Tag: Health

Snacks are often considered to be unhealthy, but this is simply a matter of selection. When unprepared, most of us tend to grab the first thing that we see.
Usually, this is always an unhealthy snack as junk food is readily available at every nook and corner these days. Eating these junk foods leaves our hearts open to ailments and poor health, while increasing our waistlines. But what about healthy, heart-friendly snacks? Here are some snacks that will not only maintain your heart health but also help you shed extra kilos.
Mushroom egg white omelet
This combination of mushroom and egg white is perfect for your heart health. It is low in calories, delicious and requires not much time to prepare. Hence, it is an all time favorite snack.
Dalia upma
Dalia upma is a perfect snack to re-energize yourself because it provides you with valuable fibre, minerals and vitamins.
Just make sure you use less oil and more vegetables to make it more nutritive.
Whole wheat egg white crepes
Made with the mixture of wheat flour, skimmed milk and egg whites, these whole wheat crepes are perfect for a health conscious person.
This snack is blended with taste and nutrients, which makes it an ideal snack option.
Carrot, green peas & brown bread sandwich
This is an easy to prepare sandwich and is a great way to add protein, vitamin A and fibre to your diet. Add a dash of mayo, some ketchup, boiled carrots and peas and grill it to make it even more delicious.
Egg white spinach omelet
If you are watching your cholesterol level, and a big fan of eggs but can’t eat them, then this snack is just the thing for you.
When spinach is cooked with egg whites, it makes it a perfect calorie cutter snack for the day.
Hara dhania whole wheat roti
Replace your regular rotis with this healthy alternative. The hara dhania or coriander, and whole wheat flour, makes it a healthy and yummy snack.
Pudina egg white omelet
This omelet is prepared with a mixture of pudina and egg whites, making it a healthy, low calorie snack.
Idli sandwich
A light twist to the popular South Indian snack we all love. For best benefits, prepare this at home with a low-oil and low-salt recipe. Slice the idli and stuff with stir fried vegetables like cabbage or sprouts to make this a healthy snack for your day.

The University of Pittsburgh researchers uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) which suggests that viral infections may play a role in the disease. The study has been published in Cell Reports. It revealed how tau protein, often viewed as harmful in Alzheimer’s, might initially protect the brain from the virus but contribute to brain damage later.
“Our study challenges the conventional view of tau as solely harmful, showing that it may initially act as part of the brain’s immune defense,” said senior author Or Shemesh, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Pitt.These findings could lead to new treatments targeting infections and the brain’s immune response.
“These findings emphasize the complex interplay between infections, immune responses and neurodegeneration, offering a fresh perspective and potential new targets for therapeutic development,” added Shemesh.
The scientists identified forms of HSV-1-related proteins in Alzheimer’s brain samples, with greater amounts of viral proteins co-localized with tangles of phosphorylated tau. It is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain regions which are especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s across disease stages.
Further studies on miniature models of human brains in a Petri dish suggested that HSV-1 infection could modulate levels of brain tau protein and regulate its function, a protective mechanism that seemed to decrease post-infection death of human neurons.
While the precise mechanisms by which HSV-1 influences tau protein and contributes to Alzheimer’s disease are still unknown, Shemesh and his colleagues plan to explore those questions in future research.
They aim to test potential therapeutic strategies that target viral proteins or fine-tune the brain’s immune response and will try to find its possible connections to other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and ALS. Source: ANI

Signs and symptoms of HMPV
HMPV typically affects the respiratory system, with common symptoms including sore throat, fever, nasal congestion, cough, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia or bronchiolitis, requiring hospitalisation and oxygen therapy.
“HMPV generally affects children below one year of age to under five years. Major symptoms include fever, cough, cold, and respiratory distress. Sometimes the distress may be so severe that breathing support in PICU, like high-flow nasal cannula or CPAP, becomes necessary,” said Dr Saheli Dasgupta, Pediatric Critical Care Head at Peerless Hospital, Kolkata.
She further emphasised that timely consultation with a pediatrician is critical to prevent complications, as HMPV mostly affects infants.
In adults, HMPV often affects people over 65 years of age who experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose, and shortness of breath.
Is HMPV like any other common cold virus?
While HMPV shares similarities with other respiratory viruses like the flu or RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), it can cause more severe symptoms in vulnerable populations, such as infants, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
Dr Manisha Mendiratta, Associate Director & Head of Pulmonology at Sarvodaya Hospital, stated, “HMPV usually produces mild to moderate flu-like symptoms but can become severe in people with low immunity.”
Healthcare providers typically rely on nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), including RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence or ELISA tests for accurate detection.
Is HMPV similar to Covid-19 virus?
HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) are both respiratory pathogens but differ significantly in virology, transmission, and public health impact.
Both spread through respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces and can cause symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath. However, Covid-19 has a broader range of symptoms, including loss of taste and smell, and a higher potential for systemic complications.
Dr Srivatsa Lokeshwaran, Lead Consultant, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, remarked, “It’s premature to compare HMPV with Covid-19. HMPV has been in circulation for a long time and primarily affects children under five and adults over 65. While any virus can mutate and become more virulent, current data does not indicate pandemic potential for HMPV.”

A new study has shed light on the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency, highlighting its impact on both physical and neurological health. The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, found that men were slightly more affected, making up 58.3% of the study’s participants in India.
The two-year study was carried out at K. J. Somaiya Medical College and Hospital, Mumbai and included 180 patients aged 18 to 70 years. These patients had low haemoglobin levels (below 13 g/dL for men and 12 g/dL for women) and vitamin B12 levels below 250 pg/mL.
Doctors collected detailed information about the patients, including their health history and blood test results. Each patient was given six vitamin B12 injections every week for six weeks. The researchers monitored blood health improvements by regularly checking key markers like haemoglobin levels and red blood cell size.
The results were analysed to understand how well patients responded to the treatment and whether there was a clear link between the severity of anaemia and vitamin B12 levels.
Common health issues among the participants included high blood pressure (33.3%) and diabetes (25%). However, the most frequently reported symptom was persistent fatigue, affecting 66.7% of the patients.
Neurological problems, such as tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, were also common, reported by over half of the participants.
Blood tests revealed a condition called macrocytic anaemia, where red blood cells are larger than normal. On average, participants had low haemoglobin levels of 9.7 g/dL and an elevated mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of 104.7 fL, both indicators of poor blood health.
After six weeks of vitamin B12 supplementation, significant improvements were observed. Haemoglobin levels increased to 12.6 g/dL, MCV dropped to 91.3 fL, and reticulocyte count—a marker of new red blood cell production—rose to 2.1%.
The study also found a strong link between higher haemoglobin levels and improved vitamin B12 levels in the blood.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is known to cause a range of health problems, from tiredness and weakness to more severe nerve damage. This study confirms that proper vitamin B12 supplementation can effectively reverse these issues, improving both blood health and neurological symptoms.
Researchers recommend routine screening for vitamin B12 deficiency, especially among older adults and vegetarians, who are at higher risk due to dietary restrictions. Early detection and supplementation can prevent long-term complications.

Recent research has suggested that drinking coffee and tea may lower the risk of developing head and neck cancer, a group of cancers that includes cancers of the mouth, throat, and larynx.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal CANCER by the American Cancer Society, offer new insights into the potential protective effects of these popular beverages.
A new pooled analysis combining data from 14 studies has revealed promising results for coffee and tea drinkers.
The research, conducted by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium, examined over 9,500 patients with head and neck cancer and more than 15,700 cancer-free controls.
The findings suggest that individuals who consume coffee and tea regularly may experience a reduced risk of developing head and neck cancers.
The study found that individuals who drank more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had 17 per cent lower odds of developing head and neck cancer compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Furthermore, regular coffee drinkers showed a 30 per cent reduced risk of oral cavity cancer and a 22 per cent lower risk of throat cancer.
Specifically, consuming 3-4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily was associated with a significant 41 per cent reduction in the risk of hypopharyngeal cancer, a type of cancer located at the bottom of the throat.
Even decaffeinated coffee appeared to have a protective effect. Drinking decaf coffee was associated with a 25 per cent lower risk of developing oral cavity cancer.
In addition, tea consumption was linked with a 29 per cent lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. The study also found that drinking one cup or fewer of tea daily was associated with a 9 per cent reduced risk of head and neck cancer overall, and a 27 per cent lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. Source: ANI

Drinking alcohol when oestrogen levels are surging could compel women to hit the bottle harder, thereby possibly driving them to ‘binge-drink’, researchers said after they found that female mice drank much more on days when the sex hormone’s levels were high.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, is the first to find that a higher oestrogen level in the body promotes ‘binge-drinking’ behaviour in women by contributing to sex-specific differences, researchers said.
Binge-drinking is said to intensify alcohol’s harmful effects, with women being more vulnerable to the negative health effects, compared to men.
Researchers, led by those at Weill Cornell Medicine, US, previously showed that neurons in a brain region called ‘bed nucleus of the stria terminalis’, or BNST, were more excitable in female mice, compared to male ones.
Sometimes referred to as ‘extended amygdala’, the BNST is a central hub for regulating stress-related brain activity, including mood, anxiety and depression.
The enhanced activity in BNST correlated with the female mice’s binge drinking behaviour, the researchers said.
“Oestrogen has such powerful effects on so many behaviours, particularly in females. So, it makes sense that it would also modulate drinking,” senior author Kristen Pleil, associate professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medicine, said.
In the latest study, the researchers monitored ‘oestrogen’ hormone levels throughout the oestrous cycle of female mice — the equivalent of menstrual cycle in women — following which, the mice were served alcohol.
The team found that on days when a female mouse had high levels of oestrogen circulating in the body, it drank more, compared to days with low levels.
“We found that female mice displayed greater binge alcohol drinking and reduced avoidance when oestrogen was high during the oestrous cycle than when it was low,” the authors said. Source: PTI

Brain imaging of 70-year-olds has shown that factors risking the health of blood vessels, such as inflammation and high glucose levels, are related to an older-looking brain, whereas healthy lifestyles to a younger one.
As population around the world ages, dementia cases are projected to rise.
However, researchers from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, said that the speed at which one’s brain ages is affected by various risk and health factors.
“Despite the recent introduction of new Alzheimer’s drugs, they will not work for everyone with dementia. So, we want to study what can boost the brain’s resilience against pathological ageing processes,” Anna Marseglia, a researcher at Karolinska Institutet and lead author of the study published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, said.
The researchers took 739 MRI scans of cognitively healthy individuals, 389 of whom were women, and estimated the brain age, using their own AI-based algorithm. Blood samples were taken for measuring lipids, glucose, and inflammation. Cognitive test scores, along with lifestyle, were also analysed.
On average, the brain age for both sexes was found to be 71 years by the AI-based tool.
The researchers also looked at the “brain age gap” by subtracting the participants’ estimated biological brain age from their chronological age.
The team found that diabetes, stroke, cerebral small vessel disease, and inflammation were linked to brains with an older appearance, whereas a healthy lifestyle involving regular exercise could be linked to brains of a younger appearance. “A take-home from the study is that factors that adversely affect the blood vessels can also be related to older-looking brains, which shows how important it is to keep your blood vessels healthy, to protect your brain, by making sure, for instance, that your blood glucose level is kept stable,” Marseglia said. Source: PTI

A new study co-led by a physician-scientist at the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center has unveiled that a subset of patients with artificial hearts can regenerate heart muscle tissue.
This discovery, published in the journal Circulation, could pave the way for innovative treatments and potentially a cure for heart failure, a condition affecting nearly 7 million adults in the U.S. and responsible for 14% of annual deaths.
Heart failure currently has no cure, with treatment options primarily limited to medications that slow its progression or advanced interventions like heart transplants and left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which help pump blood.
Dr. Hesham Sadek, director of the Sarver Heart Center, noted that while skeletal muscles can regenerate after injury, heart muscle has long been thought incapable of such recovery.
The research team, funded by a grant from the Leducq Foundation Transatlantic Networks of Excellence Program, examined tissue samples from artificial heart patients provided by colleagues at the University of Utah Health.
They collaborated with international experts who utilized innovative carbon dating techniques to identify newly generated heart cells.
Remarkably, the findings revealed that patients with artificial hearts regenerated muscle cells at over six times the rate of healthy hearts. “This is the strongest evidence we have so far that human heart muscle cells can actually regenerate,” said Sadek.
He emphasised that this study supports the hypothesis that the inability of heart muscle to “rest” contributes to its loss of regenerative capacity shortly after birth.
The study suggests that artificial hearts may provide a form of “bed rest” for cardiac muscles, allowing them to heal similarly to how skeletal muscles recover after injury. Dr. Sadek aims to investigate why only about 25% of artificial heart patients exhibit this regenerative response and how to enhance this ability across all patients.

Love to snack but worried about staying on track with your weight-loss journey? Healthy snacking is all about choosing nutrient-dense options that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and healthy fats while being low in added sugars and unhealthy fats.

Crisps or rice flakes (Poha)
A light, versatile snack that can be spiced up with vegetables and seasoning for added nutrients.
Roasted nuts and seeds
A mix of nuts and roasted seeds offers a healthy dose of protein, fibre, and essential fats. Pair them with fresh fruits for a wholesome snack.
Makhana or roasted chana salad
Easily available in the market, this is a rich source of protein and fibre. “Mix it with vegetables and lemon. It will keep you full as it contains a lot of fibre that will help control hunger,” said Veena.
Greek yoghurt with berries
Greek yogurt with berries and vegetables offer a powerful punch that is rich in proteins and fibre along with antioxidants. It will help us keep our tummy full and control our hunger levels. The combination is also rich in probiotics which can help maintain our gut health.
Apple slices with peanut butter
Apple offers fibre while peanut or almond butter contains healthy fats and protein. This makes for a delicious option that helps control our cravings.
Boiled eggs
A source of high protein, it contains a whole lot of nutrients and is surprisingly low in calories. It helps reduce appetite.
Chia pudding
High in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds expand in the stomach to keep you hydrated and satisfied.
Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbs that deliver sustained energy for a longer duration. This helps prevent our energy levels from dipping, making them the perfect snack to consume before an active workout session.
Bananas
Rich in carbohydrates and potassium, bananas are great for energy and muscle health, reducing cramps and supporting nerve function.
Oats
Containing soluble fiber like beta-glucan, oats ensure steady energy release and keep you full for longer.

Lemon Water
Lemon water helps in alkalizing the body and reducing uric acid levels. The vitamin C in lemons aids in dissolving uric acid crystals and promotes their elimination through urine. Drinking lemon water regularly can help prevent gout flare-ups and maintain healthy uric acid levels in the body.
Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties that can help lower uric acid levels. It supports kidney function and enhances the bodys ability to eliminate toxins. Drinking green tea regularly can provide relief from gout symptoms and promote overall wellness.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, which help reduce inflammation and support healthy kidney function. They aid in the elimination of uric acid and prevent its buildup in the bloodstream. Including flaxseeds in your diet can help manage uric acid levels and improve overall health.
Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that helps reduce uric acid levels and joint inflammation. Its antioxidant properties support the body in eliminating toxins, including excess uric acid. Turmeric can be consumed as a spice in meals or taken as a supplement for best results.
Ginger
Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help reduce uric acid levels and alleviate gout symptoms. It supports kidney function and promotes the elimination of toxins. Adding ginger to your diet can provide relief from pain and inflammation caused by high uric acid.
Celery
Celery has natural diuretic properties, which help in flushing out excess uric acid from the body. It is low in purines and contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Consuming celery regularly can aid in reducing joint inflammation.

People with allergy-induced sniffles and asthma may have different fungal colonies or mycobiomes in their noses, finds a study. The common respiratory disease, formally called allergic rhinitis, has frequently been associated with asthma. Typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis include sneezing, itching, inflamed nasal mucous membranes, and a blocked and runny nose. It’s often comorbid with asthma, which also involves inflammation and obstructed airways.
Researchers from the University of Porto, Portugal, showed that this association may be because of different fungal colonies or mycobiomes in their noses.
“We showed that allergic rhinitis samples displayed a significantly higher fungal diversity and a different fungal community structure compared to those of healthy controls,” said Dr. Luís Delgado of the University of Porto.
“This may suggest that allergic rhinitis increases the diversity and changes the composition of the upper airway’s microbiome.”
To study the nasal mycobiome, the researchers recruited 214 participants among children and young adults attending an immunology and asthma clinic in Porto. About 155 patients had both allergic rhinitis and asthma, while 47 were only diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and 12 with asthma. The team also enrolled 125 healthy controls.
The team analysed 306 samples, taken via nasal swabs. DNA sequencing revealed Ascomycota and Basidiomycota as the most common fungi families across all samples. In these two families, 14 genera dominated the mycobiomes.
“Among these dominant genera we detected common fungi that have been recognised in humans as allergenic or opportunistic pathogenic fungi,” said Delgado. “This suggests that the nasal cavity is a major reservoir for fungi that could be involved in allergic rhinitis and asthma.” Source: IANS

A new study suggests that a common dietary supplement could make a type of cancer treatment called CAR-T cell therapy more effective. The research, conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Centre, was shared at a major medical conference, the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition (Abstract 4).
CAR-T cell therapy is a cancer treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. These immune cells are taken from the patient, reprogrammed to attack cancer, and then put back into the body.
Currently, this type of cancer treatment is being extensively used in people with specific blood cancers only. Researchers tested how different diets affected CAR-T cell therapy in mice with a type of blood cancer.
They discovered that a ketogenic diet, popularly known as keto diet, which is very low in carbohydrates and high in fats, improved the ability of CAR-T cells to fight tumors.
Why? The keto diet causes the body to produce a substance called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). BHB is a chemical made by the liver when the body burns fat for energy instead of sugar. The researchers found that CAR-T cells use BHB as a better energy source than sugar, giving them more strength to kill cancer cells.
The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a way of eating that limits carbohydrates (like bread, rice, and sugar) and focusses on fats (like ghee, butter, and nuts). Normally, the body uses glucose (sugar) from carbohydrates for energy. However, when carbs are drastically reduced, the body enters a state called ketosis, where it starts burning fat for energy instead.
This process produces molecules called ketones, including beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which act as an alternative fuel. Popular for weight loss, the keto diet typically includes foods like meats, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy, and healthy fats while avoiding bread, rice, sugar, and starchy vegetables.