Health

Guillain-Barre Syndrome -- a rare nerve disorder -- that has affected 73 people in Pune is a life-threatening condition, said health experts on Saturday. GBS is often followed by a bacterial or viral infection that wreaks havoc on the nerves. In people afflicted with GBS, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, leading to weakness and, sometimes, paralysis, or even death. "The total number of GBS cases increased to 73, comprising 47 and 26 women. Of these, 14 are on ventilator support," a state health department official was quoted as saying to the media. A person A 64-year-old female patient, undergoing treatment at Pimpri`s Post Graduate Institute-Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), has reportedly succumbed to an acute motor axon...

Former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation Soumya Swaminathan on Friday said that most emerging viral threats are zoonotic infections transmitted from animals to humans. Swaminathan, who is also the former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, emphasised the critical role of integrated research, including data from weather, climate, health, and environmental sources, to predict and prevent future outbreaks. She was speaking after the launch of various initiatives undertaken as part of a major research project on water quality assessment of Vembanad Lake and water-borne infectious diseases at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi. She said that most health threats today originate from environmental factors and suggested estab...

Struggling to stay afloat on your New Year’s resolution 2025 to follow healthy habits? It may take about two months to form, and almost a year to establish, according to a study on Friday.  The study, led by researchers from the University of South Australia, challenges previously assumptions that healthy habits can set in 21 days. Contrary to popular belief, healthy habits take far longer than three weeks to lock down, said researcher Dr Ben Singh, from the varsity. “Adopting healthy habits is essential for long-term well-being but forming these habits -- and breaking unhealthy ones -- can be challenging,” Dr Singh said. “At the beginning of the year, many of us are setting goals and making plans for the months ahead -- things like being more active, cutting back on sugar, or making h...

A novel diet that mimics traditional eating habits created by using non-industrialised style food can be key to reducing the risk of several chronic diseases, while also helping lose weight. Industrialised diets -- high in processed foods and low in fibre -- have contributed to a substantial rise in chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The new diet titled "NiMe" (Non-industrialised Microbiome Restore) diet is inspired by the eating habits of non-industrialised societies. It consists of plant-based focus, but is not vegetarian. It is primarily made up of vegetables, legumes, and other whole-plant foods. It also incudes one small serving of animal protein per day (salmon, chicken, or pork) with no dairy, beef, or wheat. The international study led by Irish research...

Adults living with ADHD could face a shortened life expectancy -- men with the condition could live about seven years fewer and women about nine years fewer than those in the general population, a study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry has shown. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has previously been linked to an increased risk of dementia, due to a reduced ability to compensate for age-related cognitive decline. Researchers, led by those at University College London, compared data from over 30,000 adults in the UK diagnosed with ADHD with that of 300,000 individuals without the neurodevelopmental condition. ADHD is marked by short attention spans and hyperactive or impulsive behavior. The results of the study showed that the "apparent reduction in life expect...

A senior official at the Tata Trusts has said efforts were being made to establish an advanced hospital in Maharashtra`s Latur for cancer patients and reduce their challenges for travelling to Mumbai for the treatment. Highlighting the need for district-level cancer hospitals affiliated with government medical colleges, Dr Kailash Sharma, medical director with Tata charitable trust, told PTI over the weekend that timely biopsy reports and affordable cancer treatment are critical for the common people. He noted that travelling to Mumbai for treatment is a significant challenge for many cancer patients. The official said that to address this, they have already established modern cancer hospitals in Varanasi, Punjab, Visakhapatnam and Guwahati. To provide state-of-the-art cancer treatment...

Early diagnosis and treatment are vital for the health of both mother and child Thyroid disorders during pregnancy are becoming highly prevalent as conditions like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are taking a toll on women during pregnancies.  Every year, Thyroid Awareness Month is observed in January to highlight the causes and effects of thyroid on people. While it affects people in general, doctors highlight that the effects during pregnancy can affect newborns adversely. These thyroid problems lead to complications in the mother and the baby, as thyroid hormones play a crucial role in brain and nervous system development. Timely diagnosis and treatment will ensure a healthy pregnancy. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ based on the neck. It regulates metabolism, energ...

Mumbai doctors have successfully treated a rare and critical case of molar pregnancy, where complications caused multi-organ failure were affecting six major systems in the body. The woman was treated at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai Central. Molar pregnancy, a rare and abnormal form of pregnancy where no viable fetus develops, can lead to severe complications if untreated.  In this case, a 30-year-old woman presented with an advanced molar pregnancy that resulted in the rapid failure of her lungs, liver, kidneys, blood systems, and other critical functions. The patient had initially delayed treatment after being diagnosed at a railway hospital, leading to her admission in a critical state. Her condition necessitated an emergency procedure to remove the uterus, followed by intensive car...

Planning parenthood via in vitro fertilization (IVF)? Stay away from outdoor air pollution, suggests a study. The study showed that exposure to outdoor air pollution can negatively impact human embryo development in IVF cycles. Researchers from Emory University, US, found that exposure to air pollution at times when a female`s ovaries are producing eggs (also known as oocytes) and when a male`s testicles are producing sperm can have a negative impact. “We saw that both maternal and paternal air pollution exposures during gametogenesis have independent, largely detrimental, effects on early embryological outcomes," said Audrey Gaskins, lead author and associate professor of epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory. The team conducted research on samples from 500 anonymou...

Targeting nine key health conditions may be crucial for women’s health and add the equivalent of 2.5 healthy days per woman per year, according to new research released at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday.   The new report shows that compared to men, women live one-fourth more of their lives in poor health. Focussing on the nine conditions, categorised as lifespan and healthspan conditions may be key to boosting their lives and health. “The nine conditions are divided into lifespan conditions, related to the total number of years lived (maternal hypertensive disorders, postpartum haemorrhage, ischemic heart disease, cervical cancer, and breast cancer) and health span conditions, related to how many of those years are healthy (endometriosis, menopause, migraine, and preme...