Home remedies for hair ailments

Healthy, shining and lustrous hair is a woman’s greatest beauty asset. Hair can be beautiful and healthy only when it is maintained in good condition. The condition of your hair and scalp is a clear pointer to your general well being. Almost any illness or emotional stress can cause dull and lifeless hair. But hair problems are also frequently caused by over exposure to chemicals, heat from electrical styling appliances. The age and health of a person, nutrition, hormones, and seasonal and climatic conditions generally influence hair growth.

Hair root is the main source of nutrition to the entire strand of hair. A tiny tube like pit in the skin called the follicle holds the root hair. The papilla that forms the base of the follicle nourishes the root with blood vessels and nerves. One or more sebaceous glands are also attached to the hair follicle to nourish and protect the hair shaft by secreting oils. Healthy hair gets its shine also from a thin coating of sebum. If the sebaceous gland becomes over active and produces too much sebum the result is greasy hair. Frequent washing does not affect sebaceous secretion, it will not make greasy hair greasier or dry hair drier.

Hair loss

Some loss of hair is normal. The most important cause of the loss of hair is inadequate nutrition mainly protein, vitamin A and B. The hair grows normally after the liberal intake of these vitamins. These nutrient rich foods are eggs, nuts, soy bean, mango, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, dried apricots, whole grain cereals, peas etc. Hair loss may also be caused by a variety of other conditions such as pregnancy, anaemia, thyroid disorders, stress, typhoid, influenza, and heredity. It makes the hair root weak and results in hair fall.

Unclean condition of the scalp can also cause loss of hair. It weakens the hair roots may result by blocking the pores with the collected dirt. Alfalfa juice in combination with spinach or coriander if taken daily will help the hair to grow fast. The juices of carrot, green coriander, lettuce, amaranth in different combinations is also considered beneficial. The combination of these juices is rich in elements, which are particularly useful for the growth of the hair.

Certain drugs including the contraceptive pills and chemotherapy can affect the growth and thickness of the hair. Vitamin B6 with magnesium will assist to some extent in counter acting the negative effects of these pills. Do consult with your doctor if you suddenly lose hair.

Dry scalp and dandruff.

The present living conditions with the increasing rate of pollutants in the air and water have increased the various disorders and diseases of the scalp. Dandruff can be recognised by small white flakes that appear on the scalp and hair. It is caused by poor blood circulation, inadequate nerve stimulation in the scalp, infection, and unbalanced diet. Zinc and essential fatty acids guard against dandruff and dry scalp. Essential fatty acids also help to prevent dry skin and flaking scalp. Foods such as shellfish, pumpkin seeds, nuts and vegetable oils, sardines, mackerel and salmon are good sources of zinc and essential fatty acids. If dandruff and scalp problems do not respond to diet and shampoos one must consult a doctor as they can some times reflect more serious under lying health problems.

Grey hair

Vitamin B deficiencies and biotin may bring about early greying of hair. If copper is lacking n your diet can also result in early hair greying since it is involved in the hair pigmentation. A whole some diet with pulses, nuts, and fish should meet your requirements. If you have to resort to dyes prefer to use henna or those extracted from vegetables since the chemical dyes have been linked to cancer and could do you more serious harm. One must remember that grooming and using styling products alone does not solve hair problems, protein vitamin, minerals rich diet enhances and maintains the health and lustre of the hair.

Home remedies:

1. Soak 2-tablespoon fenugreek seeds in water over night. In the morning grind into a fine paste. Apply all over the scalp and leave for ½ an hour to control on dandruff and hair loss.
2. Boil a hand full of neem leaves in 4 teacups of water. After cooling and filtering use for rinsing hair for dandruff.
3. Massage warm oil on to the scalp well and allow remaining for an hour. Then rub limejuice mixed with vinegar (1:2) onto the scalp and leave on for another hour for dandruff removal.
4. For falling hair, mix the juice of one lime with 4-table spoon of thick coconut milk and rub into the scalp and wash well. This should be repeated once a week for effective treatment.
5. Massaging the hair scalp with fingers till it starts to tingle with the heat will activate the sebaceous glands and enables the blood circulation and makes the hair grow healthy.
6. Applying almond oil on the scalp frequently and massaging the hair stops the hair loss.
7. A useful remedy for the patchy loss of hair is the paste of the liquorice made by grinding the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron. This paste should be applied over the bald patches.
8. Amla oil prepared by boiling dry pieces of amla in coconut oil is considered a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth.
9. Massaging amla juice and limejuice into the hair is found to be effective for grey hair.

Listening to iPod may now be safe

Fearing that listening to your iPod at high volumes could damage your hearing? Worry not, for scientists have now found the key to protect your
Listening to iPod may now be safe
Listening to iPod may now be safe (Getty images)
ear from deafening noise of music players and those high sound levels in rock shows and dance clubs.

By tweaking a system in the ear that limits how much sound is heard, the researchers have discovered one alteration that shows that the ability of the ear to turn itself down contributes to protecting against permanent hearing loss.

“There’s some uncertainty in the field about what this sound-limiting system is used for. Now we’ve definitively shown that this system functions in part to prevent acoustic trauma,” said Dr. Paul Fuchs, professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

For their study, the researchers focused on the nAChR protein found on so-called sensory hair cells in the ear. Nerve cells from the brain release signals that are picked up by nAChR and turn down these sensory hair cells. The researchers genetically altered a single building block in the nAChR protein and tested mice for their ability to hear.

“This point mutation was designed to produce a so-called gain of function in which the inhibitory effect of ACh should be greater than normal,” said Fuchs.

It was found that altered mice were less able to hear soft sounds than normal mice, which indicated that the genetic alteration made in the nAChR protein did indeed further “turn down” the ear. Later, the researchers asked if the alteration in nAChR, and hence the improved sound-blocking ability of these altered mice, also had the potential to protect from sound damage.

The team blasted 100-decibel sound at mice and again measured their ability to hear. “One hundred decibels, for me, is painfully loud, and conversation is impossible. But sound levels in night clubs or rock concerts can be that high, and extended exposure to sound at that volume can cause hearing loss,” said Fuchs.

And it was discovered that mice with the altered, gain-of-function nAChR suffered less permanent hearing damage compared to normal mice. “We think this pathway could be a therapeutic target for protecting from sound damage. So far, there is little or no specific pharmacology of hearing. We’re still learning how the inner ear works.

The encouraging news is that molecular mechanisms like the hair cell’s nAChR frequently involve unique gene products, so there is a real chance of finding ear-specific drugs in the future,” said Fuchs. Meanwhile, Fuchs recommended that one should limit the time spent at rock concerts and wear earplugs to protect hearing.

Incorporate these heart-healthy foods into your diet

The latest results in from medical research show that foods that help fight CRP (C-reactive protein) — now a better understood blood-borne marker of inflammation — give us a better chance at fighting clots that block blood-flow to the heart. These studies are based on understanding how biochemical fluctuations cause heart attacks and strokes. Traditionally, these nutrient-rich foods are part of a staple diet from the Mediterranean countries of Greece, and Italy.

Not only are these foods divine when cooked, but easily available and easier to prepare — fresh, tossed, grilled, poached, broiled, but never fried. Simplified eating. We give all these following foods a five star heart rating to potentially help to unclog our arteries.

Oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel etc – Have these at least twice a week. (omega-3 fatty acids protect your heart as they contain certain anti-inflammatory substances which help in preventing inflammation of the arteries).

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Flaxseed – These are rich in alpha linolenic acid, a precursor of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower total and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and thus reduce the risk of heart disease. One can take upto 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed per day — sprinkle it on salads, on yoghurt, or mix it with jaggery and make balls. Ground flaxseed gets rancid very quickly, so store it in the refrigerator and freshly grind just before using. 

Olive oil – For your salad preparations. (Olive oil reduces the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels and thus helps in reducing the risk of heart disease). 

Nuts like walnuts and almonds – These must be included in your diet, but in moderation. They keep your cholesterol levels in check and help raise HDL (high density lipoprotein — the good cholesterol) levels. 

Tomatoes – In salads, or better yet stewed in cooked foods (tomatoes contain lycopene, which reduces the risk of heart disease by preventing blood platelets from sticking together). 

Oatmeal – Cereal at breakfast with low-fat milk or soy milk is excellent (oats contain soluble fibers — beta glucan that reduces LDL cholesterol). 

Fresh fruit – Consume them every day (apples contain quercetin, a phytochemical that prevents the formation of blood clots, fibre and vitamins. All deep-coloured fruits — at least two cups a day — will have the same effect on heart health) 

Whole grains – Breads like pitas, rotis, and whole-wheat rolls are a fiberising must (whole grains lower cholesterol and supply vitamins and antioxidants that may help to regulate blood pressure — a heart helper).

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Deepest green leafy vegetables – Such as spinach and cabbage. These contain folate, a nutrient that reduces homocysteine levels (homocysteine is a molecule that’s a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and strokes). These greens are also rich in Vitamin E. 

Tofu or soy protein – High-quality protein contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals — all the ingredients for a heart-healthy meal. It can also help lower triglycerides, which have been shown to prevent heart attacks. 

Green tea – It’s rich in tea polyphenols which are strong anti-oxidants and have anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea may also reduce the risk of a cardiovascular disease. It’s best to drink green tea without any sugar, milk or cream.

Lack of sleep ‘raises cold risk’

Sleep may be the key to a healthy immune system Sleeping for under seven hours a night greatly raises the risk of catching a cold, US research has suggested. A team from Carnegie Mellon University found the risk was trebled compared with those who slept for eight hours or more a night. It is thought that a lack of sleep impairs the immune system and the body’s ability to fight off the viruses that cause colds and flu. The study appears in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.    The immune system may control the sleep-wake pattern and lack of sleep or sleep disturbance may depress the immune response to infection  Professor Ron Eccles Common Cold Centre Previous research has suggested that people who sleep seven to eight hours a night have the lowest rates of heart disease.However, there has been little direct evidence that getting a good night’s sleep can help ward off a cold. The researchers studied 153 healthy men and women with an average age of 37 between 2000 and 2004. Each was interviewed about their sleeping habits over a two-week period. They were then quarantined and given nasal drops containing rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. For the following five days the volunteers reported any signs and symptoms of illness, and had mucus samples collected from their nasal passages. And 28 days after exposure to the virus, blood samples were taken from each volunteer so tests could be carried out to see if they had developed antibodies to fight infection. Sleep quality The less an individual slept, the more likely they were to develop a cold. The quality of sleep also appeared to be important. Volunteers who spent less than 92% of their time in bed asleep were five-and-a-half times more likely to become ill than those who were asleep for at least 98% of their time in bed. The researchers believe that lack of good quality sleep disturbs regulation of key chemicals produced by the immune system to fight infection. Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre at the University of Cardiff, said sleep and the immune system were closely linked. He said: “The immune system may control the sleep-wake pattern and lack of sleep or sleep disturbance may depress the immune response to infection. “I do believe there is enough information on this to indicate that lack of sleep or sleep disturbance will reduce our resistance to infections such as colds and flu.” Dr Adrian Williams, director of the Sleep Disorders Centre, at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, said the study echoed previous work in animals suggesting sleep had an effect on immunity. Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, agreed that previous research had shown that poor sleep impacts on immunity, but he said there was little data on its effect on specific infections, such as colds and flu.

Eat The Right Food,to be Right

GOLDEN RULE: Food is fuel. Yes, that’s right, the food you consume is akin to the fuel that you use to top up your vehicle. It’s what makes you function, as it does your car or bike. So you gotta make sure that its the best quality, you gotta make sure you don’t run out of it, and you also gotta make sure you fill up only as much as required, not more.

If you can care for your prized car or bike then shouldn’t you do the same for your body? Feed it the best, feed it timely and don’t feed it in excess (friendly warning: try this at home for a beautiful bod).

So what is the right diet for you? Well that really depends on how old you are and what you do for a living. We’ve categorised this section age-wise and that will give you a fair idea whether you are eating right.

Childhood: Today’s kids, use the computer like it was a default tool provided at birth, mobile phones and gaming consoles first, a telephone later and the X-Box is now the cheapest toy they own. One thing is for certain; kids today are far more aware about their surroundings than the last generation and are a major market to explore and that is why most ads are aimed kids or have kids in it. This has led to their callous nature towards health and fitness. Kids who would once go out to play cricket in the gully or football in the field are now playing games or chatting with strangers on the Internet indoors. With increasing health related problems arising in kids like heart problems, diabetes, obesity, anxiety and depression it’s become increasingly important to keep your kids health in check and make sure they eat right. It’s time you take charge of what your kids eat.

Carrots: A must for all kids (Bugs Bunny will be proud of us). Almost every other kid today wears spectacles (evolved homo sapiens without eyesight) thanks to the increased amount of time children spending in front of computers and televisions. Naturally, eye related problems are a common as catching a cold. Carrots contain beta carotene, which improve eye sight. Carrots (A carrot a day keeps the eye doctor away!) can help prevent macular degeneration, which eventually leads to blindness.
Fish: Fish is excellent for your child’s grey cells (nothing fishy about it!). The mineral Zinc is found in fish and shellfish. Studies show that even a minimal deficiency of Zinc impairs thinking and memory and therefore fish in your kid’s diet can will help them in their studies and improves retaining power.
Spinach: This green leaf is a wonder food! (Hail Popeye!) Did you know that spinach contains lots of folic acid? If your body doesn’t have enough folic acid, you will feel depressed. So raise the spirits of your little ones as they need all the energy they can get. Make sure spinach soup is on your daily menu (make Popeye the sailor man proud).
Chicken soup: Chicken Soup (as an appetiser or the main course) fights congestion that comes with a cold. Chicken has an amino acid that thins the mucous lining of the sinuses, thus relieving stuffiness. Remember this the next time your child is suffering with the sniffles.

Teens: That tender age when ‘oh, so sweet’ become the ‘oh, so sexy’. It is also the time when a whole new world of first loves, parties, junk food, beer, cigarettes and everything in between steer you away from a healthy existence. Acne and puberty apart, these really are the best years of your life (remember Wonder Years?) because it is the onset of adulthood. The way you spend these years (and what you eat) will determine the outcome of your later life. So, eating right is as essential as ever when you hit your teens.

Whole-grain and multi-grain crackers and a variety of low-fat cheeses are a healthy snack. Stay away from harmful deep fried items like chips or pakoras and bajjis.
Whole wheat bread with healthy fillings (lean turkey, tuna in water, lettuce, and tomatoes) are a tasty as well as healthy option for lunch.
Colourful fruit like plums, nectarines, bananas, kiwis, or a bowl of juicy mixed berries, oranges and watermelons is a good breakfast option.
Raw vegetables like pre-cut carrots and celery, radishes, raw green beans, cucumber and lettuce should always be kept handy for hunger attacks.
Never skip breakfast. Start the day with wheat or multi-grain cereal with skimmed milk.
Yogurt (plain and flavoured) and buttermilk helps greatly in the summer months.
Chicken Soup and other home made clear soups are an excellent way to end the day. Avoid ready made soups as they contain too much salt and trans fats.

Men: “It’s raining men, Hallelujah…” sing the famous Weather Sisters. And many a desperate woman has prayed for such a phenomenon. But what a turn off the men are low on stamina, with broken backs, have a beer belly and can’t run a 100 metres? Men have a tendency to ignore what they eat and drink even when eating and drinking the right stuff is the most integral part of a healthy life. A must eat for all you men out there is listed below (so while the way to man’s heart is through his tummy, so is the way to a healthy life).

Rice: If you are the kind of guy who moves around a lot doing physical labour, lifting weights (even body building) you must consume rice once daily as it is high on starch and usually an instant source of energy. However, avoid eating rice in the night as it is hard on the digestive system.
Bananas: They are a great portable source of quick energy and are rich in potassium, which is needed to regulate your nerves, your heartbeat and, especially, your blood pressure. Diets rich in potassium and magnesium (which is also found in bananas) can reduce the risk of stroke. But guys, remember bananas are a big no-no at night; they become more harmful than useful.
Oysters: These sea creatures are a must on any red blooded man’s diet. (Don’t forget to check ‘em before you gulp ‘em just in case you get lucky). Oysters are really nutritious and just one of these delivers a full day’s supply of the antioxidant mineral zinc. Zinc is involved in hundreds of body processes, from producing DNA to repairing cells.
Whole Grain: Men, make a note. A diet rich in whole grains provides fibre, vitamins, and minerals are of which are factors for a healthy heart, building muscles, and keeping waistlines small (fat is out, remember).
Broccoli: We know, we know… your least favourite veggie. But trust us, broccoli is helpful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. It’s loaded with Vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and a phytochemical called sulphoraphane, which has strong anticancer (prostate and colon) properties. Still not convinced? Try other cruciferous choices like cabbage, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.

Women: Aah, God’s greatest creation and our favourite naturally! In all shapes and sizes, women fat or thin (what, that’s not politically correct?) need to watch what they eat. Their body structure, energy needs, stamina and over all physical structure is quite the opposite from that of men. Plus, don’t deny it (you can if you want to, who’s going to stop you?) all you women out there really fuss over the way you look, so if not for the sake of good health and perhaps for the sake of good looks, watch what you put into that pretty mouth. Here are some healthy foods you must intake.

Apples: As the cliché goes ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ (sorry Dr. Mc Dreamy, you stand no chance here) so pack an apple into your lunch box because they not only provide instant energy but they contain antioxidants, Quercetin and Vitamin C that help prevent the free radical damage that can lead to breast cancer. Apples also get some of their cancer-fighting power from Pectin. So, instead of giving your Adam the ‘apple’ have one yourself.
Olive Oil: Known for its many wonders, Olive oil is also good for your skin and hair. Apart from being rich in Vitamin E which helps your skin glow it also helps preventing hypertension (usually contributed by the men in your lives). Say sayonara to sun flower oil and make Olive oil your new cooking medium.
Cocoa: Name one woman who doesn’t like chocolate. We bet you can’t. Cocoa is actually good for you. It even has more antioxidant power than tea. The flavours in cocoa can keep your blood platelets from clotting, which may prevent heart attacks. It’s also a known fact that chocolate is the number one aphrodisiac, (best eaten when your men fail) so grab a bar and you’ll never have to fake it again!
Bread, cereals and rice: Breads are of many types ranging from the plain white, wheat, wholegrain, multigrain, fruit to traditional Indian flat breads (chapatis and naans). Bread can increase your protein intake, add fibre to your diet, refill your muscles by supplying quality carbohydrate in addition to healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. The same is with cereal and rice. All of these are high energy food and help women (both home makers and working women) in sustaining long working hours, during their menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Seniors: No one appreciates the importance of a healthy meal more than a person in their golden years. After years of cheating the scale and fooling the vital organs, old age brings with it wisdom (better late than never). So if you are still clueless about why you aren’t as fit as Mr. or Mrs. ‘We are still jawaan’ next door, it’s time you get smart (use your grey cells, not grey hair). Live longer and healthier, but first include these foods in your daily diet.

Diary Products: Your milk drinking days are back. A glass of milk will strengthen your bones. It will help decrease the risk of fractures while it increases the required amount of calcium for your bones (payback time, haha).
Beans: They are one of the healthiest vegetables and are rich in starch and fibre. Beans will provide you with an instant source of energy and will also be easy on your digestive system (we bet that isn’t in the best of conditions now). Fresh beans contain Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, calcium and potassium and are diuretic and may be used to treat diabetes.
Folic Acid: Ensure that you consume foods rich in folic acid. These will help maintain good health as the years roll by. Good sources are green vegetables like palak and brown rice, as well as bread and breakfast cereals, nuts and seeds, sprouts, oranges and grapefruit, liver and other organ meats, and poultry.
Sardines, Eggs, Bread: These are rich in Iron which is an essential nutrient for those over the age 50. Iron helps to keep the haemoglobin stable in your blood.

So much for the Dos, what about some Don’ts? Read on.

Habits you should avoid if you want to live longer and healthier.

No Smoking: You’ve heard it a zillion times before (it’s even printed on the pack, duh?) – Smoking Kills. There, we said it again. Plus, we ask, what is so cool about burning holes in your lungs and paying for it. Not only are cigarettes harmful, they are expensive, they also make you smell like an ashtray. They also come with a lifetime warranty of health problems.
Bye Bye Booze: Alcohol, another sure shot way to spend your life savings on hospital bills. In case you weren’t aware, the heady feeling you get after a drink is really short lived (as you will be too) because reality means getting fat, risking diabetes, heart failure and even liver failure, plus there’s always addiction and alcoholism. Does that say enough?
Farewell to Fats: Put down that packet of chips, you, yes you, who else have we been talking to for so long? Chips and all the other tasty fried foods that make our mouths water are filled with trans fats, the evil behind coronary heart disease. These fats raise bad cholesterol as they are toxic and cannot be digested properly.
Don’t Do Drugs: You’ve really got to be completely out of your mind (or thrown your brains out the window) before you experiment with drugs. These chemical/biological substances not only alter the functioning of your body but they also mess with you mind. Drug addiction causes unimaginable harm. It’s a journey down a lonely bottomless pit filled with vile and disgusting parasites. Recovery from drug addiction is possibly worse; so think once, twice, thrice before going down that road and say NO.

More mobile use may increase cancer risk

Using the mobile phone for a long time may increase risk of cancer, scientists in Britain have warned.

Findings from a six-year research, considered the biggest ever study into mobile phone safety, found a “very slight hint” of increased cases of some type of brain tumours among people using mobiles for more than 10 years, the study says.

The Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme, however, showed no short-term harm to the brain and cells among adults from mobile phone signals or base stations, or from signals used by the emergency services.

The researchers called the results “reassuring”, but stressed that further studies would be needed for the foreseeable future as mobile phone use continues to grow.

Only a small proportion of the research had included adults using mobile phones for longer than a decade, usually the time needed for cancer symptoms to appear, MTHR chairman Professor Lawrie Challis said.

“We cannot rule out the possibility at this stage that cancer could appear in a few years’ time,” he said.

“There is no way we can do that, both because the epidemiological evidence we have is not strong enough to rule it out and because most cancers cannot be detected until 10 years after whatever caused them,” reported the online edition of Daily Mail.

Brit scientists get go ahead to create hybrid embryos

Scientists in Britain have been given the green light in principal to create human-animal embryos created for medical research.

Capping a month-long scientific and ethics review, British regulators said on Thursday that they are prepared to allow the creation of embryos that are part human and part animal for use in medical experiments.

However, approval for scientists to use such embryos will be granted only on a case-by-case basis.

The ruling by the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority, which oversees human embryo research in Britain, means that two previously submitted proposals to create hybrid embryos on hold while the agency considered whether it would even look at them will be evaluated in detail. Decisions on those proposals, widely anticipated to be positive, are expected in November.

The prime goal of the research is to create embryos from which embryonic stem cells that may be medically useful can be extracted. The embryos would be made by injecting human DNA into cow or rabbit eggs whose own DNA has been largely, but not fully, removed.

Until now, scientists making human embryos for research have generally used human eggs from women treated with hormones, a procedure that poses medical risks and so raises ethical concerns.

But opponents have argued that it is no less unethical to create partly human embryos solely to harvest their stem cells, and some opponents have raised the specter of rogue scientists growing the embryos into weird human-animal creatures.

The embryo authority acknowledged those concerns and promised to watch the field closely.

“This is not a total green light for . . . hybrid research, but recognition that this area of research can, with caution and careful scrutiny, be permitted,” the agency said in a statement.

Some organisations vocally opposed such experiments, as did the nation’s chief medical officer, citing a lack of public support. But the British Medical Association and Britain’s major science funders, the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, lobbied hard for a positive ruling, along with several Nobel laureates and others.

Although more than half of British adults recently surveyed said they support research using human embryos, 35 percent support the creation of embryos that are “mostly human and a small amount of animal genetic materials” — the kind of research being proposed for now — and nearly half said they are opposed.

Many expressed concern that the work constitutes meddling with nature and might lead to more troubling experiments. Others said they fear that some hybrid embryos — which scientists call chimeras, after the mythical Greek creature with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and a serpent’s tail — might be transferred to women’s wombs, where they might develop.

British regulations demand that all human embryos used in research be destroyed within 14 days after their creation. Supporters also point to research suggesting that chimeric embryos have little potential to survive beyond the earliest stages of development because of incompatibilities between their human and animal strands of DNA.

Eat organic food, keep diseases at bay

For 10 years scientists put various tomatoes under the scanner/microscope and found that those grown without pesticides have double the level of flavonoids, an antioxidant that protects the body against diseases.

Says nutritionist Ishi Khosla, “The study also says that pesticides are the most probably responsible for killing the amount of antioxidants present in the vegetable. Flavonoids have shown to reduce high blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.”

Organic foodies say that the study seems to be based on a simple rule of thumb.

“If you put poison in your food it will harm you. And without the poison your food will be healthier, “ says Eshwar.

But despite the known benefits of pesticide free food, the concept has not gained enough popularity because it is not available everywhere, and is considered more expensive.

And more over, you don’t have to replace your entire kitchen stock with organic food just starting off with buying organic rice or pulses will benefit you in the long run.

‘Blood pressure’ drugs reduce death risk in diabetes

The largest-ever study of treatments for diabetes has shown that a fixed combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs reduces the risk of death as well as the risk of heart and kidney disease.

The study was coordinated by the George Institute for International Health at the University of Sydney.

Approximately 250 million people are living with diabetes across the world, most of whom will eventually be killed or disabled by the complications of their condition. Kidney disease also affects a large proportion.

Previous research published by the institute has shown that almost three quarters of India’s population is set for an epidemic of diabetes.

A total of 11,140 patients with diabetes from 20 countries worldwide participated in the project that went on for four years and three months. Half of them received daily treatment with a single tablet containing a fixed combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs (perindopril and indapamide) while the other half received matching inactive placebos.

John Chalmers, the author of previous international guidelines for the treatment of high blood pressure and chairman of the study management group, said: “The results clearly demonstrate that we have the tools to blunt the impact of the global diabetes epidemic facing rich and poor countries alike.”

Nikhil Tandon from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who played a key role in the investigation said: “The advance study is the largest clinical trial ever performed in patients with Type 2 diabetes, with over 11,000 patients worldwide, and will provide important information for India about the effects of blood pressure lowering in a broad cross-section of high-risk individuals with Type 2 diabetes. This is important as India is estimated to have 30-35 million people with diabetes.”

Anushka Patel, study director from The George Institute, said: “In absolute terms, one death would be avoided for every 79 patients treated with the fixed combination of perindopril and indapamide for five years. The risk of coronary heart disease events was reduced by 14 percent and the risk of new or worsening kidney disease was reduced by 21 percent.”