Health

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) The Ministry of Ayush is set to organise a two-day event themed “National Ayush Mission and Capacity Building in States” at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) here next week, an official statement said on Sunday.The summit on September 3-4 will be chaired by Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.It aims to provide a platform for detailed discussions on state-specific notes and feedback notes received from state/UT officials, which also encompass grassroots-level inputs.Such a participatory approach is intended to strengthen and strategically expand the National Ayush Mission (NAM) — a flagship programme that promotes holistic healthcare by integrating Ayurveda, Y...

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Surgery to treat chronic sinus disease can be more effective than antibiotics, according to a major clinical trial.The common symptoms of Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), or sinusitis, include a blocked and runny nose, loss of smell, facial pain, tiredness, and worsening of breathing problems, such as asthma. It’s often similar to the symptoms of a bad cold, but it can last for months or even years.The findings, published in the journal The Lancet, found that surgery was effective at relieving sinusitis symptoms, and trial participants who underwent surgery were still feeling better six months later. Of those who underwent surgery, 87 per cent said their quality of life had improved six months on.A three-month course of low-dose antibiotics was not found to be helpful...

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Beta blockers, the standard treatment after a heart attack for the last 40 years, may offer no benefit for heart attack patients and can raise death risk in some women, according to a study on Saturday that called for a rejig into the standard treatment paradigm. Beta blockers are drugs commonly prescribed for a range of cardiac conditions, including heart attacks. It provides no clinical benefit for patients who have had an uncomplicated myocardial infarction with preserved heart function.The study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Madrid and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine and in the European Heart Journal, showed that women treated with beta blockers had a higher risk of death, heart attack, or hospitalis...

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Intake of healthy gut bacteria in a pill form can act as a holy grail to tackle weight loss as well as metabolic syndrome that drives the risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to a study.Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of five conditions -- high blood pressure, high blood sugar, large waist circumference, high triglycerides (fat in the blood), and low HDL (‘good’) cholesterol.The study, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, showed that the transfer of healthy gut bacteria via a single capsule may bring significant health benefits.A team of researchers from the University of Auckland included 87 obese adolescents to probe whether faecal transfer (taking ‘good’ gut bacteria from healthy donors and giving them in capsule form to people wit...

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Even a small amount of ultra-processed foods can lead to increased weight, hormone disruption, and poor sperm quality in men, finds a study.An international team of scientists has now discovered that people gain more weight on an ultra-processed diet compared to a minimally processed diet, even when they eat the same number of calories.The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, in humans also revealed that a diet high in ultra-processed foods introduces higher levels of pollutants that are known to affect sperm quality.“Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they’re not eaten in excess. This indicates that it is the processed nature of these foods that makes them harmful,” said lead author Jessica ...

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Metals, particularly nickel and vanadium, and sulphate particles -- components of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) -- can worsen asthma and lead to hospitalisation, according to a new study.The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, showed that for each decile increase in the pollutant mixture, asthma hospitalisations increased 10.6 per cent among children and 8 per cent among adults ages 19 to 64.Nickel, vanadium, sulfate, nitrate, bromine, and ammonium contributed the most weight to this association."If we want to reduce asthma hospitalisations, these are the sources that need to be better controlled -- which we know how to do," said corresponding author Joel Schwartz, professor of environmental epidemiology at H...

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) Looking to enhance the mental and emotional well-being of senior citizens, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairman Keshav Chandra on Friday inaugurated a Meditation Centre at its Aashirwad Senior Citizens Home, Kali Bari Marg.Addressing the senior citizens, Chandra said, "Meditation is not only a path to inner peace but also a source of energy and stability. This centre will serve as a mental well-being space where our senior citizens can reconnect with themselves, find solace, and experience renewed vitality."NDMC Director (Welfare) Anjum Siddiqui said that the new Meditation Centre is designed as a dedicated space of peace, reflection and rejuvenation for senior citizens.Recognising that meditation is a proven way to nurture inner stability, reduce stress a...

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) Certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression, can raise the risk of developing heart disease and mortality by nearly 100 per cent, according to a report on Friday.The report, published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health-Europe, summarises cardiovascular health disparities among those diagnosed with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Researchers from Emory University showed that schizophrenia raises the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by nearly 100 per cent. This was followed by major depression ( 72 per cent), PTSD (57 per cent), bipolar disorder (61 per cent), panic disorder (50 per cent), and phobic anxiety (70 per cent).The research also showed that these condition...

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) Urging the need to set bold goals for growth, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday said that the MedTech sector is a natural candidate for Atmanirbharata and self-reliance.Speaking at the 17th CII Global MedTech Summit 2025 in New Delhi, the Minister urged the industry to use the government’s Research, Development and Innovation Scheme to meet the aspirations of a vibrant India.“For a Viksit Bharat by 2047, we all need to relook at our plans, ability to collaborate within the country and outside, become bigger and bolder, and aim for the sky. India cannot limit itself to modest goals, and the MedTech sector is a natural candidate for Atmanirbharata and self-reliance,” said Goyal.The Minister commended the Indian MedTech industry for its ...

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) India’s MedTech industry is strategic to reduce the import dependency as well as boost the sector’s share in the global market, according to a report on Friday.The report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), highlights the transformative opportunity for India’s MedTech industry to emerge as a global manufacturing and innovation hub.The CII-BCG report was launched at the inaugural session of the 17th CII Global MedTech Summit by Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.Valued at approximately $16 billion, India’s MedTech industry currently accounts for only around 2per cent of the approximately $680 billion global market.“With the government’s Viksit...