Heena Sharma Blog

Compounds found in green tea , carrots and rice have helped reverse Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice genetically programmed to develop the neurodegenerative disease , a study has found. The study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, was carried in mice, and many mouse discoveries never translate into human treatments, researchers noted. However, the findings lend credence to the idea that certain readily available, plant-based supplements might offer protection against dementia in humans, they said. "You do not have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you can make these dietary changes today," said Terrence Town, a professor at the University of Southern California (USC) in the US. "I find that very encouraging," Town said in statement. The study supports the idea that combination therapy, rather than a single magic bullet, may offer the best approach to treating people living with Alzheimer's. Co...

Trying to figure out a trick to keep mental stress in check? It turns out just thinking about your romantic partner during a stressful situation may help keep your blood pressure under control just as effectively as actually having your significant other in the room with you. As part of a recent study, 102 participants were asked to complete a stressful task which included submerging one foot into 3 inches of cold water ranging from 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The participants, all of whom were in committed romantic relationships, were randomly assigned to one of three conditions when completing the task. * They either had their significant other sitting quietly in the room with them during the task. * They were instructed to think about their romantic partner as a source of support during the task * Or they were instructed to think about their day during the task. Those who had their partner physically present in the room or who thought about their partner had a lo...

A case study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine wrote about how a 60-year-old man who struggled with unexplained sweating episodes for three years was diagnosed with temporal lobe seizures by the doctors. The man, who was otherwise healthy had "an average of 8 discrete episodes of sweating" every 24 to 32 days, the authors said, according to a report published in CNN. He had no other symptoms, and all tests that doctors ran on him returned normal results. During one of his office visits, the doctors saw the man having one of his sweating episodes, where the patient reported he "felt it coming on; he lowered his head into his hands and had slowed verbal responses for approximately 2 minutes." The doctors described his sweating as "profuse" and detailed a pool of sweat left on an examination table. This led the doctors to believe that it might be a seizure and led them to perform an ambulatory electroencephalography, kno...

Turns out, teenagers dealing with stress because of their families may affect certain processes in the body, including blood pressure and the immune system . The researchers at the Penn State explored the strategies adolescents used to deal with chronic family stress and their effects on various metabolic and immune processes in the body. Strategies could include cognitive reappraisal -- trying to think of the stressor in a more positive way -- and suppression, or inhibiting the expression of emotions in reaction to a stressor. The team found that when faced with greater chronic family stress, teens, who used cognitive reappraisal, had better metabolic measures. "These changes are not something that will detrimentally impact anyone's health within a week or two, but that over years or decades could make a difference," said Hannah Schreier, a researcher. "That may be how small changes in metabolic or inflammatory outcomes may become associated with...

It's not just the right sleepwear that plays an important role to experience uninterrupted sleep, bedtime is also the perfect instance to take immense care of your luscious locks and skin and to rejuvenate from the harm caused by the pollution around you. Jagadeesh.P, Trainer, Paul Mitchell India, and Karan Behal, CEO and Founder of PrettySecrets, have a few recommendations for a healthy sleep. It is important to keep your scalp hydrated with anything that is soothing and provides proper nourishment. An overnight treatment is very effective for damage control for those of you who witness overly dry hair or split ends on a regular basis. A nourishing treatment and a satin soft pillow case will ensure you wake up like a diva each morning. For easing the tension before you sleep, tying your hair in a loose bun or braiding it is an advisable option. Massaging your scalp on a regular basis with tea tree oil stimulates the blood circulation which leads to healthy gr...

As most brides-to-be aspire for a fairytale wedding , they often neglect the stress and anxiety that comes along with it. Don't get too consumed and do take care of your mental health, experts suggest. Shreyasi Ghosh, Content Head, The Wedding Brigade and Saket Nath Tiwari, Psychiatrist, National Mental Health Programme, Ghaziabad, have shared their thoughts on importance of mental health -- whether you're a bride-to-be with a pre-existing mental health disorder or one with a serious case of pre-wedding blues: Accept your condition: As in the case of every other problem, even with depression, acceptance is the first step towards getting better. Even if your first reaction to your diagnosis is denial, know that acceptance is extremely empowering. It prepares you for your next step towards recovery. Acceptance, however, does not mean resignation to your problem. It means understanding you have special needs and finding those to better equip yourself to feel calme...

High maternal levels of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy can increase feelings of anxiousness and depression in female off springs at the tender age of 2, a new study reveals. The findings emphasize the significance of prenatal conditions for susceptibility of later mental health problems in off springs. The effect of high maternal cortisol hormone on the negative offspring behavior appeared to result from patterns of stronger communication between brain regions important for sensory and emotional processing. However, male off springs of mothers with high cortisol during pregnancy did not demonstrate the stronger brain connectivity or a connection between maternal cortisol and mood symptoms. "This study measured maternal cortisol during pregnancy in a more comprehensive manner than prior research", said study author, Alice Graham. To estimate the overall cortisol level during pregnancy, Senior author, Claudia Buss and colleagues, measured ...