Health Related articles updated on daily Basis.

[omerkashmiri]

@Night hawk@ Please can u mention the benefits of eating phajjay kay sri paye? I just love them and also sajjji, murgh chanay , namak mandi's karahi and last but not least bundu khan's behari kebab, Please enlighten us with their benefits .

 

[Night_Hawk]

Breakfast key to good health
Breakfast key to good health
(IANS)

20 February 2011
Good breakfast is the key to a healthy lifestyle determining the quality of your whole day’s nutrition, according to research.
[FONT=&quot]And the best way to start the morning is with a simple bowl of a healthy cereal, as it makes people less likely to turn to fatty, sugary food through the rest of the day, reports express.co.uk.

The study, by nutritionist Sigrid Gibson revealed the healthiest breakfast choice is cereal with milk because it is a good source of calcium and numerous other key nutrients, such as fibre, protein and carbohydrate.

The research team analysed 12,068 food records from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which interviewed Britons aged from 19 to 64.

The results showed that one in five adults ate no solid food for breakfast, one third chose cereal and 45 percent enjoyed a non-cereal breakfast. The most popular item was tea or coffee, taken on 84 percent of breakfast occasions.

Milk was consumed with 82 percent of breakfasts, followed by cereal (39 percent), bread (33 percent) and fruit (14 percent).

The healthiest breakfast choice is cereal with milk.

Women were less likely than men to choose bread, sausage, bacon or eggs and more likely to have fruit instead.
The study found that eating breakfast was associated with a lower fat and higher carbohydrate intake over 24 hours compared with skipping breakfast.

But this was mainly attributable to cereal-based breakfasts as non-cereal meals were associated with a higher intake of saturated fatty acid and lower protein intakes.[/FONT]





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[Night_Hawk]

@Night hawk@ Please can u mention the benefits of eating phajjay kay sri paye? I just love them and also sajjji, murgh chanay , namak mandi's karahi and last but not least bundu khan's behari kebab, Please enlighten us with their benefits .

The High Cholesterol Diets are not beneficial for your overall health.
Phajjay kay Sri Paye = High Cholestrol
Sajji = High Cholesterol
Murgh Chanay = High Cholesterol
Namak Mandi's Karahi Ghost =High Cholestrol
Bundu Khan's Behari Kebab = High Cholestrol
Allah Knows best what is source of these meats for these preparations and what type of fat or oil is being used to make them so delicious.:)

What are high cholesterol foods?
The better the foods taste, the higher the chance that they're high cholesterol foods. This is one of the irony's of life.
Again, it's not only one of irony's of life but one of the tragedies of life as well - the better it tastes, the more cholesterol it seems to contain.If you've been told to reduce the high cholesterol foods, it's a small comfort you're not alone.
To start with, you should know that there are two main nutrients in the foods you eat that make your cholesterol high. The high cholesterol foods contain:
- saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in animal products; and

- cholesterol, which comes from animals as well.
Saturated fats raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol level more than anything else in the diet. Eating too much saturated fat is the main reason for high cholesterol levels and a high rate of heart attacks. It makes sense that reducing the amount of saturated fat you eat is a very important step in reducing your cholesterol levels.
If you stop them completely you don't miss anything (except the taste), since your body makes all the cholesterol you need. As such, it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you eat.
You must be aware of "cholesterol free" foods, because cholesterol coming from foods (or dietary cholesterol) is hardly as harmful as the amount of saturated fats in your food.
You can call them foods that cause high cholesterol, or high cholesterol foods, but in reality it is not the cholesterol content that makes them harmful. It is the fat, or better the saturated fats (which come mainly from meats, nuts and dairy foods), which causes the liver to produce more harmful cholesterol.

The liver produces 4 times the amount of cholesterol from our diets. This makes saturated fat much more harmful than dietary cholesterol and renders dietary cholesterol as quite as negligible factor for your high cholesterol levels, or cardiovascular disease risk factor.
For example, coconut oil may be cholesterol free, but is highly saturated and more dangerous than seafood, as it causes the liver to produce more harmful cholesterol. Saturated fat also raises triglyceride levels and thickens the blood.
Seafood, on the other hand, contains cholesterol, but also the protective polyunsaturated fats that cause the liver to produce less harmful cholesterol and more protective HDL cholesterol.
That's why, rather than worry about high cholesterol foods, you should pay attention to foods high in saturated fats.
I find it that the phrase " high cholesterol foods" is somehow not correct. What you should pay attention to, is foods high in saturated fats or foods high in triglycerides, since triglycerides make up 95 percent of all the fats we eat.

Whenever you read " high cholesterol foods" (which is mentioned often in this page) it means foods high in triglycerides or saturated fats.
High cholesterol foods are mainly found in all animals and animal products, for example, egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish and higher fat milk products.
In addition, beware of processed and prepared foods. Although convenient, they are very high cholesterol foods as well as high in saturated fats. Cookies, pastries, and muffins are as well, part of high cholesterol foods "family" and contain high amounts of fat.

You should limit the intake of all these high cholesterol foods. And, always pay attention to food package labels to check fat and cholesterol levels.
Keep in mind the following when these labels say:
"Cholesterol Free" it means less than 2 milligrams(mg) cholesterol and 2 grams or less fat;
"Low Cholesterol" means 20 mgs or less cholesterol and 2 grams or less saturated fat;
"Fat Free" means less than gram fat;
"Low Fat" means 3 grams or less fat;
"Reduced Fat" means at least 25 percent less fat than other brands of same food.
So, "free" does not literally mean free. To give you an idea you should not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Potassium-rich diet can help avert strokes
Potassium-rich diet can help avert strokes
(Reuters)

3 March 2011, 10:45 AM
People who get plenty of potassium-rich foods in their diet may be less likely to suffer a stroke, a new research review finds.
The review, of 11 studies following more than 247,000 adults, found that as potassium intake went up, participants’ risk of suffering a stroke went down.
That does not prove that potassium, itself, deserves the credit. But the foods highest in the mineral—including many fruits and vegetables—are considered generally healthy choices.

So the findings support experts’ advice that people eat more fruits and vegetables to help cut their risk of cardiovascular disease and other ills, the researchers report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Potassium is an important mineral that helps regulate the heartbeat, conduct nerve impulses and contract muscles. Most adults need about 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day.
Potassium is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, with potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, plums and raisins among the richest sources. Other sources include beans, dairy, nuts and molasses.
In theory, a diet with enough potassium could trim a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke because the mineral helps lower blood pressure. But studies so far have come to mixed conclusions as to whether people who get plenty of potassium really do have fewer strokes and heart problems.
For the new study, researchers led by Dr. Lanfranco D’Elia, of the University of Naples Medical School in Italy, combined the results of 11 international studies that followed 247,510 adults for up to 19 years.
In most of the studies, participants filled out diet questionnaires at the outset, and researchers kept track of who developed heart disease or suffered a stroke over the ensuing years. In a few studies, the researchers measured participants’ potassium levels from urine samples.
Individually, the studies came to conflicting results. But with the results combined, D’Elia’s team found that for every 1,640-milligram increase in people’s daily potassium intake, the odds of suffering a stroke declined by 21 percent.
There was no strong link overall between potassium intake and heart disease risk, though a few individual studies did find that people with higher intakes had a lower risk.
The 21-percent reduction in stroke risk would translate into as many as 1.15 million fewer stroke deaths worldwide each year, D’Elia’s team estimates.
But whether potassium is actually the reason for the lower stroke risk is not clear.
In most of the studies, researchers tried to account for other factors in stroke and heart disease risk—like overall health, weight, exercise habits and dietary fat intake. But people who get a lot of potassium could still have lifestyle habits or other characteristics—like more education or higher incomes—that might explain the lower stroke risk.
Still, D’Elia and his colleagues write, boosting potassium intake—especially by eating more fruits and vegetables—is in line with existing recommendations for preventing or managing heart disease and stroke.
There are some people, however, who may need to be careful about potassium intake and should ask their doctors before consuming more of the mineral. They include people with kidney disease, which can reduce the body’s ability to clear potassium, and those on certain blood pressure drugs.
Too much potassium in the blood can lead to a condition called hyperkalemia, which can cause dangerous heart-rhythm disturbances. Potassium-rich diet tied to lower stroke risk
People who get plenty of potassium-rich foods in their diet may be less likely to suffer a stroke, a new research review finds.
The review, of 11 studies following more than 247,000 adults, found that as potassium intake went up, participants’ risk of suffering a stroke went down.
That does not prove that potassium, itself, deserves the credit. But the foods highest in the mineral—including many fruits and vegetables—are considered generally healthy choices.
So the findings support experts’ advice that people eat more fruits and vegetables to help cut their risk of cardiovascular disease and other ills, the researchers report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Potassium is an important mineral that helps regulate the heartbeat, conduct nerve impulses and contract muscles. Most adults need about 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day.
Potassium is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, with potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, plums and raisins among the richest sources. Other sources include beans, dairy, nuts and molasses.
In theory, a diet with enough potassium could trim a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke because the mineral helps lower blood pressure. But studies so far have come to mixed conclusions as to whether people who get plenty of potassium really do have fewer strokes and heart problems.
For the new study, researchers led by Dr. Lanfranco D’Elia, of the University of Naples Medical School in Italy, combined the results of 11 international studies that followed 247,510 adults for up to 19 years.
In most of the studies, participants filled out diet questionnaires at the outset, and researchers kept track of who developed heart disease or suffered a stroke over the ensuing years. In a few studies, the researchers measured participants’ potassium levels from urine samples.
Individually, the studies came to conflicting results. But with the results combined, D’Elia’s team found that for every 1,640-milligram increase in people’s daily potassium intake, the odds of suffering a stroke declined by 21 percent.
There was no strong link overall between potassium intake and heart disease risk, though a few individual studies did find that people with higher intakes had a lower risk.
The 21-percent reduction in stroke risk would translate into as many as 1.15 million fewer stroke deaths worldwide each year, D’Elia’s team estimates.
But whether potassium is actually the reason for the lower stroke risk is not clear.
In most of the studies, researchers tried to account for other factors in stroke and heart disease risk—like overall health, weight, exercise habits and dietary fat intake. But people who get a lot of potassium could still have lifestyle habits or other characteristics—like more education or higher incomes—that might explain the lower stroke risk.
Still, D’Elia and his colleagues write, boosting potassium intake—especially by eating more fruits and vegetables—is in line with existing recommendations for preventing or managing heart disease and stroke.
There are some people, however, who may need to be careful about potassium intake and should ask their doctors before consuming more of the mineral. They include people with kidney disease, which can reduce the body’s ability to clear potassium, and those on certain blood pressure drugs.
Too much potassium in the blood can lead to a condition called hyperkalemia, which can cause dangerous heart-rhythm disturbances.

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[Night_Hawk]

Salt in a single meal can affect blood flow
Salt in a single meal can affect blood flow
(IANS)

2 March 2011
LONDON - It takes a mere 30 minutes for a single salty meal to constrict the blood flow in your arteries.
Scientists tested how quickly salt had a damaging effect on the body by recruiting healthy adults and feeding them each a high-salt meal, containing four grams, and later a low-salt meal, made with just 0.3 grams.

Before and after each meal, they tested how smoothly blood was flowing in the brachial artery - the main blood vessel in the upper arm which is normally used for checking blood pressure, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports.

Although the artery does not measure blood flow directly to the heart, it is commonly used to give an indication of cardiovascular health, according to the Daily Mail, which quoted the journal.

In a report on the findings, the authors from a group of research organizations in Adelaide in Australia said: This study showed the amount of salt similar to that in a commonly eaten meal impairs blood flow in healthy men and women.

Graham MacGregor, chairman of the UK-based lobby group Consensus Action on Salt and Health, said: Thats not particularly high and is probably average for many meals consumed in the UK.

In fact, if you eat out you will probably consume more than that. This kind of damage to the blood flow is thought to be a very early sign of heart disease, he added.

The daily recommended amount in the UK is no more than 6 gm, but it is estimated that most people eat around 8.6 gm.

Health experts estimate that cutting average consumption by just a couple of grams a day would slash strokes by 22 percent and heart attacks by 16 percent.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Turmeric can fight colon cancer
(IANS)

3 March 2011
LONDON - Curcumin, an active ingredient of turmeric, can fight colon cancer when used in combination with a popular anti-inflammatory drug, say researchers.
A treatment based on this finding has had promising results in human clinical trials, the journal Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology reports.

Several lines of evidence demonstrate that chronic inflammation in the stomach can cause gastric cancer and that inflammation in the liver from hepatitis can lead to liver cancer, according to a Tel Aviv statement.

”Although more testing will be needed before a possible new drug treatment is developed. One could combine curcumin with a lower dose of a cancer anti-inflammatory drug, to better fight colon cancer,” says Shahar Lev-Ari from Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Lev-Ari found that Celecoxib, a popular drug commonly used to treat arthritis, also inhibits proliferation of colon cancer in lab settings.

Curcumin increases the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects of Celecoxib while reducing its dose, thus reducing its toxic side-effects, including the rate of heart attack and stroke.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Stealth veggies may help cut calorie intake
Stealth veggies may help cut calorie intake
(Reuters)

4 March 2011
NEW YORK - Don’t look now, but invisible cauliflower may be lurking in your chicken casserole — and helping you lose weight.
Adding hidden pureed vegetables to entrees can reduce the number of calories the meals pack without sacrificing texture or taste, helping to cut the overall calorie intake, a study at Pennsylvania State University found.

Using “stealth vegetables” to pad dishes in the study of unsuspecting adults had an additional benefit, researchers found — the participants more than doubled their intake of fiber and vitamin-packed veggies without even knowing it.
“The over-consumption of energy-dense foods leads to excessive energy intakes,” wrote Alexandria Blatt in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“The substitution of low-energy-dense vegetables for foods higher in energy density can help decrease energy intakes but may be difficult to implement if individuals dislike the taste of vegetables.”
The study included 20 men and 21 women who agreed to eat at a laboratory once a week for three weeks.
Volunteers were served as much as they wanted to eat, along with side dishes such as bread rolls, strawberry yogurt, broccoli and green beans, depending on the meal, and given snacks such as carrot sticks or fig cookies to take home.
The meals were always the same: carrot bread for breakfast, macaroni and cheese for lunch and chicken-and-rice casserole for dinner. Portion sizes were controlled by weight and the researchers kept a close account of the amount of food eaten.
Unknown to the diners, back in the kitchen cooks were slipping in vegetables that had been steamed and then pureed — cauliflower, squash or carrots, depending on the entree — to some of the main dishes. The result was a helping of food that was either 15 percent or 25 percent vegetable by weight, although it looked, tasted and otherwise resembled the original.
Some participants got the traditional version of the entree.
The study subjects all ate about the same amount of a given entree regardless of how much puree, if any, it contained. But those who were eating the altered foods saw their calorie intake drop substantially — as much as 360 calories a day — at the same time their vegetable intake rose.
Cutting 360 calories a day means a person could lose about half a kilogram (one pound) in about 10 days.
Nearly half the subjects said at the end of the study that they could tell something was different about the altered meals, but only two said they could taste the extra vegetables.
Blatt said that this strategy could led to substantial reductions in energy intake and an increase in vegetable consumption, but others were skeptical, noting that eating more veggies and fruits is “not a panacea” for weight loss.
Richard Mattes, a professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in Indiana who wasn’t involved in the study, added that other studies had shown the big problem was getting people to stick to a new meal plan even if it was effective.
“Many people said they were not going to spend the extra money on fresh fruits and vegetables, or shop more often, or spend more time preparing them,” he said.
Noting that US citizens don’t seem eager to embrace healthy diets, he added: “It’s interesting that we have to go to such extents to get people to consume more vegetables.”

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[Night_Hawk]

Walk your way to health
Walk your way to health
By Sajila Saseendran

1 March 2011
DUBAI - Dubai’s civic body is promoting a healthy lifestyle among residents by offering incentives for walking on the tracks in its public parks, in a first of its kind initiative called ‘Yalla Walk’.
Joggers and walkers will receive awards and rewards if they make the maximum use of walking tracks on

selected parks during the campaign that will run from March 5 to 19, officials announced on Sunday.
Director General of Dubai Municipality Hussein Nasser Lootah expects to attract more than 45,000 people of all nationalities and ages in the campaign organised to instil healthy behavioural patterns among members of the society.
Lootah said the campaign targets the use of 23 walking tracks in Dubai’s parks, which form a major project of the government to boost public health.
“Walking is an easy and simple sport, which can be practised by children and adults and the sick and the healthy. Walking itself is fun and entertaining, especially if you opt to make it a habit in appropriate natural places like walking tracks in parks under the shade of trees,” he said at a press conference.
“These tracks will change the behavioural pattern, thinking and the lives of many people in Dubai,” he said.
Around 3,000 people visit each major public park in Dubai every day and hundreds run on the tracks made of materials that act as shock absorbers and prevent joint injuries, Lootah said. However, the Municipality wants to attract more people to utilisie the specially made tracks.
To encourage visitors, DM will give out prizes for various categories of walkers, like those who walk the longest, and are regular. All those who participate in the campaign are also in for several prizes that will be given away through raffles.
To participate, people can register online on www.yallawalk.com from today and secure a registration number which should be produced at the special counters set up at each walking track included in the campaign. People can also register directly in the parks where municipal staff will assist them, or at the Fitness First clubs, whose members will lead warm-up sessions. Participants will be provided with a badge, in addition to a wrist band containing a barcode, which must be scanned on the electronic device provided at the beginning of each track. The badge should be swiped on the device again when the walk ends. This is for calculating electronically the distance walked by each participant, who can also visit the website and enter the page devoted to him to get all the details and distances he or she covered. Walkers can participate in the contest only between 6am to 10 am and 5pm to 10pm.
The campaign will be inaugurated on Saturday, March 5, at 5pm at Safa Park. There will be another opening on Sunday, March 6 at Al Mamzar Park, Al Khawaneej Walking Track, Zabeel Park and Al Barsha Park. The closing ceremony will be organised at Al Mamzar Park on March 19, at 5 pm.
As part of the campaign, the Municipality will also officially declare open seven parks in different communities in the emirate which are already being used by residents, said Director of Parks and Horticulture Department at DM, Ahmad Abdul Kareem. He said DM had installed fitness machines in 15 parks to encourage exercise.
[email protected]

 

[Night_Hawk]

Health experts warn over iodine rush
Health experts warn over iodine rush
(AFP)

16 March 2011
HONG KONG – Japan’s nuclear crisis has sparked panic buying of iodine pills, with online bids exceeding $500 for one packet, but health experts hosed down the hysteria and warned the pills are of limited use.

As fresh blasts rocked a stricken atomic plant on Japan’s east coast, and crews worked frantically to cool reactors that emitted dangerous levels of radiation near the facility, jitters spread to Tokyo and beyond.
US-based firms selling potassium iodide, a preventative treatment for radiation sickness, completely ran out of stock and pharmacies across the country’s Pacific-facing West Coast had a rush on the over-the-counter pills.
“We are quite slammed with orders, but we are working as fast as we can to get orders out,” said NukePills.com, which had sold out of iodine tablets and was fast exhausting oral liquid supplies.
“We are experiencing delays in shipping due to the Japan nuclear crisis. A delay in shipping may be a week or more.”
Potassium iodide is a salt used to saturate the thyroid gland to block the uptake of radioactive iodine, a highly carcinogenic substance that can leak from nuclear reactors in an accident.
Another major supplier, Anbex, said it was also out of stock and did not expect to get new supplies until April 18.
One packet of 14 pills had attracted bids of up to $540 at online auction house eBay and talk about radiation poisoning was so feverish on Twitter and other forums that the World Health Organisation issued a statement urging calm.
“Consult your #doctor before taking #iodine pills. Do not self-medicate!” the WHO said on its Twitter page.
Iodine pills are “not radiation antidotes” and offer no protection against radioactive elements such as caesium, the UN’s health agency said, stressing they also carried health risks for some people, including pregnant women.
The WHO also warned against drinking or applying iodine liquid after a rush on the antiseptic wound cleaner in Asian countries, where iodine pills are typically only available in hospitals or by prescription.
“It is crazy, people have been reading about the situation in Japan and they are demanding iodine tablets, but most pharmacies don’t stock the tablets,” said Kuala Lumpur pharmacist Paul Ho.
“There have also been text messages and emails going round that you can use the iodine antiseptic solution, which you place around your neck, to help cut down on radiation absorption,” he added.
Such a treatment would be utterly ineffective, but Ho said “we have run out of all our iodine antiseptic solution at the moment”.
One SMS text message, also circulating in China, Hong Kong and the Philippines, is billed as a BBC “newsflash” and urges Asians to “take precautions” including sheltering indoors and swabbing the thyroid region of the neck with iodine.
“The BBC has issued no such flash but it has caused particular panic in the Philippines,” a BBC News website story said.
Philippine Health Secretary Enrique Ona dismissed any need for a rush order of iodine.
“Let me be very clear, we don’t see the necessity for that,” he said. “We know where we can get it if necessary. But we are not going to order it yet.”
The Hong Kong Observatory, an official government body, stressed that radiation levels in the Chinese territory were “normal”.
“The rumour that the radiation will affect Hong Kong is unfounded,” it said.
Malaysia’s health minister Liow Tiong Lai also dismissed the purported warning as “nonsense”, and said there was “no need to apply such solutions to the neck and private parts”.
“People must not panic. The health ministry is keeping very close tabs on the situation,” he told AFP.
The assurances were echoed in Taiwan, but nevertheless officials were preparing to hand out 100,000 boxes of iodine tablets to residents near two nuclear plants in New Taipei city.
Stephen Tsui, a biomedical expert from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, described the risk of contamination outside of Japan as “low” but said “all countries could be affected” in the region if the Fukushima plant had a total meltdown.
Tens of thousands have already been evacuated from a zone within a radius of 20 kilometres (12 miles) of the 40-year-old plant, where authorities said radiation levels reached dangerous levels on Tuesday.


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[Night_Hawk]

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Samineh I. Shaheem

12 March 2011
‘Mirror, mirror on the wall, you better believe that I am the fairest of them all!’
[FONT=&quot]If only psychological disorders were as easily identifiable as physical ailments. Anytime we are not well, or suffer from serious physical symptoms, we go to the doctor, get a thorough examination and hopefully, by the end of it, our trusted medical practitioner should be able to identify the root cause of our affliction. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unfortunately clinical psychologists have a much tougher job identifying and diagnosing the many complex and sometimes vague disorders originating from mental processes. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One of these psychological disorders that afflicts millions of people around the world, often undetected and very difficult to diagnosis is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NDP), a condition characterised by long-standing patterns of negative inner experience and behavior that are dreadfully rigid and innate, bringing a person into repeated conflicts with his or her social environment. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NPD suffers are incredibly self-absorbed, have an excessive fascination with themselves, insensitive and their focus on the self and self-admiration is taken to an extreme. The word ‘narcissism’ comes from a Greek myth in which a handsome young man named Narcissus sees his reflection in a pool of water and falls in love with it.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Although we are still unsure about the exact causes, we do know that NDP usually begins in childhood and it is associated with people who were physically, verbally or sexually abused, had an unhealthy attachment with their care providers, excessive pampering, might have been abandoned or neglected or raised by highly critical and authoritarian parents. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]These people have a delusional sense of self, mostly thinking that they are superior or better than everyone else, problems controlling impulses, constantly showing off, have a razor sharp tongue that hurts close friends and family members and unable to feel sorry for anyone else but themselves. Perhaps the people who suffer the most are children of narcissists because they constantly seek love and attention from a person who is unable to give it. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A person with narcissistic personality disorder may:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Take advantage of other people to achieve his or her own goals[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Have excessive feelings of self-importance[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Exaggerate achievements and talents[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Be preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence, or ideal love[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Have unreasonable expectations of favourable treatment[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Need constant attention and admiration[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Have obsessive self-interest[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Pursue mainly selfish goals[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Now one of the most interesting facets of this disorder is that both the person affected as well as those around them suffer incredibly and consistently. Family and friends are forever confused, hurt, insecure and uncomfortable around the NPD sufferer since they don’t know when he or she might lash out, start an illogical argument to be centre of attention or place blame for everything on others rather than accepting that perhaps once in a purple moon, they too are human and capable of making mistakes…good luck waiting for the purple moon. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Eventually, those around will gradually abandon these arrogant and self-centered individuals due to their repetitive critical mannerism and unpredictable and inexcusable outbursts. Of course this only perpetuates the narcissistic’s philosophy about being too good for other people, everyone is jealous of them and that they are better off without them. I can almost here your sigh from here. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Other common narcissistic personality disorder traits include:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Belief that he or she is ‘special’ and unique, and can only be understood by other special people[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Expectation that others will automatically go along with what he or she wants or else there will be consequences [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Inability to recognise or identify with the feelings, needs, and viewpoints of others[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Envy of others or a belief that others are envious of him or her[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]υ[FONT=&quot] Hypersensitivity to insults (real or imagined), criticism, or defeat, possibly reacting with rage, shame, and humiliation[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Living or working with a narcissist can be frustrating and thorny. If possible, interaction should be kept at a minimum, arguments avoided and clear boundaries should be set to try and steer clear of confrontations. Sometimes, you will be lured back by their charm or financial gifts and rewards, however keep in mind that these tactics are used as tools of manipulation rather than tokens of love or admiration. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If narcissists ever admit or come to terms with their condition they may seek the help of a psychologist to try and identify the reason why they feel frustrated, angry and alone. Depending on the severity of the disorder, through therapy, most are able to modify their behaviour to a certain degree. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Nevertheless, with sufferers of Narcissist Personality Disorder, you shouldn’t wait for them to change; instead steps need to be taken to protect yourself from being affected by their troubled ways. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Samineh I Shaheem is an author, an assistant professor of psychology, currently lecturing in Dubai, as well as a cross cultural consultant at the Human Relations Institute. She has appeared on numerous radio programs and conferences and has studied and worked in different parts of the world, including the United States of America, UK, Netherlands, and the UAE. Please forward your thoughts to [email protected][/FONT]

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

What's a Migraine?

Almost everyone gets headaches. You might have one after bumping your head or during a cold or bout with the flu. Some types of headaches may happen only once in a while, whereas others can happen as often as every day. Most headaches produce a dull pain around the front, top, and sides of your head, almost like someone stretched a rubber band around your noggin.

But a migraine is worse than a regular headache. Migraines usually occur about one to four times a month. The pain is often throbbing and on one or both sides of the head. Those with migraines often feel dizzy or sick to their stomachs. During the headache, some are sensitive to light, noise, or smells, and want to sleep. When they wake up, they usually feel better. Most migraines last from 30 minutes to 6 hours but some can last a day or 2.

If you have migraines, you are not alone. About one out of every 20 kids, or about 8 million children in the United States, gets migraines. Before age 10, an equal number of boys and girls get migraines. But after age 12, during and after puberty, migraines affect girls three times more often than boys.

Migraines aren't contagious, which means you can't catch them from someone who has them.

What Causes a Migraine?

A migraine begins when, for some reason, blood vessels in the brain narrow (constrict) temporarily. When that happens, the amount of blood and oxygen flowing to the brain drops. So the brain sends a message: "Hey guys, we need some more blood and oxygen here!"

That causes other blood vessels to dilate (expand). When those blood vessels expand, they become inflamed, throb, and cause a pounding pain. Because it involves changes in blood vessels, a migraine is a vascular (say: vas-kyuh-lur) headache.

Some scientists believe that people who get migraines have inherited a tendency for their nervous systems to react differently to changes in their bodies or their environment. Certain things may trigger a reaction in the person's nervous system and start a migraine attack.

Some common triggers are:

* stress
* menstruation (having a period)
* skipping meals
* too much caffeine (like cola and energy drinks)
* certain foods (cheese, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, fatty or fried food, lunch meats, hot dogs, yogurt, or anything with MSG, a seasoning often used in Asian foods)
* too much or too little sleep
* weather changes
* travel



No one is really sure why people get migraines. But chances are, if you get migraines, another member of your family gets them as well. That's because scientists think migraines are genetic, which means that certain genes passed on from parents make a kid more likely to get them.

Do You Know a Migraine Is Coming?

Migraines begin differently. Some people just don't feel right. Light or sound may bother them or make them feel worse, and they may even get sick to their stomachs and throw up. Before or during a migraine headache, some may have muscle weakness, lose their sense of coordination, stumble, or even have trouble talking.

About one in five get an aura (say: or-uh), a kind of warning that a migraine is on the way. The most common auras include blurred vision and/or seeing spots, colored balls, jagged lines, or bright lights, or smelling a certain odor. An aura usually starts about 10 to 30 minutes before the start of a migraine headache, although auras can happen the night before the headache starts. An aura usually lasts about 20 minutes.


Treatments for Migraines

Getting a bad migraine once in a while may be annoying, but usually doesn't cause any big problems. But be sure to get attention if you have headaches that:


* last a long time
* seem to be getting worse
* happen more often
* cause problems with balance
* interfere with school or other activities



Your doctor will want to know about those problems and can try to help. Your doctor also may want you to keep a headache diary. By keeping track of your headaches, you may be able to figure out what triggers them. Answer all the questions in the diary each time you have a headache. The information will help your doctor figure out the best treatment.

Your doctor may suggest one or more medicines you can take. They could include:

* pain relievers like
* acetaminophen or ibuprofen medicines that reduce nausea and vomiting
* sedatives, which can help you to go to sleep and get rid of the headache
* medicines to prevent migraines or make them less severe



Some doctors may also try to teach you biofeedback. This technique helps you learn to relax and use your brain to gain control over certain body functions. If a migraine begins slowly, many people can use biofeedback to remain calm and stop the attack.

How to Prevent a Migraine

The good news is that many kids outgrow migraines. In the meantime, follow your doctor's instructions and take your medicine as instructed. Make sure you have the medicine on hand in case a migraine starts at school, office, or when you're away from home.

Also try to stay away from your migraine triggers. If certain foods like chocolate or cheese or caffeinated drinks trigger your migraines, it's a good idea to avoid them. Also, take breaks from activities that seem to trigger your migraines, such as using the computer for a long time or listening to loud music.

Fight stress by making a plan so you don't feel freaked out by all the stuff you need to get done. Regular exercise can also reduce stress and make you feel better. The more you understand migraines, the better prepared you can be to fight them before they become a big pain!To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act...

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Exercises for back relief

Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it's hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury. This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. This article will focus on Yoga Exercises. Remember to contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

YOGA EXERCISES FOR YOUR BACK

A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert. Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

CORPSE: Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.

CAT STRETCH: Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

WIND-RELEASING POSE: Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

SAGE TWIST: Warning for this pose-it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.

PALM TREE: Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching part if you need to.

FISH POSE: Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

LOCUST: Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.

BENDING FORWARD POSTURE: Stand up straight with feet together and arms hanging loosely along your sides. Breathe in deeply and raise your arms straight above your head. While breathing out, bend forward and touch your toes if you can. If you can't reach your toes, grab hold of your ankles or calves. To complete the pose, you should touch your head to your knees, but this may be too difficult for many who suffer from lower back pain. Your movements during this pose should be smooth, not jerky.

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Sleeping Late can prove to be a Killerby

Late to bed and early to rise could well be the New Age recipe for heart disease. It is no longer only what you eat and drink that determines your ill-health.

Sleep deprivation is also emerging as a key reason for heart ailments. Recent research from London shows a person who sleeps less than six hours a night has a 48% higher risk of developing or dying from heart disease. This could hold true for Mumbaikars too, say doctors.

Cardiologist Brian Pinto recalled the death of a friend's 43-year-old son who collapsed on the road while jogging at 5.45am. "Youngsters are cutting down on sleep to accommodate more work hours and exercise. But without seven hours of sleep, this could spell disaster," said Pinto.

Cardiologist A B Mehta said, "More than 60% of patients who land up in a hospital's emergency room with a heart attack are first-timers who have never suspected they had heart disease. In many cases, excessive exercising and sleeplessness are common features.''

The University of Warwick studied 4.7 lakh people across eight countries, including the US, the UK and Japan, to establish this equation. "If you sleep less than six hours a night and have disturbed sleep you stand a 48% greater chance of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15% greater chance of developing or dying of a stroke,'' the university team said. It added, ''Late to bed and early to rise is a ticking time bomb for health.''

In 2000, Hinduja Hospital's Dr Zarir Udwadia studied the a disorder called obstructive sleep apnea and found 8% of 700 people who underwent a check-up at their hospital suffered from sleep apnea. "There is a strong risk factor between obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension. If a patient's blood pressure is not controlled by medicines, then we recommend that he undergo a sleep pattern test as sleep apnea is most likely the cause,'' he said.

Endocrinologist Shashank Joshi said, ''Sleeping less than five hours leads to diabesity (diabetes and obesity) in Mumbai." He also adds that sleep of beyond 10 hours is harmful.

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Bad sleeping habits

Curling up: Did you know that sleeping all curled up is not good for your back? This could result in back pain. The best way to fall asleep is on your back, flat out, with maybe a pillow under your knees to flex your lower back.

Having pets sleep in your bed: Animal hair can trigger off asthma and other allergy attacks, so it is advisable to keep your furry friends out of your bed. Even children's stuffed toys can be carriers of dust mites. And that is something you need to watch out for.

Sleeping face down: Sleeping face down can wake you up in just a little while because of the distrupted nocturnal breathing that this can result in. You will not be able to breathe properly when sleeping face down and this will wake you up.

Dropping off in your make up: Apart from producing dark circles around your eyes, eye make up can irritate your eyes while you sleep. Besides having make up on for long periods of time can produce dermatitis. So before you hit the hay, even if you are bone tired, take a coupleof minutes to completely remove all traces of make up from your face and neck.

Sleeping in a cold room: With the air conditioner on full blast and you feeling absolutely cold, you could curl up in a bad posture while sleeping. And this is bad for your spine. So sleep in a comfortable temperature, and set the timer on in your air conditioner before it gets too cold for you.

Putting flowers in your bedroom: Fresh flowers and their sweet scents are great to have in your room. But not while you sleep and in your bed room. Flowers have pollen that could trigger off an allergy attack in allergy-prone folks. Sunflowers are the worst offenders. If you still insist on flowers, have some low fragrance types that can minimise allergy attacks.

Sleeping with a bedside lamp on: Deep sleep can come only when you are sleeping in total darkness. So it might be a good idea to stop being afraid of the boogie man lurking in the shadows and sleep well. But if you are used to sleeping with the light on, gradually dim it, or your sleep can get completely disrupted!

Cleaning your bedroom: Many disinfectants have chemicals that can irritate your skin,nose, throat and lungs when you sleep. So avoid cleaning your room in the evening, but give it a once-over in the morning.

Staying in a freshly painted room: Paints and varnishes also have chemicals that can irritate the system. So, if your have got your room painted, sleep somewhere else for about 3 weeks and then come in to inhabit the place after all the dust and chemicals have settled.

Lying in: We all love to sleep and given the chance we will sleep a lot longer than we need to. And this can leave you feeling groggy and tired and not at your best. So, get just your requried number of hours of sleep and wake up bright and alert to face the challenges of a new day. And did you know that a woman needs 15 minutes more sleep than a man does? So, now you know what to tell him when he asks for coffee or breakfast in bed!

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Brain Damaging Habits

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar Consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Body Damaging Habitsby

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.

2. Not urinating in the morning.

3. Too much eating.

4. Skipping breakfast.

5. Consuming too much medication.

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil.
As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is20very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'

The top five cancer-causing foods are:
1.. Hot Dogs

Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate..

2. Processed meats and Bacon

Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

3. Doughnuts

Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

4. French fries

Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams ..

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies

All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

New pill helps smokers kick the habit

London: Global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has developed a pill that helps smokers quit the addiction.

The trials of the drug Champix in Britain show that it is effective after a 12-week course, with 44 percent of smokers stopping, reported the online edition of Daily Mail.

"Smokers can take it for longer than 12 weeks if necessary and the overall quit rates then rise," it said.

The most common side effect of the pill is, however, nausea, which is generally mild and transient. But fewer than three percent of smokers discontinued treatment because of this.

Smoking cessation is a major plank of preventive health policy, and smokers who want to kick their habit can visit their GP and be prescribed various nicotine replacement therapies such as skin patches, gum and inhalers.

These work by supplying the body with a steady stream of nicotine after the user has stopped smoking, which allows the cravings to diminish.

Zyban, another drug available to help smokers, works differently -- it is actually an anti-depressant that lessens former smokers' desire to take up the habit again.

Champix is also nicotine-free, but works in an entirely different way -- by binding to nicotine receptors in the brain reducing the severity of cravings and other withdrawal symptoms.

By interfering with the release of the "pleasure" chemical dopamine, Champix also reduces the satisfaction gained from smoking.

Each year, about 114,000 deaths in Britain are attributed to smoking.

"Seventy percent of smokers would like to give up," said Dr Alex Bobak, a London based physician with special interest in smoking cessation.

This new medicine gives National Health Service (NHS) Stop Smoking Services and healthcare providers another weapon against smoking addiction, which costs the NHS 1.5 billion pounds in direct costs each year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Soon, a pill to 'extend your life by 10 yrs'

Sydney, Nov 18 (ANI): A Harvard Medical School professor believes that the day is not far when just popping a pill could make you live longer and healthier.

Associate Professor of Pathology David Sinclair said his work to activate the sirtuin genes, which control ageing "could expand lifespan by five to 10 healthy years."

It wouldn't stop you getting old, he said, but instead would push back the point at which you become impaired before "hopefully, [you] immediately drop dead," reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

He suggested that activating the sirtuins increases memory and endurance but also slow ageing and alleviate the impact of a high-fat diet.

"If the animal studies are borne out in humans, you would have a pill for arthritis that would prevent Alzheimer's, cardiac arrest, would slow down heart disease and even protect you against cataracts," Sinclair said.

"Within scientific circles this is as cutting edge as stem cell research," he added.

Sinclair also pioneeered the use of resveratrol - and now synthetic compounds up to 10,000 times more potent - which have been shown to slow the ageing process and prevent the onset of many diseases in animals.

However, he admitted that there was a risk because the effects of long-term doses in humans were not known, but no side effects in either animals or humans had been found.

 

[Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa]

Know the Signs of Depression and Improve Your Life

Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the way a person has come to think about himself.

"I just can't get myself to do any work around the house. My marriage is falling apart."

"My hair is thinning. I'm losing my looks. No one will care about me anymore."

These are typical thoughts of people who are depressed and show a change in thinking, feeling and acting.Here are other signs of depression :

Continual feelings of sadness, emptiness and helplessness that seem to have no cause

Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities

Decreased energy, fatigue

Sleep and/or eating problems

Difficulty concentrating and making decisions

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness

Irritability, excessive crying

Chronic physical aches and pains that do not go away

Feelings of hopelessness

Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

If a person shows several of the above signs of depression for an extended period (2 weeks or more) he should consult a physician.

Although the change may come on gradually, the depressed person is different from the way he was before the onset of his illness perhaps even the opposite of his usual self. There are many signs of depression confirming this change : the successful businessman who believes he is on the brink of bankruptcy, the devoted mother who wants to abandon her children, the gourmet who can't stand food, the playboy who becomes disgusted with sex. Instead of seeking pleasure, the depressed person avoids it. Instead of caring for himself, he neglects himself and his appearance. His instinct to survive may give way to a desire to end his life. His drive to succeed may be replaced by passivity and withdrawal.

The most obvious and typical signs of depression relate to a sad mood: gloomy, lonely, apathetic. The depressed person may find himself crying even when there seems to be nothing to cry about or may find it impossible to cry when a truly sad event occurs. He may have trouble sleeping or wake early in the morning, unable to return to sleep. On the other hand, feeling constantly tired, he may sleep more than usual. He may lose his appetite and lose weight, or eat more than he does normally and gain weight.

Signs of depression also relate to self-esteem. Typically, the depressed person sees himself in a very negative way. He may believe that he is helpless and alone in the world and often blames himself for trivial faults or shortcomings. He is pessimistic about himself, about the world, and about his future. He loses interest in what is going on around him and doesn't get satisfaction out of activities < he used to enjoy. Often, he has trouble making decisions or getting himself to carry out decisions he has made.

Some people don't show the usual signs of depression. They may complain instead of physical discomfort or suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction. When a person always seems tired or bored with what he is doing, he may actually be depressed. When bright children do poorly in school over a period of time, this too may point to depression. There is even evidence that the overly active child may be compensating for an underlying depression.

 

[Night_Hawk]

Health risks of exposure to radiation
Health risks of exposure to radiation
(AP)

17 March 2011
Concern is mounting about potential health risks of radiation from the crippled nuclear reactors in Japan. How much radiation you get depends on the dose, duration and method of exposure.
Some types of radioactive particles are more dangerous or longer lasting than others.
Some basics:
Q. How are people exposed to radiation?

A. Radioactive particles in fallout can be inhaled into the lungs, fall on the skin or be ingested through contaminated food or water. The level can vary greatly even between short distances, said Dr. Fred Mettler, a University of New Mexico radiologist who led an international study of health effects after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
“You can come around a corner and the dose rate can be very high, and you get back behind a column and the dose rate is much lower,” depending on what type of particles are in the fallout, whether you’re standing under a roof where they’ve accumulated or shielded you from them, etc., he said.
Q. How does radiation harm?

A. In the short term, radiation damages rapidly dividing cells — hair, the stomach lining, bone marrow. That can cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of infection-fighting blood cells and clotting problems. Children are most at risk because they have so many rapidly dividing cells.
One type of radiation, radioactive iodine, is taken up by the thyroid gland and can lead to thyroid cancer if pills are not taken right away to prevent this uptake. Long term, radiation can damage DNA and raise the risk of many types of cancer years down the road.
Q. How much radiation is unsafe?

A. Most people get around three-tenths of a rem (a measurement unit of dose) each year from radiation in the environment, mostly from radon gas in the soil. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says doses of less than 10 rems over a long time period are not a health concern.
Q. When does it threaten health?

A. Symptoms of radiation sickness — nausea, vomiting and hair loss — can occur at exposures of 50 to 100 rems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Death within two months becomes a possible risk at around 400 rems; within two weeks at 1,000 rems, the EPA says.
Q. What about medical radiation?

A. A chest X-ray delivers about one-tenth of a rem of radiation; a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is 1.4 rems. A person’s dose accumulates over time, which is why medical experts say we should avoid unnecessary tests that involve radiation.
Q. What’s the antidote once there is radioactive fallout?

A. Potassium iodide pills can block uptake of radioactive iodine and protect the thyroid gland, but they must be used quickly. “Ideally, you’d give it before they’re exposed or at the time” of exposure, Mettler said. “After 12 hours, it’s hardly useful” unless exposure is continuing.
Q. If fallout is occurring, should people flee or stay?

A. Each situation is different and can change rapidly. Japanese officials urged tens of thousands of people to evacuate from a 12-mile zone, but now have told many more in a broader region, about 20 miles from the troubled plant, to seal themselves indoors.
Q. Is this like Chernobyl?

A. No. That Russian plant had no containment vessel around its reactor, so when an explosion occurred, large chunks of radioactive fuel from the core spewed out. That fuel contained cesium, a longer-lasting and more hazardous radioactive material than the shorter-lived radioactive iodine that has mostly been released in Japan. Still, there have been reports of some cesium release in Japan, prompting worries that a meltdown may be occurring.

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