Health Jockey

‘Drink lots of water,’ something which apparently every parent, every doctor and every other person says is what the following tidbit says too. Experts from the University of Oregon (UO) have revealed that water has the potential to change the way people eat.

A survey was conducted on this regard which probed nearly 60 individuals on their food and drinking patterns. In a subsequent analysis, nearly 75 kids participated in experiments gauging their water and vegetable intakes. According to what was observed, elder subjects preferred eating high-calorie foods with drinks like soda. On the contrary, preschool children ate more vegetables and fruits when coupled with water.

“Our taste preferences are heavily influenced by repeated exposure to particular foods and drinks. This begins early through exposure to meals served at Read the rest of this story >>

We always talk about how autistic kids grow, but the story ahead is generally left untold. According to professionals at the Washington University in St. Louis, youths affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) apparently carry low degrees of learning and employment after high school days.

For the trial, a set of adolescents experiencing learning or intellectual disabilities, speech or language troubles and ASDs or other learning disorders were incorporated. These participants were followed for a span of 9 years to understand the subtle differences between each kind of impairment.

“Thirty-five percent of the youth with ASDs had no engagement with employment or education in the first six years after high school. Rates of involvement in Read the rest of this story >>

Can a tax on sweet drinks disarm the growing obesity epidemic? Whatever be the case, scientists from the University of Oxford have called for a tax on sugary drinks as an important step towards preventing obesity.

According to the team, around 20% tax should work in reducing the spread of various fat-related ailments in the UK. They have also proposed similar taxes for junk food, which require more evidences to be implemented.

Dr. Mike Rayner of the Department of Public Health at Oxford, commented, “Obesity has rocketed recently and if anything our diet is getting worse. We need to take steps to tackle this problem as a nation. It’s affecting our health and it’s affecting our wallets through the increased burden on the NHS and the taxpayer.”

The scientists suggested that the tax in itself may not treat obesity, Read the rest of this story >>

Most of us assume sleepwalking to not be that big an issue, with some of us even laughing it off. However, a study by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine has shown that sleepwalking may be more common than thought and could lead to psychological conditions like anxiety and depression.

However, the precise causes of this issue have not been unfolded as yet. In the present study, nearly 19,136 people spanning through 15 states in the US were incorporated. The participants were surveyed via telephonic conversations on their sleepwalking episodes along with medication use and mental disorders if any.

“There is no doubt an association between nocturnal wanderings and certain conditions, but we don’t know the direction of the causality. Are the medical conditions provoking sleepwalking, or is it vice versa? Or perhaps Read the rest of this story >>

Treating depression in heart disease patients is a crucial step towards recovery. A study conducted by scientists at the American Heart Association (AHA) disclosed that depressive symptoms and poor lifestyle are apparently seen in men suffering from heart failure, than those devoid of the condition.

Depression is generally considered to be more common in women with respect to the general population. However, the impact of mental health on male heart failure patients has not been investigated precisely.

Almost 3,300 patients who were undergoing assessments for their heart complications participated in the trial. They were exposed to 2 questionnaires, the first gauged their depression levels, while the second checked their lifestyles. The Read the rest of this story >>

Diabetes is not just about sweets as some people assume. There may be a painful side to diabetes that is now being explored in detail by scientists at the University of Warwick.

A condition known as painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is characterized by chronic and prolonged pain that disturbs the concerned person’s entire life cycle. Presently, there are not many studies investigating the causes of this disease precisely. The team stumbled upon a compound called methylglyoxal (MG) that is synthesized excessively during diabetes. It is being pointed out as the primary target for relieving diabetic pain.

Professor Thornalley from the University of Warwick, commented, “MG appears to attack and modify a key protein in the nerve endings called ‘Nav 1.8’ causing nerves to become super-sensitive to pain and extremes of temperature. So Read the rest of this story >>

Recently black pepper was cited to show promise as a fat-fighting agent. And soon enough, scientists from the American Chemical Society have revealed the potential of soybeans infused in warm water as anti-cancer agents.

With fruits and vegetables playing an important role in many health aspects, there is no reason to skip them anyway. In the present study, the team found a constituent of soybeans called Bowman-Birk Protease Inhibitor (BBI) that seemed to carry protective attributes against cancer.

However, this effect is possible only if BBIs are removed from soybeans both in an environment-friendly and safe way, claimed the scientists. The current methods deployed to take off the substance from the vegetable in question are harsh and require a lot of time. The professionals Read the rest of this story >>

With so many reports talking about the potential health risks associated with smoking and drinking, it hard to believe that most women are not trying to be safe. According to a report by scientists at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), pregnant women are resorting to alcohol consumption and smoking, despite the health concerns surrounding them.

A study was conducted among women aged between 15 and 44 spanning through various countries. Though there were regional differences noted, it was seen that a considerable proportion of women smoked, consumed alcohol and even succumbed to drug abuse during pregnancy.

“When pregnant women use alcohol, tobacco, or illicit substances they are risking health problems for themselves and poor birth outcomes for their babies. Pregnant women of different races and ethnicities Read the rest of this story >>

Skin cancer could be a culmination of environmental and genetic factors, with the former being within our control. However, a report by CDC professionals revealed that the younger generation is taking risks in terms of skin cancer.

Among a set of people in the age-group of 18 to 29, almost 50% seemed to have suffered from sunburn in the previous year. This effect was seen even after they resorted to protective habits like sunscreen use, wearing covered clothing and looking for shady places. Another crucial point of observation is the use of indoor tanning beds. Nearly 32% of white women aged between 18 and 21 as well as 22 to 25-year old counterparts succumbed to indoor tanning methods.

“More public health efforts, including Read the rest of this story >>

A recent study showed how a gluten-free diet could help kids suffering from autism. Another study conducted by scientists at the Karolinska Institute has revealed that maternal gluten sensitivity could be linked to schizophrenia risk in the child.

Reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the study included medical records of nearly 764 pregnancies and neonatal blood specimens. 211 of these kids developed psychiatric conditions later in life. The team measured the proportion of lgG antibodies in samples that are activated by the protein found in cow’s milk and gliadin. The latter is a constituent of gluten and is normally found in rye, barley and wheat.

“There are studies in the past that show that people diagnosed with schizophrenia more often than others are suffering Read the rest of this story >>