using," said Shah.
Plate size also did not affect ratings of palatability, hunger, satiety, fullness and prospective consumption in either normal weight or overweight/obese women.
The findings were published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in December.
Source-ANI

High Energy and Protein Intake Improves Growth in Very Low Birth Weight Babies

Babies with very low birth weight normally catch up with the growth of other babies of the same age. This is sometimes not achieved due to inadequate nutrition and could affect the brain development of the child. Supplements may help to improve the growth; unfortunately they also result in an increase in fat.
The goal of nutrition in babies with very low birth weight should be to maintain growth and prevent complications without any adverse effects of the supplementation.
A study was conducted to evaluate if a high protein and high energy supplement would improve the weight and lean body mass in preterm infants and if such supplementation would be well tolerated by the small babies.
Thirty-eight preterm infants from Spain at less than 32 weeks gestation and with weights of less than 1500g were included in the study. The newborns were free from complications and were gaining weight. These babies were divided according to the types of supplements they received. Group A received the standard preterm formula. Group B and C received high energy and protein formulation; the protein content of the formulation given to group C was higher than that given to group B.

The weight, length and head circumference of the infants were measured weekly for 4 weeks to monitor their growth. Using the weight and length measurements, the body mass index was calculated. Body composition was measured using total body electrical impedance analysis. Fat mass and fat-free mass were calculated on the last day of the study.

The high energy and protein supplements were well tolerated by the groups B and C. At the end of the study, the weight gain in these groups was more than that in group A, with an increase in fat-free mass. The head circumference was more in group B as compared with group A. An increase in head circumference indicates a better growth of the brain.
Protein intake was higher in group C than in group B; however there were no differences in weight gain or fat-free mass between these two groups. Thus an intake of 150 kcal/kg/d of energy and 4.2 g/kg/d of protein, with a protein/energy ratio of 2.8 g/100 kcal, similar to that of group B is usually enough to increase the weight of very low birth weight infants. Urea levels were increased in the groups taking protein supplementation, but to insignificant levels.
The study thus indicates that formulations with high energy and protein help to increase weight and fat-free mass in babies with very low birth weight as compared to those on usual formulations for preterm infants. In order to achieve the higher concentrations of energy and proteins, the usual formulations could be enriched with supplements, or their volume or concentration may be increased.
Reference:

1. Juan Antonio Costa-Orvay. The effects of varying protein and energy intakes on the growth and body composition of very low birth weight infants. Nutrition Journal 2011, 10:140 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-140

2. Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant information