HIV is an RNA herpes virus that is spread by infected body secretions.
The most common ways of transmission are sharing contaminated needles, having sexual intercourse with an infected partner and perinatal transmission.
The clinical course from HIV to AIDS is a gradual but relentless immunosupression during a period of year, resulting in death caused by overwhelming infection from opportunistic diseases. Progression from HIV to AIDS in infants is more rapid than in adults.
Neonates of HIV infected women have a 13-52% chance of acquiring HIV from the mother.
The major route of vertical transmission is contact with the infected genital secretion at the time of vaginal delivery.
Neonates born from HIV positive mother will have positive HIV tests from passage of trans placental passive IgG.
All HIV- positive pregnant women are recommended anti viral prophylaxis(AZT), which is continued from 14 weeks' gestation throughout pregnancy, including delivery.
The vertical transmission rate is 30%, without maternal azidothymidine (AZT) prophylaxis. AZT prophylaxis has reduced the infection rate to 10%, with vaginal delivery.
Pregnant women with low CD4 count and high RNA viral loads are given multidrug antiviral regimens.
The currently offered mode of delivery is cesarean section to HIV-positive women.
Perinatal transmission is increasing globally as a direct result of the increase in number of HIV infection among women of child bearing age. Global precautions is to pay careful attention in handling all body fluids.
Cutting calories may delay the aging process and reduce the risk of disease, a long-term study of monkeys suggests.
Over 20 years, monkeys whose diets were not restricted were nearly three times more likely to have died than those whose calories were counted.
Writing in Science, the US researchers hailed the "major effect" of the diet.
It involved reducing calorie intake by 30% while maintaining nutrition and appeared to impact upon many forms of age-related disease seen in monkeys, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy.
Whether the same effects would be seen in humans is unclear, although anecdotal evidence so far suggests people on a long-term calorie-restricted diet have better cardiovascular health.
The precise mechanism is yet to be established: theories involve changes in the body's metabolism or a reduction in the production of "free radical" chemicals which can cause damage.
The benefits of calorie restriction are well documented in animals, but now the results have been replicated in a close relative of man over a lengthy period.
Over 20 years, monkeys whose diets were not restricted were nearly three times more likely to have died than those whose calories were counted.
Writing in Science, the US researchers hailed the "major effect" of the diet.
It involved reducing calorie intake by 30% while maintaining nutrition and appeared to impact upon many forms of age-related disease seen in monkeys, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy. click for more news..
The threshold for being overweight and obese should be lowered for British Asians, international experts say.
People of South Asian origin are more likely than white people to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
To reflect this, Indian health chiefs have changed their measuring system and said other countries should follow suit for people of South Asian origin.
GPs in the UK agree a better system is needed, but have put forward another option to pick up those at risk.
Standards used around the world to tell when someone is overweight or obese are based on data from Caucasians....click for full news
Olive oil is fruit oil obtained from the olive (Olea europaea; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. Although more expensive than other oils, olive oil has many health benefits. It has the highest percentage (about 77%) of monounsaturated fat among commonly used oils. Studies have found that consumption of olive oil can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing blood cholesterol levels and blood clot formation. It also contains many antioxidant phytochemicals that have many health benefits.
This oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives and comes in different varieties depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra virgin: Considered the best, this oil comes from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin: Comes from the second pressing.
Pure: Undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light: Undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.
Olive oil is great oil for cooking. When cooking with olive oil, save your extra-virgin expensive oils for salads, dressings and vinaigrettes. You can also drizzle it over slices of crusty bread or onto open-face sandwiches. Use it on a baked potato or add it to mashed potatoes instead of butter. Extra virgin olive oil tastes great on cooked vegetables or brushed onto fish or meat before serving.
The simplest form of carbohydrate is sugar. Both processed (refined) and unprocessed foods are carbohydrate. The good carbohydrates are unprocessed whole foods containing natural sugars like lactose in milk and fructose in fruits. The best source of good carbohydrate is from plant source as it provides vitamins, fiber, minerals and pytochemical along with grams of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is required for various metabolic function of the body. It is the primary source of energy for vital organs, brain, central nervous system and kidney. Carbohydrate is broken down into glucose in the digestive system. Insulin, hormone secreted by pancreas helps the transport of glucose from blood into the tissues as energy.
The bad Carbohydrates are sugar in refined form, such as sucrose (table sugar), added sugar. White refined grains are not good for the body because it provides calories but no nutrients. Refined foods are low in fibers and cause health risk, and also increase the risk of heart disease. Whole grains, vegetables full of fibers are good carbohydrates and also promotes required nutrients and helps lower risk of chronic disease.
The growing varieties of food in supermarkets have left us with food choices that are either harmful or beneficial. We need to act responsible by looking at the nutritional food level when purchasing.
USDA’ survey shows that in the U.S an average adult takes about 20 teaspoons of added sugar that is 320 calories everyday. People do not realize these 320 calories by consuming added sugar can add extra pounds quickly. Too much sugar in diet can quickly cause weight gain. Consuming high carbohydrate diet may predispose to weight gain because one gram of carbohydrate gives four calories. Food high in carbohydrate are also are high in calories. Obesity is the end result of consuming too many calories each day from all sources of carbohydrate, protein and fat. USDA recommends only about 9 teaspoon of added sugar a day. Commercially added sugars in beverages or baked products are to be avoided.
Food containing fibers are good for health and wellbeing. Dietary fibers are indigestible form of carbohydrate not absorbed in the intestinal tract. The foods that are refined or whiter grains have lower fibers. White grains food such as muffins, bagel, hamburger bun, and white rice is poor source of fiber. Fibers based food slows peak in blood glucose level thus reducing the risk for Diabetes. Fibers rich foods such as oats, beans and fruits help lower cholesterol.It also makes full and reach satiety. In order to add fibers to our diet, foods like whole grains, beans, plenty of fruits and vegetables must be included in our daily food choices. Fibers in diet may also have positive role in weight management.
Carbohydrate containing food is usually rated by its glycaemic index. Food that takes longer time to be absorbed is called as low glycaemic index. Whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans have lower glycaemic index as they get absorbed slowly in the body thus avoiding spikes in blood sugar level.
Carbohydrate food that spikes blood glucose level quickly is called high glycaemic index food like potatoes, white bread and white rice. Sugar added foods; starchy foods, raises blood glucose level quickly because they are rapidly absorbed in the blood stream.
Studies have concluded that everyone especially people with diabetes should eat food with low glycaemic food like soy products, beans, fruits, milk and grain bread.Plant based food high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low fat diary products moderate in calories can result in weight management. Boosting vegetarian diet is a smart & healthy move in life.
Best way to achieve healthy weight is to watch calorie intake. The secret to remain healthy is to avoid simple Carbohydrate like sugar sweetened food, soda drinks and sweets; as these are high in calories with no nutrients. This type of food makes us sleepy, tried and increases craving for more sweetened foods.
Carbohydrates’ have an important role in balanced diet so we need to act smart and be careful when choosing carbohydrate containing food.
