Indian Origin Minister Plays Good Samaritan Mid-Air
http://www.southasianobserver.com/south_asian_canadian_news.php?mid=1&cid=1752

Deepak Obhrai, an Indian origin junior minister in the Canadian government, has earned kudos for helping out a woman diabetic while on a flight from Ottawa to Calgary. Obhrai, a five-time MP from Calgary and parliamentary secretary (minister of state) to Canada's minister for foreign affairs, was flying from Ottawa to his hometown last Monday when a woman passenger suddenly fell ill.

Seeing the crew in a commotion at the back of the plane, Obhrai went and checked the woman. Being a diabetic who carries an insulin kit with himself all the time, Obhrai sensed that the woman's sugar level had dipped. "I figured it out and took a reading with my blood-sugar measuring instrument. I was right. I asked the attendants to give her orange juice.

"The woman drank the juice and was soon feeling normal. She completed her journey and walked off a normal person," Obhrai told IANS. The good deed mid air earned the Indo-Canadian minister kudos from the crew and the national media.

Obhrai, 59, has been a diabetic for more than two decades.  "I have taken all precautions and done well," he said. (IANS)

Survey: Canadian boomers feel effects of aging despite positive outlook
2009-08-29, 13:02:57

According to the recent Tylenol Canadian Pain Survey findings, 67 per cent of Canadians 45+ who suffer from osteoarthritis agree that the disease makes them feel older, and more than half (54 per cent) say they have felt down or depressed when it prevents them from participating in their favourite pastimes and activities. The majority, however, try to maintain a positive outlook about remaining active (88 per cent) and don let it dominate what they can and cannot do.

We know that osteoarthritis causes aches and pains, but we tend to forget that these physical effects can set off a number of emotional effects as well, says osteoarthritis expert, Dr. J. Carter Thorne. The good news for Canadians with osteoarthritis is that there are lots of options to get back to living life and ultimately aging well.

The survey reveals that in the past month, nine in ten sufferers engaged in some form of treatment to help minimize the discomfort associated with this chronic condition, including exercise (45 per cent), hot and cold therapy (30 per cent), and over-the-counter options (61 per cent), like Tylenol. Dr.

Thorne suggests the following options to help manage the pain associated with osteoarthritis:

• ¥ Always discuss your pain management plan with your doctor.

• ¥ Incorporate regular, gentle exercise to keep muscles strong and flexible.

• ¥ Protect your joints from injury and avoid excess stress on affected joints.

• ¥ Eat well and maintain a healthy body weight to relieve joint stress.

• ¥ Consider over-the-counter pain relievers with acetaminophen, like Tylenol Arthritis Pain, which provides safe and effective relief when used as directed.

• ¥ Try relaxation techniques to help ease pain.

• ¥ Use hot and cold therapy to promote blood circulation and reduce swelling.

More information about osteoarthritis management can be found online at www.livingwell.ca. 

Hot Chillies Could Wallop Heart Disease, Diabetes
http://www.southasianobserver.com/lifestylenews.php?mid=13&cid=4167

Sydney, Aug 31: An Indian researcher has found that the flavour-potent chilli could wallop diabetes and cardiovascular disease which are the leading cause of mortality in developed countries.

University of Tasmania School of Human Life Sciences research fellow Kiran Ahuja said it was possible that one day chillies would replace aspirin, or be combined with aspirin as a medication for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

"Aspirin... has a nasty side effect, which causes stomach bleeding in patients," said Ahuja.

The university research team is investigating the biological activity of two of its active ingredients - capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Their work has shown that the capsaicinoid chemicals have the potential to lower blood glucose and insulin levels, reduce the formation of fatty deposits on artery walls and prevent blood clots - minus some of the nasty side-effects of traditional medications.

This work on blood coagulation follows Ahuja's earlier investigations that showed a potential role of chilli in prevention of diabetes and formation of fatty deposits on artery walls. The research could lead to chillies replacing or being used along with current medications for treating and preventing cardiovascular disease, according to a university release.

Pro vice-chancellor for research Johanna Laybourn-Parry, a professor, said despite the provision of multiple medical treatments, cardiovascular disease remains one of the biggest causes of death.

"Cardiovascular disease continues to generate a considerable burden on population in terms of illness and disability and the development of improved methods for prevention and treatment are essential," Laybourn-Parry added.

These findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Kiran holds a B.Sc (Nutrition) from M.S. University, Baroda (1992), and Graduate Diploma (Nutrition) from Panjab University, Chandigarh (1993) as well as Deakin University, Melbourne (1999). Kiran was awarded MBioMedSc (Research) and PhD from the University of Tasmania in 2002 and 2006, respectively. (IANS)

Extra virgin olive oil could prevent Alzheimer's disease, scientists have claimed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6250641/Extra-virgin-olive-oil

01 Oct 2009: A naturally occurring compound called oleocanthal that is found in the oil alters the structure of toxic brain chemicals that are believed to contribute to the debilitating effects of dementia.

Doctors say that this structural change slows down the chemicals' ability to damage brain nerve cells. The chemicals are believed to "directly disrupt" the nerve cells from working in the brain's of Alzheimer's eventually leading to memory loss, cell death, and whole disruption of brain function.

Dr Paul Breslin, a sensory psychobiologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia and lead author of the study, said: "The findings may help identify effective preventative measures and lead to improved therapeutics in the fight against Alzheimer's disease."

The team, who identified the harmful structure of brain chemicals, known as ADDLs in 1998, say this has led to a "major shift" in thinking about the causes, progression and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr Breslin said of the findings: "If antibody treatment of Alzheimer's is enhanced by oleocanthal, the collective anti-toxic and immunological effects of this compound may lead to a successful treatment for an incurable disease.

"Only clinical trials will tell for sure."

The findings are reported in the October 15 issue of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

Colon, rectum cancer No 1 killer in Goa
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5053505,prtpage-1.cms
TNN 25 September 2009

PANAJI: Modern lifestyle changes, genetic alterations added with changing dietary habits are increasing the risk of cancer of the large intestine and rectum among urbanized Indians.

"People in India develop cancer of the large intestine or rectum 10 years earlier than people in Europe or USA. In other words, if a majority of the people in the USA or Europe are at a risk of developing cancer of the large intestine or rectum at the age of 60, then in India, they are at risk by the age of 50", said Dr Shailesh Shrikhande, gastrointestinal and hepato-pancreatic biliary surgeon at Tata memorial hospital, Mumbai.

Dr Shrikande was in Goa to attend the national congress of the Asian Federation of Coloproctology and Association of Colon and Rectal Surgeons from September 25 to 27.

Even in Goa, cancer of the colon and rectum is considered to be the number one killer among cancers. "The reason for this is the eating habits of Goans. Just like Westerners, our diet is rich in red meat, cheese, butter etc," said Dr Shekhar Salkar, oncology surgeon in Goa.

Colorectal surgery deals with simple diseases like piles, fissure, fistula-in-ano to complex ones like constipation, incontinence, diverticular disease and the dreaded cancer of the colon, rectum and anus. Even as the doctors listed advances in the field, they warned people to beware of quacks who use unscientific methods while claiming to treat these ailments without surgery.

"Man suffers from piles once in his lifetime. But 70% of piles can be treated with medicine and only 30% require surgery. The common man needs to beware of quacks and come out of the mindset that these diseases can't be treated or that their treatment is painful," said surgeon Dr S Chivate.

South Asian dementia sufferers to rise by 107 percent in 20 years
http://www.southasianobserver.com/southasiandiaspora_news.php?mid=23&cid=307

London, Sep 21: The number of people living with dementia will nearly double in the next 20 years across the world, rising by as much as 107 percent in South Asia, researchers warned Monday. Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London said that by next year there will be 35 million people globally with dementia.

By 2030, this figure will have risen to 65.7 million and the steep rise will continue till 2050. Their study, part of the World Alzheimer's Report 2009 published Monday, said the fact that people are living longer than ever before is a major factor driving the increasing incidence of dementia.

The biggest increase in future years is expected to be in low- and middle-income countries, as people start to live longer. According to the report, over the next 20 years, the number of people with dementia is expected to jump by 40 percent in Europe, 63 percent in North America, 77 percent in southern Latin American and 89 percent in developed Asia Pacific countries.

But the increase will be much sharper in other regions - 107 percent in South Asia, 117 percent in East Asia, 125 percent in North Africa and the Middle East, and 134-146 percent in the rest of Latin America.

The proportion of older people affected has risen in three regions - in south Asia it has increased from 3.4 percent to 5.7 percent, in Latin America from 7.3 to 8.5 percent and western Europe from 5.9 to 7.3 percent.

Martin Prince, a professor who led the study, said dementia can take an enormous toll on carers, who are often unpaid family members. "Caring is a full-time job - an average of around eight hours per day for a relative with moderate to severe dementia," he said.

"In all parts of the world, carers - who are most commonly female and the spouses or children of the persons with dementia - often experience high levels of strain. "Studies reviewed in the new report suggest that half to three-quarters of carers have significant psychological illness, while up to a third have clinical depression."

Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), which published the report, called on the World Health Organization to make dementia a world health priority and for countries to produce national plans on dementia. (IANS)