Health

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) India has reaffirmed its commitment to integrate Ayush-based innovation into global health at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2025, the Ministry of Ayush said on Friday.The Indian delegation, led by Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), and Dr. Srinivas Rao Chinta, Joint Advisor (Homoeopathy), Ministry of Ayush, participated in the 2025 Assembly held at Reykjavík, Iceland.During the plenary session titled “The Role and Importance of the Global South in the Arctic,” Acharya presented India’s proactive engagement in the Arctic region under its comprehensive Arctic Policy.He emphasised the growing relevance of traditional systems of medicine in addressing global health challenges and highlighted th...

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Food safety is a shared responsibility and must be formed with public awareness, said government officials, while also stressing the need to tackle food myths and promote food literacy.At an event held in the national capital on World Food Day 2025, policymakers, industry leaders, food scientists, and academia addressed the urgent need for science-backed food education in an era dominated by conflicting narratives and digital misinformation.“Food safety is a shared responsibility that extends beyond regulatory frameworks to public awareness. We welcome initiatives that use scientific discourse to clear misconceptions and promote responsible food choices,” said Satyen Kumar Panda, ED (Regulatory Compliance) and Advisor (Quality Assurance), FSSAI.“Collaboration among...

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) The world needs Ayurveda’s timeless wisdom for preventive and sustainable healthcare, said Geraldo Alckmin, Vice President of Brazil.Alckmin, who is on his official tour to India, visited the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Ayush.Alckmin expressed deep appreciation for India’s leadership in promoting traditional and integrative health systems.“Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old treasure of health and wisdom,” he said, while congratulating the AIIA for its “work in promoting health, treating diseases, and advancing education and research through a holistic approach”.“The world needs Ayurveda’s timeless wisdom for preventive and sustainable healthcare,” he added.Alckmin, who is also the Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and S...

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Maternal exposure to air pollution particles such as PM2.5 during pregnancy can affect brain development in newborn babies, according to a new study.Researchers at Hospital del Mar, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the CIBER area of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) in Spain analysed extremely small particles -- about thirty times thinner than a human hair. It was composed of harmful elements from combustion processes and toxic organic compounds, but also of essential elements for brain development, such as iron, copper, and zinc.The results, published in the journal Environment International, showed that newborns of mothers exposed to higher levels of fine airborne particles during pregnancy show slower myelination at this very ear...

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and Poshan Abhiyan have been crucial in advancing food security in the country, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Thursday on World Food Day.World Food Day is observed every year on October 16 to raise awareness about food security, nutrition, and sustainable agricultural practices. Taking to the social media platform X, the Union Health Minister stressed the need for sustainable and inclusive approaches both for food production and nutrition. “Today, as we commemorate World Food Day, we highlight the urgent need for sustainable and inclusive approaches to food production and nutrition,” Nadda said. Crediting PM Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership for initiatives like PMGKAY and Poshan Abhiy...

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) US researchers have identified a gene on the X chromosome that drives inflammation in the female brain and explains the reason why women are disproportionately affected by conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.The team from the University of California-Los Angeles noted that, as females have two X chromosomes, as opposed to only one in males, they get a "double dose" of inflammation, which plays a major role in ageing, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis.Using a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, they found the gene Kdm6a, which causes inflammation in microglia -- immune cells in the brain.When Kdm6a and its associated protein were deactivated, the multiple sclerosis-like disease and neuropathology were both ameliorated with high sig...

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) While the keto diet -- high in fat and low in carbohydrates -- is hugely popular for weight loss, a new animal study has warned that it may raise the risk of an aggressive type of breast cancer.Research from the University of Utah, US, showed that high lipid levels caused by fatty acids -- a key feature of obesity that promotes tumour growth -- can also fuel the risk of triple-negative breast cancer.The study, conducted in preclinical mouse models, suggests that breast cancer patients and survivors with obesity could benefit from lipid-lowering therapies -- and that they should avoid high-fat weight loss regimens like ketogenic diets."The key here is that people have underestimated the importance of fats and lipids in the all-encompassing term that is obesity," sai...

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Making Ayurveda Aahara an integral part of global nutrition can help fight lifestyle-related diseases and ensure a disease-free future, said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge) on Thursday, on World Food Day 2025.Ayurveda Aahara is India’s unique food philosophy rooted in balance, wellness, and nature. World Food Day 2025 is celebrated this year under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.“This year’s World Food Day theme resonates deeply with India’s traditional wisdom. Ayurveda Aahara is not merely food -- it is a philosophy that unites health, sustainability, and compassion for nature," Jadhav said.As part of the celebration, the Ministry of Ayush reiterated India’s commitment to fostering a healthier ...

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Popular drugs for diabetes management and weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could also be effective in reducing alcohol use, according to a study.The study, led by researchers at Virginia Tech, US, showed that GLP-1 agonists slow the speed at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, also slowing down the effects on the brain."People who drink know there's a difference between nursing a glass of wine and downing a shot of whiskey," said Alex DiFeliceantonio, Assistant Professor at the varsity’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.A standard serving of either has 0.6 ounces of alcohol, but the shot brings a rapid increase in blood-alcohol content. It feels different because of the way the body handles alcohol over time."Why would this matter? Faster-acting drugs...

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Transforming research labs into startup hubs can help drive India’s knowledge powerhouse, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, on Wednesday.Speaking at the Grand Finale of the Golden Jubilee Milestone Observation Program of CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) at Thiruvananthapuram, the Minister called for an innovation-driven economy with larger participation of the private sector."India’s transformation from a technology importer to an innovation-driven exporter is being powered by institutions like the CSIR-NIIST, which combine scientific research with sustainability and entrepreneurship,” he said.Marking 50 years of the institute’s establishment, Singh inaugurated the new Golden Jub...