Coconut oil and exercise combo can triumph over high BP

February 10, 2015

Washington, Feb 10: Combination of coconut oil and physical exercise can beat high bold pressure, scientists have claimed.

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a "superfood." Its unique combination of fatty acids can have profound positive effects on health, including fat loss, better brain function and many other remarkable benefits.

coconut-oil

Researchers working at the Biotechnology Center at the Federal University of Paraiba in Brazil tested the hypothesis that a combination of daily coconut oil intake and exercise training would restore baroreflex sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress, resulting in reduction in blood pressure.

Their experiments were performed in spontaneously hypertensive rats. They found that both coconut oil and exercise training were able to reduce weight gain compared to rats that were given saline and were not exposed to the exercise training protocol along the 5 weeks of study.

Either coconut oil supplementation or exercise training was shown to reduce blood pressure. However, only combined coconut oil and exercise training were able to bring the pressure back to normotensive values. The reduction in blood pressure caused by the combination of coconut oil supplementation and exercise training might be explained by the improvement of the reduced baroreflex sensitivity and by the reduction in oxidative stress in the serum, heart and aorta.

Dr. Valdir de Andrade Braga, co-author of the study said that finding was important as coconut oil is currently being considered a popular "superfood" and it is being consumed by athletes and the general population who seek a healthy life style. The possibility of using coconut oil as an adjuvant to treat hypertension adds to the long list of benefits associated with its consumption.

The study is published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

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Agencies
January 12,2020

Washington D.C., Jan 12: Disruption in one night's sleep can lead to getting Alzheimer's disease, a recent study has stated.

The interruption in the sound sleep for a single night aggravates the level of tau protein in any young male's body, thus gives rise to the chances of developing the disease.

According to CNN, the report was published on Wednesday in neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Our study focuses on the fact that even in young, healthy individuals, missing one night of sleep increases the level of tau in blood suggesting that over time, such sleep deprivation could possibly have detrimental effects," says study author Dr Jonathan Cedernaes, a neurologist at Uppsala University in Sweden.

As defined by the Alzheimer's Association, tau is the name of a protein that helps in stabilizing the internal structure of the brain's nerve cells. An abnormal build-up of tau protein in the body can end up in causing interior cells to fall apart and eventually developing Alzheimer's.

"When you get more of that deep sleep and you get the REM sleep in the normal amounts, that improves clearance of abnormal proteins which we think is good," said Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr Donn Dexter, not the study author but a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

Earlier studies have also shown that getting deprived of sleep can allow higher tau development and accumulation. Thus that poor sleep can hasten the development of cognitive issues.

Researchers caution that the study is small and inconclusive, and acknowledged they were not able to determine what the increased levels might mean.

"This study raises more questions than answers," agreed Dexter on a concluding note, sharing, "What this is telling us is that we have to dig more deeply. Despite something we do for a third of our lives, we know so little about sleep and we're learning every day, particularly when it comes to sleep and dementia."

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Agencies
May 23,2020

Food with high water content is highly prescribed by doctors to stay hydrated during the summers, a season that summons a wave of soaring temperatures, higher than 40-degrees.

A much-loved fruit in India, apples are hydrating heros' in such a situation. A heatwave can affect human health in a varied manner and to maintain ideal body temperature in this soaring summer, one must remain adequately hydrated, be protected from the sun and maintain hygiene.

Working professionals and people who must step out in summers, are prone to the heatwave impact. Pediatric experts and doctors agree on the benefits of drinking water and eating fruits, especially, apples. 'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away' is true as they are rich in a number of vitamins with great anti-inflammatory benefits and many other essential minerals. Washington Apple Commission spells how apples can prove to be a summer-friendly fruit.

People often don't realise the danger of exposing themselves to extreme heat. Older adults, young children, and people with chronic illnesses are most at greater risk for serious problems. The nutrition benefits of apples may help not only in avoiding such illnesses but may also protect against many such conditions.

As popular as apples are as a fruit, they are enriched in antioxidants, dietary fibers, vitamins and a range of other nutrients that are greatly beneficial in maintaining good health. The fruit is rich in soluble fibers which may help prevent several health conditions and may lower the risk of major diseases such as heat strokes, diabetes and cancer.

The soluble fiber also promotes weight loss and improves gut health. The prebiotic effects of apples help feed the good bacteria in the gut, thus, improving digestion.

Apples are made of 85 percent water and contain vitamins, fibres and antioxidants. A high fibre content is a particularly beneficial property of apples, as improper digestion is a major health concern in the tropical climatic region. Apples are also enriched in antioxidants that help protect the lungs from oxidative damage and help oxygen flow through the blood.

Apple-based recipes

Make interesting snacks, dessert, beverages and savoury meals with this miraculous fruit during summers.

Salted apple caramel galette

Caramel apples get a grown-up makeover with this Salted Caramel Apple Galette. Warm, gooey, and delicious, this pastry is loaded with apples and homemade caramel. It's a sophisticated take on a childhood favorite and since it's easier to make than pie, it's perfect for summer get-togethers.

Caramel apple pie ice-cream sandwiches

Nothing is better at a cookout on a warm day than a cold, refreshing ice cream sandwich. In Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches, the comforting flavor of apple pie is recreated in a creamy frozen banana-based ice cream studded with apple and date pieces. Then that scoop of ice cream is sandwiched between two pieces of no-bake cinnamon oat cookie dough.

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Agencies
July 2,2020

London, Jul 2: The World Health Organisation says smoking is linked to a higher risk of severe illness and death from the coronavirus in hospitalised patients, although it was unable to specify exactly how much greater those risks might be.

In a scientific brief published this week, the U.N. health agency reviewed 34 published studies on the association between smoking and Covid-19, including the probability of infection, hospitalisation, severity of disease and death.

WHO noted that smokers represent up to 18% of hospitalised coronavirus patients and that there appeared to be a significant link between whether or not patients smoked and the severity of disease they suffered, the type of hospital interventions required and patients' risk of dying.

In April, French researchers released a small study suggesting smokers were at less risk of catching Covid-19 and planned to test nicotine patches on patients and health workers — but their findings were questioned by many scientists at the time who cited the lack of definitive data.

WHO says "the available evidence suggests that smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and death in hospitalized Covid-19 patients. It recommends that smokers quit.

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