Back to Traditional Culinary to Foster Public Health

gastroenterology

Westerns nations glorify their achievements on terms of technology and economy by showcasing the advancements in the fields of industry, technology, law, politics, economies and lifestyles, clothing, language etc. Media of mass communication are playing great role in influencing people of non- western origin in adopting western hair color, skin texture, straightens hair and shape. However, it is evident that introduction of western features in the traditional non-Western cultures. Interestingly, the current public health issues related to dietary is driving people increasingly towards Synbiotics. At this juncture, here is an emerging concept that is encouraging public to revisit their indigenous traditional culinary tastes and habits.

Probiotics are defined as viable mass of microorganisms, which reaches intestine to employ positive health effects. Probiotics is defined as fermented ingredient which facilitates specific changes, both in the composition and the activities of the intestinal flora that confers benefits upon host wellbeing and health. Combined synergistic positive health effect of pro- and prebiotics, called as synbiotics. These organisms are called autochthonous members of ecosystem.

digestive diseases

Up to date bifidogenic, non-digestible oligosaccharides (particularly inulin, its hydrolysis product like oligofructose, and (trans) galactooligosaccharides), fulfill all the criteria for prebiotic classification. It is possible to find solutions to the emerging health care problems using synergetic prebiotic diet.

Prebiotic fibers are often natural constituents of a variety of foods, especially whole grains, fruits, root and other vegetables, and legumes. Major part of western diet is lacking prebiotic fibers; consumption of these contributes very low to the colon health.

Well accepted and established synbiotics effects are enlisted: a. lactose intolerance b. antibiotic associated diarrhea c. reducing carcinogenic metabolites in the colon d. inhibiting Helicobacter pylori infection or bacterial overgrowth e. Prevention of respiratory tract infections like common cold, influenza and urogenital infections f. positive effects on lipid metabolism g. stimulation of mineral adsorption and immunomodulatory properties.

Booster to Hepatitis Vaccination is must to Get the Desired Outcome

The task of taking the new born baby to the pediatricians start right at the time of the birth as the infant needs to be immunized immediately after the birth to cope with the environs. The parents of the new born baby get the recommended set of vaccinations to be administered at various intervals from the day one till the child complete 18 years. Apprehensions and doubts regarding the role of boosters or the repetition of a particular vaccine among the parents need to be addressed and this is particularly so regarding Hepatitis-B vaccines.     

A recombinant vaccine Hepatitis B was discovered based on major S protein, which was purified from yeast. As per the WHO recommendation all the infants should receive the HB vaccine soon after the birth, preferably within 24hrs. Universal vaccination is continuously increased to 183 countries till 2013. This could reduce the prevalence of HBs to < 1% in the United States from 9.8% in the year 1984 to 0.7% in 1999. Recent studies have revealed that the response to the vaccination is sometimes decreased in adult over 40 years of age and some individuals do not retain anti-HBs antibodies after complete vaccination.

G145R mutation in the “α determinant” of HBV makes it resistant to the neutralizing effect of anti-HBs, and threaten the effectiveness of HB vaccines, further it is inevitablefor the booster doses.

Vaccination is an easy and cost-effective measure to prevent disease and infection. As per WHO report (2009) 378 million people are chronically affected by HBV and over a 2 billion people worldwide have been exposed. Yet, it is not clear how long the protective effect persist soon after birth vaccination. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, a booster is not necessary because memorized immunity will be activated following HBV exposure.Studies from various countries say that most of memorized immunity disappeared after 20 years post vaccination and booster vaccination is necessary to maintain anti-HBs seropositive.

The term “booster” refers to a vaccination given in a series of doses in order to provide rapid protective immunity against major infections.Boosters may be used to enhance immune memory and provide support of protective immunity against HBV infection.

The question that remains to be unanswered for long time is how long immune memory will last. Yoshihiko Yano from the Center for Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan was of the view that regular and long-term follow-up studies are needed to confirm the duration and persistence of immune memory. So far, there is no randomized trial and it is still difficult to conclude this issue. Hence there is a need of coherent study. This opinion was published in the Journal of Hepatitis.

Early Detection Offers Immediate Cure to Anorexia

Be a vegetarian to escape Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Most western citizens with Eating Disorder (ED) have turned vegetarians, including the top Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Aamir khan. Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and phytochemicals, and low in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12. Well-planned vegan diets can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease.

Many studies have suggested that vegetarianism and anorexia are not independent but intertwined, the process may either anorexics turn to vegetarianism as part of their symptomology which may taint the research findings, or that vegetarianism may be an escape route for someone who might otherwise become anorexic.

According to standards in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic (APAD) individuals with anorexia nervosa decline to maintain normal body weight depending on the age and height; they are intensely awful of gaining weight or becoming fat, and exhibit a significant disturbance in the perception of body weight or size. Moreover, for women, the diagnosis insists on loss of periods for at least 3 consecutive cycles i.e. amenorrhea. Whereas in males, amenorrhea is lacking, further it makes difficult to detect anorexia in males. However most of the studies report that male and female with anorexia behave the same way.

Anorexia Nervosa is a form of self-starvation and eating disorder characterized by a distorted body image that leads to restricted eating and other behaviour that prevents a person from gaining weight.

According to a survey among college students, 2% of male population perceived to be overweight among 13 % were actually weighed, whereas females 50% perceived to be overweight. Men don’t desire for tuning of sizes like female “size zero” and are not prone to anorexia.

Although the cultures shared by the male and female has got pressure to attain a look to visually pleasurable and appropriate. Yet there is difference in pressure perceived among the genders, nevertheless males can get eating disorders too.

How to diagnose Anorexia? - Parents, teachers, and instructors may be able to identify the child or adolescent with anorexia. Child psychiatrist or a qualified mental health professional usually diagnoses anorexia in children and adolescents by taking a detailed history of the child's behaviour from parents and teachers. Clinical observations of the child's behaviour, and, sometimes, psychological testing contribute to the diagnosis. Parents who note symptoms of anorexia in their child or teen can help by seeking an evaluation and treatment early. Early treatment can often prevent future problems.

Anorexia, and the malnutrition that results, can adversely affect nearly every organ system in the body, increasing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. Anorexia can be fatal. Consult your child's doctor for more information.

Prevention of AN? -Preventive measures to reduce the incidence of anorexia are not known at this time. However, early detection and intervention can reduce the severity of symptoms.

Sustainable Drug Delivery system to Treat Angina Effectively

Angina pectoris known as Angina is the sensation or pain in the chest due to ischemia of the heart muscle as a result of obstruction of the coronary arteries. Angina may lead to anemia, abnormal heart rhythm and heart failure. Angina is a leading cause for death during early 20^th century. Hypertension damages the heart vessels leading to blockage in the arteries, resulting in abnormal blood flow to the heart, which causes Angina or chest pain.

Conventional drug delivery system to treat Angina is not very effective as it is not reaching the affected site in an appropriate manner. The guarded therapeutic method of treating Angina and Hypertension is quite challenging as it regulate the drug release. Matrix system is often deployed to attain the expected results. Nifedipine as a matrix tablet is prepared using polymers is orally administered to get the desired effects. Formulation prepared with HPMC K100M showed 97% of drug release at 24 hrs and with Eudragit indicates 99% of drug release at 20 hrs release of Nifedipine drug.

Sustained release of drug is a modified form of dosage that sustains the therapeutic activity of the drug for a long time. In this method, it is possible to eliminate the delay and ensure immediate release of the drug, which in turn produces expected therapeutic effect. Sustained method follows a system of gradual yet sustained method of releasing additional drug over a period of predetermined time, eliminating the need for night dosage. It not only offers the best care to the patient by optimizing the Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetic properties of a drug but also minimizes the side effects. It controls the alarming situation in a short time if it is administered in the most effective way.

Oral administration of the sustained drug delivery is generally preferred as it is easy and convenient to administer orally. It offers a great flexibility in designing the pill in the expected design and dosages in a cost effective manner.

Authors Rita B and Suresh V published these details in the ‘Annals of Clinical and Laboratory research ‘journal.