The authors suggest that replacing free sugars with non-free sugars – mostly those naturally occurring in whole fruits and vegetables – and a higher fibre intake, may help protect against cardiovascular disease.
An increased diet of free sugars – both added sugars and those found naturally in honey and fruit juice linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study. The findings support the global dietary recommendation to limit free sugar consumption to less than 5 per cent of total daily energy consumption.
The findings of the study were published in BMC Medicine.
Rebecca Kelly and colleagues analysed data from 110,497 individuals from the UK Biobank who had completed at least two dietary assessments. The researchers tracked individuals for around 9.4 years and during this time, total cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke combined), heart disease, and stroke occurred in 4,188, 3,138, and 1,124 participants, respectively.
The authors found total carbohydrate intake was not associated with cardiovascular disease outcomes. However, when looking at the types and sources of carbohydrates consumed, they found that higher free sugar intake from foods such as sugary drinks, fruit juice and sweets, was associated with increased risk of all cardiovascular disease outcomes. For each 5% higher total energy from free sugars, the associated risk of total cardiovascular disease was 7% higher. The authors found that the risk of heart disease was 6% higher, while the risk of stroke was 10% higher. Additionally, consuming five grams higher fibre per day was associated with 4% lower risk of total cardiovascular disease, but this association did not remain significant after accounting for body mass index (BMI).
The authors suggest that replacing free sugars with non-free sugars – mostly those naturally occurring in whole fruits and vegetables – and a higher fibre intake, may help protect against cardiovascular disease.
Vaccines that provide long-lasting protection against influenza, coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are difficult to develop. New study, explore the challenges and outline approaches to improved vaccines.
Vaccines that provide long-lasting protection against influenza, coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are difficult to develop. In a new review article in Cell Host & Microbe, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH, explore the challenges and outline approaches to improved vaccines. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., former NIAID director, is an author along with Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., PhD, and David M. Morens, M.D.
Unlike the respiratory viruses that cause measles, mumps and rubella — for which vaccination or recovery from illness provides decades-long protection against future infection — flu, RSV, SARS-CoV-2 and ‘common cold’ coronaviruses share several characteristics that enable them to cause repeated re-infections. These include very short incubation periods, rapid host-to-host transmission and replication in the nasal mucosa rather than throughout the body. This last feature — non-systemic replication — means these viruses do not stimulate the full force of the adaptive immune response, which typically takes a week or more to mount.
A next generation of improved vaccines for mucosa-replicating viruses will require advances in understanding on several fronts, the authors say. For instance, more must be learned about interactions between flu viruses, coronaviruses and RSV and the components of the immune response that operate largely or exclusively in the upper respiratory system. Over time, these interactions have evolved and led to ‘immune tolerance’, wherein the human host tolerates transient, limited infections by viruses that are generally non-lethal to avoid the destructive consequences of an all-out immune system attack.
The authors note that mucosal immunization appears to be an optimal route of vaccination for the viruses of interest, when feasible. However, to develop useful mucosal vaccines, significant knowledge gaps must be filled including finding ideal vaccine formulations; determining dosage size, frequency and timing; and developing techniques for overcoming immune tolerance.
The NIAID authors urge fellow researchers to ‘think outside the box’ to make strides toward vaccines that can elicit durable protection against these viruses of considerable public health impact. They conclude, “we are excited and invigorated that many investigators…are rethinking, from the ground up, all of our past assumptions and approaches to preventing important respiratory viral diseases and working to find bold new paths forward.”
According to government data, nearly 4.5 crore people in India have been infected with COVID-19 so far. However, the study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID) estimated that the actual coronavirus cases in the country may be between 58 to 98 crores.
The actual COVID-19 infections in India may be around 17 times higher than the official figure, a study led by researchers at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) suggests. According to government data, nearly 4.5 crore people in India have been infected with COVID-19 so far. However, the study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID) estimated that the actual coronavirus cases in the country may be between 58 to 98 crores.
The research “has shown that the actual corona infection in India was at least 17 times higher,” according to a statement by BHU.
“The discrepancy observed in our study is due to the overwhelming number of asymptomatic people, which was several-fold higher than the true official infection,” said BHU geneticist Professor Gyaneshwer Chaubey.
“Asymptomatic cases were more inclined towards the younger population,” Chaubey, who led the study, told PTI.
The study involved 88 scientists from 34 research institutes across the country.
The team conducted serosurvey (antibody testing) among 2,301 individuals in urban areas of fourteen Indian districts in six states during the month of September-December 2020.
The most striking aspect of this study was that a large proportion of the Indian population was asymptomatic for COVID infection and the age group 26-35 had the maximum number of asymptomatic people, the researchers said.
The team conducted the research among a large number of people — street vendors — living in urban areas from fourteen Indian districts who are most at risk of corona infection.
“For the first time, we have used a novel approach to estimate the frequency of people infected in a certain geographical region,” said BHU’s Prajjval Pratap Singh, the study’s first author.
Samples were taken of only those people who self-reported that they never had any Covid symptoms or positive RT PCR test.
The minimum proportion of antibody-positive people was observed in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh (2 per cent), while the maximum proportion of antibody-positive persons was found in Ghazipur district (47 per cent) of Uttar Pradesh.
The research also revealed that the cases reported by the government were several times lower than the actual incidence of infection.
Through mathematical calculations, it was estimated that the actual corona cases in India are between 58 to 98 crores, the researchers said.
“The extensive serosurveillance has enabled us to have a clear picture rather than antigen testing or RT-PCR test,” said Professor VN Mishra from BHU, who led the medical testing in the study.
India on Wednesday recorded 96 fresh COVID-19 cases, while the number of active cases increased to 1,785, according to Union health ministry data.
With the new cases, the total tally stands at 4.46 crore (4,46,83,639). The death toll increased to 5,30,746 with one death reported from Uttara pardesh the data stated.
Currently, stroke cases are rising at a rapid rate in India and it is commonly seen in elderly people but there are rare instances of youngsters getting affected too. Did you know that mechanical thrombectomy can be helpful to recover from a stroke?
A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is reduced or interrupted so, health experts recommend B.E.F.A.S.T (Balance Loss, Eyesight Blurring or Loss, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time) treatment within the golden hour of the stroke to recover without any severe complications. Currently, stroke cases are rising at a rapid rate in the country where stroke is commonly seen in elderly people but there are rare instances of youngsters getting affected too.
Moreover, it can lead to higher mortality and morbidity rates all over the world but did you know that mechanical thrombectomy can be helpful to recover from a stroke? In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Pavan Pai, Consultant Interventional Neurologist at Wockhardt Hospital on Mira Road, explained, “Mechanical Thrombectomy is a type of interventional procedure that is extremely beneficial for stroke patients. This procedure will help to remove a blood clot from the artery that supplies blood to the brain. Speak to your doctor about it. Remember that timely intervention is beneficial for stroke patients.”
Highlighting that a stroke can affect the mobility of the patient, he elaborated, “Many patients get paralysed after a stroke. If an emergency like a brain stroke occurs, know that in a large artery occlusion after IV thrombolysis within window period of 4.5 hours or when a TPA cannot be opted for due to recent surgery or outside window period situation then mechanical thrombectomy is a safe option that is preferred by the Doctors. Put in simple words, mechanical thrombectomy is one of the safest options to manage brain stroke by removing clots that clog the arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the brain. Thus, this procedure is helpful for patients with acute ischemic stroke i.e. brain stroke victims as the brain does not get blood supply as required. Are you aware? The blood vessels in the brain become narrow because of the fats or plaque.”
He advised, “Diagnostic techniques such as CT or MRI scans can help to know about the blockage of the artery and then only the doctor will be able to decide if the patient is fit to undergo, mechanical thrombectomy. For good clinical outcomes Mechanical thrombectomy has to be done within 6 hours of the onset of a stroke in front arteries and upto 12 hours in arteries supplying back of the brain. In certain situations it can be done upto 24 hours. This process means recanalization or re-opening and restoration of normal blood flow which is done via groin or wrist arteries.”
Dr Pavan Pai revealed, “During this procedure, an aspiration catheter or stent retriever or sometimes both are advanced into the site of the occlusion. There is X-ray imaging is used to check if the stent goes past the clot, clears the clot, and resumes the blood flow. The hospitals should be well-equipped to perform this procedure under the guidance of a skilled expert. The impact of this surgery is immediate and many patients become disability free after the procedure. Those who don’t show immediate recovery show better functionality at the end of 3 months than their counterparts who hadn’t undergone the procedure in the window period initially.”
Covid cases are declining across the country with daily and weekly positivity recorded at 0.08%.
India has reported 109 new covid cases in the last 24 hours, with active cases declining to 1,781, the union health ministry data on Thursday showed. ‘
The total number of covid cases has reached 4.47 crore, and covid related deaths stood at 530,748 since the onset of covid pandemic.
Covid cases are declining across the country with daily and weekly positivity recorded at 0.08%.
Karnataka reported 108 active cases while Kerala has 1218 active cases. Maharashtra has 83 active cases, Odisha 88 cases, Rajasthan 10 cases, Tamil Nadu 36 active cases, Uttar Pradesh 16 and West Bengal 43 cases.
Around 4,41,51,219 people have recovered from the infection with the current recovery rate touching 98.81%.
With the rapid decline in the trajectory of covid cases, scientists believe that Omicron and its sub-lineages will not affect India as large number of populations is already exposed to the virus and vaccinated. Scientists say that people in India have developed hybrid immunity (due to vaccination and natural infection). However, they suggest people wear masks in crowded places and complete their vaccination doses if not done yet.
At present, large number of cases are being reported in China and other countries as a result of which the government has tightened covid preparedness measures. The government has directed the INSACOG under the supervision of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to keep a close watch on covid situation in the country and continue to do constant genome sequencing to track any new variant.
The government is conducting RT-PCR testing for people returning from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea and mandated the filling up of ‘Air Suvidha’ forms for travelers from six countries under which 72-hour prior RT-PCR testing is compulsory.
The country has conducted over 1,41,248 tests in the last 24 hours taking the total trajectory of covid testing to 91.67 crore so far.
Under the covid vaccination drive, more than 220.61 crore vaccine doses have been administered to the people across the country so far. In the last 24 hours, around 1,13,507 vaccine doses were administered.
Besides, surveillance at the hospital level is also going on to monitor lnfluenza-like illness (lLl) & SARI cases.
While there is not yet any clear evidence between microplastics and serious illnesses, researchers are increasingly concerned over their long-term effects on our bodies.
Taking a swig from your plastic water bottle will do more than slake your thirst — you will also be gulping down an unhealthy dose of microplastics — tiny plastic particles measuring less than 5mm. Being plastic, these particles do not decompose all that easily and will accumulate over time in our bodies — a process called bioaccumulation.
While there is not yet any clear evidence between microplastics and serious illnesses, researchers are increasingly concerned over their long-term effects on our bodies.
Key to this concern are the chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics, some of which have already been linked to serious diseases.
The presence of microplastics in human stool suggests we are exposed to microplastics in our daily lives.
They have found their way into the food chain, raising concerns about food safety.
They are also present in bottled water globally.
Studies investigating microplastics in bottled water have reported particle sizes of less than 1mm in most, released from the bottle material, the bottleneck and the cap.
The colour of the particles coming from the bottle material itself is transparent while those originating from the caps are either blue or green.
The highest detected plastics polymer is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is used to manufacture both the bottle material and cap.
Studies also provide evidence that microplastic in bottled water is due to multiple factors such as physical stress during transport, bottle shaking and high-pressure water injection into the bottles at the production plants.
Additionally, thermal impact during storage also worsens the fragmentation process.
Reusable PET water bottles have higher microplastic particles than single-use PET bottles.
Frequent opening and closing of the bottles also cause more particles to be formed due to friction.
The critical question remains unanswered: to what extent do microplastic particles found in bottled water threaten human health?
Researchers have developed a number of hypotheses on both the physical and chemical hazards.
No published study has directly studied the impact of plastic particles on humans.
The only existing research relies on laboratory tests that expose cells or human tissues to microplastics or those that employ rodents.
According to the World Health Organisation, only microplastics with particle sizes smaller than 1.5 μm (1.5 micrometres) can be ingested or absorbed due to their solubility and excreted directly.
Thus ingested microplastic particles (<1.5 μm) from bottled water are capable of migrating through the intestinal wall and reaching various body tissues, including the gut, liver and lymph nodes.
Minute particles (<1.5 μm) which enter cells or tissues might irritate just by being a foreign presence causing lung tissue inflammation which could lead to cancer.
The accumulation of these particles in human tissues has been linked with chemical toxicity.
Compounds such as plasticisers, stabilisers and pigments used in the production can be released by microplastics and travel through our bodies in the bloodstream.
These chemicals have been linked to health problems such as inflammation, genotoxicity, oxidative stress and damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
Chemicals released from bottled water packaging materials are now known as emerging pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that can cause serious health problems including cancer and developmental defects.
The long-term effects of microplastics exposure on human health are not yet fully understood and research is progressing.
But it is clear they are a potential hazard and steps should be taken to limit our exposure to them in daily life.
In the event you use bottled water as your primary source of drinking water, you should make an effort to minimise the shaking movements of the bottles and also unnecessarily opening and closing the bottle.
And it is not recommended to reuse plastic water bottles.
Reuse increases the rate of inner surface abrasion, releasing additional microplastic particles from the inner surface of the bottle.
It is also essential to store bottles in a cool and dry place to minimise their exposure to heat and sunlight. Sunlight can accelerate bottle degradation — they become more brittle and fragile — which leads to more microplastic particle release.
Additionally, the heat also causes these PET bottles to leach chemical pollutants such as plasticisers which can contaminate the water.
These chemicals, such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are harmful to human health if consumed in large amounts.
Multivitamins and minerals, probiotics and prebiotics and other botanical compounds and herbs can help in achieving a balanced intake of essential nutrients. Here’s how these supplements can help ward off common diseases and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Insufficiencies in nutrition and nutritional deficiencies are universal issues that have a deleterious impact on health and well-being however, a variety of ailments that are now ubiquitous can be prevented by taking supplements as they are a great way to ensure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs to improve your diet and fend off common diseases. Incorporating a well-balanced diet along with the use of supplements are preventative measures that can lower your risk of developing various health problems.
Therefore, multivitamins and minerals, probiotics and prebiotics, and other botanical compounds and herbs can help in achieving a balanced intake of essential nutrients. Let’s discuss how these supplements can help ward off common diseases and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Probiotics and prebiotics (microbes) for digestive health
Probiotics (microbes) are widely consumed dietary supplements for the purpose of promoting healthy digestion and improving the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. Good bacteria have the ability to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and maintain a healthy digestive system.
One can include prebiotics in their diet to curb digestive issues, as probiotics and prebiotics provide the good bacteria with food that helps them grow and thrive in the gut.
Multivitamins and minerals for malabsorption
In addition to probiotics and prebiotics, multivitamins and mineral supplements are extensively beneficial, as the body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function properly. For those with malabsorption or difficulty absorbing nutrients, multivitamins provide an excellent way to ensure one is receiving the essential nutrients needed.
In this regard, salient multivitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B-complex and folic acid, along with other vitamins and minerals (including beta-carotene, copper, potassium, zinc, calcium, iodine and iron), are beneficial, as they help support healthy organ functioning, provide energy and regulate the immune system. Therefore, for those with malabsorption, taking a multivitamin supplement can help ensure that they are receiving the necessary nutrients and vitamins to maintain good health.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Yogini Patil, BAMS and Nutritionist at LivLong, shared, “People who suffer greatly from malabsorption can benefit from adding supplements to their diets. If we talk in brief about why malabsorption occurs, it is caused by digestive issues such as colitis, gastritis, IBS, and IBD, among others. Therefore, adding supplements for those who suffer from malabsorption can be beneficial, as they provide essential nutrients to the body without any further burden on the digestive system.”
She added, “Supplements containing herbs and botanical compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can boost the immune system and protect it against infectious agents. Ultimately, people can greatly benefit from dietary supplements, which are an excellent way to avoid nutrient deficiencies and support the immune system while ensuring that the digestive system is not overburdened.”
Botanical compounds and herbs for immunity
Combining a multivitamin supplement with botanical compounds and herbs is a great way to support the body’s immune system. One can incorporate herbs and botanical compounds like echinacea, ginger, caffeine, and curcumin to reduce inflammation and facilitate the body’s immune system.
To elaborate on specific botanical herbs and compounds, echinacea can be used to boost the immune system, ginger can help reduce inflammation, caffeine has antioxidant and energy-boosting properties and curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Kamayani Naresh, Health Expert and Founder of Zyropathy, revealed, “With a hectic lifestyle and sedentary habits, it becomes burdensome to meet nutrient requirements thus, supplements are an excellent way to avoid deficiencies and support the immune system.”
Believing that it is crucial to incorporate supplements into our diet regimen as sometimes we are unable to reap proper nutrients from our food, he said, “While it is mandatory to focus on eating whole foods and maintaining a balanced diet, supplements can be an integral player in improving our overall health routine. In the end, supplements are a great way to prevent nutrient deficiencies, support the immune system and keep the digestive system from becoming overworked.”
World Cancer Day 2023: While low grade tumours spread slowly, high-grade malignancies are aggressive and necessitate immediate treatment to prevent disease from spreading to other parts of the body. All you want to know.
Cancer is caused by changes to our genes that control the way our cells function. Genetics, environmental factors, lifestyle factors can all affect your chances of having cancer. Some cancers are inherited which means you may be born with a predisposition to cancer. However, most of the cancers occur due to environmental and lifestyle reasons. Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells and the healthy body function is maintained with old cells dying and new cells replacing them. However, in case of cancer, the DNA of a cell gets damaged and there are too many of such abnormal cells which are beyond immune system’s control. These abnormal cells form tumour and in many cases they spread to other body parts if not treated. Some of the cancers are fast growing or high grade, others are slow growing or low grade. Cancer cells that have more genetic damage grow faster than those will less damage.
Stages of cancer
While low grade tumours spread slowly, high-grade malignancies are aggressive and necessitate immediate treatment to prevent disease from spreading to other parts of the body.
“Cancer is a broad category of disorders that all have one thing in common: they all occur when normal cells transform into cancer cells that multiply and spread. For most malignancies, the stage is a Roman numeral ranging from I to IV, with IV being the most advanced and indicating that cancer has spread. Stages are sometimes further classified by letters such as A and B,” says Dr Anil Kumar MD (Internal Medicine) (PGIMER), DM (Medical Oncology and Hematology), Consultant Medical Oncologist, Jindal Naturecure Institute, Bangalore.
Difference between high-grade and low-grade cancer
Cancer cells that look like healthy cells and tissue are low grade tumours while those that look abnormal in appearance are high grade; they spread more rapidly.
Cancer cells in high-grade (poorly differentiated) tumours seem considerably different from normal cells. High-grade malignancies typically have a good response to therapy due to high cell multiplication rate than low-grade tumours and necessitate immediate treatment to prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the body. In contrast, cancer cells in low-grade (well-differentiated) tumours resemble cells in normal tissue. In general, these tumours spread slowly. Most cancer grades are based on how aberrant the cancer cells appear under a microscope. This is known as differentiation,” adds Dr Anil.
Symptoms
“The grade is significant because tumours with more abnormal-looking cells develop and spread more quickly. Painless lump, change in bowel habits or blood in stools, constipation, non-healing ulcer, bloody nipple discharge, excessive bleeding per vagina, change in voice, difficulty swallowing, foreign body sensation in the throat, change in the appearance of a mole, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight changes are the most common symptoms of both types of cancer,” says Dr Anil.
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Screening is one way, while early diagnosis is another. It is defined as the presumed detection of undetected disease in a population of persons who appear healthy and asymptomatic utilising tests, examinations, or other methods that may be provided to the target population rapidly and cheaply.
“A screening programme must involve the full screening process, from inviting the target group to providing access to effective care for those who are diagnosed with the disease. Cancer screening tests can help in the early detection of the disease, which raises the likelihood of a successful course of treatment,” adds the expert.
Scientists have developed a new biomaterial that can be injected intravenously, reduces inflammation in tissue and that could be used to repair the damage to cardiac tissue resulting from a heart attack.
Scientists have developed a new biomaterial that can be injected intravenously, reduces inflammation in tissue and that could be used to repair the damage to cardiac tissue resulting from a heart attack. The researchers at the University of California (UC) San Diego, US, also provided proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial could be beneficial to patients with traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension, the study said. The biomaterial was tested and proven effective in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both rodent and large animal models, according to the study.
“This biomaterial allows for treating damaged tissue from the inside out,” said Karen Christman, a professor at UC San Diego, and the lead researcher on the team that developed the material.
“It’s a new approach to regenerative engineering,” said Christman.
A study on the safety and efficacy of the biomaterial in human subjects could start within one to two years, Christman said.
The study is published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.
After a heart attack, scar tissue develops, which diminishes muscle function and can lead to congestive heart failure. There is no established treatment for repairing the resulting damage to cardiac tissue that follows a heart attack.
“Coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure continue to be the most burdensome public health problems affecting our society today,” said Dr. Ryan R. Reeves, a physician in the UC San Diego Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.
“As an interventional cardiologist, who treats patients with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure on a daily basis, I would love to have another therapy to improve patient outcomes and reduce debilitating symptoms,” said Reeves.
The team wanted to develop a treatment that could be administered immediately after a heart attack. This meant developing a biomaterial that could be infused into a blood vessel in the heart at the same time as other treatments such as angioplasty or a stent, or injected intravenously, the study said.
“We sought to design a biomaterial therapy that could be delivered to difficult-to-access organs and tissues, and we came up with the method to take advantage of the bloodstream – the vessels that already supply blood to these organs and tissues,” said Martin Spang, the paper’s first author.
According to the study, one advantage of the new biomaterial is that it gets evenly distributed throughout damaged tissue, because it is infused or injected intravenously.
Researchers in Christman’s lab started with the hydrogel they developed, which was proven to be compatible with blood injections as part of safety trials. But the particle size in the hydrogel was too big to target leaky blood vessels, the study said.
Spang, then a PhD student in Christman’s lab, solved this issue by putting the liquid precursor of the hydrogel through a centrifuge, which allowed for sifting out bigger particles and keeping only nano-sized particles, the study said.
The resulting material was put through dialysis and sterile filtering before being freeze dried. Adding sterile water to the final powder results in a biomaterial that can be injected intravenously or infused into a coronary artery in the heart, the study said.
Researchers then tested the biomaterial on a rodent model of heart attacks. They expected the material to pass through the blood vessels and into the tissue because gaps develop between endothelial cells in blood vessels after a heart attack, the study said.
But something else happened.
The biomaterial bound to those cells, closing the gaps and accelerating healing of the blood vessels, reducing inflammation as a result. Researchers tested the biomaterial in a porcine model of heart attack as well, with similar results, the study said.
The team also successfully tested the hypothesis that the same biomaterial could help target other types of inflammation in rat models of traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Christman’s lab will undertake several preclinical studies for these conditions, the study said.
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and for the uninitiated, glaucoma may cause visual impairment due to optic nerve dysfunction, which is essential for communication between the brain and the eyes however, Ayurvedic experts believe that with the aid of Ayurveda, this serious issue can be stopped from worsening and there are increased chances of curing the long-term illness. As per some experts, Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicine system, offers various simple remedies to maintain healthy eyes.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Mahendar Singh Basu, Ayurvedic Eye Specialist and Founder of Dr. Basu Eye Hospital, shared, “According to Ayurveda, you should gently wash your eyes in the morning with cold water while holding some water in your mouth. You might also use rosewater or gulaab-jal, which is known to have cooling effects. Additionally, medicated ghee can be applied to the eyes in Netra Basti, an ayurvedic therapy. To perform this remedy, you need to lie down, and when a dough structure resembling a well is created around the eye, pour the ghee on top of it. Your eyes’ toxins will be removed by doing it.”
He added, “Tratak Karma, a meditation in front of a candle in a dark room or gazing at a point for a short duration, improves your vision. The tratak method is beneficial in treating a variety of eye ailments by eliminating dullness and a sluggish demeanour, according to ancient Ayurvedic teachings. You can also use cucumber cotton pads soaked with fresh goat’s milk to cool eye patches. When put on top of the eyes, it has a cooling effect and refreshes them completely. Moreover, Triphala, a potent herb concoction that combines three fruits – Amla, Bhibitaki and Haritaki is recommended by Ayurveda to cure Glaucoma. It can be applied through eye drops or ingested, and it helps in reducing eye strain, redness and swelling.”
Asserting that Ayurveda aims to manage health concerns from their root, Dr Yogini Patil, BAMS and Nutritionist at LivLong, insisted that while this may take considerable time to show results, the effect is long-lasting and comprehensively rejuvenating. She suggested:
● Applications of “PratimarshNasya” daily (the procedure in which medicines are applied through the nasal cavity) cleanses shirostrotas thus preventing eye diseases.
● “PadaAbhyanga” or foot massage with herbal oils is beneficial for good vision and eye health.
● Daily application of “NetraAnjan” (medicated kajal) as a “dincharya” is the best ophthalmic medicine to prevent eye diseases.
● Eating foods rich in Vitamin A such as carrots and leafy greens is also beneficial for maintaining healthy eyes.
● Practicing yoga asanas such as Shirshasana and Trataka can also improve eyesight and reduce stress on the eyes.
● A good, balanced mental status and 6-8 hours of sound sleep is the key to better eye health.
Note: It is always essential to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner before indulging in any new treatment regimen.
