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RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) — About 44 percent of Brazilian children aged between two and 19 years old suffer from high cholesterol, and 50 percent have a high level of triglyceride, according to a study published Sunday.

The study by the University of Campinas (Unicamp) was conducted on nearly 2,000 minors in a hospital in the city of Campinas located in Sao Paulo. In the study, researchers measured and recorded cholesterol and triglyceride level in the blood samples in the last eight years.

The results are a parameter for the analysis of the Brazilian population, specially those in big cities, according to local media.

Emotional stress, unsuitable alimentation and the genetic predisposition are causes of the abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, said Professor Eliana Cotta de Faria of the Medical Sciences Faculty of the Unicamp.

“The worst is that high cholesterol and triglyceride levels can result in cardiovascular diseases,” Faria added.

“What caught our attention is that the causes of the high lipidlevel in the blood of those children are different. We have children with genetic diseases, with bad feeding habits and sedentary, and with liver and kidney diseases,” Faria said, “the age and the gender have no impact on the results.”

“Enough exercises and a healthy diet are important for people to maintain a proper cholesterol level,” Faria suggested, noting that “The families have responsibilities to offer their children various foods with fruits, vegetables, fiber and natural juices.”

Yoga is a good way to help you deal with IBS. (Photo Source: China Daily)
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BEIJING, Oct. 22 — Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is chronic disorder of the digestive system which has been given more coverage in recent years, with 10-20 percent of people in Western countries fitting the diagnostic criteria at any given time. However, with no clear-cut cause nor course of treatment, IBS remains a largely misunderstood condition.

IBS is described as a “functional” disorder because the way the gut works is affected but there are no notable physical changes. The symptoms are unpleasant and variable and may include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, cramping and stomach pain. Nausea, headache, heartburn and loss of appetite may also feature. It is crucial to get a firm IBS diagnosis from your doctor, mainly to rule out more serious disorders.

So what triggers this disagreeable condition? The causes of IBS are not explicitly known but in all likelihood several factors including stress, diet, fluid intake, sleep pattern, exercise and previous stomach infections may be involved.

IBS flare-ups are common among expats relocating to China, and that is hardly surprising; stress levels run high, ingrained routines are disrupted and food availability and choice are altered. Acknowledging such issues allows you to take action.

Stress is likely to be the most significant cause of IBS, and this may be connected with the amount of serotonin produced by the gut. Serotonin is a hormone (chemical) released by the body which can influence emotions, general mood, body temperature and appetite. Heavy release of serotonin into your gut may prompt over-activity of the muscles and nerves in the gut resulting in the characteristic symptoms of diarrhea, cramping and pain.

Dealing with stress is a vital step in treatment. Time planning, blocking time out for yourself, better communication at work or at home, making time for adequate sleep and even a change in job, may be necessary.

Getting in extra assistance is a good idea. For example, employing an ayi or driver. Coping techniques may also be beneficial - yoga, meditation, exercise or listening to music. A good massage is extremely affordable and easy to find here too. Counseling and psychotherapy are other options to consider.

Where matters of digestion are concerned it is logical to blame the diet, and in some cases with good reason. A disruptive dietary pattern can create big problems for those prone to IBS; irregularity of meals, eating on the run or under stressful conditions, or following a restrictive diet - can all exacerbate IBS.

The amount and type of fiber can also be important. People with constipation should try to increase fiber along with drinking more fluid. On the other hand, those with diarrhea and bloating may find a decrease to be beneficial.

Drinking plenty of water is important - at least 35ml/kg body weight per day and more if you are exercising. Caffeine (in coffee, tea, cola, chocolate) can encourage bowel movements, so cutting back may be useful for those who suffer with diarrhea. Conversely those with chronic constipation may benefit from the odd strong coffee to kick-start things.

Some artificial sugars found in “diet” products such as sorbitol or xylitol have a laxative effect - so if you’re guzzling cans of diet soda while steadily chewing sugar free gum you may want to adjust this. Spicy and oily foods can be problematic for some.

Specific food intolerances may play a role, but it is important to identify these properly with the help of a doctor or dietitian before eliminating large food groups from your diet. The most likely suspects are lactose intolerance (difficulty in digesting dairy products) and wheat intolerance. These can form both independent diagnoses or be a factor in IBS.

Medication in the form of laxatives, painkillers, anti-spasmodics and even anti-depressants may also be necessary but it is important to discuss these with your doctor.

(Source: China Daily)

CANBERRA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — The Cancer Council Victoria in Victorian

State in south Australia said on Thursday that smoking related illnesses kill

more than 3,000 Australians in the state a year under the age of 50 - leaving

behind nearly 10,500 sons and daughters.

The statistic released by the Cancer Council said five percent of Victorian

adults with children aged 12 or younger are smokers.

“The fact is that every week four Victorians lose a parent under the age of

50 to a smoking-related illness,” Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie

said while launching a powerful new television campaign aimed at encouraging

parents to quit smoking.

“Sadly, when it comes to smoking-caused death, people from all age groups

are affected, not just the elderly as is often thought,” Australian Associated

Press quoted her as saying in Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria.

Sharkie said the new campaign, which airs from Sunday night, powerfully

depicted the personal and emotional impact that smoking-caused illnesses had on

the lives of smokers’ families.

She said smokers who had already viewed the campaign had almost unanimously

said it made them feel like quitting for their children.

U.S. health officials said the Los

Angeles area has seen the highest number of human infections by West Niles

virus this year in its history, with 131 reported cases and three deaths.

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — The Los Angeles area

has seen the highest number of human infections by West Nile virus this year in

its history, with 131 reported cases and three deaths, health officials said on

Thursday.

“All of Los Angeles County is considered endemic with

West Nile virus,” said Robert Saviskas, executive director of the Los Angeles

County West Vector and Vector-Borne Disease Control District.

Elderly people or those with compromised immune

systems are more susceptible to West Nile virus, which can cause fever,

encephalitis or meningitis.

Most people in good health who contract the virus do

not show any symptoms and recover quickly, Saviskas said.

Seven Californians have died this year of the virus,

which is transmitted by mosquito bites. There have been 345 reported human cases

of West Nile virus this year in the state, according to the California

Department of Public Health.

Bacterial gastroenteritis. (File Photo)
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LAGOS, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) — An outbreak of gastroenteritis has claimed some 160 lives in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto State in five months, a senior state official has said.

State Commissioner for Health, Jabbi Kilgori, told

local media on Saturday in the state capital Sokoto that the deaths were

recorded from the 200 reported cases between June and October.

He said the outbreak had affected 17 of the 23 local

government areas of the state. About 53 percent of the dead were people above15

years old, 28 percent were between five and 14 while 19 percent were below five.

The commissioner said the disease was caused by the

contaminated water drunk by people in the affected areas.

“The affected people were mostly using water from

ponds and other stagnant water sources,” he was quoted as saying by the News

Agency of Nigeria.

Kilgori said that a joint state and local government

medical team was working around the clock in the area to bring the situation

under total control. The state government had purchased drugs and medicaments

worth 2.6 million naira (about 22,500 U.S. dollars) and distributed them to the

affected areas.

Kilgori said that the local governments’ councils had

also purchased drug to complement the efforts of the state government to control

the epidemic.

He said that Nigerian federal government had also

donated drugs worth about 1 million naira (about 8,700 U.S. dollars) and

dispatched a medical team to the state to help control the disease.

The commissioner said the government was doing all it

could to provide boreholes and wells across the state, adding that it was also

creating public health awareness.

Kilgori advised the people to use latrines, avoid

drinking from stagnant waters, boil water from all suspected sources as well as

wash their hands after visiting toilets.

Gastroenteritis is a disease that disturbs the

intestines, causing vomiting, diarrhea and cramp. It is often caused by eating

contaminated foods or drinking such water.

DHAKA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — About 22,000 women in Bangladesh are being attacked by breast cancer annually and 70 percent of them die due to lack of treatment, experts said here on Sunday.

The physicians, who participated in a weeklong program, said every woman should examine her breast once a month from the 20 years of age.

They said every woman must examine her breast once a year by physicians and women above 40 years should go for mammography test of their breast annually.

The experts also stressed the importance of proper food, exercise, breast feeding, accurate dose of birth control pills and avoidance of hormone in helping resist breast cancer.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — A popular epilepsy

drug may also be beneficial in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according

to a new study published in the Oct. 27 issue of U.S. Journal of Experimental

Medicine.

The anti-seizure drug valproic acid improved memory

and reduced brain lesions in mice with an AD-like disease, said researchers from

University of British Columbia in Canada.

Their study showed that treating mice with valproic

acid soon after the onset of disease shrank the brain plaques typical of AD and

even prompted damaged nerves to start repairing themselves. Most importantly,

the drug improved the animals’ performance in a variety of memory-related tests.

The acid worked by blocking a cascade of enzymatic

reactions that culminates in the accumulation of a protein called beta-amyloid,

which builds up to toxic levels in AD.

Valproic acid helped mice less as their disease

progressed, suggesting that future clinical trials should focus on people with

early signs of AD, said the researchers.

BEIJING, Oct. 28 (Xinhuanet) — The number of deaths

due to HIV and AIDS is expected to peak in 2012, according to a report released

by the World Health Organization.

In its new Global Burden of Disease publication on

Monday, the UN health agency expects deaths caused by HIV and AIDS to rise from

2.2 million in 2008 to a maximum of 2.4 million in 2012, before declining to 1.2

million in 2030.

“Deaths (from HIV and AIDS) will continue to increase

somewhat for a few years… by 2030 they would have declined from current levels

today,” said Colin Mathers, WHO coordinator for epidemiology and the burden of

disease.

The last forecast has sharply cut the WHO’s earlier

mortality projection, which expects deaths from HIV and AIDS would rise from 2.8

million in 2002 to 6.5 million in 2030.

Last year, the United Nations reduced its estimate of

the number of people living with AIDS.

In the new publication, the Geneva-based agency also

said heart ailments, infectious diseases and cancer remain the world’s top three

killers.

(Agencies)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) — A growing body of

research data suggests that consuming foods rich in polyphenols from grapes,

including red wine, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a

review article in the November issue of Nutrition Research.

“Consumption of grape and grape extracts and/or grape

products such as red wine may be beneficial in preventing the development of

chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease,” write the authors

from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

The authors review the accumulating evidence that

grape polyphenols work in many different ways to prevent cardiovascular and

other “inflammatory-mediated” diseases.

Polyphenols are natural antioxidants found in grapes

and some other plant foods. Their types and actions vary, depending on where in

the grape they are found. Grape seeds, grape skin, and grape juice contain

several types of polyphenols.

Through their antioxidant effects, grape polyphenols

help to slow or prevent cell damage caused by oxidation. Polyphenols decrease

oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (”bad” cholesterol) — a key

step in the development of atherosclerosis. Grape polyphenols also have other

protective effects on the heart and blood vessels, including actions to reduce

blood clotting, abnormal heart rhythms, and blood vessel narrowing.

It’s not yet clear exactly how these benefits of

polyphenols occur, although there is evidence of effects on cellular signaling

and on the actions of certain genes.

The wide range of health-promoting effects suggests

that several different, possibly interrelated mechanisms may be involved, says

the article.

So far, most of the evidence on grape polyphenols

comes from laboratory experiments and animal studies. However, a few studies

support the disease-preventing benefits of grapes in humans. Studies in patients

treated with grape seed extracts have shown improvements in blood flow and

cholesterol levels. In other studies, drinking Concord grape juice has improved

measures of blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease and lowered

blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

At a time of growing interest in the use of

“functional foods and nutraceuticals” to promote heart health, grapes and grape

polyphenols are “attractive candidates” for use in such supplements, the authors

conclude.

BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhuanet) — A seven-year research

trying to find the effects of Vitamin E and selenium supplements on prostate

cancer has been halted because, either alone or together, they do not reduce the

risk, and may even heighten it, according to media report Wednesday.

The 114 million-dollars study was conducted by U.S.

National Cancer Institute, involving more than 35,000 subjects and at 400

sites around the United States.

The result came after researchers began tallying the

data and found there were slightly more prostate cancers in men taking vitamin E

alone, and slightly more diabetes in men taking only selenium, quite the reverse

to the previous expectation that selenium and Vitamin E might decrease the risk

of developing prostate cancer by 60 percent and 30 percent by taking alone or

together.

“I am afraid it will be the end of the story for

large trials of vitamin E and selenium to prevent prostate cancer,” said the

study investigator Edward M. Messing, professor and chairman of urology and

deputy director of the Cancer Center at the University of Rochester. “For

vitamin E, that is unfortunate. Probably if given in a more effective form, it

would be a protective or even therapeutic agent.”

Study participants were told to stop taking the two

pills they’d been taking every day since the trial opened in 2001, and were

assured that their health would be monitored for roughly the next three years.

“As we continue to monitor the health of these 35,000

men, this information may help us understand why two nutrients that showed

strong initial evidence to be able to prevent prostate cancer did not do so,”

said Cleveland Clinic researcher and study co-chair Eric Klein in a news

release.

This is not the first failed trial of supplements’

cancer-prevention properties: Studies completed in the 1990s found that

beta-carotene supplementation failed to prevent lung cancer, and in fact

appeared to increase the odds that male smokers would develop the disease.

(Agencies)