Health

While India has the maximum number of blind people in the world, most do not know that in more than 85 per cent of the cases, the condition is preventable, said experts on Thursday on World Sight Day.  India is home to an estimated 34 million people living with blindness or moderate or severe visual impairment (MSVI). “Nearly 85 per cent of blindness in the world is avoidable which can either be preventable or treatable,” Dr. Rajesh Sinha, professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology, AIIMS New Delhi said. The expert called the need for public awareness so that a majority of people in the society who may become blind due to ignorance maintain their sight for life. “Ocular causes of preventable blindness can be infections, vitamin A deficiency while causes of treatable blindness can be cataract, u...

Ratan Tata has been a champion for the underprivileged and left an extraordinary legacy in India and the world, said global health leaders as they mourn the demise of the Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group.  The legendary industrialist and philanthropist passed away at the Breach Candy Hospital following age-related health conditions late on Wednesday. He was 86. “Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr Ratan Tata - a friend, guide, mentor to many and a champion for the underprivileged,” said Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO Chief Scientist, in a post on X. While offering “prayers and condolences to his family,” she said his “legacy will live on forever”. In a post shared on X, Tata Memorial Hospital called him “a visionary leader with the highest integrity, but also an incredibly compassi...

Showerheads and toothbrushes in your bathroom are teeming with an extremely diverse collection of viruses -- most of which have never been seen before, warned a study on Wednesday.   A team of microbiologists from Northwestern University in the US, identified more than 600 different viruses from samples collected from shower heads and toothbrushes. Surprisingly, no two samples were alike. The good news, the researchers said, is that these viruses do not target people. They target bacteria. The microorganisms collected in the study are bacteriophage, or “phage,” -- a type of virus that infects and replicates inside of bacteria. While little is known about them, phage recently have garnered attention for their potential use in treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The prev...

Long working hours, strict deadlines, high-performance expectations, and job insecurity are some of the major issues at the workplace that have recently claimed several ‘young’ lives in India. The need is to develop a healthy workplace that can address these and also help boost productivity, said experts on Wednesday a day ahead of World Mental Health Day.  World Mental Health Day is observed every year on October 10 to raise awareness and fight stigma related to mental health issues. The theme this year is ‘Mental Health at Work’. India has recently seen a spate of deaths due to overwhelming pressure and harassment by toxic bosses at the workplace. The latest case involves Bajaj Finance manager who died by suicide, due to workplace harassment. In his suicide note, the 42-year-old Tarun...

India has the highest number of oral cancer cases among countries in South Asia, driven by increased use of smokeless tobacco products like betel quid with tobacco, gutka, khaini; and areca nut, according to a study on Wednesday.  The study led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and published in The Lancet Oncology journal showed that India logged 83,400 of the 120,200 oral cancer cases globally caused by smokeless tobacco (chewed, sucked, inhaled, applied locally, or ingested) and areca nut (seed of the areca palm) in 2022. The consumption of areca nut (30 per cent) and betel quid with tobacco (28 per cent) were responsible for the most oral cancer cases among women, followed by gutka (21 per cent) and khaini (21 per cent). Among men, it was khaini (47 per cent),...

Consuming more caffeine, present in coffee, tea, and cocoa may improve heart health in people with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study on Wednesday.  Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. This is both due to the disease and some treatments for them, particularly cortisone derivatives. To date, these patients were given conventional recommendations like quitting smoking, reducing cholesterol, and controlling high blood pressure, the new study published in the journal Rheumatology, added drinking caffeine to the list to boost their heart health. Researchers from Sapienza University of Rome, in Italy, suggested that caffeine, present in coffee, tea, and cocoa, actively helps end...

While silent strokes may not be fatal as a normal brain stroke, it can still affect brain health and lead to cognitive issues such as memory and attention problems, said experts on Monday.  Silent stroke, also known as silent cerebral infarction, can go undetected for years. It does not have symptoms such as sudden weakness, speech difficulties, or facial drooping. It occurs when cerebral blood flow is transiently disrupted, leading to ischemic damage without overt clinical symptoms. However, “the condition can result in subtle neurocognitive deficits, such as memory issues and difficulties with attention, and increased risk of subsequent overt strokes, which are more severe and easily recognisable,” Dr Deepak Yadav, consultant, Neurology, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, said. “Depending o...

While advances in cancer therapies have greatly improved survival rates for breast cancer, new research on Tuesday showed that common treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, may accelerate the biological ageing process in survivors.  The study led by a team from the University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences in the US suggests that the impact of breast cancer treatments on the body is more extensive than previously thought. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed that breast cancer survivors, regardless of the type of treatment received, had significantly increased markers of cellular ageing -- such as DNA damage response, cellular senescence, and inflammatory pathways. These ageing markers increased the risk of earl...

Older adults suffering from abnormal bleeding, fatigue, and weakness, must be assessed for scurvy -- a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, suggests a study on Monday. Detailing a case study of a 65-year-old woman with mobility issues and social isolation, the study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) showed that scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is not just an 18th-century seafarers’ disease. Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada implored clinicians to consider scurvy in patients with abnormal bleeding and nonspecific symptoms. The elderly patient visited the emergency department at a downtown Toronto hospital for leg pain and weakness, skin lesions, and discoloration. She also had several chronic health conditions. Mobility issues restricted her ...

As Navratri celebrations grip Indian streets, people are preparing to don their favourite Kediyas and Chaniya Cholis, and dance to the high-intensity beats of Gujarati music. Garba, a significant part of the festivities, boasts of a fanbase beyond geographical or cultural boundaries. Over the past few years, its scope has also extended from a festive symbol to a fitness activity. Garba fitness classes and workout tutorials including elements of the dance form are gaining prominence. This folk dance, which entails high-power steps, has several health benefits, Alpesh Rawal, a Mumbai-based Garba instructor says, “It offers a holistic combination of physical and mental wellness. It makes for a good cardio workout for weight loss. The high-energy movements such as fast-paced footwork, twirls,...