Tag: health

RCSI Bahrain to find feasible cure for diabetes

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 18 April 2022
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RCSI Bahrain to find feasible cure for diabetes

The goal of the ongoing research led by the RCSI Bahrain research team is to find an alternative cure for diabetes that is more feasible…reports Asian Lite News

To address the prevalence of diabetes in Bahrain and the region, Professor Alexandra Butler, Senior Research Fellow and Lead of Diabetes & Islet Cell Biology research, and Professor Shahryar Khattak, Senior Research Scientist and Lead of Stem Cell & Genome Engineering research, from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) are collaborating on their ongoing research to explore the use of stem cells to find a feasible cure for diabetes.

Patients who suffer from diabetes have low numbers of beta cells (the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, a hormone that controls the blood glucose level) and therefore these patients have high levels of glucose in the blood. Treating these patients with insulin is essential for those with Type 1 diabetes and, together with other therapies, necessary for some patients with Type 2 diabetes; however, administration of insulin requires careful management and can have negative long term effects on a patient’s health.

To date, transplantation of either the entire pancreas or islets isolated from a pancreas, represent the only available cure option; such transplantation procedures have had varying degrees of success and still present multiple challenges, such as a lack of available donors and the need for life-long immunosuppression to avoid the immune system attacking and destroying the transplanted beta cells.

ALSO READ: Jackfruit flour, a new tool to control diabetes

The goal of the ongoing research led by the RCSI Bahrain research team is to find an alternative cure for diabetes that is more feasible in terms of the ease of the surgical procedure, compatibility with the patients’ health conditions, scalability to a larger number of patients and cost-effectiveness. Current research being developed at RCSI Bahrain will utilise beta cells derived from stem cells, which will be transplanted within an encapsulation device.

RCSI Bahrain is collaborating with a UK-based company to develop novel encapsulation devices using a range of biomaterials as a preferred option, due to their availability in large quantities and cost-effectiveness. An ideal encapsulation device must protect the cells from the autoimmune attack, must not cause a foreign body reaction or lead to the development of fibrosis and provide a suitable environment in which the cells can survive and function, all of which are offered by the developed biomaterial technology.

Professor Stephen Atkin, Head of School of Postgraduate Studies and Research, who also oversees the RCSI Bahrain Clinical and Biomolecular Research Centre and all research initiatives: “The collaborative research being undertaken by Professor Alexandra Butler and Professor Shahryar Khattak in developing a cure for diabetes is a research priority at the Research Centre, where contributing to the development of a cure will be a major step in the lives of diabetic patients and advancing their quality of life.”

Experiments conducted by Professor Butler and her team at the RCSI Bahrain Clinical and Biomolecular Research Centre, to test the use of biomaterials both in vitro and in vivo, showed that the use of biomaterials did not affect cell viability or function in vitro, nor did they cause inflammation or fibrosis in vivo, making these biomaterials a potentially excellent solution for cell-encapsulation.

New gen speak of fitness

Gyms and studios are open again, businesses and trainers are continuing to offer hybrid programmes to help clients stay consistent regardless of which mode they choose…writes Ketan Mavinkurve

Over the last 24 months, the fitness industry has seen a complete shake-up, with Covid-19-related shutdowns resulting in gyms closing shop, many scrambling to digitise their business offerings, and many trainers and small businesses left hapless in its wake.

As with most businesses around the world, technology has been a central theme, with accelerated adoption during the pandemic fueling unprecedented changes in consumer behaviour willing to try new apps, workouts, and be counselled all from the comfort of their own home.

However, with everyone jumping on the “online fitness” bandwagon, albeit with a variety of approaches, there has been a significant increase in the number of fitness platforms all vying to “disrupt” the fitness industry.

The fitness industry in India is no different, and here are some material changes.

The Customer

The pandemic drove millions of people who were suddenly barred from their favourite gyms, forcing consumers to accelerate their adoption of home fitness. Home workouts, which were previously unthinkable, became the only way to go, and people began to see the benefits of these workouts, which included increased flexibility, privacy, and the convenience of being able to workout at home. In addition, many myths about bodyweight workouts being ineffective were debunked, allowing consumers to push themselves through intense workouts.

Fitness app downloads are expected to have increased by 46 percent worldwide in the second quarter of 2020, with India leading the way with a 156 percent increase, adding approximately 58 million new active users!

Fitness Studios

Traditional studios became agile during the pandemic by developing capabilities to cater to at-home consumers, focusing on home workouts, and moving all personal training to video apps for nearly a year. Similarly, many coaches began offering online group classes in order to retain customers and make ends meet.

And now that gyms and studios are open again, businesses and trainers are continuing to offer hybrid programmes to help clients stay consistent regardless of which mode they choose.

Fitness Tech Platforms

Fitness platforms offer far more than just fitness through technology, but also accountability, community, group challenges, rewards programmes, access to exclusive events, and so much more no wonder people embraced them, and they became the pandemic’s largest gainers, with ready solutions to die-hard enthusiasts’ fitness woes. To attract customers, they also included a variety of entry-level programmes such as dance, yoga, and mindfulness.

Their subscription services allowed you to exercise at your leisure while feeling more connected to those around you and accountable to a coach or community.

Big changes are still taking place in the industry, as the entire spectrum of home fitness (or anytime-anywhere-accessible-fitness) is quickly becoming the norm, with more people opting for remote formats.

Tech platforms are currently reimagining the entire fitness experience, putting the consumer at the centre. This is accomplished through the use of hyper-personalization, in which programmes can be built seamlessly around clients’ lifestyles, heart rates, sleep, nutrition logs, daily step count, and mood patterns, among other things ï¿½ using these correctly can be powerful in how we can improve results for each individual, all while doing activities they enjoy.

Fitness apps can be designed to provide meaningful experiences for customers regardless of their preferences, location, or price point. This, combined with meaningful insights, can assist us in losing weight while not giving up foods we enjoy or engaging in activities we enjoy!

Doing what we enjoy leads to consistency and sustainability, which makes leading a healthy lifestyle easier. “What gets measured gets done,” and “what gets done gets done”! All of this culminates in hyper-personalization and keeping the customer at the centre of everything we do!

ALSO READ-LFW: Day two for sustainable fashion

Tags fitness, health

Africa News Health News

Action Against Anti-Biotics

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 11 April 2022
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Action Against Anti-Biotics

An end to excessive use of antibiotics in the continent’s livestock farms is crucial to minimize the threat to human and ecological health…reports Asian Lite News

There is an urgency for African countries to fast-track the phasing out of antibiotic use in livestock production in order to halt the spread of superbugs, a campaigner said Thursday during the World Health Day.

Tennyson Williams, the director for Africa at World Animal Protection said that an end to excessive use of antibiotics in the continent’s livestock farms is crucial to minimize the threat to human and ecological health.

Williams said in a statement released in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital that it is high time that African policymakers worked on a modality of phasing out the use of antibiotics amid the spread of superbugs that undermined the resilience of local communities.

“The animal farming industry must stop routinely giving antibiotics to groups of animals with no infection or signs of disease to protect human health and that of natural environment,” said Williams.

While decrying excessive antibiotic use in the rapidly growing industrial livestock farming in Africa, Williams called for a shift to organic and nature-friendly production of milk, eggs, beef and pork, to cushion watersheds, soils and other vital ecosystems from pollution.

ALSO READ: Covid-19 puts B’desh ‘health’ in peril

Adoption of higher animal welfare practices could be the solution to antibiotic resistance in a continent grappling with other public health challenges like spread of vector-borne diseases, said Williams.

He noted that the World Health Organization(WHO) has already developed guidelines for ending use of antibiotic to boost growth of farmed animals and treat diseases, adding that their adoption in Africa would be a boon to the continent’s public health systems.

Williams added that superbugs that are fueled by inappropriate use of antibiotics have become a global health emergency that has taken a heavier toll on low-income African economies.

Tags AFRICA, arab, health

Health Lite Blogs

WORLD HEALTH DAY SPECIAL: Get into action and set your health goals right

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 7 April 2022
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Having a full-fledged Indian Thali is sufficient. Full-fledged means dal, roti, rice, green veggies, and a side dish, such as curd, pickle, or any sweet, if desired…reports Asian Lite News

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In a nine-episode podcast available on Audible titled Rujuta’s Soch, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar advises adopting some simple yet effective tips for each meal during the day. Here’s the scoop from the episode!

. Don’t skip your breakfast and definitely have a home-cooked fresh breakfast: It’s not enough to eat the right dinner; you should also start your day with a home-cooked fresh breakfast that includes Idli, Poha, Dosa, and Eggs as part of your daily routine. Aside from that, you must include fresh fruit and nuts, which can be soaked almonds, walnuts, or simply bananas.

. Eat a hyper-local fruit as a mid-meal daily: Every day, include a hyper-local fruit as a mid-meal (between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner). A hyper-local fruit is one that does not have an English name, but rather one in your native language. It may be well-known in your region, but it is not necessarily well-known throughout the world. It differs from common or known local fruits such as bananas, guavas, jackfruits, grapes, and so on. To stay physically and mentally fit, eat fruits like ‘ber’ (jujube), maran, phalsa, ‘shahtoot’ (mulberry), karvanda, ranjana, jamun, bel, cashew fruits, dhurchuk, tadgola, nimboli, ramphal, and others that are high in nutrition, vitamins, prebiotics, and bioactive compounds.

. Don’t starve yourself during lunch: Having a full-fledged Indian Thali is sufficient. Full-fledged means dal, roti, rice, green veggies, and a side dish, such as curd, pickle, or any sweet, if desired. As a result, make sure your lunch is nutritious and contains the necessary vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a protein source.

. Take a short afternoon nap (10-30 mins): Rujuta emphasises the importance of taking a nap in the afternoon. She recommends taking at least a 20-to-30-minute nap in the afternoon, right after lunch. Begin taking an afternoon nap; it will help you sleep better at night. It will assist you in obtaining optimal levels of growth hormones and IGF (Insulin-like growth factor). It will also hasten your fat loss. She also mentions that those who have had heart surgery, those who suffer from thyroid PCOD, hormonal problems, diabetes, acidity, and digestive issues, or those who struggle with insomnia and have broken sleep should try to take an afternoon nap.

Wrap up with an early dinner: After all, eating a healthy and light dinner will help your body maintain its levels and functions. Rujuta says, “…never remove roti, rice, and ghee from your diet in order to have a perfect body,” when discussing how people nowadays focus on skipping dinner. Rujuta also emphasises the importance of good sleep after dinner for a full recovery, saying, “Sleep and Recovery are equally important.”

ALSO READ-Stay fit and healthy in summer

Tags health

Food Health Lite Blogs

Stay fit and healthy in summer

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 6 April 2022
No Comments on Stay fit and healthy in summer

Outdoor activities should be limited to the cooler parts of the day, such as early mornings before 11 a.m. or late evenings after 5 p.m…writes Olivia Sarkar

Want to keep healthy and avoid the scorching summer heat, which is a common concern at this time of year?

The summer heat is not only physically exhausting and uncomfortable, but it also puts us at risk for ailments like skin irritation, rashes, fever, dehydration, and food poisoning. While the summer heat is enjoyable, it is vital that we do not disregard our health. Extra care must be made to battle the heat and stay fit and healthy during this season.

Consume plenty of water: Summer heat and sweat can dehydrate your body, resulting in unfavourable health outcomes such as fever and chills. Drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water per day to keep yourself hydrated.

Take precautions to avoid heatstroke: Another major issue that older adults face during the hot summer months is heatstroke. The main reason that older adults are more vulnerable to this is that their bodies do not adjust to temperature changes as quickly. High fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness are all common symptoms of heatstroke.

Light and comfortable attires: In the summer, it is best to dress in breathable and lightweight clothing to keep your body temperature regulated in the hot sun. Instead of heavy clothing, choose natural fabrics such as cotton and linen.

Indoor stays are best: Outdoor activities should be limited to the cooler parts of the day, such as early mornings before 11 a.m. or late evenings after 5 p.m.

Eat healthy and light: Consume small, frequent meals. Heavy meals with high carbohydrate and fat content generate a lot of heat in the body. Concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as oranges, watermelon, tomatoes, and so on.

Protect your eyes: Wear protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the harsh sunlight at work and at play. When going outside, wear sunglasses that block at least 99 per cent of UV rays.

Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine: Alcohol, fizzy drinks, and coffee can all dehydrate you quickly. If at all possible, try to limit your intake of these popular beverages, especially during hot weather. A good substitute is a plain or flavoured water.

ALSO READ-‘Good health depends on long-term commitment’

Tags fitness, health, summer

Health Interview Lite Blogs

‘Good health depends on long-term commitment’

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 4 April 2022
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Vegetarianism, Mehta asserted, is a very clean and healthy way of eating and living “because there is no scientific paper ever published on eating meat for health”…reports Vishnu Makhijani

Vaccination alone is not the panacea for disease because the regeneration of the human body “also depends on the calm and composure of our mind” says leading holistic health guru Mickey Mehta who has combined ancient Indian sciences like Yoga and Ayurveda with modern concepts in association with renowned Chef Sanjeev Kapur for ‘Immunity-Plus’ — a book that will help you “Revitalise in 28 Days” and is slowly acquiring cult status.

Considerable thought and research has gone into the writing of the book, with the impetus being provided by Dr. Ali Irani, the Head of the Physiotherapy Department at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital and the physiotherapist for the Indian cricket team from 1987-97, who says its “flavour of spirituality is like the cherry on the cake”.

“Today, immunity is all about taking vaccination, but yes, alongside vaccination one must also eat healthy, clean and green; eat as per the rules for the carcardian rhythm of the body; eat as per seasons; eat as per regions. Never overeat, don’t eat like an animal and don’t work out like an animal – and that’s the first step of immunity,” Mehta told in an interview.

“As for immunity for tomorrow: Remember one thing that our cellular regeneration also depends on the calm and composure of our mind. So there’s a need for meditation, calming yourself, composing yourself, integrating yourself, practicing silence and quitetude. Science says that in this way, aging markers come down, diabetes and blood pressure comes down and not just that – your immunity goes up,” he added.

Then, there’s immunity for the day after.

“Alongside with all the things mentioned for today and tomorrow, the day after will be born out of today. Be in seamless continuity today and tomorrow for your day after to be perfect. This comes through psychological and emotional well being, laughter, singing, dancing and most importantly, philanthropy.

“You will be surprised what philanthropy, good work, good kriya, good karma, good dharma, good karya has got to do with immunity. Fulfillment of your spirit and joy of your mind will turn around the functions of the endorphins (chemicals released by the body to relieve stress and pain). Thus, your bio chemistry, bio electricity, bio mechanics will all translate into your immunity,” Mehta elaborated.

All this, combined with cleanliness, hygiene and purification not only prevents infection but “deep breathing and steaming is very important, as also is the practice of ‘langhanams’. This includes fasting from activity, from food, from thoughts and from all ‘kleshas’ (the ill effects of the mind). This is a very good way of preventing infections”, he maintained.

Vegetarianism, Mehta asserted, is a very clean and healthy way of eating and living “because there is no scientific paper ever published on eating meat for health”.

“Health is only all that which heals, all that which integrates you and makes you whole, all that soothes you, calms you, makes you perfect. So there are theories and philosophies of becoming vegan. As much veganism is a good trend today, it is slightly an extreme measure which is very difficult to attain and maintain,” he cautioned.

While there is “nothing like it if you can become a vegan”, Mehta also pointed out that milk, curd and ghee from cows “which are not abused by medicines, hormones and antibiotics and are not pushed for over yields are a blessing for healing, fortifying and integrating you”.

Ultimately, he said, good health depends on the long-term commitment to four important pillars of a yogic lifestyle: “achar” (healthy regular activities), “vichaar” (right thoughts and attitude), “ahar” (healthy nourishing diet), and “vihar” (proper recreational activities to relax body and mind) – not to forget “vishram”, the rest that all of us require.

“Dhyana” (prolonged meditation) and sadhanas are beneficial too as they help “correct bodily malfunctions, disorders, disease, and align us back with wholeness. It helps to bring our memory back to wholeness by healing us”, Mehta maintained.

Vedic philosophies, he reiterated, are the true strengths of wellness and wellbeing.

“With ‘samarpan’ (dedication), you will achieve ‘santulan’ (perfect equilibrium). From this, you get universal ‘samarthan’ (support), followed by ‘saamarth’ and ‘saksham’ (potential/ability) and ‘sankalp’ (spiritual determination). This gives you ‘siddhi’ (power of manifestation), which leads to ‘samruddhi’ (prosperity),” Mehta explained.

How did the book, published by HarperCollins, come about?

“It all started many moons back when it occurred to me that immunity is fundamental to human health. This is understood by Vedic shashtras, Vedic science, Yoga, and Ayurveda and this prompted me from within to write a research paper on the same and to publish it,” Mehta said.

He approached his “very good friend” Dr Ali Irani and sought his support and “along with my assistant physiotherapist, Dr. Havovi Rana , we started on this journey and it turned out very well”.

While he was halfway through, some people suggested that research papers are not read by all so why doesn’t he expand it “and make it into a version of a scientific, philosophical and a to-do book”. So he approached another “very, very good friend”, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, to partner with him to contribute with the food for immunity “because there’s nobody better than him”.

“And here we are; this is an immunity plus plan for the world. It is a 28 day programme of vitality, initiating you into invincible immunity. Most importantly, it has optimal movement therapy which means all kinds of workouts, which includes yoga. It has breathing disciplines – all kinds of prananyama, it has food for four weeks as well and it has meditation for four weeks.

“It’s a perfect marriage of Vedic wisdom and modern scientific frontiers. So friends, embrace immunity for life, to get energized, maximised and immunised to get Mickeymised,” Mehta concluded.

Let’s give Dr. Ali Irani the last word: “This book is a masterpiece and a treat for every reader. Mickey, continue on with your services for humanity.”

ALSO READ-Immunity Plus: A groundwork to build immunity

Tags FOOD, health

Arab News Health UAE News

Over 3000 people benefits from Thumbay Hospital’s free medical, dental camp

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 28 March 2022
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THA Mega Health Camp 2

More than 3000 people from 40 different nationalities availed the benefits of Thumbay Hospital Ajman’s (THA) Free Medical and Dental camp at its Al Nuaimia branch held on Sunday, March 20, 2022…reports Asian Lite News

The free mega health camp offered check-ups with consultant specialists and general practitioners in specialties like Cardiology, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Dental, Gynecology, Pediatrics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Dermatology, Family Medicine, Urology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology and Mental Health among others. In addition to this, the camp offered free screenings such as a Blood Sugar, ECG, Ultrasound, Physiotherapy, Eye checkup, Blood pressure, BMI screening & discount on dental procedures and also availed free medicines.

Besides consultations in all specialties, a large number of people visited the mega camp to seek counselling on mental health and dental disorders. Approximately 1,696 male, 804 females and 500 pediatrics patient sought Free Consultations at the facility. In addition, around 22% patients were diagnosed with both high blood pressure and elevated sugar levels.

The camp was officially opened by Dr. Thumbay Moideen, the Founder President of Thumbay Group, in the presence of Mr. Akbar Moideen Thumbay – Vice President of Thumbay Group’s Healthcare Division, Dr. Mohammad Faisal Parvez – Chief Operating Officer of Thumbay Hospital and other members of Thumbay Group’s administrative team. The Camp was supported by Indian Association Ajman, Indian Association Sharjah, KMCC Ajman, Sharjah Malayali Kootaima and Bearys Cultural Forum Community Dubai

Held from 9 a to 5 pm, the camp saw hundreds of people lined up in queues to avail the benefits of the free camp as all the three hospitals of Thumbay Medicity, viz., Thumbay University Hospital, Thumbay Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Hospital and Thumbay Dental Hospital participated to provide patient counselling.

ALSO READ: Nutrient-dense foods to boost health

“Organized as part of our CSR activities, events like these aims to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles, at the same time helping them in early-detection and effective management of health issues, with the help of our doctors and advanced facilities. This is one of the best ways to serve the community of this country, and we do it to the best of our abilities. Thumbay Hospital Ajman is a topnotch healthcare services delivery center, where patients are offered comprehensive packages along with experienced doctors and state-of-the-art facilities. In addition to the specialist medical departments, this hospital also houses an excellent dental center and mental health counselling. Moreover, all major insurance cards are accepted at our facility. In continuation of the free mega medical and dental camp, we are glad to serve the community and be the preferred family hospital for all healthcare needs,” informed Dr. Mohammad Faisal Parvez, Chief Operating Officer, Thumbay Hospital Ajman

Thumbay Healthcare Division has been envisioned as a healthcare destination where patients receive care in a truly restorative environment. In the last 20 successful years of operation, the hospitals have served 6 million patients, conducted 60, 000 deliveries, provided clinical training to Gulf Medical University students and plans to launch autism center dedicated to supporting a child’s diagnosis and navigate his care.

Tags Ajman, health, MEDICAL CAMP

Food Lite Blogs

Nutrient-dense foods to boost health

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 24 March 2022
No Comments on Nutrient-dense foods to boost health

Dates and jaggery instant mixes, such as the one by NutrEatLife, can be added in place of sugar in dishes and beverages to sweeten them, minus the health disadvantages of sugar.

You are what you eat! The secret to good health often lies in one’s reach – in one’s own kitchen, if only one remembers to look. From nutrient-dense and healthy lentils and flours to natural alternatives to calorie-heavy processed foods, kitchen shelves are full of ingredients that are both healthy and delicious if whipped up the correct way.

Here are some foods suggested by Jyothi Sri Pappu, CEO and Founder of Nutreat Life that help you boost your physical and mental health if consumed regularly:

Ragi: A staple in south Indian households, Ragi is not only high in protein but is also packed with nutrients like vitamins C, B-Complex, and E, iron and calcium, making it good for your hair and skin. Ragi is a wonderful breakfast food that also helps relax nerves and induce sleep naturally. The best part? Ragi is a versatile ingredient that can not only be part of many recipes but can be prepared for babies to adults alike, whether in the form of baby cereal, piping hot porridge, or yummy pancakes.

Jaggery: A great alternative to empty-calories sweeteners like sugar, jaggery, or gur is high on nutritional value, containing within itself a fair amount of antioxidants and minerals. Jaggery is an ingredient that can be eaten raw, or put in meals to improve its flavour. Along with boosting immunity, jaggery has great purification properties for your entire body, especially the liver and blood.

Dates: Another food that is great for diabetics, along with jaggery, is the date fruit. This precious brown dry fruit contains loads and loads of nutrients, including potassium and antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acid. High in fibre and easy to add to dishes, dates are also great for brain health. As per research, a diet rich in date palm fruits improves memory, learning and reduces the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Dates and jaggery instant mixes, such as the one by NutrEatLife, can be added in place of sugar in dishes and beverages to sweeten them, minus the health disadvantages of sugar.

Coconut: Another traditionally available superfood is coconut, which is full of nutrients, whether one has coconut water, raw coconut, milk or even its oil! From manganese to magnesium, copper and potassium, consuming coconut can help you increase the intake of the micronutrients each day. Sipping coconut water could also have the same effect as an activity designed to reduce anxiety, and research shows that coconut water may have an antidepressant effect.

Nuts: Add them to your desserts, or have a handful of them after soaking in water, nuts are wonder foods that are proven to be transformative for both physical and mental health. Along with improving brain function, almonds and walnuts are energy-boosting foods that are a great snacking option in between meals. Pistachios, similarly, improve function in the brain and eyes and are a blessing for hair and skin health. Peanuts, too, make for a great snacking option and a nutrition powerhouse as well with 17 grams of protein in every half a cup (73 grams).

ALSO READ-‘Bloody Brothers’: Laced with wry British humour and grit

Tags FOOD, health

FEATURE Health Woman

Diets that don’t work for women

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 19 March 2022
No Comments on Diets that don’t work for women

Whether we want to accept it or not, biologically men and women are very different. One of the important differences is in the way men and women use and store fat. Men on average have about 3 per cent essential fat as part of their composition – women have 12 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

Essential fat is a percentage of total body fat mass that is necessary for insulation, protection of our vital organs, vitamin storage and building key cell messengers like steroids that are necessary for effective cell communication. Without this fat, the body does not function properly and our immune and neurological systems get affected.

Women have four times as much essential fat. Stored fat in women is actually beneficial to overall health. A baseline of 12 per cent of essential fat protects women from type two diabetes and even heart disease. This is important to understand because:

It helps with expectations and goal setting when you choose weight loss programmes:

Striving for 20 per cent body fat is unhealthy

There are three popular diets in the world: Keto Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and GM Diet. Unfortunately, these diets are not helpful especially for women who are thinking of significant weight loss (more than 15-20 kgs) and maintaining it permanently.

Let’s look at these diet plans in detail:

Keto Diet: The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high-fat diet. Restricting carbs and increasing fat intake can lead to ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body relies primarily on fat for energy instead of carbs. “Women’s bodies always resist losing fat as it is essential for pregnancy and lactation, and it’s essential.”

Carb intake in the keto diet is typically limited to fewer than 50 grams per day, which can cause shock to women’s bodies. When the carb quotient depletes, it switches to ketones and fat for fuel at the start of this eating pattern, women’s brain and metabolism starts resisting fat loss. It results in a complete imbalance leading to hormonal and metabolic changes. Also, Keto-type diets usually work only for a short term and can have side effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation.

Further, most of the initial weight loss is water weight. Once the body enters ketosis, we begin to lose muscle, become extremely fatigued, and eventually enter starvation mode which actually makes it even harder to lose weight.

ALSO READ: Prolonged sitting leads to health issues

A keto diet does more harm than good to the majority of women especially if they have any underlying medical conditions like PCOS, Irregular menses or Infertility.

Intermittent Fasting: Fasting is a practice that involves completely abstaining from eating or avoiding certain foods for a fixed period. In recent years, intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular with people looking to lose weight.

During studies, it was found that although intermittent fasting produced favourable results in people who were overweight or obese, women who tried it, had the following negative effects:

Severe mood swings

Extreme hunger

Low energy/fatigue

Obsessive thoughts about food

Overeating on days without restricted calories

Depression

Anger

Most women exhibit such behaviours in the first few weeks of intermittent fasting. It is also observed that by restricting calorie intake in this manner, it may interfere with their menstrual cycles.

GM Diet: The GM diet aims to help people lose weight by focusing on a specific food or food group each day for a week. The GM diet consists of a 7-day meal plan. Each day focuses on a specific food or food group.

Women living in Uttarakhand forests demand healthcare

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 15 March 2022
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For the same reason, ASHA workers, who play an important role in implementing the health-related schemes in rural areas, don’t visit these communities, Hamza alleges…reports Varsha Singh

After resisting institutionalised healthcare for centuries, some women from Uttarakhand’s nomadic Van Gujjar community seem to be opening up to it. They would also like to train as community health workers under the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) programme, which aims to provide healthcare to marginalised communities such as the Van Gujjars, who stay in forests.

Van Gujjar Tribal Youth Organisation has picked up this slow but emerging sentiment during their field interactions. “Their main concerns are the safe delivery of the baby and their vaccination later on. Instances of people getting hurt during the felling of trees have also necessitated hospitalisation,” says Meer Hamza, president of this youth organisation.

Traditionally, the women from the community would double up as midwives and deliver babies at home. But the changing forest use has affected their lifestyle in recent years and given rise to health complications among menstruating girls and pregnant women that warrants the attention of the formal healthcare system, of which they have nothing to speak of.

Add to this, they don’t get to access the healthcare schemes. Hamza explains why, “Since a majority of the community lives in temporary settlements in the forest, they don’t have land documents, most don’t hold a ration card, and they are not part of the gram panchayat. Now since the government schemes are implemented via gram panchayat, they miss out on vaccination drives for their children and fail to obtain their birth certificates.”

For the same reason, ASHA workers, who play an important role in implementing the health-related schemes in rural areas, don’t visit these communities, Hamza alleges. The apathy doesn’t end here. “Since the Van Gujjar women aren’t regularly monitored by ASHA workers, government doctors often refuse to treat them and send them to private hospitals instead. Delays such as these have caused the death of infants and new mothers in a few cases,” he claims.

Contrary to Hamza’s claims, Sujata Singh, deputy director, Women Empowerment and Child Development, Uttarakhand, said that ASHA workers visit the Van Gujjars regularly for the checkup.

Hamza feels the only way the Van Gujjar community will lap up the formal healthcare is if some of their own women become ASHA workers. “They feel hesitant to talk to women from outside their community, also because of the language barrier,” he shares what these women have told him in the past. The existing midwives, who are well-versed the traditional medicine, should be the first ones to go up for the ASHA training, he suggests.

However, Tarun Joshi, president of Van Panchayat Sangharsh Morcha in Uttarakhand, says, “We have been trying to increase the participation of the Van Gujjar women in the Van Gujjar’s meetings but they don’t leave their homes at all.” This, in turn, reduces their chance to access the social schemes that have been floated by the state government to promote institutional deliveries and neonatal care and reduce infant mortality rates.

These women prefer home birth and mistrust the modern healthcare. “It’s how we have lived our lives, inside the forests, for ages,” says Mano Bibi, a village elder. The younger Fatima Biwi echoes the views: “We feel safe when our child is delivered in our home. Only when the complications arise do we go to the hospital.” The 30-year-old recalls the time when she took her five-year-old daughter, who is sick with a blocked artery, to hospitals in nearby Rishikesh and Dehradun but the visits didn’t help much.

However, Dr Anupa Lal, a Dehradun-based gynaecologist, sounds a word of caution against home deliveries. “Since delivery is a complicated process, improper techniques used in home deliveries can cause arterial blockages, affect the development of the brain and even lead to cerebral palsy.”

Since this forest-dwelling community is stuck to their old beliefs, Hamza feels they need to be sensitised about their healthcare rights and amenities through workshops and the government needs to do more. “We had written a letter to the state education department to open an anganwadi centre [which looks after the basic health and child care in villages] two years ago but nothing has moved,” Hamza shares. But Singh defends this, saying, “the state provides anganwadi centres in areas with more than 200-300 residents, but the Van Gujjar community lives in small numbers.” Joshi feels a lot of these healthcare problems can be resolved by reclassifying the Van Gujjars as a Scheduled Tribe from the current Other Backward Class status. “The Bhotia tribe in Uttarakhand gained a lot from the ST status,” he makes his case while signing off.

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Tags health, Uttarakhand, women