Tag: #Medical

Why we should not reuse plastic water bottles

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date February 8, 2023
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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.

New biomaterial may repair tissue damage from heart attack

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date February 1, 2023
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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.

Ayurvedic remedies to improve eye health

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 31, 2023
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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.

Practising gratitude can help you reduce stress: Research

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 28, 2023
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Gratitude has a special stress-buffering effect on responses to and recovery from acute psychological stress, which can help to enhance cardiovascular health, according to a study done by researchers from Irish universities with 68 adults.

Researchers from Irish institutions discovered that gratitude has a unique stress-buffering effect on both reactions to and recovery from acute psychological stress, which can contribute to better cardiovascular health. Knowing that stress affects humans and has an impact on their health and well being, specifically causing high blood pressure and increasing cardiovascular morbidity and coronary heart disease, it is critical to understand our reactions to stress and determine whether there are any factors that can play key stress-buffering roles.

In the article “Gratitude, affect balance, and stress buffering: A growth curve examination of cardiovascular responses to a laboratory stress task”, published in January in the Journal of Psychophysiology, Brian Leavy, Brenda H. O’Connell and Deirdre O’Shea propose that, although previous research suggest that gratitude and affect-balance play key stress-buffering roles, to date little has been known about the impact of these variables on cardiovascular recovery from acute psychological stress.

That was the focus of the study by the researchers from the Universities of Maynooth and Limerick in Ireland, who also sought to find out whether affect balance moderates the relationship between gratitude and cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress.

The research carried out at the Irish University of Maynooth involved 68 undergraduate students (24 male and 44 female), aged between 18 and 57 years. This study used a within-subjects experimental design with lab tasks in which stress was induced to participants and then cardiovascular reactivity and recovery in response to this was measured.

The results showed that state gratitude predicted lower systolic blood pressure responses throughout the stress-testing period, which means that the state of gratitude has a unique stress-buffering effect on both reactions to and recovery from acute psychological stress. It was also found that affect balance amplifies the effects of state gratitude.

These findings have clinical utility as there are several low-cost gratitude interventions which can contribute to well-being (Wood et al., 2010). For example, previous research has shown how cardiac patients who make use of gratitude journals have better cardiovascular outcomes than those who do not (Redwine et al., 2016).

Combined with the results of this study and previous work, gratitude may thus constitute a useful point of intervention for the improvement of our cardiovascular health.

High fat diet could reduce ability to regulate food intake: Study

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 27, 2023
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Understanding the brain’s role and the complex mechanisms that lead to overeating, a behaviour that can lead to weight gain and obesity, could help develop therapies to treat it.

Regularly eating a high-fat/calorie diet could reduce the brain’s ability to regulate calorie intake. New research in rats found that after short periods of being fed a high-fat/high-calorie diet, the brain adapts to react to what is being ingested and reduces the amount of food eaten to balance calorie intake.

The researchers from Penn State College of Medicine, US, suggest that calorie intake is regulated in the short-term by cells called astrocytes (large star-shaped cells in the brain that regulate many different functions of neurons in the brain) that control the signalling pathway between the brain and the gut. Continuously eating a high-fat/calorie diet seems to disrupt this signalling pathway. The study was published in The Journal of Physiology.

Understanding the brain’s role and the complex mechanisms that lead to overeating, a behaviour that can lead to weight gain and obesity, could help develop therapies to treat it. Obesity is a global public health concern associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. In England, 63 per cent of adults are considered above a healthy weight and around half of these are living with obesity. One in three children leaving primary school is overweight or obese1.

Dr Kirsteen Browning, Penn State College of Medicine, US, said,

“Calorie intake seems to be regulated in the short-term by astrocytes. We found that a brief exposure (three to five days) of a high fat/calorie diet has the greatest effect on astrocytes, triggering the normal signalling pathway to control the stomach. Over time, astrocytes seem to desensitise to high-fat food. Around 10-14 days of eating a high fat/calorie diet, astrocytes seem to fail to react and the brain’s ability to regulate calorie intake seems to be lost. This disrupts the signalling to the stomach and delays how it empties.”

Astrocytes initially react when high-fat/calorie food is ingested. Their activation triggers the release of gliotransmitters, chemicals (including glutamate and ATP) that excite nerve cells and enable normal signalling pathways to stimulate neurons that control how the stomach works. This ensures the stomach contracts correctly to fill and empty in response to food passing through the digestive system. When astrocytes are inhibited, the cascade is disrupted. The decrease in signalling chemicals leads to a delay in digestion because the stomach doesn’t fill and empty appropriately.

The vigorous investigation used behavioural observation to monitor food intake in rats (N=205, 133 males, 72 females) which were fed a control or high fat/calorie diet for one, three, five or 14 days. This was combined with pharmacological and specialist genetic approaches (both in vivo and in vitro) to target distinct neural circuits. Enabling the researchers to specifically inhibit astrocytes in a particular region of the brainstem (the posterior part of the brain that connects the brain to the spinal cord), so they could assess how individual neurons behaved to studying rats’ behaviour when awake. (ANI)

Human studies will need to be carried out to confirm if the same mechanism occurs in humans. If this is the case, further testing will be required to assess if the mechanism could be safely targeted without disrupting other neural pathways.

The researchers have plans to further explore the mechanism. Dr Kirsteen Browning said,

“We have yet to find out whether the loss of astrocyte activity and the signalling mechanism is the cause of overeating or that it occurs in response to the overeating. We are eager to find out whether it is possible to reactivate the brain’s apparent lost ability to regulate calorie intake. If this is the case, it could lead to interventions to help restore calorie regulation in humans.”

Male and female hearts respond differently to stress hormone: Study

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 24, 2023
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Male and female hearts react differently to the stress hormone noradrenaline, according to a recent study published in Science Advances.

Male and female hearts react differently to the stress hormone noradrenaline, according to a recent study published in Science Advances. The research on mice may have ramifications for human heart conditions like arrhythmias and heart failure as well as how various sexes react to certain drugs.

The team built a new type of fluorescence imaging system that allows them to use light to see how a mouse heart responds to hormones and neurotransmitters in real-time. The mice were exposed to noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine. Noradrenaline is both a neurotransmitter and hormone associated with the body’s “fight or flight” response.

The results reveal that male and female mouse hearts respond uniformly at first after exposure to noradrenaline. However, some areas of the female heart return to normal more quickly than the male heart, which produces differences in the heart’s electrical activity.

“The differences in electrical activity that we observed are called repolarization in the female hearts. Repolarization refers to how the heart resets between each heartbeat and is closely linked to some types of arrhythmias,” said Jessica L. Caldwell, first author of the study. Caldwell is a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology.

“We know that there are sex differences in the risk for certain types of arrhythmias. The study reveals a new factor that may contribute to different arrhythmia susceptibility between men and women,” Caldwell said.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It accounted for about 1 in every 4 male deaths and 1 in every 5 female deaths in 2020. Despite the impact on both sexes, cardiology research has largely been performed on male subjects.

In this study, the researchers were interested in looking at factors that may contribute to arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are a type of heart disorder where the electrical impulses that control heartbeats don’t function properly. They affect somewhere between 1.5% to 5% of the population.

The researchers had not planned to study sex-based responses, according to Crystal M. Ripplinger, senior author of the study. But the researchers started seeing a pattern of different reactions, which led them to realize the differences were sex-based.

Ripplinger, an electrical and biomedical engineer, is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology. When she started her lab at the UC Davis School of Medicine over a decade ago, she exclusively used male animals. That was the norm for most research at the time. But several years ago, she began including male and female animals in her studies.

“Sometimes the data between the two sexes is the same. But if the data start to show variation, the first thing we do is look at sex differences. Using both male and female mice has revealed clues into differences we would never have suspected. Researchers are realizing you can’t extrapolate to both sexes from only studying one,” Ripplinger said.

She notes that with the current study, it’s not clear what the differences in cAMP and electrical activity may mean. “The response in the female mice may be protective — or it may not. But simply documenting that there is a measurable difference in the response to a stress hormone is significant. We are hoping to learn more in future studies,” Ripplinger said.

Panic attack: 3 tips to help someone who’s having a panic attack

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 23, 2023
1 Comment on Panic attack: 3 tips to help someone who’s having a panic attack

Panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and have a significant impact on daily life. If you know someone who experiences frequent panic attacks, here are some tips to help them during an episode.

A panic attack is a sudden and unexpected episode of intense fear or anxiety that can lead to physical as well as emotional discomfort. One having panic attack may feel they are going to die or have a heart attack. However, one experiencing it does not realise at that time that it’s not actually life threatening. Panic attacks have certain triggers and research suggests that it is your body’s natural fight-or-flight response to danger. A racing heartbeat, sweating, trembling, difficulty breathing, stomach cramps, dizziness, nausea or choking sensation are the common symptoms of panic attacks. One must get to the root of their panic attack and get in touch with an expert as it can affect one’s quality of life severely.

While a person tends to lose control during a panic attack and feels that all the physical symptoms are real, their near and dear ones can help them deal with it with the help of certain tips. Nutritionist Lovneet Batra in her recent Instagram post offered useful suggestions to help someone who’s having a panic attack.

“Panic attacks are sudden, intense surges of fear, panic, or anxiety. They are often extremely overwhelming, and they have physical as well as emotional symptoms. Panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and have a significant impact on your daily life. Due to the extreme nature of the symptoms, it is important to understand how to react and help when someone undergoes a panic attack, as they may feel as if they are dying during an episode. However, if a person present around them is able to help them, they might feel a little better or understood. Certain strategies and methods can help alleviate panic, ease the situation, and even stop the symptoms from getting worse. Each one of us must know how to react and offer help in such situations,” says Lovneet Batra.

If you know someone who experiences panic attacks, guide them with things you can do (and avoid doing) to help them at the moment.

“Many people hesitate in helping someone facing panic attacks mostly because they don’t know what to do and they fear making the situation even worse,” says Batra.

She shared the three things that can be helpful in such situations:

Give them water

Water has calming effect. In fact, drinking cold water triggers parasympathetic nervous system to keep a person calm. What can also be helpful is physical contact with water. So, either, keeping a person’s hand or feet in water or giving them cold water to put on the face around the neck that can help easing the anxiety.

Ask if they need to sit

Help them find a comfortable chair. Let them sit as this can have a literal grounding effect that can be healing and that can be calming for their anxiety.

Use grounding technique

A grounding technique uses all five senses in calming a person. A very common grounding technique is 5-4-3-2-1 where you can ask a person to list five things they see, four things they can touch, three things they hear, two things they can smell and one thing they can taste. This in fact helps in focussing their thoughts in those questions and helps you release anxiety.

Union Budget 2023-24: Govt needs to continue strengthening healthcare infrastructure; promote Make in India in pharma

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 21, 2023
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The Union Budget 2023-24 is being presented at a time when the global economy is going through geo-political conflicts, rising inflation, and global recessionary inclinations.

Despite the uncertainties, the year 2023 holds a positive outlook for India’s pharmaceutical industry. The market has experienced significant growth during the past two decades, and pharma revenues worldwide totalled $1.42 trillion in 2021.
With the pandemic accentuating the significance of health and wellness, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is expecting expansion in the budget outlay and fund allocations in the upcoming Union Budget (2023-2024).

While the healthcare sector acquired a 16% hike in the budget allocation last year due to the pandemic crisis, the increase in the share of healthcare and pharma spending in the upcoming budget is imperative.

According to a recent EY FICCI report, as there has been a growing consensus over providing new innovative therapies to patients, the Indian pharmaceutical market is estimated to touch $130 billion in value by the end of 2030.
Meanwhile, the global market size of pharmaceutical products is estimated to cross over the $1 trillion mark in 2023. Thus, it is essential to allocate separate funds for R&D, formulation and API.

Additionally, it needs to put a deeper focus on quality manufacturing, and adoption of innovation and technology in terms of formulation manufacturing, diagnostics, packaging, medical devices among others.
The upcoming budget is also likely to focus on preventive healthcare, given the significant rise in non-communicable and lifestyle diseases in the country. Government incentives and grants for cost-intensive research are also anticipated.
Moreover, offering incentives to domestic API manufacturers and bringing about a reduction in GST and import duty on APIs is the need of the hour.

Further, given the increased reliance on imports towards medical equipment, incremental allocation towards manufacturing of healthcare equipment will help India become self-reliant. The government should come up with strategic plans to offer financial incentives to encourage the production of high-end medical devices in India.

Furthermore, the government may take measures to improve the ease of doing business in the pharmaceutical sector by simplifying the process and making it industry-friendly. Whilst the pandemic isn’t over yet, and its side effects long to stay here, the Union Budget (2023-2024) needs to continue focussing on strengthening the infrastructure of the healthcare sector and shift direction towards promoting Make in India pharmaceuticals for making India truly ‘Atmanirbhar’. We must become self-sufficient and competitive in KSMs and APIs to boost the growth of this sector.

The year 2022 saw several collaborations between the industry and academia, with both playing a pivotal role in helping the sector further strengthen its position in the global market. The same is expected in the coming year, along with the government and the industry partnering together for the greater good.
We must work together to ensure that Indian pharmacopoeia is acknowledged and appreciated worldwide. The government should make a roadmap and move forward so that more countries accept Indian pharmacopoeia.

The Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme (PICS) is bringing a great revolution in the GMP standards to establish the high quality in the drug product and thus India should become the member of PIC/S to raise its GMP standards as it is recognised as the ‘power house’ of pharmaceutical manufacturing. And for that, both regulators as well the industry need to upgrade themselves. To get PICS membership, our regulators, both at the central as well as at the state levels, need to undergo intense training programmes and our research laboratories need to be upgraded.

Similarly, at the industry level, pharma companies need to set up their facilities that comply with international regulatory requirements like the WHO GMP, US FDA among others.

A PICS membership reduces duplication of inspections, facilitates the industry in export, and provides huge market access among other benefits. As the industry expands its footprint across the world, it will need to continuously invest in upgrading manufacturing standards to keep its promise of being a high-quality, reliable supplier of medicines to the world.

The government has a role to play in terms of expanding the PLI scheme so that more local manufacturers can access incentives and support needed to play in the API sector, as well as formulations to cater to regulated export markets. Also, considering the rising need for robust intellectual property (IP) law and rights, we will need to work towards harmonising our regulatory requirements to global standards.

Similarly, at the industry level, pharma companies need to set up their facilities that comply with international regulatory requirements like the WHO GMP, US FDA among others.
A PICS membership reduces duplication of inspections, facilitates the industry in export, and provides huge market access among other benefits. As the industry expands its footprint across the world, it will need to continuously invest in upgrading manufacturing standards to keep its promise of being a high-quality, reliable supplier of medicines to the world.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer might be prevented with simple laser treatments: Study

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 20, 2023
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According to new research, straightforward laser treatments to the skin may help to prevent the formation of these cancers. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, jointly known as keratinocyte carcinoma, are the most prevalent types of cancer identified in the United States.

New research indicates that simple laser treatments to the skin may help to prevent the development of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are collectively known as keratinocyte carcinoma and are the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the United States. The work was conducted by a team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham. Published in Dermatologic Surgery, it reveals an easy-to-implement strategy to protect individuals’ skin health.

Nonablative fractional lasers (NAFL) deliver heat in a fractional manner that leaves it fully intact after treatment (unlike ablative fractional lasers that remove the top layer of skin), and they’re currently used to treat scars, sun-damaged skin, age spots, and more; however, their effectiveness for preventing skin damage is unknown.

To investigate, Mathew Avram, MD, JD, director of the Mass General Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center, and his colleagues studied patients who had been successfully treated for facial keratinocyte carcinoma in the past. Such patients have a 35% risk of experiencing a subsequent keratinocyte carcinoma within 3 years and a 50% risk within 5 years.

In the study, 43 patients received NAFL therapy and 52 served as controls and did not receive NAFL therapy. The rate of subsequent facial keratinocyte carcinoma development over an average follow-up of more than 6 years was 20.9% in NAFL-treated patients and 40.4% in controls, indicating that patients treated with NAFL had about half the risk.

When controlling for age, gender, and skin type, control patients were 2.65-times more likely to develop a new facial keratinocyte carcinoma than NAFL-treated patients. Also, among patients who developed a facial keratinocyte carcinoma, the time to development was significantly longer in patients treated with NAFL compared with untreated patients.

“These findings suggest that NAFL treatment may have an important role in protecting against subsequent keratinocyte carcinomas,” says Avram. “While the mechanism of NAFL’s protective effect is not completely understood, it is suspected that NAFL treatment reduces the overall burden of photo damaged keratinocytes and may promote a wound healing response, which gives healthy skin cells a selective advantage.”

Avram noted that additional studies are warranted to more critically assess the role of NAFL in skin cancer prevention, to reveal the duration of its protective effects, and to determine optimal treatment parameters. “Based on this research, it’s encouraged for patients to have nonablative laser treatments to help prevent skin cancer if they are at risk or notice abnormalities,” says Avram.

6 soaked superfoods to eat on empty stomach for boosting immunity and health

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date January 18, 2023
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Nutritionist Juhi Kapoor in her recent Instagram post talks about superfoods that can help with micronutrient deficiency and relieve symptoms of chronic or persistent health issues.

Small changes in your diet can make a big difference in your overall health. Mornings especially are perfect to give your day a perfect nutritional start. Many of us may face micronutrient deficiencies that could be the cause behind some serious health issues. For instance, a lack of iron, folate and vitamins B12 and A can lead to anaemia. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to low blood calcium levels, rickets, softening of bones in adults. Nuts such as almond, cashew nuts, walnut, and peanuts are a good source of B-vitamins, folate and vitamin E. These tiny superfoods if eaten regularly can thus play a major role in your well-being. Health experts say that nutrients are better absorbed by the body when you soak these nuts. Soaking them overnight helps remove the phytic acid in these nuts which causes indigestion. Soaking nuts also improves their digestibility and helps better their taste and texture.

Nutritionist Juhi Kapoor in her recent Instagram posts has talked about superfoods that can help with micronutrient deficiency and relieve symptoms of chronic or persistent health issues.

1. Soaked almonds for PCOS, acne relief

Kapoor says eating soaked almonds can help relieve PCOS, acne and achieve glowing skin. Soak 5-7 almonds overnight, peel them in the morning and consume daily.

2. Soaked raisins and kesar for period troubles

For period pain and irregular periods, 6-8 soaked raisins and 2 strands kesar can be soaked overnight. It can be consumed the next morning.

3. Soaked black raisins for hair fall

For hair fall and immunity related problems, soak black raisins overnight and consume next morning.

4. Soaked walnuts for memory and concentration

Two walnuts can be soaked overnight and consumed in the morning to boost brain power, memory, and concentration. It is great for kids to boost their academic performance.

5. Soaked moong for women and kid’s health

Soak 2 tbsp moong and consume in the morning for better hair, muscle health and good Skin. It is especially great for teenagers and women.

6. Soaked figs for constipation

Two soaked figs can do wonders for your gut health. Kapoor says it can help relieve constipation especially in pregnant women and senior citizens.

HOW TO SOAK

– Wash thoroughly

– Soak overnight in clean drinking water

– Discard water in morning

– Consume walnuts/figs directly.

– Green moong can be left to sprout (cover with sieve or cloth) for 6-8 hours. Steam and consume with salad.