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PLIGHT OF ASIAN WOMEN IN BRITAIN

Something has to change…Suicide rate of Asian women three times the national average- why? Explores Faiza Ahmed

Asian women in Britain have the highest rate of suicide, three times the National average and on a par with soldiers returning home from war. (Journeyman Pictures – Why are UK authorities ignoring honour killings? – YouTube )

What makes the lives of Asian women so unbearable that they feel the only way to escape the horror of their everyday existence is to take their own lives?

We all know that there are issues within parts of the Asian community with forced marriages and honour killings when young people struggle to cope with being raised between two vastly different cultures.

The cases of Shafilea Ahmed and Banaz Mahmood are well known and were well-publicised  after they died. No one helped them when they were alive when it could have made a difference to these young women and saved their lives.

According to Journeyman Pictures, one of the main causes of suicide is because of young Asian women seeking to escape marital rape after being forced to marry someone they don’t want!

However, there are other stories besides these more typical stories of honour killings and forced marriages that don’t get told.

For example, take the case of Sara (not her real name) who stood first at every school she attended before the age of sixteen and was told by Asian peers that she was considered the most likely to succeed.

Awarded the prize for best O Level results at 16 and having been invited on an Asian radio show in 1988 ( Smeet Petite and the Karachi Kid on GLR Radio) after winning a competition, she and her peers felt she was set to have a bright future.

After being considered for a place at Cambridge in 1990 (She had attained the points at A Level and aced the interview at King’s College Cambridge), she attended a red-brick university (rated among the Top 10 British universities) from 1989 and graduated with a 2:1 BA Hons in 1992.

A hard-working serious minded young woman, she was a trained and qualified teacher by the age of 22 like her father, maternal grandfather and great grandfather before her. Sara’s life looked as if it was set to shine….

In the late 1990s,  she attended Thames Valley University for a script writing course and her tutor Tony Dinner ( a former head of the BBC Script Unit) told her in front of a class that her work was good and that she must never give up on her talent even though it was hard for new writers to get a foot in the door!

It looked as if she had it all until she became the target of a smear campaign by other Asians who quite possibly had a problem with her success.

This was even though she had been a child of divorce who had been raised without a father from the age of 10 in council housing on a pittance as her mother received no child support! In spite of this disadvantage, she had worked hard to build a better life and had achieved some success because of hard work.

Despite her efforts, she found herself being smeared as a terror threat to Britain by mentally unstable people connected to the father who had failed to pay child support and had been absent from her life from the age of 10. They destroyed her success after never having contributed to it!

Not only that but then she was targeted by other Asians who were rivals to that paternal family who called her “the daughter” of the man who had abandoned her at age ten because he didn’t want to pay child support!

They made her pay to the age of 50 for the absent parent who never paid for her when she was a child of ten and carried out a tribal vendetta against her!

This was tribalism, something that is prohibited in Islam which these Asians claim to follow! Other crimes condemned in Islam were to follow- slander of innocent women, spying and backbiting innocent people, harming the fatherless, the less fortunate the “widow” and her fatherless orphan!

A teacher’s daughter, grand daughter and great grand-daughter, she was rumoured by these pathologically lying strangers to be a terrorist, tart, gang person, a drug addict!

Gossip is a sin in the religion of Islam but gossip was favoured over 40 years of verifiable exemplary school and work reports and an enhanced DBS check!

Sara found herself being depicted as the exact opposite of all that she was after being exemplary! Her mother had raised her to believe that being good and working hard was the key to success but this proved not to be the case!

Sara was deeply humanitarian and had been a regular charity donor giving to seven British charities a month and doing voluntary work but they slandered her as a terrorist!

A teacher’s daughter, grand-daughter and great grand-daughter this teetotal woman was rumoured to be a gang person taking drugs possibly by Asian gang people taking drugs in a part of London where she never goes and knows no one!

She and her maternal relatives complained to the police and her MP about the abuse.

Sara even turned to social media in desperation and uploaded verifiable proof of the facts- 40 years of verifiable school and work reports and other documents that prove she has been exemplary and deeply humanitarian as well as proof that she had lost contact with her father in primary school!

She felt compelled to do this because in a society that has lost the fear of God, lies can be casual and even exemplary people can be demonised to save face for those who have done wrong especially when bigotry, racism or discrimination is involved.

Suicide is forbidden in Sara’s religion and as a devout Muslim she turned to her faith for comfort, a faith which forbids suicide but there is no joy in her life after being exemplary and the girl who once was thought by some of her Asian peers to be the most likely to succeed now counts down to the day when her life will be naturally over and she can escape the sadness of a life that feels empty.

At 51 she has ended up with no husband, no children. She has never known what it is to have a wedding day, to be a bride or to hold a new born child in her arms, to be a mother, to have a family that will be there for her in her old age to care for her as she cares for her mother. This is a sad ending for a girl who was exemplary.

Someone whose poetry had been published in the children’s section of the Young Observer in Asia in 1981, Sara never did write the sitcoms, novels and plays she might have written because of the stress caused in her life by other Asians who made her a target for the more sinister and dangerous people of other groups who harbour covert racist tendencies who would always try to demonise even exemplary Asians like herself in order to whitewash the wrong done to them.

There is good and bad in every ethnic group and sadly Asian women who are unprotected and disadvantaged in some way can be targeted by the nastier elements of every group who will milk their disadvantage. This is what happened to Sara.

After 9/11, local councils were given the right to spy on terror suspects. All it took for Sara to become a suspect was for an unstable, possibly envious person to tell lies!  While working at her local council she noticed a colleague repeating word for word things she had said in her own home, the same colleague who openly stated that, “Kicking people’s heads in with bovver boots is a primitive method but it works.”

She began to suspect that far right violent and dangerous racists who like to brain damage Asians were invading her privacy on every level as a result of the lies of other Asians!

She stopped writing for fear of plagiarism and all her talent was wasted. She has spent her life in fear of being brain damaged, the girl who had stood first and been told by a former BBC head that she had real potential, real talent.

Writers can bring millions into the economy if their talent is nurtured so it is Britain’s loss if British writers are wasted. Sara was also top ranked in an industry said to be worth $63 billion dollars a year to the economy but this talent was  also wasted. (Why the ESL Market is set to boom in the next 10 years – www.CEFRexambot.com­)

This is a story less typical than the stories of forced marriages and honour killings but it is a story that needs to be told for if even exemplary Asian girls can’t make it, then what hope is there for the rest of us?

No wonder the suicide rate of Asian women is three times the national average and on a par with the suicide rate of soldiers returning shell shocked from wars! Asian women who are disadvantaged in some way are being set up to fail!

Instead of ignoring the problem, the Asian community in Britain needs to face what is wrong and work together to rectify the situation to make life better for Asian women. There is no excuse for apathy on this issue given the shockingly high suicide rate.

It is unacceptable that Asian women and girls can be exemplary and end up endangered and with nothing after following the rules and being perfectly behaved.

Something has to change…

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Food Health Lite Blogs

Be aware of these nutritional myths

Most importantly, lemon water has no unique, proven fat-loss benefit. So don’t expect any miraculous weight loss results from lemon water…reports Asian Lite News

The internet is riddled with misinformation, and it can be difficult (if not impossible) to distinguish between fact and myth. Myths that were once passed down through word of mouth are now spreading like wildfire through social media, blogs, and even traditional media. There are numerous reasons for this, including a 24-hour news cycle, lengthy and difficult-to-read research studies, and journalists/bloggers/celebrities looking for their next viral hit. As a result, information is frequently published without verification (or is ignored).

The end result? Confusion, frustration, and, in some cases, harm for those who try the latest quick-fix or magical solution for their weight loss and health issues.

Myprotein India examined the evidence and discussed three nutrition myths that appear to be widespread in India and refuse to die.

Myth: Lemon water is a quick fix for fat loss

Except it is not.

While lemon and water are not inherently harmful, they are also not magical. There are no compounds in that unique combination of a regular fruit and water that causes a biochemical reaction that begins to melt our adipose tissue.

So don’t expect any miracle fat loss outcomes from lemon water!

While you will lose weight (not fat) if lemon water is the only thing (or one of the few things) you drink for a few days, this is due to a severe calorie restriction as well as water loss. You’ll regain these pounds as soon as you resume your normal eating habits.

The truth: Lemons are just fruit, and fruit is healthy. Lemon juice won’t contribute substantially to your micro-nutrient intake, but it also doesn’t contain very many calories. Lemon juice contains small amounts of beneficial micro-nutrients and phytochemicals, but it’s unclear if, among all fruits, lemons are uniquely valuable.

Most importantly, lemon water has no unique, proven fat-loss benefit. So don’t expect any miraculous weight loss results from lemon water. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle are the keys to long-term fat loss.

Myth: Chickpea (Channa) is a rich source of protein

A quick Google search (“chickpea cooked calories”) reveals that 100g of this legume contains 9g of protein and 27g of carbohydrates, or 3x the amount of carbs to protein.

So, while it contains a reasonable amount of protein, it does not qualify as a rich source of protein because it contains a lot more carbohydrates.

Chickpeas can certainly be used to supplement protein intake or to replace carbohydrate sources with lower protein content such as rice. It can also be used to supplement protein intake for vegetarians with limited options.

Truth: Chickpea is not a primary source of protein as every 1g of chickpea protein comes with 3g of carbohydrates. Do not rely on it (or similar legumes) as your primary source of protein. A diet rich in these legumes is a high-carbohydrate diet, not a high-protein one.

Myth: Taking whey is like taking steroids

Supplements can be intimidating to many people who are new to fitness. We’ve all heard the mainstream media talk about steroids and other illegal performance enhancers, and it’s easy to lump all supplements into the same category. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to whey protein.

Whey is a component of milk; if we ‘cut’ milk in half, we get whey and cheese. Whey has been proven to be a completely safe and high-quality protein source. It is highly processed (the process is required to extract the whey from the milk), and care must be taken to ensure that your whey protein is derived from high-quality sources.

Did you know milk protein (and soy protein) is one of the main ingredients in baby formula powders?

Whey protein appears to significantly increase muscle protein synthesis. It also has no negative effects on the liver or kidneys. The exception is if there is already pre-existing damage to those organs, in which case it may exacerbate the problem. So, if you have kidney or liver problems, this may not be a good idea, and you should consult your doctor before starting to use whey.

It is a great source of protein to supplement our diet for those who do not have such issues, and not just for those who lift weights or actively exercise. Vegetarians, for example, will benefit greatly from including whey in their diet.

The truth: Whey is a natural part of milk and shown to be both safe and effective when used by healthy individuals.

Misinformation is widespread, difficult to identify, and, sadly, spreads much faster than facts. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Because we all want to be healthier, it’s easy to believe health myths.

Believing something, wishing it were true, or feeling it should be true does not make it so. So be inquisitive, sceptical, and questioning.

ALSO READ-Nutritional Way Towards Health

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Health Lite Blogs

Tips to be healthy after long journey

Sugar increases your risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions; avoiding sweetened beverages and sugary snacks will help you stay healthy. Honey is a healthy alternative you can use instead…writes Dr. Sonia Lal Gupta

The desire to travel, to explore new landscapes is distinctly ‘human’. Travelling not only gives us a break from our fast-paced lives but also helps us learn new things. While traveling may be a rejuvenating experience for your mind and soul, it takes a toll on your body. Long flights, jet lag, disruption in diet and daily routine will have a direct or indirect impact on your health.

It’s time to get back to healthy living! Here are a few tips on what to do after traveling that will help you stay healthy and relish the sweet memories of your trip.

Drink plenty of water:

It is said that there is no better medicine than pure drinking water. Dehydration is a common ailment faced by vacationers. Proper hydration will help keep your body healthy and active. Water will also help you in losing excess holiday weight and reduce fatigue. Water-rich fruits and vegetables will also help you maintain H2O balance in your body.

Get your sleep cycle back on track

Getting sufficient sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle. Travel can mess up with your normal sleep schedule, which will make you lethargic, less productive and irritable. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges. It will make you feel better and boost your mood.

Eat Healthy

Overindulging with food and drinks is quite normal when you are traveling but you may pay the price in terms of calories and pounds. Healthy eating will help you in healing your digestive system. Here are some healthy tips you can inculcate in your diet plan:

Eat more fiber: Dietary fiber helps in relieving constipation and maintaining a healthy weight. Oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, green beans, and potatoes are some fiber-rich foods you can add in your meal plan.

Cut back on sugar: Sugar increases your risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions; avoiding sweetened beverages and sugary snacks will help you stay healthy. Honey is a healthy alternative you can use instead.

Eat lots of vegetables: Vegetables are excellent sources of many nutrients, including potassium, fiber, folate (folic acid) and vitamins A, E, andEating veggies will boost your immunity and flush out toxins from your body.

Eat home-made food: Stop eating out at restaurants as soon as you return home. Eating home-cooked meals will not only save your money but also assure that the food you are eating is hygienic and of good quality.

Eat on time: Irregular eating habits can have an adverse effect on our metabolism, blood sugar control and appetite. Hence it is important to eat on time and avoid skipping meals.

Re-energize yourself through yoga:

Crossing time zones, carrying luggage to and from destination can be harsh on your body and leave your muscles tensed and sore. A little bit of stretching and exercise will help you feel refreshed. Yoga is the best form of exercise that not only releases tension in your physical body but also releases the mental stress and emotional strain that long days of travel can inflict. There are many Yoga postures you can try to relieve your body of tension and aches.

ALSO READ-Modular kitchen to change the vibe of your home

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Health Lite Blogs

Menstruation is natural part of life

Using a dirty or used cloth for periods regularly can cause reproductive system infections such as bacterial vaginosis or urinary tract infections (UTI), which can progress to pelvic infections…writes Dr Shilpa Ghosh
Undoubtedly, period awareness has increased in urban areas, with more women opting for sanitary pads rather than cloth, and not only women; people, in general, have developed a better understanding of menstruation in metro areas. Innovations in products are happening, like menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and much more. Filmmakers like R. Balki (who made ‘Padman’) have also shifted the set paradigm to a great extent. However, there is still a considerable segment of the female population who is subjected to menstrual prejudice.

Unfortunately, society identifies women as the other half, but only for specific, indoor-bound duties, highlighting the biological difference as a mark of inferiority. Menstruation and its debilitating nature, though a reality, are often hushed. To commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day, one must acknowledge that menstruation is a natural part of life and that the taboos around it must be eliminated.

The Prejudices

Thousands of women and girls are stigmatized, alienated, and discriminated against simply because they menstruate. According to a survey, taboos such as not being allowed to touch pickles, not working, exercising, not allowed to enter the kitchen or touch common food items or utensils, not washing hair, not having sex during menstruation, not being allowed to touch plants, and others are still prevalent.

Even now, in the year 2022, women are still instructed to isolate themselves during their periods rather than treat them as a normal thing. Moreover, when most girls get their first periods, they are left hanging out to dry, although they have no idea what their bodies are going through. This is especially true in rural and remote areas. In many parts of India, girls are barred from receiving an education, making a living, and fully and equally participating in everyday life just because they have begun menstruation.

Raising awareness for proper period hygiene is the need


It is critical to raise awareness about menstruation and associated subjects so that it is seen as ‘normal’ rather than something to be ashamed of or hidden. When a girl begins menstruation, she is still quite young. Menstruation is difficult to deal with anywhere, but it is especially difficult in India. The majority of young girls in the country are not taught why they bleed for nearly a week every month or how to handle periods safely and hygienically when they are young.

To overcome these problems, girls should be provided with proper education and awareness to help them become emotionally and physically ready. The current scenario necessitates a more rapid approach to information dissemination and societal evolution.

Using a dirty or used cloth for periods regularly can cause reproductive system infections such as bacterial vaginosis or urinary tract infections (UTI), which can progress to pelvic infections.

Because these infections can spread to the pelvis, they might make it difficult to conceive or cause pregnancy issues such as preterm labour (leading to an early birth).

Poor local hygiene is one of the risk factors for cervical cancer, poor hygiene can increase cervical cancer risks in the long run.

It is critical that the usage of sanitary pads over cloth begins in elementary school. Girls in rural places should be given sanitary pads to encourage them to use them instead of cloth.

Girls should be educated in maintaining the highest level of hygiene during periods. It is because the pad absorbs more blood, sweat, and sebum as the menstrual flow is stronger during the day while you’re active.

This creates an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, which is why wearing one pad for more than four hours every day is not suggested.

Because blood offers a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive during your monthly cycle, washing the vaginal area at least twice a day is recommended.

The vaginal organ is self-cleaning. It’s crucial to protect the environment’s natural flora, and using conventional soap or even specific cosmetic items for intimate hygiene can harm it. Ideally, the vaginal area should be washed with warm water and no soap.

Lack of access to high-quality hygiene products is a major impediment to reaching 100 per cent menstrual hygiene coverage in India.

In India, a major impediment to achieving 100 percent menstrual hygiene coverage is a lack of access to high-quality hygiene products. According to research, the majority of girls lack consistent access to high-quality menstrual hygiene products, with 88 percent of women and girls in India relying on improvised alternatives such as old clothes, rags, hay, sand, or ash.Furthermore, women and girls do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities.

According to research, approximately 40 per cent of girls miss school during their periods. The type of absorbent used, lack of privacy at school, restrictions imposed on girls during menstruation, the mother’s education, and the source of menstrual information were all found to be important factors in school absenteeism. Nearly 65 percent said it had an impact on their daily activities at school and that they had to skip class tests and lessons as a consequence of discomfort, anxiety, shame, and concerns about leakage and uniform discoloration. While access to menstrual products is critical, equal attention should be paid to the mental trauma that girls experience during their periods. Girls should receive comprehensive counselling on menstruation and other associated issues. Efforts should be made to eradicate period-related myths and shame.

ALSO READ-Are you ready for Himalayan Odyssey 2022?

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Health Lite Blogs

‘All you need is your mind and your body’

The beauty of yoga, apart from its numerous benefits, is that you can practice it in absolutely any space, in any part of the world…says Deepika.

Actress Deepika Padukone has worked towards normalizing mental health to enlighten everyone that mental illness is not always critical, but can be the reason our daily lives includes so much stress.

The actress now features in a Yoga Campaign, Yoga Make Space, leveraging an initiative which revolves around mental health and fitness. adidas and Deepika together celebrating what brings different people to the mat, no matter their background, ability, or reason to practice.

The Yoga Make Space collection has been consciously crafted, inspired by the elements of nature and aims to support through every move and practice, with apparel for women and men. The campaign

Sharing about the significance of yoga in her life, global Indian actor Deepika Padukone speaks.

When did you start practising yoga?

Deepika: I started practising yoga with consistency about two years ago after what felt like a deep inner calling. At around the same time, I was also offered a movie where I was given the role of a yoga instructor. In short, it was an inner calling mixed with the professional requirement that eventually pushed me to look for the right instructor and get going on my yoga journey.

What is the connection between nature and practising yoga?


Deepika: The beauty of yoga, apart from its numerous benefits, is that you can practice it in absolutely any space, in any part of the world. We often talk about being self-reliant. Yoga is one such practice. All you need is your mind and your body.

What are your thoughts on the benefit of practising yoga?

Deepika: I have, over the years, been exposed to many different types of workouts, exercises and practices. However, practising yoga, makes me feel the most centred, balanced and grounded. Feeling alive and connected from within, like I am in control, is something I have never experienced in any other practice, except for in yoga.

What does ‘make space’ means to her?

Deepika: adidas’ Yoga Make Space has not only given me a chance to talk about fitness but it is also giving me a space to discuss mental health which society still feels afraid of. When I hear the term ‘make space’ it reminds me of postures that I hold for a minute. Sometimes more. And when you truly tune in, you feel your body opening up and oxygen running into your bloodstream. That, for me, is making space within my body.

Your favourite yoga postures

Deepika: If I had to choose one, ‘Malasana’ would have to be my favourite posture. A hip opener that makes me feel like my chakras are aligned.

ALSO READ-Deepika wows fans with her Boho look at Cannes

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Health Lite Blogs

Never make it too ‘complicated’

Her anxiety and stress levels may be clouding her judgement and affecting how she cares for the baby. Hence, both the mother and child should be kept under observation for a few days…writes Dr. Gauri Agarwal…reports Asian Lite News

Preterm birth, defined as a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is a leading cause of infant death and can result in long-term disabilities for those who survive. Each year, approximately 1 million children die as a result of preterm birth complications. According to the World Health Organization, many survivors will live with disabilities for the rest of their lives, including learning disabilities and vision and hearing problems. India is at the top of the list of countries with the most preterm births.

Reasons for complications


Preterm birth can occur due to a number of reasons. The majority of preterm births occur naturally. Multiple pregnancies, infections, placenta abruption (separation of the placenta from the uterus), less amniotic fluid and chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are all common causes of preterm birth; however, in many cases, no cause is identified. Sometimes, genetic factors are also responsible for preterm delivery.

Warning Signs

Regular or frequent abdominal tightening (contractions), constant backache, a sensation of pelvic or lower abdominal pressure, and mild abdominal cramps are all signs of preterm labour. Vaginal spotting or light bleeding may occur in some cases, while others may notice a change in the type of vaginal discharge, watery, mucus-like, or bloody.

Placental Abruption, High BP, and Less Amniotic fluid are major causes of preterm deliveries


Yes, all of these factors contribute to preterm birth. Women should avoid it by quitting smoking and abstaining from drugs. Blood pressure and diabetes should be kept at the optimum level. Women should also take health and safety precautions such as wearing a seat belt and notifying their doctor if they experience any abdominal trauma or vaginal bleeding.

How to avoid a preterm delivery?

During pregnancy, a woman should keep in touch with her doctor at all times. If she has any risk factors for preterm birth, such as having previously delivered a premature baby or having a problem with her uterus or cervix, she should tell the doctor right away. After consulting with their doctor, pregnant women can be advised some hormone supplementation or sometimes surgical procedure along with folic acid to prevent preterm birth. If you and your baby are both healthy, you should wait until at least 39 weeks to start labour on your own.

Factors to keep in mind if in case it’s a preterm delivery

When compared to normal babies, premature babies require more medical attention. The cause of preterm delivery and how early the baby was delivered determine the level of care. Preterm babies may have birth-related issues that necessitate specialised medical attention. They usually have breathing problems, low immunity, and are prone to infections, viral infections, and jaundice. They may have serious health issues such as sepsis, brain haemorrhage, or other conditions that necessitate special attention. Premature birth has a significant impact on a mother’s health, and she too requires specialised care. Her anxiety and stress levels may be clouding her judgement and affecting how she cares for the baby. Hence, both the mother and child should be kept under observation for a few days.

Tips for a safe & healthy pregnancy

It is critical to live a healthy lifestyle in order to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Tobacco, smoking, e-cigarettes, and secondhand smoke should all be avoided. Don’t drink alcohol while trying to conceive or while pregnant. Avoid using illegal drugs and abusing prescription medications. Consume a well-balanced diet rich in iron and folic acid. Make an effort to be active every day: aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. Blood pressure and diabetes should be controlled. To avoid becoming obese, lose weight; if you are underweight, gain weight. Reduce stress by practicing yoga, meditation, being active, joining support groups, balancing work and life, and working on a healthy relationship with your partner free of violence.

ALSO READ-‘Three thousand years of longing’ gets six-minute standing ovation

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-Top News Health India News

India voices concern over WHO’s excess mortality claim


Mandaviya also exhorted India’s commitment to build a more resilient global health security architecture…reports Asian Lite News

In his address to the 75th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya raised concern over WHO’s recent claim of all-cause excess mortality.

“It is with a sense of dismay and concern that India notes WHO’s recent exercise on all-cause excess mortality where our country specific authentic data published by the statutory authority has not been taken into account,” said Mandaviya.

The Health Minister conveyed the collective disappointment of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare, a representative body of health ministers from all states of India, as they passed a unanimous resolution regarding the approach and methodology of WHO on excess mortality reports.

Mandaviya also exhorted India’s commitment to build a more resilient global health security architecture.

Underscoring the need to strengthen the WHO, Mandaviya said, “As highlighted by the Prime Minister of India, there is a need to build a resilient global supply chain to enable equitable access to vaccines and medicines, streamlining WHO’s approval process for vaccines and therapeutics and strengthen WHO to build a more resilient global health security architecture.”

As a responsible member of the global community, India is ready to play a key role in these efforts, he added.

“India believes that this year’s theme linking peace and health is timely and pertinent because there can be no sustainable development and universal health and wellbeing without peace,” Mandaviya said.

WHO honours Asha workers

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has honoured India’s more than one million Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) for connecting people with healthcare services.

ASHA, which means “hope” in Hindi, are among the six recipients of Global Health Leaders Award at the ongoing 75th World Health Assembly.

ASHAs are trained female volunteers who take healthcare services to rural, marginalised, and hard-to-reach communities across India. They provide maternal care and immunisation for children; community healthcare; treatment for hypertension and tuberculosis; and services for nutrition, sanitation, and healthy living.

ASHAs “play a critical role in India’s primary healthcare system, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing essential health services to millions of people. In Hindi, ASHA means hope. And that is exactly what the ASHAs deliver”, the WHO said in a statement.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he is “delighted that the entire team of ASHA workers have been conferred the WHO Director General’s Global Health Leaders’ Award”.

“Congratulations to all ASHA workers. They are at the forefront of ensuring a healthy India. Their dedication and determination are admirable,” he added.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has also extended his greetings to all the ASHA workers.

“Congratulations to all the ASHA workers on being conferred the award. ASHA workers are at the forefront of healthcare delivery and played a key role in the country’s response to the prevention and management of Covid-19,” he tweeted.

ALSO READ-Johns Hopkins honours Poonawalla for developing affordable vaccines

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Health World

WHO confirms 80 monkeypox cases in 11 countries

WHO said the virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers, reports Asian Lite News

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 80 cases of monkeypox in 11 countries and said they are working to better understand the extent and cause of the outbreak.

In a statement issued on Friday, the WHO said the virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers.

“WHO and partners are working to better understand the extent and cause of an outbreak of monkeypox. The virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers. The recent outbreaks reported across 11 countries so far are atypical, as they are occurring in non-endemic countries,” the WHO said in a statement.

“There are about 80 confirmed cases so far, and 50 pending investigations. More cases are likely to be reported as surveillance expands,” it added.

The world health organization said it continues to receive updates on the status of ongoing outbreaks in endemic countries to expand disease surveillance.

“Monkeypox spreads differently from COVID-19. WHO encourages people to stay informed from reliable sources, such as national health authorities, on the extent of the outbreak in their community (if any), symptoms and prevention,” the statement added.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

According to WHO, Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks.

Issuing an alert to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Central government has asked them to keep a close watch on the monkeypox situation and send samples of symptomatic travellers to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for further investigation.

“Keep a close watch on monkeypox situation abroad. Send samples (to NIV, Pune) only in such cases where people display certain specific symptoms. Not samples of sick passengers,” sources told ANI. (ANI)

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Health Lite Blogs

Seven hour sleep is must for middle aged

The researchers say one possible reason for the association between insufficient sleep and cognitive decline may be due to the disruption of slow-wave – ‘deep’ – sleep…reports Asian Lite News

The ideal amount of sleep for people in their middle age and above is seven hours and too much deviation from that is associated with poorer cognitive performance and mental health, stated researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University.

Sleep plays an important role in enabling cognitive function and maintaining good psychological health. It also helps keep the brain healthy by removing waste products. As we get older, we often see alterations in our sleep patterns, including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and decreased quantity and quality of sleep. It is thought that these sleep disturbances may contribute to cognitive decline and psychiatric disorders in the aging population.

In research published in Nature Aging, scientists from the UK and China examined data from nearly 500,000 adults aged 38-73 years from the UK Biobank. Participants were asked about their sleeping patterns, mental health and wellbeing, and took part in a series of cognitive tests. Brain imaging and genetic data were available for almost 40,000 of the study participants.

By analysing these data, the team found that both insufficient and excessive sleep duration were associated with impaired cognitive performance, such as processing speed, visual attention, memory and problem-solving skills. Seven hours of sleep per night was the optimal amount of sleep for cognitive performance, but also for good mental health, with people experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depression and worse overall wellbeing if they reported sleeping for longer or shorter durations.

The researchers say one possible reason for the association between insufficient sleep and cognitive decline may be due to the disruption of slow-wave – ‘deep’ – sleep. Disruption to this type of sleep has been shown to have a close link with memory consolidation as well as the build-up of amyloid – a key protein which, when it misfolds, can cause ‘tangles’ in the brain characteristic of some forms of dementia. Additionally, lack of sleep may hamper the brain’s ability to rid itself of toxins. The team also found a link between the amount of sleep and differences in the structure of brain regions involved in cognitive processing and memory, again with greater changes associated with greater than or less than seven hours of sleep.

Having a consistent seven hours’ sleep each night, without too much fluctuation in duration, was also important to cognitive performance and good mental health and wellbeing. Previous studies have also shown that interrupted sleep patterns are associated with increased inflammation, indicating a susceptibility to age-related diseases in older people.

Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan University in China said: “While we can’t say conclusively that too little or too much sleep causes cognitive problems, our analysis looking at individuals over a longer period of time appears to support this idea. But the reasons why older people have poorer sleep appear to be complex, influenced by a combination of our genetic makeup and the structure of our brains.”

The researchers say the findings suggest that insufficient or excessive sleep duration may be a risk factor for cognitive decline in ageing. This is supported by previous studies that have reported a link between sleep duration and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, in which cognitive decline is a hallmark symptom.

Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, one of the study’s authors, said: “Getting a good night’s sleep is important at all stages of life, but particularly as we age. Finding ways to improve sleep for older people could be crucial to helping them maintain good mental health and wellbeing and avoiding cognitive decline, particularly for patients with psychiatric disorders and dementias.” (ANI)

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Acute hepatitis reported among Indian kids during Covid


Another study, published earlier this month, suggested a possible link between liver disease and Covid-19….reports Asian Lite News

Two recent studies have reported acute hepatitis among children during the Covid pandemic in India, amid the global outbreak in mysterious cases of the liver inflammation in kids.

A study posted on a preprint server, meaning it is not peer-reviewed yet, showed that 37 children (about 8 per cent) had Covid Acquired Hepatitis (CAH).

The study, led by a team at the Bundelkhand Medical College (BMC) in Madhya Pradesh and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research in Chandigarh, examined 475 children who tested positive for Covid in April 2021.

Another study, published earlier this month, suggested a possible link between liver disease and Covid-19.

The findings, published in the Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, observed a previously healthy three-year-old girl who developed acute liver failure a few weeks after recovering from a mild Covid infection.

The studies come amidst a global rise in cases of acute hepatitis among children with “no-known origin”.

The liver disease that was first reported in the UK in April, has spread to 21 countries – with 450 cases and 12 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.

“Children pose a specific kind of risk to develop acute hepatitis which is classically food-borne or water-borne and occurs in the form of acute viral hepatitis,” Dr Shubham Vatsya, Senior Consultant Gastroenterology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad.

“The children are at risk because of contaminated water and food intake and these kinds of viruses survive maximum in the dry summer weather,” he added.

Typically, in children, Hepatitis A is the most common cause of acute hepatitis in children, and it is known to be self-limiting.

However, none of the five specific viruses (labelled A – E) which usually cause hepatitis was found in the global cases, but the majority of youngsters tested did show up positive for a particular adenovirus – a common family of infections responsible for illnesses from colds to eye infections. Covid virus is also a common suspect.

“Coronavirus has been connected to cases of severe hepatitis in children that have lately arisen. According to a study, SARS-CoV-2 could be the cause of hepatitis in hundreds of children around the world,” said Dr. Sharad Malhotra, Senior Consultant & HOD, Gastroenterology Hepatology & Therapeutic Endoscopy, Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka.

The experts, however, ruled out the reason for panic regarding these cases in children and advised children to get vaccinated against Hepatitis to avoid complications.

“We can prevent it by adequate sanitation by preventing any kind of transmission with contaminated food so using properly cooked food or boiled water or reverse osmosis purified water,” Vatsya said.

“However, if there is persistent jaundice or recurrent vomiting, your gastroenterologist might ask you to get admitted. We need not panic,” he added.

Hepatitis is an inflammation and damage of the liver that affects a variety of body functions. It can be detected by the onset of jaundice (yellow eyes), dark urine and/or pale stool.

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