Public Health

If you love the appearance of getting hammered and are too classy to hold 'near' beer - or, oddly, you enjoy the taste of whisky but don't like getting hammered - there is good news;  the world's first alcohol-free, whisky-flavored drink. ArKay has the appearance, smell and taste of traditional whisky they say, but no alcohol, no calories and no sugar - they claim you will enjoy it straight or on the rocks or in a cocktail. Now, they did not send this whisky to the Science 2.0 office for proper scientific testing, but they should if they want that 'they claim' disclaimer removed. It's a…

World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 80% of the people in the world rely on traditional medicines for primary health care needs. Around 400 species are used in Ayurvedic system of medicine (Farnsworth, 1990). Ayurveda is a science of positive health and its origin is almost as old as human race. Ayurvedic system of medicine deals with maintainance of health, prolongation of healthy and qualitative life and prevention of diseases. The Ayurvedic system of medicine is the integral part of the Indian tradition in which plants and herbs are used not only to cure the diseases, but…

The Chinese are determined to be number one in the world at everything - including things that are not very healthy.China has experienced unprecedented economic growth in the past two decades and with that have come equally dramatic changes in the weight, diets and physical activity levels of its people. A new analysis used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), the longest ongoing study of its kind in China. Between 1989 and 2011, the study followed more than 29,000 people in 300 communities throughout China, with surveys conducted in 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000,…

What causes obesity?  Obviously ingesting more calories than a person burns leads to weight gain but what really causes obesity? Will banning Big Gulps, Happy Meals and Trans fats make people thin? (1) While a modern 'ban, legislate and micromanage' mentality about food has taken hold on the coasts of the US, obesity researchers in the middle, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, contend handing over even more control of choice to social authoritarians won't work; we instead have to show people that just because you can eat a lot of junk food doesn't mean you should. And go…

The evolutionarily recent over-reliance on wheat-based products could be a reason behind the current increases in dietary problems related to gluten, according to an expert in digestive disorders.   Professor David Sanders, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and University of Sheffield, says, "Only for the past ten thousand years have we had wheat-based foods in our diets, which in evolutionary terms makes wheat almost a novel food. If you put that in context to the 2.5 millions years that mankind has been on earth, it makes sense that our bodies are…

A small-scale study found diets that reduce the surge in blood sugar after a meal - low-glycemic index or very-low carbohydrate - are better than a low-fat diet for those trying to achieve lasting weight loss. The study also found that the low-glycemic index diet had similar metabolic benefits to the very low-carb diet without negative effects of stress and inflammation as seen by participants consuming the very low-carb diet. Weight regain is often attributed to a decline in motivation or adherence to diet and exercise, but biology is also a factor. After weight loss, the rate at which…

Scientific Name  NUTMEG TREE (Myristica fragrans Houtt. )  Jaifal has greatmedicinal value in traditional medicine. Family         Myristicaceae Used Part     Seeds   Distribution Area In India, it is grown in Madras State     (Nilgiris, Coimbatore,Salem, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli,Kanyakumari     and Maduraidistricts); a few trees are found in various localities in     Kerala, Assam and otherStates.   Common Uses . Nutmeg and maceconstitute the herbal drug `…

“Kills 99% of all known germs!” is a common advertising slogan for toilet (and other) cleaning products.  So, where would anyone want to add bacteria rather than take them away? The answer – rural India, in particular the Lakshadweep Islands off the South-West coast (Clean India Journal, 2010).  If one does not have a nice sewage system to remove one’s waste, then the equivalent of millions of tiny dung-beetles might do the job for you. Strangely enough, the bacteria that have passed the job interview are psychrophiles, cold-tolerant bacteria from Antartica, which are capable of…

In an era where social authoritarianism, with more laws, paying to have special stickers, and more regulation of food are all the rage, some towns are going the opposite way and passing ordinances exempting farmers from state and federal regulations - if they sell their products directly to consumers. Illegal?  You betcha.  The one thing government does not like, and the bigger the government the less they like it, is people defying their laws. That isn't stopping towns in Maine, who seem to know how to encourage "locally grown" in ways that actually will keep small farmers in…

A new review of studies suggests that fructose may not be as bad for us as previously thought - it may even provide some benefit.  Fructose, which is naturally found in fruit, vegetables and honey, is a simple sugar that together with glucose forms sucrose, the basis of table sugar. It is also found in high-fructose corn syrup, the most common sweetener in commercially prepared foods. The study reviewed 18 trials with 209 participants who had Type 1 and 2 diabetes and found fructose significantly improved their blood sugar control. The improvement was equivalent to what can be achieved…