Health

Alcohol-related liver disease deaths are increasing rapidly among women and young adults, according to new research.  Researchers from the Universities Havard, Stanford, and Southern California (USC) attributed the rise to higher drinking during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to increasing health problems like obesity and high blood pressure. "The pandemic itself came under control, but the disparities that came with it continued and lingered," said Dr. Nasim Maleki, a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, based on death certificates from across the US showed that between 2018 and 2022, deaths from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) rose nearly 9 per cent a year. Between 2006 and 2018, ALD deaths stood at 3.5 per cent per ye...

While children are largely thought to be less susceptible to Covid-19`s serious effects on the lungs, a global study has indicated that in children suffering from severe infection with SARS-COV-2 virus, the health risks may go beyond the acute viral infection and can harm the heart. Scientists from Harvard University (US) and Murdoch University (Australia) analysed blood samples from 147 children across different Covid. Their study identified significant metabolic disruptions that affect how the body processes fats (triglycerides and cholesterol) critical to healthy heart structure. "This research challenges the widespread assumption that children are largely unaffected by Covid-19 based on the relatively mild respiratory effects,” said lead researcher Professor Jeremy Nicholson, Direct...

Maternal exposure to pollution, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, can affect specific brain structures of unborn babies in the womb, according to a study. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, showed that the changes were linked to brain imbalances, loss of motor coordination, and slow development. "During mid to late gestation, the foetal brain enters a key phase of its development, making it particularly vulnerable to external factors such as pollution," Payam Dadvand, a researcher at Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain. "As clinicians, we are now seeing compelling evidence that even in pregnancies that appear healthy by all conventional measures, factors such as air pollution can subtly affect foetal brain developme...

The act of donating blood is simple, safe, and can make a huge impact on the needy ones, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on World Blood Donor Day on Saturday. World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on 14 June every year, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. Nadda urged people to fight myths and misinformation related to blood donation and to donate blood. “World Blood Donor Day brings us together to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood. It saves millions of lives worldwide by supporting those who need it most. Yet, many people hesitate due to misinformation and fear,” Nadda said, in a post on social media platform X. World Blood Donor Day brings us toge...

The way one breathes could possibly serve as their "nasal fingerprints", researchers said after their study could identify individuals based solely on their breathing patterns with a nearly 97 per cent accuracy. "You would think that breathing has been measured and analysed in every way. Yet we stumbled upon a completely new way to look at respiration. We consider this as a brain readout," said author Noam Sobel of Israel`s Weizmann Institute of Science. The findings of the study, published in the journal Current Biology, also showed that one`s "respiratory fingerprints" correlated with their body mass index, sleep-wake cycle, levels of depression and anxiety, and even behavioral traits. Therefore, breathing patterns could offer a window into their physical and mental health, the author...

Blood transfusion is the cornerstone of effective healthcare and emergency responses, said Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia on Friday, ahead of the World Blood Donor Day. World Blood Donor Day is marked annually on June 14. This year the theme is “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.” The day honours the silent heroes among us -- voluntary, unpaid blood donors -- whose simple yet powerful act of donating their blood saves countless lives each day. Wazed noted that to build resilient national health systems it is essential to have the critical and continuous need for safe blood and blood products. Yet many people, especially in low- and middle-income countries, do not have access to safe and timely transfusion services. “Blood transfusion is a cornerston...

A team of US scientists has discovered a specific group of brain cells that could explain why people with memory problems often overeat. The team showed that people who also keep forgetting about recent meals can trigger excessive hunger and can lead to disordered eating. Researchers from the University of Southern California showed that the group of brain cells can create memories of meals, encoding not just what food was eaten but when it was eaten. During eating, neurons in the ventral hippocampus region of the brain become active and form what the team of researchers call “meal engrams” -- specialised memory traces that store information about the experience of food consumption. While scientists have long studied engrams for their role in storing memories and other experiences in t...

Most of us have grown up disliking bitter gourd, popular known as karela, but come monsoon season, Mumbai health experts say it is important to consume the vegetable we dislike so much for more than one reason. Jinal Patel, dietician, Zynova Shalby Hospital, explains, "During the monsoon, it`s essential to eat light, easily digestible vegetables. Try bitter gourd (karela) and bottle gourd (lauki) as they aid in digestion and immunity. Tinda (apple gourd), turai (ridge gourd), and parwal (pointed gourd) are water-rich and easy on the stomach. Always wash vegetables thoroughly and cook them well to avoid infections common during those rainy days." While it is difficult to include them in your every day meals, the health experts say there is more than one way to include it in common dishes....

With Covid-19 taking over our lives in the last five years, it has changed our perspective on life. While some have promised to live life to the fullest, others have become a little cautious about htheir health.  While it is difficult for sick people and their families to find hope, there are others out there battling the odds to live life with the help of doctors in the city. As many people visit Mumbai to get treated for their diseases, these inspiring stories of resilience are not only inspiring but also about the commendable medical expertise in India. 42-year-old man gets second chance at life after rare interstate intestine transplantEarlier this week, doctors at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital gave a new lease of life to a 42-year-old man from rural Maharashtra by successfu...

Suffering from metabolic syndrome? A handful of almonds daily may help improve your health, according to a study. People with metabolic syndrome have at least three of the conditions like abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low levels of "good" cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides. Scientists at Oregon State University (OSU), US, showed that eating 2 ounces of almonds -- about 45 nuts -- daily led to signs of better cardiometabolic and gut health. The research, published in the journal Nutrition Research, is important because almost 40 per cent of the US adult population is estimated to have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome has also...