Health

India’s winter pollution worsened across major metros in late 2025, with government monitoring agencies reporting sustained deterioration in air quality. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi repeatedly slipped into the `Severe`  and `Severe Plus` categories during November and December, triggering stricter measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Air Quality Index (AQI) levels crossed 400 on multiple occasions, far exceeding safe limits. Mumbai, while typically less affected than the capital, also saw air quality decline. Monitoring stations across the city recorded `Poor` to `Very Poor` AQI levels during peak winter weeks, particularly in high-traffic and industrial areas, indicating that pollution stress is no longer limited to north India. Agai...

Researchers have discovered a way to help aging intestines heal themselves using CAR T-cell therapy. By targeting senescent cells that build up over time, the treatment boosted gut regeneration, reduced inflammation, and improved nutrient absorption in mice. It even helped protect the intestine from radiation damage, with benefits lasting up to a year. Early results in human intestinal cells suggest the approach could one day improve gut health in older adults and cancer patients. Many people notice that certain foods become harder to tolerate with age. One possible reason is damage to the intestinal epithelium, a thin, single layer of cells that lines the intestine. This lining is essential for digestion and overall gut health. In healthy conditions, the intestinal epithelium renews it...

In a first for Southeast Asia, a 29-year-old man underwent a a rare life-saving hybrid cardiac surgery, combining open bypass with minimally invasive endovascular repair, in Delhi NCR, a hospital here said on Tuesday. The man was admitted in a critical condition with uncontrolled internal bleeding and was suffering from a ruptured thoracic abdominal aorta, according to a statement. The procedure was performed at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, and involved open bypass surgery combined with minimally invasive endovascular stent grafting to seal the ruptured aorta and restore blood flow to vital organs, the statement by the hospital said. The patient, a resident of Bihar, was diagnosed with a ruptured and massively dilated thoracic abdominal aorta -- the main artery carr...

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has emerged as an unlikely yet powerful symbol of disciplined living and holistic health. In a recent vlog with filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan, Gadkari candidly spoke about his remarkable fitness transformation, revealing how he lost 46 kilograms post-Covid and reshaped his lifestyle through unwavering consistency and self-discipline. Once weighing 135 kg, Gadkari now maintains a weight of 89 kg, a change he describes not as cosmetic but deeply transformative for his overall well-being. “You can see the positive effects of this routine on my face,” he said, attributing his renewed energy and youthful appearance to a strict daily exercise and pranayama regimen. Despite his demanding schedule, Gadkari has made health non-...

Patients with cancer are more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases, according to a study. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, showed that the risk may be related to altered expression of inflammation‐ and coagulation‐related proteins. The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences stressed the need to manage endocrine, kidney, and inflammation‐related risk factors in people with cancer. “Our study found an elevated cardiovascular death in patients with cancer,” said the team. “Patients with cancer need to pay attention to the risk of cardiovascular mortality, particularly among younger individuals and those diagnosed at an early stage; in clinical practice, it is recommended to emphasise the management of endocrine, kidney, and infla...

Type 2 diabetes quietly changes the heart structure and how it produces energy, thus increasing the risk of heart failure, according to a study. Researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia, studied donated human hearts and found that diabetes disrupts how heart cells produce energy, weakens the muscle’s structure, and triggers a buildup of stiff, fibrous tissue that makes it harder for the heart to pump. These effects were most pronounced in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy-- the leading cause of heart failure. The findings, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, can help explain why people living with diabetes face a much higher risk of developing heart failure. "We`ve long seen a correlation between heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but this is the first researc...

The neurosurgery team at Dhakuria recently successfully performed an exceptionally rare and life-saving operation on 56-year-old woman, who arrived at the hospital after a severe strangulation injury. It had caused multiple rib fractures and facial fractures along with a dangerous cervical spine injury known as a Type 2 odontoid fracture (a break in the upper part of the neck) that can instantly damage the spinal cord and is commonly referred to as a Hangman’s fracture. This type of injury has an extremely high death rate, with more than 6 per cent of patients not surviving, and many others suffering sudden paralysis or instant cardiac arrest due to spinal cord compression.  Despite the seriousness of the situation, realizing the urgency, the team led by Dr Nirup Datta, consultant – Neuro...

Doctors in Kolkata have successfully treated a large and complex incisional hernia in a 45-year-old woman from Agartala in Tripura, using advanced minimally invasive, keyhole surgery. The patient, Nupur Sarkar, a school teacher, underwent Laparoscopic Abdominal Wall Reconstruction under the care of Dr Sumanta Dey, senior consultant and HOD - Robotic, Advanced Laparoscopic, Bariatric and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Manipal Hospital EM Bypass. Sarkar’s journey of courage began three years ago when her husband was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and required a liver transplant. As the only suitable donor available at the time, she donated a part of her liver to save his life. While her husband recovered well and now leads a stable life, Nupur continued to manage her professional and household ...

Regular eating of fast foods, ranging from deep-fried snacks served as street food to quick-service restaurant chains, can cause serious damage to health, which can, in the long run, lead to several diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular conditions, contributing to death, said experts on January 3.  The doctors said this as social media was recently flooded with viral posts claiming that an 11th-grade student from Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh, admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi in December, died due to excessive consumption of junk food. While the girl`s family asserted that she was suffering from an intestinal infection that ultimately led to her death, media reports revealed that the girl was facing multiple health issues, including ...

Short bursts of energetic activity for 10 minutes daily could not only increase your fitness levels, but also help fight bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, according to a study.  The study by researchers at Newcastle University showed that short and intense exercise activity can trigger rapid molecular changes in the bloodstream, shutting down bowel cancer growth and speeding up DNA damage repair. They found that exercise increases the concentration of several small molecules in the blood -- many linked to reducing inflammation, improving blood vessel function, and metabolism. When these exercise-induced molecules were applied to bowel cancer cells in the lab, the activity of more than 1,300 genes was altered, including those involved in DNA repair, energy production, and ca...