Health

An earlier-than-usual onset of puberty could be related with a higher chance of mental health issues, with incidence of depression and ADHD remaining high for at least eight years following onset, a study has found. `Central precocious puberty` is a condition in which physical changes associated with this stage of growth begin early -- before age eight for girls, nine for boys. Researchers, including those from University Hospital Essen, Germany, looked at over 6,500 individuals -- around 1,100 who had early puberty and the rest who did not -- using the country`s health insurance data, following them for 13 years. Findings, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, show that those who attained puberty early were about 50 per cent more likely to be...

India was among the eight countries where more than half the unvaccinated children from around the world lived as of 2023, an analysis published in The Lancet journal showed, "emphasising persistent inequities." Providing global estimates of current vaccine coverage, the study found that the same year, there were 15.7 million children -- 1.44 million in India -- who had received no doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine in their first year. An international team of researchers forming the `Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 Vaccine Coverage Collaborators` updated global, regional, and national estimates of routine childhood vaccine coverage from 1980 to 2023 for 204 countries and territories. In 1980, 53.5 per cent of children who had never received a routine childhood...

Celebrated Indian actor Salman Khan is known for his wit on talk shows, but this last weekend, he chose to reveal a little about his health, and that has surprised many fans over the last few days.  While the `Bodyguard` actor revealed on `The Great Indian Kapil Show season 3` that he suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia, the actor also spoke about how he is also dealing with a brain aneurysm and even Arteriovenous Malformations.  Being one of the few superstars to talk about his health issues, mid-day spoke to Dr Dipesh Pimpale, consultant neurologist at KIMS Hospitals in Thane and Dr Vishal Chafale, who is the consultant interventional neurology at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai to dissect the causes of brain aneurysm. They not highlight the effects but also the treatment and who is the mo...

A test that checks how easily one sits on and rises from the floor could predict risk of death among middle-aged and older adults, according to a study. The `sitting-rising test` -- a non-aerobic fitness assessment of muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and body composition -- could add relevant clinical and predictive information to routine examinations of healthy and unhealthy individuals, researchers said. The team, including researchers from Exercise Medicine Clinic-CLINIMEX, Brazil, scored nearly 4,300 adults, aged 46-75 and who performed the test, from zero to five -- one point was deducted from five for each time a support of hand or knee was used, and 0.5 for an unsteadiness in movements. Over a typical follow-up period of 12 years, during which there were 665 deaths, the stu...

According to the World Health Organization, there were 830 million people living with diabetes in 2022, as compared to 200 million in 1990. This chronic, metabolic condition that affects millions of people worldwide may lead to other health complications if not diagnosed and treated on time. While the link between diabetes and health issues like obesity and vision problems is widely acknowledged, a lesser-known complication that may arise out of uncontrolled diabetes is foot gangrene. Dr Ashank Bansal, who is a vascular surgeon and interventional radiologist at Surana Sethia Hospital in Chembur, informs, “Foot gangrene occurs when blood flow to the foot is reduced, leading to tissue death due to a lack of oxygen, which further causes infection. People with uncontrolled blood sugar, nerve...

Bollywood actor Salman Khan is known for his flamboyance that has helped him get many fans over the years. Being in the industry for more than three decades, he has devoted his life to films but rarely has the actor revealed about his health issues till now. In a recent interview on the first episode of `The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3` last weekend, Khan discussed everything including his life and marriage. Many were not prepared for what came next from the actor, who is usually known to be quite private. During the course of the chat, he also revealed about certain health conditions that he was dealing with, while giving acting his all, but has dealt with them head on. The `Bodyguard` actor said he is suffering from trigeminal neuralgia, which is only one of three conditions that ...

While menstruation is a natural biological process, it may also bring with it several physical and emotional challenges. Every woman experiences periods differently, however, one common problem that many face is excruciating period pain, which is also referred to as dysmenorrhea. There are different ways to ease the pain, and among those, yoga is considered one of the most effective mediums to deal with menstrual cramps and improve overall menstrual health. Dr Sushma Tomar, who is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Fortis Hospital in Kalyan, states, “Yoga plays an important role in reducing menstrual pain, especially through specific poses and abdominal exercises. It helps relax the abdominal, back and hip muscles. The practice also improves blood circulation in the body, rel...

Beyond its benefits for physical health, yoga is also vital for mental health and helps reduce stress, said Union Ministers on the occasion of the 11th International Yoga Day on Saturday. International Yoga Day is celebrated globally every year on June 21. It was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 and swiftly adopted by the United Nations, garnering support from 177 countries. "Yoga is very important not only for physical health but also for mental health. It reduces stress, calms the mind, and brings balance in life,” said Union Minister for Health JP Nadda, in a post on social media platform X. While leading yoga celebrations in New Delhi, Nadda called yoga a mental exercise that unites the mind, brain, and spirit. योग का अर्थ होता है जोड़...अर्थात् ये शरीर, मन,...

It has been a busy year for music lovers who enjoy attending concerts. While it started off with the much-anticipated series of Coldplay concerts, it was followed by performances by Cigarettes After Sex, Ed Sheeran, and then Green Day, Glass Animals, Shawn Mendes, Louis Tomlinson and Aurora among others at Lollapalooza. It did not end there because Guns N Roses completely brought out their best to a packed Mahalaxmi Racecourse. With a packed schedule across five months, Indian music concert attendees had already witnessed Maroon 5 and Dua Lipa before that, showcasing how many concerts have happened in less than a year in India.  Every year, World Music Day is observed on June 21. For India, which is at the peak of this concert culture, music is now an experience. Interestingly, the music ...

In the pulsating heart of India`s metros, where deadlines blur into demanding schedules and the city`s rhythm often feels relentlessly fast, a quiet revolution is taking place.  Urban professionals and busy individuals are turning to yoga, not just for physical prowess, but as an indispensable tool for navigating the hustle and anxieties of modern life.  This International Day of Yoga, we delve into the lives of urban yogis who are finding stillness amidst the city`s chaos. `Yoga gave me the ability to respond instead of react`For Maitri Boda, a fitness enthusiast and co-founder of Squat Up in Mumbai, the impact of yoga extends far beyond the physical. "The biggest shift has honestly been internal. Yoga gave me the ability to respond instead of react," she shares. In a city like Mumbai ...