Health News

What makes eucalyptus very different from others is its superb aroma!! For its medicinal properties, eucalyptus has been sensational and has been appreciated across the world is known.  Eucalyptus contains bioactive compounds and antioxidants etc in it. In the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, a research study has been published regarding antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of eucalyptus leaf extract. From teas to inhalations to topical applications to over the counter products such as ointments, mouth washes and vapour rubs etc, eucalyptus leaves are used. Various benefits of eucalyptus leaves are High in antioxidants: Not many of us know that eucalyptus leaves have quercetin, catechin,gallic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, rutin, apigenin etc. Our body would get protection against oxidative stress and free radical damage etc through these compounds. It is noteworthy that a diet rich in antioxidants would reduce certain cancers, heart disease, neurodegenerative conditions etc. Provide relief from cold symptoms etc: It is really superb to mention here that eucalyptus can help us to reduce symptoms of cold, nasal congestion, bronchitis, sinusitis etc. Truth is that eucalyptol present in eucalyptus has got anti-inflammatory and mucus relieving properties. Tropical oils like eucalyptus oils are present in ointments like vicks vaporub etc and this can reduce coughs and congestion due to the presence of camphor and menthol combination. Good for treating dry skin: Skin ceramide content would get enhanced by eucalyptus leaves extracts and this would improve moisture retention and skin barrier function etc. Those persons with dermatitis, dry skin, psoriasis etc would benefit. There are many hair care and skin care products that have eucalyptus in them. Pain reducing effect: The analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of eucalyptus oil would help in reducing the pain in us. It has been brought out by research study that persons with rheumatoid arthritis would get benefitted by inhaling eucalyptus oil. Promotes good relaxation: It must be noted that eucalyptus inhalation has calming and soothing effects on our nervousus system. Parasympathetic responses would be stimulated and sympathetic nervous activity would be reduced by inhalation of eucalyptus. By this, issues like stress and anxiety would get lowered and we would feel very relaxed. For this reason only, aromatherapy using eucalyptus oil has become very popular these days. Good for dental health: Our oral hygiene would be good if we use eucalyptus having antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in it. Gum bleeding and plaque would get reduced. It is true that lemon eucalyptus oil would function as insect repellent also. 

Does your soles, ankles, feet etc feel hot, tingling and painful especially in the nights, then it might be due to burning feet syndrome!! It is worthy to note that the burning feet syndrome can make lives very difficult, could create sleep disturbances and we might feel the need for immediate relief. This syndrome can be due to nerve damage caused by diabetes or due to overuse of feet, or due to PAD or peripheral artery disease or due to hypothyroidism, nutritional deficiencies etc. There are few medicines that can also cause burning feet syndrome in us such as statins, amiodarone, and chemotherapy drugs etc. Various effective remedies or ways to get relief from burning feet issue at home are Soaking in Epsom salt: Those persons with burning feet syndrome must soak their feet in water containing Epsom salt. This would help them to get relief from the pain. The presence of magnesium in the Epsom salt would relax the muscles and would relieve tension in the tissues etc. Those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy could get some relief from foot pain from warm saltwater baths. This has been published in the National Institute for Health. To a tub of warm water half a cup of Epsom salt is added and he feet must be kept soaked in this for 15 minutes. By this, soreness would be eased.  Soaking in cold water: Nerve endings would get numbed and the temperature of the feet would get cooled down. Into the tub containing cold water, feet are immersed and kept for 15 minutes. This would calm down irritation, reduce heat and ease the discomfort. By adding some essential oils like peppermint oil or lavender oil etc would enhance the soothing effect. This method would not be suitable for those with blood circulation issues etc. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation or RICE method: If the burning sensation in the feet is due to nerve compression or injuries etc, the RICE method would be useful to reduce pain in the feet. In the RICE method, resting would allow the person to recover from the strain, applying ice packs wrapped in a cloth would reduce inflammation and heat. Swelling of the feet could be controlled by compression through snug bandage. It is worthy to note that elevating feet above heart level would help in blood circulation and avoid build up of fluids etc. Soaking in Apple cider vinegar: Burning feet syndrome can alsoso be treated at home with the help of ACV or apple cider vinegar. To the tub containing water ACV is added and the feet are soaked for about 15 minutes.  This would provide relief from the burning sensation in the feet. There are chances that vinegar might strip moisture from the skin. Therefore after soaking the feet in ACV it is necessary to moisturise the feet to prevent dryness. Intake of supplements etc: Deficiencies in vitamin B and omega 3 fatty acids could also cause burning feet syndrome in us. Hence, intake of turmeric, ginger and fish oil could ease the symptoms of burning feet syndrome. The anti-inflammatory property of turmeric plays a role here and omega 3 fatty acids rich fish oil would help in blood circulation and protect nerves etc. Intake of ginger would lower inflammation. Doing foot massage: Those with burning feet syndrome can get relief from the burning sensation by foot massage. By massaging, blood flow would be stimulated and tension in the tissues would get reduced. For calming or soothing effect, it is superb to use coconut oil or olive oil for foot massage. Truth is that regular foot massage would provide relaxation, improve sleep etc.

There is a mineral that would help in muscle functioning, nerve signalling, maintaining heart health and for overall well being of an individual. We are now talking about the mineral magnesium that plays a huge role in the above said activities. Not many of us would know that certain compounds present in common foods would lower the absorption of magnesium or increase magnesium loss in our body.  For maximising benefits, it is necessary that we must understand which foods to eat and which foods to avoid. It was revealed by a research study published in the National Institute of Health that magnesium absorption was lower when the meal was served with spinach. It is known that spinach is an oxalate rich vegetable. The magnesium absorption was high when the meal was served with kale that is poor in oxalate. By this study it was clear that the presence of oxalates in the vegetable could reduce the magnesium absorption. There are some other foods also that must be avoided as these foods would block or lower magnesium absorption in us. Avoid beans intake: Nutrient rich food that would block the absorption of magnesium in us is beans.  It must be noted that the presence of phytic acid and fibres in beans are responsible for this. Point is that phytates can affect minerals like iron, zinc etc but magnesium absorption can also be affected. It is believed that pairing beans with Vitamin C would enhance magnesium absorption. It is necessary that we must consume magnesium supplements a few hours after intake of meals. Avoid tofu intake: It is worthy to note that tofu also has phtates and consuming tofu would lower or block the magnesium absorption in us. It is believed that separating magnesium supplements from tofu would help in magnesium absorption. Point is that this consideration is especially important for those with poor magnesium levels in them. Avoid colas intake: When we drink colas containing phosphoric acid, then magnesium would get excreted through the kidneys. By this, the magnesium levels would get lowered. High sodium content in the colas might lead to this effect. It is not advisable to drink colas simultaneously with magnesium supplements. For the sake of better absorption of magnesium, it is good to pair it with water or light meals. Avoid caffeine intake: Bitter truth is that consuming caffeine in the form of tea or coffee would lead to magnesium loss through urine. The reason is caffeine is diuretic. The effectiveness of the magnesium supplements would get reducuced when we drink caffeine containing beverages along with magnesium supplements. It is recommended that a person must wait for 1 to 2hours after drinking caffeine before consuming magnesium supplements. Avoid alcohol intake: Intake of alcohol would lead to urinary magnesium loss plus low absorption in the gut and impairment in kidney functioning also. It is essential that a person must not drink and consume magnesium supplements at the same time. Truth is that quitting or limiting alcohol intake would not only improve magnesium absorption but also overall health. Avoid dairy or calcium rich foods intake: For absorption in the digestive tract, calcium would compete with magnesium. It must be noted that consuming large amounts of calcium with magnesium through milk, cheese, yoghurt etc would lower magnesium uptake. It is essential to separate calcium intake and magnesium intake by atleast few hours

For the positive atmosphere it creates, many of us love the monsoon season, don`t we?! It is true that we don`t like excessive heat, sweating, bad odour etc that are common in the summer season as they would create a lot of discomfort for us. Not many of us would know that the monsoon season would also bring us infections and diseases etc in us. The presence of humidity and moisture would help the viruses, fungus and bacteria to breed. Mostly elders or senior persons are at high risk of getting infections etc especially in the monsoon season. There are certain tips that would help the elders to avoid infections in the monsoons season.  The tips By eating fresh and light meals: Meals that are easy to digest and that would boost the immunity levels must be eaten by the elderly persons during the monsoon season. The elderly persons must avoid eating street foods, cut fruits and raw salads etc as these foods could cause contamination. By drinking safe water: It was brought out by a doctor that hydration is importantand the seniors must drink boiled filtered water only. It must be noted that in the monsoon season water borne infections are very common and these infections might attack the elders. It is necessary to store the water in clean closed container. By making hygiene a priority: It is highly essential to have a good hygiene for the sake f the health to be good. In this regard, the elders must wash their hands regularly, cut their nails and must avoid contact with dirty water. This would help them to have protection against fungal and bacterial infections. By staying safe from mosquitoes: Especially in the monsoon season, diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria etc spread rapidly. In this scenario, the senior persons must use mosquito net or mosquito repellents and wear full sleeved clothes. More than these, it is highly important to make sure that the stagnant water during the rainy season gets cleared near the houses. By identifying the symptoms early: It is necessary that fever must be given importance in the elders and must not be taken casually. It must be note d that senioror persons who are affected by mosquito based diseases or viral diseases would show several symptoms like fever, body aches, chills, sore e throat etc. It is true that timely medical consultation is a must to avoid make treatment more effective and to avoid certain complications etc.

If you ask pre-menopausal women regarding the endocrine based disease they have, then the majority would reply as PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome!! Yes, PCOS is a very common endocrine disease that occurs in teenage girls and in other pre-menopausal women. It has been revealed that PCOS in women could cause issues like irregular periods, hirsutism or excess facial hair growth, acne, infertility and type2 diabetes etc. It was later explained by a famous gynaecologist that PCOS in young girls could occur due to fast food culture. Girls and other pre-menopausal women could get hormonal imbalance and menstrual disturbances by eating junk foods and due to unhealthy eating habits etc. Bigger impact of intake of junk foods: Bitter fact is that across the globe obesity in women has gone up to 26percent and up to 18percent in adolescent girls. Those with higher BMI or body mass index would have metabolic issues and gynaecological problems etc.  Point is that consuming junk foods would slow down metabolism, increase unhealthy weight gain, and cause hormonal imbalances. All these would lead to perfect conditions for PCOS to develop in the girls and pre=menopausal women. There is a strong link between intake of junk foods and menstrual issues especially in the pre-teen girls. The body`s calorie burning capacity would get lowered by frequent intake of fried foods and processed foods etc and insulin sensitivity would be disrupted resulting in obesity. As a result, hormonal imbalance would be created and this would affect menstrual health and reproductive health. Early habits and long term consequences: It is worthy to note that inappropriate food behaviours formed in the adolescence stage would persist in the adulthood stage too. It is true that women with issues like obesity, endometrial defects, hormonal imbalances etc would find it harder to conceive. Moreover, these women would also have higher risks of early miscarriage. Poor diet choices in the teenage years are responsible for these complications later on. It must be noted that harmless snacking in the teenage years can result in serious health issues later on in their lives. In such a scenario, it is good to eat home cooked nutritious foods, and staying active and these could protect the health of a woman. Treatments for PCOS: Lifestyle changes like diet modifications and regular exercises, intake of medicines prescribed for lowering cholesterol, regulating periods etc and finally regular medical checkups to monitor BP, blood sugar levels etc could help a woman to manage her PCOS well.

Intermittent fasting can be a double edged sword!! On one hand, it could help us to lose our excess body weight but on another hand it can also result in heart diseases in us. Shocking? The intermittent fasting has gained huge popularity in recent times. Here, persons eat their meals in a restricted time span of a few hours  (8 hours per day)and not eat any food for the remaining time of the day. Recently, research study has brought out that intermittent fasting could be dangerous as it can lead to heart diseases etc in us. The research has been published in Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome. In the research study, as many as 19000 individuals were taken into consideration. Point is that the research was based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey or NHANES. It was revealed by the research study that participants who restricted eating to an 8 hour time frame every day had 135% more chances of getting affected by heart related illness like heart attacks, strokes etc when compared to participants who eat food in the 12 hours to 14 hours range time.. Various reasons why intermittent fasting can result in above mentioned heart issues are Loss of lean muscle mass: By extreme fasting, loss of lean muscle mass would be there and this would not be good for the heart. Circadian rhythms: It must be noted that a diet that has too little time in the day might mislead the body clock and affect heart functions. Low quality of foods: Truth is that a person might over eat on energy dense and low nutrient foods during the period of consuming such meals. This could lead to risk to the heart. Body strain: It is learnt that prolonged fasting over a period of time would lead to strain on the body`s stress levels leading to adverse effects on the heart. Things to keep in mind during intermittent fasting: Please keep away from very short eating windows of less than 8 hours. It is necessary to eat heart healthy and weight healthy foods while eating in the windows. Watching out for symptoms like dizziness, palpitations, tiredness etc. Consulting a medical expert is very important t before beginning fasting routines. For heart health to be good, gradual calorie cutting plus good nutrition is important. Please take care it`s your health.

Do you have pets at home, especially cats? If yes, here is an important piece of information for you!! It is true that cats are superb companions to many. There are many people who like to play with cats and their paws etc. Not many would be aware of the fact that we could get one disease through the cat scratches. Shocking isn’t it!! A zoonotic infection called Cat Scratch Disease or CSD caused by bacterium Bartonella Henselae could be transmitted through cat scratches, bites or through saliva from the infected cats. So, please be careful and take care. Those with CSD would show several symptoms like swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever etc. This was mentioned by a Neurologist working in Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. In certain severe cases, the person could develop brain encephalopathy with symptoms like confusion, seizures, headaches etc. How can CSD affect brain health? Mostly, CSD affected persons would show mild symptoms only. Brain encephalopathy occurs when bacteria affect the brain. The person affected would have altered mental state and other severe symptoms. To manage the symptoms well, early diagnosis of CSD and prompt treatment would be essential. Prevention methods: Especially those with weak immunity must follow preventive measures. Kittens would carry Bartonella Henselae and rough play with kittens must be avoided. Maintaining good hygiene is very essential after playing with cats. In this regard, we must wash our hands well after handling cats and clean any scratches or bites etc. Never pick up stray kittens from roads etc. Finally, fleas on cats must be controlled as they can spread the disease. Medical attention: It is necessary that we must seek a doctor immediately if we get symptoms like persistent fever, swollen lymph nodes and neurological issues etc. Blood tests are done on the affected persons and antibiotics would be provided. Those with CSD can manage the symptoms at homes also by taking OTC medicines for pain relief. Warm compress can be applied to swollen lymph nodes. Note: There are less chances of getting CSD from indoor cats as the cats would get B. Henselae infection through fleas only.

How many of us are aware of what kiwi fruit is? A small oval shaped fruit with brown skin and loaded with many ingredients like fibres, antioxidants, vitamin C etc is kiwi fruit In Tamil it is known as Kiwi Pazham and it is a powerhouse of nutrients. It is native to China but developed in New Zealand. It is true that we can get numerous health benefits from eating this kiwi fruit. The health benefits are Boosts immunity: Not many would know that one kiwi fruit has got more vitamin C than orange. Kiwi fruit is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C.  By consuming this kiwi fruit, our immunity would get boosted and we would be able to avoid infections, diseases etc. Especially during changing weather, intake of this fruit would be superb. Helps digestion: The enzyme that is present in kiwi fruit is actinidin and this would break down proteins more efficiently. This would help in easier and smoother digestion. The fibre present in kiwi fruit would help in maintaining gut health. Point is that those persons who have indigestion must eat atleast one kiwi fruit daily. Good for heart health: For our lives to be normal, it is essential that we must have good heart health. In this regard, the intake of kiwi fruit would be superb for us. Being potassium rich, kiwi fruit would help in balancing sodium in the body and BP would get controlled. It has been brought to light that eating kiwi fruit would help us to prevent heart diseases. Good for skin: Collagen production would get supported by the presence of vitamin C in kiwi fruit. Our skin would be firm and glowing. The appearance of fine lines and wrinkles etc would get slowed down due to the presence of antioxidants in the kiwi fruit. Improves sleep quality: Many these days have insomnia or poor sleep. It is worthy to note that eating kiwi fruit would improve sleep quality. It must be noted that persons who suffer from restless nights must eat this fruit. Good for weight management:  Intake of kiwi fruit would help us to manage weight. Point is that we would feel full by eating kiw fruit and by this we would avoid eating unnecessarily. This would help p us to lose weight in a healthier manner.

Suppose there was a method that would hold a fractured bone together within a few minutes and that without the need of screws, plates etc, how would it be? Sound`s Unbelievable right!! For all these years, those persons who had broken bones would have felt severe pain and they would have stayed long in the hospitals for treatment etc. Moreover, healing would also have taken longer for them. Soon, these issues would not be there as the researchers have now found out a speedy fantastic solution in the form of bone glue. What is bone glue or bone-02? It is learnt that a research team in China led by Dr. Lin Xianfeng at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospitals have developed a Bone-02 an adhesive which was inspired by Oysters natural ability to attach to the wet surfaces. It is known that Oyster`s stick well even in the rough water filled conditions and based on this the China based researchers have developed a glue that can hold or bond broken bones. The specialty of this bone glue is that it is bio-absorbable, that is it is easily absorbed in the body as the healing progresses. As a result, there would be no need for a second surgery to remove the metal implants etc. About 150 patients with broken bones were tested with this glue and it was highly effective even under stress. It is worthy to note that this bone glue or Bone 02 worked in real surgeries rather than just lab tests. Potential advantages of this bone gel are It has been found out that this bone glue sets in just 2 to 3 minutes and due to this the operation times could become short. This bone glue would help the doctors to avoid metal plates, screws etc to fix the broken bones.  Hence, issues like complications of rejection, corrosion of the implant and infection would not be there. Finally, no subsequent surgery would be needed to remove the bone glue as it is bio-absorbable. By this, the patient body as well as money would be saved. Things which are not clear as of now: Point is that early results have been superb and encouraging but there are some questions that haven`t been answered. Long term durability is very important and there is a doubt regarding the effectiveness of this bone glue over several years. Just1 50 patients have been tested with this glue but to confirm its safety much broader studies would be required. It is also not clear now regarding the cost, manufacturing of glue and surgeons training etc. Point is that putting new glue for bone fixation means modifying procedures, ensuring supply and   training surgeons for correct use etc.

There is a food that is rich in fibres, rich in omega 3 fatty acids, a complete protein source, mineral enriched etc. This article is all about Chia seeds. Do you know what these are? The chia seeds have become stable in many diets and this has been brought to light by many television shows and Instagram feeds etc. Being both versatile and with high nutritional value, chia seeds have found their way into our everyday meals. Point is that smoothies and baked goods are prepared with chia seeds. Bitter fact is that not all foods could be eaten along with chia seeds. Don`t combine milkshakes and full at fairy with chia seeds: When mixed with liquids, chia seeds would form gel-like consistency. Truth is that those who have a sensitive gut would get a bloating/heavy feeling when chia seeds are consumed along with full- fat dairy. It was brought out by research study in 2013 that high fat foods would slow down digestion and this would make it hard for the body to process fibre present in the chia seeds. To keep the digestive system to function well, it is important to consume chia seeds and full-fat dairy separately. Don`t combine deep fried products with chia seeds: It was revealed by research study in 2021 that chia seeds when combined with deep fried products like pakoras and samosas etc would lead to discomfort, acidity etc. The reason for this is chia seeds would promote digestion but fried foods would slow down digestion. Don`t combine white rice with chia seeds: We could get a digestive imbalance when we eat chia seeds with white rice. Truth is that white rice is carbohydrate rich and has little fibres and chia seeds are full of fibres. There are chances of getting an upset stomach by eating this combination. Don`t combine alcohol with chia seeds: Our body would get dehydrated while chia seeds swell after absorbing water. We could get digestive issues like stomach cramps etc by eating this combination. Don`t combine bananas with chia seeds: What would happen if we eat soluble fibres in excess? We could get constipation and heaviness etc. So, please be careful and don`t eat these foods together. This has been mentioned by a research study in 2021. It is known that both bananas and chia seeds are rich in soluble fibres. Those with a sensitive gut must avoid consuming banana and chia seed smoothies every day. Don`t combine excess sugar with chia seeds: Those with a sensitive gut would find it uncomfortable if they eat excess sugar with chia seeds. Truth is that excess sugar can cause spikes in the blood sugar levels and chia seeds with fibres would clash with this spike. For best results, it is necessary to keep chia seeds with low sugary foods and not add to high sugary desserts etc. Don`t combine excess caffeine with chia seeds: We could get dehydrated when we consume caffeine heavy drinks. This is similar to alcohol intake. By combining excess caffeine with chia seeds, we could get acidity, stomach irritation etc. it must be noted that combining chia seeds with caffeine would be tough for the gut as chia seeds already add bulk. How to consume chia seeds? Firstly, we must soak chia seeds in water for 20 minutes minimum and then consume. It is important to start with small amounts (1 or 2 teaspoons) and then increase gradually. Combining chia seeds with yoghurt, frits would be superb. It is necessary to consume adequate amounts of water throughout the day to prevent bloating.