Brain implant allows baby girl, born deaf, to hear for the first time

brain implant

Sitting on her mother’s lap, a 1-year-old baby girl suddenly turns her head to hear the clicking in a black box next to her — the first sounds she’s ever heard. The child’s serious expression reflects a remarkable moment of discovery.

The parents of Elise Bradshaw, who was born profoundly deaf, shared the moments of discovery after Elise received an innovative procedure called an auditory brain stem implant

Elise was diagnosed with Charge syndrome, a rare birth defect that left her profoundly deaf due to missing auditory nerves. “Her world was smaller, things that were happening left and right weren’t necessarily something she was aware of,” her mother Jill Bradshaw of Texas told TODAY.

Without auditory nerves, Elise wasn’t a candidate for a cochlear implant. But doctors at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston, which had recently become part of an FDA-approved trial, thought the new procedure might help the little girl.

A cochlear implant bypasses nonfunctioning “hair cells” of the cochlea and stimulates the auditory nerve. But an ABI bypasses an absent or damaged cochlea and auditory nerve to directly stimulate a portion of the brain involved in hearing called the cochlear nucleus, Dr. Daniel Lee, director of Massachusetts Eye and Ear’s Pediatric Ear, Hearing and Balance Center, told TODAY.

The device is already being used in adults and has been implanted in older children, but Elise is the youngest patient in the United States to participate in the ongoing trial, a collaboration between Mass General and Eye and Ear, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate.

“She is neurologically normal, is age appropriate for her developmental milestones, and has incredibly supportive and dedicated parents who are committed to seeing her succeed with the ABI,” Lee said of the decision to include the child in the trial.

In late March, the girl underwent a right-ear craniotomy surgery and placement of auditory brainstem implant (ABI) at the Massachusetts General Hospital. And then on April 15, the audiology team of surgeons activated the implant for the first time, with Elise’s family recording her reactions on video.

A similar implant was given last year to 3-year-old Grayson Clamp, whose father captured the moment the boy heard his father’s voice for the first time in a video that went viral.

Now Elise can hear noises, although doctors are not sure if she’ll eventually be able to understand spoken word.

“As she becomes older, and with appropriate audiology and speech therapy support, we hope that she will be able to understand patterns of sounds and ultimately, speech,” Lee said. “Her ultimate hearing outcome is not known, however, but she is showing good progress thus far.”

Elise’s parents are hopeful.

“Now some of those dreams, careers and so forth, might be an option,” says Jill Bradshaw. The little girl’s parents say she’ll learn sign language as she grows up and she’ll be part of the hearing world and the deaf community.

Source: today

Iodine deficiency common in pregnancy, pediatricians warn

Iodine deficiency common in pregnancy, pediatricians warnMany pregnant and breast-feeding women are deficient in iodine and should take a daily supplement containing iodide, according to a leading group of pediatricians.

Iodine, generally obtained from iodized salt, produces thyroid hormone, an essential component for normal brain development in the developing baby.

But as consumption of processed foods has increased, so has iodine deficiency because the salt in processed foods is not iodized, according to a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“This is the first time that the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a statement on iodine,” said Dr. Jerome Paulson, medical director for national and global affairs at the Children’s National Health System and chair of the academy’s Council on Environmental Health.

About one-third of pregnant women in the United States are iodine-deficient, according to background information in the article published online May 26 and in the June print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Currently, only about 15 percent of pregnant and breast-feeding women take supplements containing iodide, the researchers said. Supplemental iodine is usually in the form of potassium iodide or sodium iodide, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Severe iodine deficiency is associated with stunted physical and mental growth, and even marginal iodine deficiency can decrease brain functioning, the report said.

Pregnant and breast-feeding women should take a supplement that includes at least 150 micrograms of iodide, and use iodized table salt, the academy said. Combined intake from food and supplements should be 290 to 1,100 micrograms a day. Potassium iodide is the preferred form, the doctors said.

Besides boosting brain development, iodine also appears to help protect babies from certain environmental harms.
The policy statement includes a recommendation to shield newborns from well water containing excessive nitrates and from cigarette smoke, both of which can harm the thyroid.

Why so few women take iodide supplements isn’t clear, Paulson said. “It may be that most people don’t appreciate the importance of adequate iodine in the diet for normal fetal development and that the women with marginal levels have no indication of their iodine status,” he said. Iodine deficiency displays no symptoms.

Women thinking of getting pregnant can ask their doctor about iodide supplements, Paulson said. According to the report, a woman who is vegan or doesn’t eat fish or dairy — two food sources of iodine — can ask about having a urine test to check for iodine deficiency.

Warning that supplement labels are misleading, the academy says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should ensure that makers of prenatal vitamins use only potassium iodide and correct inconsistent labeling so that women understand what they are buying.

Women don’t usually think about iodine deficiency, agreed Erin Corrigan, clinical nutrition manager at Miami Children’s Hospital, who was not involved in the study. “I don’t think it’s on the top of the list for women for nutrients,” she said. “We keep in mind folic, calcium and vitamin D.”

Her patients are told to make sure their prenatal vitamin contains sufficient iodide and to continue taking it while they breast-feed.

Source: news day

Heart disease: treatment using vegetables over drugs

heart

Many doctors treating heart disease tend to prescribe drugs known as statins like Lipitor, but some physicians in Canada are trying a new method: a vegan diet.

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada. It kills 47,627 Canadians every year.

Dr. Shane Williams is a community cardiologist in Bracebridge, Ont. He’s been a vegan since 2010. Vegans don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or honey. They do however, eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes.

“People do not know the power of food,” Williams told For the past four years, the cardiologist has been slowly refocusing his patients on lifestyle changes.

“The challenge is that this takes time,” said Williams. Starting in 2011, he started using a plant-based diet for patients who were interested and added group counselling sessions circling on veganism.

Williams says this is making a big difference in patients who are willing to keep an open mind about their diet. “I see it here first hand, and it is simply amazing,” he said.

Liam Cragg, 59, of Bracebridge, Ont. is one case. In 2012, he went to the hospital because he exhibited signs of a heart attack. Cragg followed up with his family doctor a week later who referred him to Williams. After four months on a mostly plant-based regime, Cragg noted a big difference.

“I was at least 30 pounds lighter, my waistline had shrunk by four inches and my knees didn’t ache anymore,” said Cragg. Williams says he commonly spends 60 minutes or more with patients at their initial assessments.

“My experience is that most cardiologists tend to spend 15 to 25 minutes on a first assessment,” explains Williams, who says he’s trying to get “into the mechanics of a particular patient’s motivation for their eating habits.”

The cardiologist would like to see more doctors take an alternative approach in treating patients and specifically, honing in on their behaviour. “What concerns me is that most doctors do not realize the power of food as an alternative to medication,” said Williams.

He is not alone about his theories about veganism and heart disease.

Herbivore vs Carnivore

Dr. William Roberts, a prominent cardiovascular pathologist and the editor of the American Journal of Cardiology, also believes that a vegan diet is the solution to heart disease in the Western world. Roberts contends that the cause of heart disease is elevated cholesterol from not eating vegan. “Human beings are far more like herbivores than carnivores,” he said.

Some experts argue that the structure of our teeth, and the length of our intestinal tract, are indications that humans are more herbivore oriented. While carnivores have sharp teeth, the majority of ours are flat, which is ideal for grinding fruits and vegetables. Carnivores have short intestinal tracts, but ours are very long.

Meat consumption has been linked to higher risks of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes and there’s a lot of evidence connecting diet and disease.

For example, in plant-based cultures like rural China, central Africa, the Papua highlanders in New Guinea and the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico, coronary artery disease is almost nonexistent.

When these people adopt Western, animal-based diets however, they quickly develop heart disease. Roberts argues that the plant-based diet is both cost effective and safe.

“If we put everyone on drugs then thousands of people would suffer side effects, so of course a vegan diet is the least expensive and safest means of achieving the plaque preventing goal,” he said.

Statins can be effective

But, statins, which are cholesterol-lowering drugs, are one of the most commonly used medications in North America and there’s some argument that they’re effective, if used properly.

A study, published in Annals of Family Medicine last week, analyzed 16,712 responses from people aged 30 to 79 years-old. Americans who filled at least two prescriptions for statins were classified as statin users.

According to the authors, many people at high risk for heart disease were not getting the statins they should be. “A lot of people who [might have] benefited aren’t on statins, and we don’t know why that is,” said Dr. Michael Johansen, the study’s lead author.

He said this could be for a number of reasons, including doctors who aren’t prescribing them, patients who don’t have health insurance, or people who aren’t taking medications they’re given.

“As doctors we need to make sure patients understand the benefits, and are being compliant. We need to make sure everyone has access to these drugs from an insurance, and access to care perspective,” said Johansen.

Dr. John McDougall, an American physician and a leading authority on diet and heart disease, says statins should be the last solution.

McDougall thinks that heart disease can be prevented and treated with a diet consisting of starches, vegetables and fruits, but no animal products or added oils.

“Statins should be reserved for very sick people, and a healthy diet is for everyone,” said McDougall.

Back in Bracebridge, Williams and McDougall will be holding what they call an “immersion weekend” sometime in late summer or early fall at the clinic with McDougall participating in a Skype discussion with patients.

Food before drugs

For Williams the focus should be on prevention.

What we’re told by pharmaceutical companies is that only 10 per cent of the cholesterol in our bloodstream is what we consume, and the rest is made by our liver. What they don’t tell us is that the Western diet causes the liver to over produce cholesterol — a pretty significant ‘oops we forgot to tell you’ on the part of pharmaceutical companies,” said Williams.

The plaque that builds up in our arteries is made of cholesterol, but when our cholesterol is low enough there’s nothing for our body to build plaque with.

“The best way to prevent heart disease is to be a vegetarian-fruit eater, a non-flesh eater and a non-saturated fat eater,” said Roberts.

Source: cbc news

Oil Pulling: Is There a Kernel of Truth?

Oil Pulling Is There a Kernel of Truth

In a short time, I’ve gone from wondering ‘what is this crazy new fad of oil pulling?’ to respecting the research going on around the world to improve oral health. As a WebMD medical editor, I read the health news every day and keep up with medical developments. When I heard about the fad of oil pulling I was intrigued. What is this ancient practice from my ancestors’ home in India that’s all over the Internet and social media as a potential cure-all?

Can there really be a medical silver bullet? Of course not. But I do believe most health practices – if they’ve stood the test of time – probably have a kernel of truth. In this case, the test of time has lasted thousands of years. But, as a doctor, I believe even that’s not enough. It also must “do no harm.” Let’s start from the beginning and I’ll share my findings.

What is oil pulling?
Oil pulling refers to swishing a vegetable oil — like sunflower oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil — in your mouth. The way you swish is important. The oil is supposed to half-fill the mouth and then be sucked back and forth through the teeth. The oil and saliva mix as you swish sideways and back and forth for about 10 minutes.

Where did oil pulling come from?
The practice goes back to the Ayurvedic health habits in ancient India, where it was believed to cure many diseases, from headaches to high blood pressure to diabetes and asthma. And, of course, it helped with oral and dental health.

This is where the kernel of truth comes in. I suspect that back in ancient India, the people who had the leisure time to swish valuable oils in their mouths and then spit them out were not struggling for existence. They were the wealthy or the honored of India. These were likely people who did not toil in the fields to bring home a little rice. But rather they took part in all the wonderful Ayurvedic therapies and rituals we now know about and practice — like yoga and meditation.

My point is that this group would have suffered less from illness than those who barely have enough food to feed their families. Was it really the oil pulling that made all the difference in their health?

Why is it in the news now?
So here we are 2014, and oil pulling is in the news, which brings me back to the kernel of truth.

One key to preventing dental cavities and gum disease is regularly getting rid of the plaque buildup on your teeth (just like they say on toothpaste commercials). Apparently, the swishing and “pulling” of the oil for a long period of time in your mouth decreases plaque and gingivitis. The study where I got my information was a small one, but it was logical. It was done at a dental school in India – where this could be an important part of daily oral health.

Today, in India, the cost of swishing cooking oil every day is much less than swishing a mouth rinse. And the poor don’t get 6-month dental checkups. In that light, oil pulling could be an important way to improve oral hygiene and worth further research.

Will I start oil pulling?
So, does oil pulling cure everything from headaches to asthma? That hasn’t been proven and probably won’t ever be. But it does seem to keep your mouth cleaner by cutting plaque. And that could be very useful information for many in today’s world.
For me, I want to learn from the Ayurvedic way of the past. But as long as I have easy access to floss and the electric toothbrush, I’m sticking with that and skipping oil pulling.

Source: web md

Response to Stress Can Fuel Childhood Obesity

child obesty

Emerging research from Penn State and Johns Hopkins universities suggests an overreaction to stress can increase a child’s risk of becoming overweight or obese.

“Our results suggest that some children who are at risk of becoming obese can be identified by their biological response to a stressor,” said Lori Francis, Ph.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State.

“Ultimately, the goal is to help children manage stress in ways that promote health and reduce the risks associated with an over- or under-reactive stress response.”

Francis and her colleagues recruited 43 children ages 5- to 9-years-old and their parents to participate in the study.

Researchers evaluated a child’s reactions to stress via the Trier Social Stress Test for Children — a tool that consists of a five-minute anticipation period followed by a 10-minute stress period.

During the stress period, the children were asked to deliver a speech and perform a mathematics task. The team measured the children’s responses to these stressors by comparing the cortisol content of their saliva before and after the procedure.

The researchers also measured the extent to which the children ate after saying they were not hungry using a protocol known as the Free Access Procedure. The team provided the children with lunch, asked them to indicate their hunger level and then gave them free access to generous portions of 10 snack foods, along with a variety of toys and activities.

The children were told they could play or eat while the researchers were out of the room.

The team found that, on average, the children consumed 250 kilocalories of the snack foods during the Free Access Procedure, with some consuming small amounts (20 kilocalories) and others consuming large amounts (700 kilocalories).

“We found that older kids, ages 8 to 11, who exhibited greater cortisol release over the course of the procedure had significantly higher body-mass indices [BMI] and consumed significantly more calories in the absence of hunger than kids whose cortisol levels rose only slightly in response to the stressor,” Francis said.

“We also found that kids whose cortisol levels stayed high — in other words, they had low recovery — had the highest BMIs and consumed the greatest number of calories in the absence of hunger.”

According to Francis, the study suggests that children who have poor responses to stressors already are or are at risk of becoming overweight or obese. Future research will examine whether children who live in chronically stressful environments are more susceptible to eating in the absence of hunger and, thus, becoming overweight or obese.

“It is possible that such factors as living in poverty, in violent environments, or in homes where food is not always available may increase eating in the absence of hunger and, therefore, increase children’s risk of becoming obese,” she said.

The study may be found online in the journal Appetite.

Source: Psych central

VEINROM, a technology to minimize drug administration errors

Dr_Anurag-Tewari

At any healthcare centre, the most common form of intervention recommended for a patient by a physician is drug therapy. Things go awry when medications are wrongly administered for reasons that could be lack of professional practice or other unintentional human errors, incompetent healthcare products and lax procedures and systems. Observational studies all over the world have identified that errors associated with medications are the most frequent cause of adverse medical events.

Erroneous drug administration though, unfortunately, under-reported remains a rampant iatrogenic induced insult to patients. Medical errors are known to be the leading cause of death in the US and probably worldwide. A total of 44,000-98,000 Americans die every year due to this. It’s estimated that each year medical errors injure at least 1.5 million Americans and cost the health system more than 3.5 billion US dollars. Many anaesthesiologists have faced legal prosecution for allegations ranging from malpractice to homicide.

The major consequences of erroneous intravenous drug administration are patient’s morbidity and mortality that could cause a great psychological pain to patients, families, and healthcare providers. Prolonged hospital stay can increase financial burden on patient and healthcare system besides eroding public confidence and trust in healthcare services.

To prevent potential errors during drug administration, a technological innovation by Dr Anurag Tewari, a Fellow of neurosurgical and spine anaesthesiologist at US-based Cleveland Clinic Foundation, could provide a possible solution to minimize medication related errors.

Dr Tewari has designed an innovative drug delivery system called VEINROM, which could totally obliterate the incidence of wrong drug administration in anaesthesiology and other critical care areas. VEINROM (an acronym for Vasopressors, Emergency medicine, Induction agents, Neuromuscular blockers, Reversal drugs, Opioids/painkillers and Miscellaneous drugs) has been proposed by him as a conceivable solution to erroneous intravenous drug administration. The above seven categories of drugs encompass most of the intravenous drugs that are used frequently in anaesthesia.

The envisioned fluid delivery system, VEINROM, will harbour one syringe port for each of the seven drug class categories that are most commonly used drugs in anaesthesiology and critical care. A deterrent to prevent erroneous drug administration, VEINROM is a unique drug delivery manifold and syringe assembly which has incorporated mechanical and electronic mechanisms that will make it very difficult to administer wrong drugs intravenously. Preloaded syringes will further decrease the potential for human error when administering drugs instead of loading-labelling them perioperatively.

The report has been published in the Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.

Dr Tewari told India Medical Times, “VEINROM is so far the safest and the only fail-proof intravenous drug delivery assembly of specialized syringes and manifold. It incorporates more than six deterrents that will obliterate the chance of a physician injecting wrong drug into the patient.”

“This is definitely a path breaking innovation in anaesthesiology, critical care and emergency medicine. All three fields are related to service providers working under extreme duress, which predisposes them to inadvertently inject wrong drug into patient’s blood stream. VEINROM intends to ameliorate this potentially lethal outcome and hence circumvent patient harm and also malpractice lawsuits against physicians worldwide,” he added.

Instrumental in designing the technology, Dr Tewari also collaborated with four senior students of the biomedical engineering department of the University of Iowa, US on conceptualizing and designing the prototypes of VEINROM as per the ASTM (American Standards Testing Materials) regulations.

“The four students were Taylor Hines, Brady Palm, Trace Royer, and Eric Alexander. Project VEINROM was adjudged as the best senior research project by the university, besides being awarded prestigious prizes in Francis Elevator Pitch and Huber Storer Entrepreneurial competitions. Right now we are promoting this concept to various manufacturers hoping its introduction into practice will soon lead to enhanced patient safety,” he said.

About his plans to bring the technology to India, Dr Tewari said, “I hope to reach out to the country’s medical fraternity to incorporate this into their practice and help patients and themselves via media. The incidence of erroneous drug administration in India is perhaps equal or more than in the developed nations. Countrymen and physicians stand to benefit immensely from VEINROM.”

Many a times, some of the best people make the worst mistakes and even the best systems sometimes fail to prevent recurring medical errors. Perhaps, it’s the time to bring some changes in the field of anaesthesiology and modification in the safety protocol is essential. Adoption of best practices along with innovative technology could potentially minimize medical errors and improve overall healthcare system and most importantly save lives.
Source: India Medical Times

Woman in Coma Gives Birth to Healthy Baby Boy

coma 1

A 39-year-old Santa Cruz woman who has been in a coma for more than 10 weeks gave birth to a healthy baby boy Thursday.

Melissa Carleton, still in a semi-comatose state, gave birth by cesarean section to West Nathaniel Lande at 10:56 a.m. The baby came in at 5 pounds 9 ounces.

“I was just so happy to have a healthy baby, healthy son,” said Brian Lande, Carleton’s husband. “It’s a feeling of immense relief, joy and immense sorrow for Melissa not able to be awake for it.”coma2

The past few months have been filled with anxiety for Lande after Carleton was rushed into emergency surgery to remove a large brain tumor.

“Ten weeks of heartbreak, pain and anxiety not knowing if we get to keep either of our family members,” Lande said.

Lande said he is hopeful Carleton will one day recover to hold their baby. Her prognosis is uncertain.

“I want her to know she did an amazing job, and she loved the baby hard for two months,” he said. “I’m so grateful to her and I miss her. We can now work on getting her to wake up and get back us and be a mom.”

Source: nbc

7 Simple Steps for Head-to-Toe Sun Protection

sun-protection

Stay sun-safe from head to toe
by Lisa WhitmoreYou won’t read “Wear broad-spectrum SPF 30 DAILY!” here, because by now, you know you should. Still, you may need a reminder of why this habit is so important. Some eye-openers: “Up to 90 percent of skin cancers are associated with UV exposure,” says Elizabeth Hale, MD, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center. One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer—which includes deadly melanoma—in their lifetimes. Our hassle-free guide is filled with practical tips on keeping every body part safe. To-do: Read, stock up on SPF, rub!

Legs
Women are more likely to develop melanoma on their lower legs and men on their backs, probably because men take off their shirts in summer while women bare their gams. “For everyday, a body lotion with SPF 15 is better than nothing,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Beach days require an actual sunscreen. Don’t forget your feet—they’re at risk for melanoma too, and very exposed in sandals2

Back and arms
These are also prime spots for melanoma. To help them (and every inch of you) stay protected at the beach or pool, slather on SPF at home in the buff, says Dr. Hale; it takes about 15 minutes to sink in. Derms prefer lotion to sprays for the first coat because you get an even layer of coverage. Have your partner or a friend do your back, from the tops of shoulders on down. Rays can still penetrate the fabric of a one-piece, particularly if it’s an older suit that’s wearing thin. If nobody is around to lend a hand, use sunscreen spray with a 360-degree nozzle to reach behind you. Either way, pack a spray for touch-ups every two hours. By law, sunscreens can no longer claim to be sweatproof or waterproof—the truth is, you do sweat them off. And don’t rush the spritz process. Yes, it’s supposed to be quick, but you still need to be thorough. “Hold the nozzle 1 to 2 inches away from skin, spray for one to two seconds per part, then rub it in,” advises Dr. Zeichner. Avoid applying downwind or most of your protection will get blown out to sea.

Neck and chest
“Signs of sun damage show up here early in life, perhaps because the area is more sensitive and often exposed,” says Kevin Cooper, MD, chair of the department of dermatology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. Cover the entire region with sunscreen, including the sides of your neck. “The area under your ears is particularly susceptible to aging and cancer because it doesn’t have the benefit of the shadow of your chin, which gives the front of your neck some protection,” says Dr. Zeichner. If you’re wearing a ponytail, be sure to smear the back of your neck.

Face
It’s a common spot to develop basal and squamous cell carcinoma, the most prevalent forms of skin cancer. And we hardly need to mention the dark splotches, fine lines and crow’s-feet that come from sun exposure. “Don’t count on your makeup,” cautions Dr. Hale: It may contain SPF, but you probably won’t apply enough to achieve a significant level of protection. Your best bet is a sunscreen that’s lightweight and oil-free, especially if you’re acne-prone. Alternatively, find SPF in a multitasking daily moisturizer. And choose a hat over a baseball cap, which doesn’t cover the sides of the face or ears.

Eyes

If your regular sunscreen brings on redness or tears, try a formula with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, both of which are unlikely to irritate eyes. Wear sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV rays, the best defense against cataracts and other eye damage caused by rays.

Lips
Your ideal shield: SPF 30 lip balm. If there’s none handy, use a matte lipstick. Avoid glossy lip colors if you’re spending a lot of time outside, notes Dr. Hale: Gloss—even if it has SPF—intensifies the sun and can increase the damaging effects of UV rays like baby oil can.1

Scalp and ears

Scarily, skin cancer on areas with little fat is more apt to spread because it penetrates deeper than it would on a fleshier spot, says Dr. Zeichner. “Dip a cotton swab in SPF lotion and paint it on your part and ears,” suggests Francesca Fusco, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. Or use a sunscreen stick. A nice blowout can come in handy: One Australian study showed that hair worn down gives ears substantial coverage.3

Know the trouble spots
The average adult has 10 to 40 moles, per the National Cancer Institute. (People with 50 or more are at higher risk of developing melanoma.) While most little brown spots tend to be benign, some can indicate cancer. ID yours here. 4

Moles to get checked, stat, are…
– Larger than a pencil eraser
– Scabby, hard or lumpy
– Jagged around the edges
– Uneven in color
– Starting to itch, ooze or bleed (any change merits a doctor’s visit)

5

Moles that are typically benign are…
– Smaller than 5 millimeters wide
– Rounded or dome-shaped
– Symmetrical
– Consistent in shade
– Unchanging over time

Source: health

10 easy ways to slash sugar from your diet

download (2)

You may not be eating Oreos by the roll or guzzling cans of Coke, but that doesn’t mean sugar’s absent from your diet. You’re likely eating sugar throughout the day without even realizing it, said Amari Thomsen, RD, owner of Chicago-based nutrition consulting practice Eat Chic Chicago.

Sugar is added to foods that don’t even taste all that sweet, like breads, condiments and sauces. And it adds up: although the American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (or about 100 calories), most of us take in double that. (One note: we’re talking about added sugar, not the naturally occurring sugars found in dairy and fruit.) A high-sugar diet boosts your odds of tooth decay, heart disease, and diabetes, not to mention weight gain.

Slash your sugar intake now with these 10 expert tips.

Read food labels
You’ll quickly realize just how often sugar is added to foods when you look for it on ingredients lists.

“Even things that you don’t think are sweet, like tomato sauce, crackers, condiments, and salad dressings can be packed with sugar,” said Diane Sanfilippo, certified nutrition consultant and author of “The 21 Day Sugar Detox.” Ingredients are listed in order of how much exists in the product, so if sugar’s near the top, that’s a red flag.

Learn sugar’s aliases
When you read food labels, you’ll need to look for more than just the word “sugar.” Sugar hides under several sneaky names, including high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup.

These can be listed separately on ingredients lists, so many foods, even seemingly healthy ones like yogurt and cereal, may contain three or four different types of sweetener. If several sugars appear on the label, it’s an indication that the food is less healthy than you may think.

You may not be eating Oreos by the roll or guzzling cans of Coke, but that doesn’t mean sugar’s absent from your diet. You’re likely eating sugar throughout the day without even realizing it, said Amari Thomsen, RD, owner of Chicago-based nutrition consulting practice Eat Chic Chicago.

Sugar is added to foods that don’t even taste all that sweet, like breads, condiments and sauces. And it adds up: although the American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (or about 100 calories), most of us take in double that. (One note: we’re talking about added sugar, not the naturally occurring sugars found in dairy and fruit.) A high-sugar diet boosts your odds of tooth decay, heart disease, and diabetes, not to mention weight gain.

Slash your sugar intake now with these 10 expert tips.

Read food labels

You’ll quickly realize just how often sugar is added to foods when you look for it on ingredients lists.

“Even things that you don’t think are sweet, like tomato sauce, crackers, condiments, and salad dressings can be packed with sugar,” said Diane Sanfilippo, certified nutrition consultant and author of “The 21 Day Sugar Detox.” Ingredients are listed in order of how much exists in the product, so if sugar’s near the top, that’s a red flag.

Learn sugar’s aliases
When you read food labels, you’ll need to look for more than just the word “sugar.” Sugar hides under several sneaky names, including high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup.

These can be listed separately on ingredients lists, so many foods, even seemingly healthy ones like yogurt and cereal, may contain three or four different types of sweetener. If several sugars appear on the label, it’s an indication that the food is less healthy than you may think.

Buy unsweetened

Once you know where sugar hides, you can start making changes. One strategy: buy foods labeled “no added sugar” or “unsweetened.” You’ll find unsweetened versions of these common foods in most grocery stories: non-dairy milk like almond and soy, nut butters (look for those made with only nuts and salt), applesauce, oatmeal, and canned fruit (they should be packed in juice—not syrup).

Don’t go cold turkey
Going cold turkey on sugar isn’t realistic for most people. Thomsen suggested cutting back slowly. If you normally put two packets of sugar in your coffee, for instance, try one for a week, then half, and finally add only a splash of milk. For your yogurt, mix half a serving of sweetened yogurt with half a serving of plain, and eventually move on to adding natural sweetness with fresh fruit.

Think protein and fat
Unhealthy carbs loaded with sugar can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly (and dive just as quickly, leaving you hungry again). To minimize this rapid rise and fall, pair protein, healthy fats, and fiber with your meal, all of which can slow down the release of blood sugar in your body and keep you full for longer. (At breakfast, that means adding almonds to your usual oatmeal or pairing eggs with your morning toast, and for your midday snack, a slice of turkey breast or cheese along with your apple, suggests Thomsen.) Fats are a key player because they help keep you fuller for longer, thus helping to decrease your desire for sugar, added Sanfilippo. Focus on fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil, and coconut oil.

Never go fake
When you’re reducing your sugar intake, you may be tempted to switch to artificial sugars for your sweet fix. But resist reaching for the diet soda, sugar-free candy, and packets of fake sugar in your latte.

“These can mess up your taste for sweet,” Sanfilippo said. “When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories and nutrition, but artificial sugars don’t give your body those things.” That may be why fake sugars are associated with weight gain—not loss, according to a 2010 review in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Add more flavor
Sanfilippo loves using vanilla bean and vanilla extract, spices, and citrus zests to add sweetness to foods without having to use sugar—and for zero calories. Order an unsweetened latte and add flavor with cocoa or vanilla powder. Skip the flavored oatmeal and add a sweet kick with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. One bonus for sprinkling on the cinnamon: according to a meta-analysis in the Journal of Medicinal Food, the spice has been shown to naturally regulate blood sugar, which helps control your appetite.

Don’t drink it
Avoiding soda is a good idea, but that’s not the only sugar-packed drink out there. Even drinks that are considered healthy can contain more of the sweet stuff than you’re supposed to have in an entire day. Case in point: “enhanced” waters (eight teaspoons per bottle), bottled iced teas (more than nine teaspoons per bottle), energy drinks (almost seven teaspoons per can), bottled coffee drinks (eight teaspoons per bottle), and store-bought smoothies (more than a dozen teaspoons—for a small).

Enjoy dessert
You can still indulge in an occasional sweet treat after you resolve to slash sugar. The idea is to avoid wasting your daily sugar quota on non-dessert foods like cereals, ketchup, and bread. To avoid overdoing it, set specific rules about when you may enjoy dessert: only after dinner on the weekends or at restaurants as a special treat, Thomsen suggested.

Stick with it!
At first, cutting down on sugar can feel like an impossible task. Eventually, though, your taste buds will adjust. Super-sweet foods like ice cream and candy will start to taste too sweet. When you could have a whole slice of cake before, now a couple bites will be enough. You’ll notice the natural sweetness in fruits and vegetables—and yep, they’ll taste better, too.

Source: fox news

Super-hot curries could help you live longer

chicken

A new study suggests that super-hot curries could help you live longer.

The hot tip comes after scientists in the US ran tests on mice.

They found stopping pain signals reaching the brain increased the chance of them living longer, the Daily Star reported.

University of California’s Andrew Dillon said that blocking the pain pathway could be very useful, not only for improving lifespan but for treating diabetes and obesity .

Boffins also believed that it could halt the ageing process.

Source: Zee news