The Vegan Diet

Instead of touting a miracle food, the answer might lie in the absence of food. Eating less is shown to enhance one’s life span. The reasons aren’t exactly clear yet, but one study in the Scientific American links a lower calorie diet to enzymes in the cell mitochondria (or, the cell’s powerhouse). To recap the article, eating less slows the death of the cells since they are no longer porous, which means proteins cannot trigger cell death by seeping in the cell. Lack of cellular death = longer life. How does this science relate to vegans? Well, John Robbins explains in his book, “Diet for a New America” vegans have a longer life expectancy than those who eat meat. Coupled with a lower body mass index (BMI), vegans might be living longer than their meat-eating counterparts because they eat fewer calories.

Raw foodists will also see the same benefits of a longer life. Due to the obscurity of the diet and relatively small population, data isn’t available to support that a raw foodist has a longer lifespan—just anecdotal evidence. Suffice it to say, the same logic that promotes longer life in vegans can just as easily apply to the raw food diet, if not more so: a raw diet rich in minerals, fiber and vitamins tend to satiate a person for far fewer calories than a diet heavy in mineral-deficient, high-calorie diet of processed foods. In part this has to do with the ability to stay hydrated with greater ease. Foods that aren’t cooked are more water-dense, and therefore more hydrating.Before going on a diet purely based on calorie restriction, what a person eats is just as important as how much. For example, calorie-free soda tainted with cancer-causing aspartame will be far worse for a person than a handful of high-calorie (yet healthy) almonds.
Calories must be evaluated based on what else is in the food: ideally, eat foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories, If it’s high in calories but high in nutrients (ie, natural fats like olives), fine. If deficient in nutrients but low in calories (ie, fat free Pringles), try to pass. Lastly, forced calorie restriction is not enjoyable for anyone. Many might say that they’d be willing to shave off a few years of life to enjoy the delicacy of prime rib. The fortunate aspect of raw foodism and veganism is that the feeling of being deprived by not eating life-cutting high-calorie processed foods doesn’t register if they’ve settled into raw foodism/veganism as a lifestyle. Thus, the vegan and raw diet can provide the best of both worlds: great healthy food… and just a few years longer to enjoy it.

More Weight Reducing Diets

Low-carb diets may make people's short-term memory a little foggy, but they could improve people's ability to focus and pay attention, new research hints.

The key to keeping one's smarts while dieting seems to be not to cut out carbs completely, Dr. Holly A. Taylor of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, the lead researcher on the study, told Reuters Health. "Low carbohydrate is OK; no carbohydrate is not," she said. "Low-carb diets," Taylor added, "in the initial time period when they're actually no-carb diets, have the greatest potential to impair cognitive function because the brain uses glucose (sugar) as its primary fuel. The body breaks carbohydrates down into smaller components, including glucose, which the brain gets from the bloodstream, Taylor explained. So once carbohydrate stores are gone, the brain starts to starve.

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is known to worsen brain function, while low-carbohydrate diets that force the body to use body fat for fuel, a process known as ketosis, have long been used to control seizures, which "suggests that they can profoundly influence brain functioning," Taylor and her team note in the journal Appetite. To investigate how low-carb diets might impact thinking and mood, they had 19 women choose either a low-calorie, balanced diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), or a low-carb diet in which they cut out carbohydrates completely for a week and then gradually reintroduced them to their diets.

The study participants completed several tests of mood and cognitive function 72 hours before they began the diets and 48 hours, one week, two week and three weeks after starting the diet. The nine women who chose the low-carb diet fared worse on tests of their memory during the first week of the diet, when no carbohydrates were allowed, than the 10 women on the ADA diet. Once they started eating carbs again, the memory differences between the two groups disappeared. "Even with a very small amount of carbohydrate, performance returned to normal," Taylor said. She pointed out that the diet allowed them to add just 5 to 8 grams of carbs a day, while the daily recommended intake of carbohydrates for people who aren't trying to lose weight is 130 grams.

After the first week, the low-carb group performed better on a test of sustained attention than the ADA group, and also reported feeling less confused.

Past research has shown that people do better on tests requiring attention and vigilance after a high-protein meal compared to a high-carb meal, and also feel less fatigued, the researchers note.

The current findings, Taylor said, show that "there's more to weight reducing diets than just losing weight."

Gardens Can Please Eye, As Well As Palate

A vegetable garden need not be an eyesore. It can be an oasis of beauty, pleasing your eyes as much as your palate. Just visit or find a picture of Villandry, the famous French potager ("kitchen garden'') near Tours, France, with its patterns of geometric beds filled with growing vegetables. Some beds are bordered with low boxwood hedges -- 19 miles of them -- and the whole garden is interlaced with white, gravel paths. In fact, call your vegetable plot a "potager'' and right away you might find it more charming. When locating your potager, keep it close to your house, and consider that it needs at least six hours of full sunlight each day. As the old saw goes, "Put your vegetable garden no further from your back door than you could throw the kitchen sink.'' Or maybe even from your front door. (And that old saw dates back to when kitchen sinks were made of cast iron!) Whether it is near or against your house, establishes connections -- visually and physically -- between it, the house and the rest of the landscape. For instance, mimic in or around your potager some design element from your house or yard: a decorative fence, a row of clipped hedges, a piece of statuary.

Paths create visual and functional connections. Choose paving for paths that matches that of a nearby patio or echoes the pattern on a floor in a room looking out at the garden. Straight paths have a formal air, if that's the tone of your yard, while curving ones lend themselves more to informal settings. To further tie everything together, run paths from your house right up to and into the vegetable garden itself. Paths, paving, fences, hedges, statuary and other "tie-ins'' help overcome a common limitation of vegetable gardens: their often dreary appearance in winter, when, too often, they are just dirt. These tie-ins can help carry the overall design of the garden through the winter. Create beds in your potager, perhaps geometric in shape, perhaps flowing; in either case, beds whose shapes create year-round patterns of beauty. Define your garden with hedging, arbors, fencing and paving.

Finally, remember, a potager isn't only for vegetables. No rule says you can't plant some ornamentals to help keep up appearances through winter. The shapes and lines created by small, densely twigged plants, such as potentilla, shrubby dogwoods and cotoneaster, as well as boxwood, heather and other small evergreens, make their statements year-round. Come spring and summer, add vegetables themselves to your designer's palette: frilly red or green lettuces in all shapes, blue-green leaves of kale, a backdrop of feathery asparagus leaves. And some flowers -- for distraction from those temporary bare spots where you've picked delicious vegetables for eating.

Soybean May Help Reduce Menopause Effects

Soy aglycons of isoflavone (SAI), a group of soybean constituent chemicals, may help reduce menopause effects, say researchers. The research, described in BioMed Central''s open access journal Nutrition & Metabolism, shows how dietary supplementation with SAI lowers cholesterol, increases the anti-oxidative properties of the liver and prevents degeneration of the vaginal lining. Robin Chiou led a team of researchers from National Chiayi University, Taiwan, who studied the effects of the dietary supplement on a group of female rats that had undergone ovary removal.

He said, "These ovariectomized animals are a good model for study of the menopause as the loss of oestrogen from the ovaries mimics the natural reduction in oestrogen seen in menopausal women. SAI itself has weak oestrogenic properties and we''ve shown here that menopause-related syndromes can be prevented or improved by dietary supplementation with the compounds it contains". In comparison to control animals, the authors found that the ovariectomized rats fed a diet enriched with SAI showed increased liver antioxidative activities and improved lipid profiles.

Levels of harmful LDL cholesterol were reduced, while beneficial HDL cholesterol was increased. According to Chiou, "It is generally agreed that the higher HDL and the lower LDL concentrations are of benefit in chemoprevention of cardiovascular diseases. Our findings support the indication that soybean consumption may prevent coronary heart disease". The authors hope that dietary soy supplementation may provide an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has been linked to the development of uterus and breast cancers.

Cancer Warning For Women In 20's

The deadliest kind of skin cancer is now the most common form of the disease for women in their 20s, a charity has warned. Around 340 20-somethings are diagnosed with malignant melanoma in the UK every year - a rate of almost one a day. That is almost double the number diagnosed with breast cancer while in their 20s. Health experts said a love of sunbeds and "binge tanning" on holiday was leading to a rise in the number of young women being diagnosed with cancer. They warned people of all ages to stay away from sunbeds and use a high factor sun lotion in the sun. Around 50 women under the age of 40 in the UK die from melanoma each year, with deaths among all ages accounting for around 1,800 each year.

However, experts predict these figures will rise - by the year 2024, Cancer Research UKUK's SunSmart campaign, said: "Spending time on sunbeds is just as dangerous as staying out too long in sun. The intensity of UV rays in some sunbeds can be more than 10 times stronger than the midday sun." A survey of 4,000 people carried out last year found that one in three women has used a sunbed at some point, with 80% first using one when they were under the age of 35. Other data has shown that women who use sunbeds under the age of 35 can increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.

Increasing Risk Of Dementia

People who sleep for more than nine hours a day are increasing their risk of dementia, according to a study. Research has discovered that those who sleep the longest could be twice as likely to develop memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in old age. The study, published last week in the European Journal of Neurology, found that even once the results were adjusted for smoking and drinking habits, age and level of education, those who reported sleeping and napping for more than nine hours every day were 2.18 times more likely to end up with a degenerative condition. People who got the least amount of sleep – categorized as less than five hours a night – could also expect a slightly increased risk. However, the neurologists said sleeping longer may be an early symptom of undiagnosed dementia.

Chickenpox: Rising Seasonal Illnesses

With the change of season, chicken pox has spread its tentacles all round. A viral infection, which spreads very easily, it has mothers of adolescents a worried lot these days. A disease that mainly infects children in the age group of 3 years to 15 years, it is recognized by the red rashes in the central part of the body like abdomen, chest, back, legs and face. Though a self limiting disease (a disease that is not harmful if given proper attention), it leads to complications due to secondary infections when proper treatment is not followed. Chicken pox requires only a symptomatic treatment which involves antipyretic medicines for fever and antibiotics which would counter possible respiratory infections, informs Dr SK Sinha, chief medical officer, Allahabad. Unfortunately in some rural areas even today it is believed that 'mata chad gayi hai' and they resort to jhaad-phoonk. In such cases chicken pox becomes fatal as it leads to secondary infections such as broncho-pneumonia and goes untreated."We have trained ASHA workers as also ANMs to educate, inform and provide basic treatment for chicken pox in villages. As required we are also sending teams in some areas. A team headed by Dr Asha Bhargav has just returned from Arjun Patti village in Handia tehsil after check-ups," said the CMO.

Assistant CMO Dr VK Srivastava provided the numbers of cases of chicken pox reported in the past few years. The previous year 2008 witnessed 142 cases and one case of death. Year 2007 saw 137 cases and no death. "This year, we have recorded six cases and one death so far. The numbers increase drastically during the months from May to October," he said. Sources claim that these figures are abysmally low and rather incorrect as the rural populace usually does not come to the hospitals for diagnosis and treatment of chicken pox and on the other hand comprehensive figures are not available in urban scenario. The symptoms of chicken pox include mild fever, itching in eyes, pain in body, cough, running nose, headache, nausea and red spots with fluid secretions. The number of spots increase from the third day to eighth day and then start drying. From the 10th day the disease starts declining, taking about 15 days in all to subside completely.

The infected child should be kept in isolation in a room with fresh air. He should not be allowed to go out. His clothes, handkerchief, towel and bed sheet should be changed regularly and washed separately using an antiseptic. It is beneficial to place neem leaves around the bed. It is very normal for the child to scratch the spots. But this should not be allowed as it leads to scarring. 'Iske liye neem ke patto se un dano ko sehla de' (use neem leaves to touch those spots gently). "Any soothing lotion like calamine lotion or coconut oil can be applied on these spots for further relief," said Dr Deepak Aggarwal, a paediatrician here. The infected child should be encouraged to drink plenty of water and fresh juices. Fried and chilly foods should be avoided. Fast food too is a big no-no as these increase itching. "Instead take nutritious food such as green vegetables and seasonal fruits like pomegranate, oranges, grapes. As the child suffers from loss of appetite, he has to be prodded lovingly to eat after definite intervals. Also keep the other children of the house away from the infected child," said the doctor.

Also known as rubella, though inoculation is provided at young age with MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella), Dr Srivastava explained that the efficacy was limited to 85 per cent of the total children inoculated; 15 per cent remained susceptible even after inoculation. "Also with age, immunity to a disease decreases as the production of antibodies (responsible for fighting the disease) reduces drastically. Hence we witness certain cases of chickenpox in adults too," he said. If a young girl is infected with chicken pox, her body undergoes tartogenic changes which means that her uterus and ovary would undergo changes. These changes would adversely affect her ability to conceive a child. Conception of a child can be delayed by about five years or even more. If a pregnant lady gets infected then the child faces a high probability of being born with congenital defects. Hence in case of an infection in the family, other children as also the adults should follow the advised precautions, added Dr Singh.

Early Soy Diet May Protect Women Against Breast Cancer Risk

Women who consumed high amounts of soy during childhood may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, says a new study on Asian-American females. "Historically, breast cancer incidence rates have been four to seven times higher among white women in the U.S. than in women in China or Japan. However, when an Asian woman migrates to the U.S., their breast cancer risk rises over several generations and reaches that of U.S. white women, suggesting that modifiable factors, rather than genetics, are responsible for the international differences. These lifestyle or environmental factors remain elusive; our study was designed to identify them," said Regina Ziegler, Ph.D., M.P.H., a senior investigator in the NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG).

The current study focused on women of Chinese, Japanese and Filipino descent who were living in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles or Hawaii. Researchers interviewed 597 women with breast cancer and 966 healthy women. If the women had mothers living in the United States, researchers interviewed those mothers to determine the frequency of soy consumption in childhood. The research team divided soy intake into thirds and compared the highest and lowest groups. High intake of soy in childhood was associated with a 58 per cent reduction in breast cancer. A high level of soy intake in the adolescent and adult years was associated with a 20 to 25 per cent reduction.

The childhood relationship held in all three races and all three study sites and in women with and without a family history of breast cancer. "Since the effects of childhood soy intake could not be explained by measures other than Asian lifestyle during childhood or adult life, early soy intake might itself be protective," said the study's lead investigator, Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H., a staff clinician at the NCI's Clinical Genetics Branch. "Childhood soy intake was significantly associated with reduced breast cancer risk in our study, suggesting that the timing of soy intake may be especially critical," said Korde. The underlying mechanism is not known. Korde said her study suggests that early soy intake may have a biological role in breast cancer prevention."Soy isoflavones have estrogenic properties that may cause changes in breast tissue. Animal models suggest that ingestion of soy may result in earlier maturation of breast tissue and increased resistance to carcinogens," the expert said.

Foods That Bolster Immunity

The flu is now widespread and besides that, it seems everyone is walking around with the upper respiratory infection. There are a few things we can all do to increase our chances of avoiding "the plague". Frequent hand washing, getting enough rest, a little extra disinfectant cleaning around the house can help to avoid sickness. In the gym, it's a good idea to clean equipment before you use it as well as after. It is really important to clean those spinning class cycles before and after class. You never know if the person before you cleaned it well or at all! Another way to avoid illness is to boost the immune system with foods that have natural immune bolstering properties.
Following is a list of 9 resistance boosting super-foods:

1. Oats and Barley: contains beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties more than echinacea.

2. Garlic: contains allicin which fights infection and bacteria.

3. Fish and Shellfish: the selenium in seafood increases immune cell production.

4. Mushrooms: increases production of white blood cell and makes them more aggressive.

5. Beef: contains zinc which is important for development of white blood cells.

6. Chicken Soup: Yes! We all knew there was something to that chicken soup thing! It contains the amino acid cysteine which blocks the migration of inflammatory white cells into the upper respiratory system. It mimics the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine.

7. Tea: builds the immune system T cells and the result is that they pump out 10 x more interferon which fights infections and viruses.

8. Sweet Potatoes: Your skin is the ultimate fortress against the invasion of unwanted bacteria and viruses. The vitamins A (beta carotene) in sweet potatoes keep skin healthy and strong.

9. Yogurt: probiotics in yogurt keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease fighting germs.

These foods can't guarantee you won't ever get sick, but they will certainly help you fight these infections if you do indeed get sick.

8 Million People Die From Cancer Each Year

Healthier living could prevent about a third of the most common cancers in rich countries and about a quarter in poorer ones, international researchers said on Thursday. Better diets, more exercise and controlling weight could also prevent more than 40 percent of colon and breast cancer cases in some countries, according to the study which urged governments and individuals to do more to cut the number of global cancer deaths each year. "At the time of publication, roughly 11 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer and nearly eight million people die from cancer each year," said Michael Marmot, who led the study from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research. "However, cancer is mostly preventable."

The study involved 23 experts who analyzed both the incidence of 12 common cancers across the world and data on diet, exercise and weight to see how these factors contributed to kidney, mouth, lung, gallbladder and the other cancers. The researchers found that healthier living would prevent 43 percent of colon cancer cases and 42 percent of breast cancer cases in Britain, and 45 percent of bowel cancer and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States. The findings follow the same groups' study in 2007 that showed how quickly people grow and what they eat are both significant causes of cancer. They recommended - in line with what health experts, including governments and the UN World Health Organization, have long been advising - that people follow diets based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and go easy on red meats, dairy products and fats.

The team also looked at China, Brazil as representatives of low- and middle-income countries, respectively. Overall improving diet, exercise and weight would in the United States prevent more than a third of the 12 most common cancers -- which also included stomach, womb (uterus), prostate, pancreas and esophagus tumors. This amounted to 39 percent of the cancers in Britain, 30 percent in Brazil and 27 percent in China. "This report shows that by making relatively straightforward changes, we could significantly reduce the number of cancer cases around the world," Marmot said in a statement. "On a global level every year, there are millions of cancer cases that could have been prevented and this is why we need to act now before the situation gets even worse."

Warm Touch Enhancement

Couples may be able to enhance one another's health by being more physically affectionate with one another, new research in Psychosomatic Medicine shows. Couples who underwent training in "warm touch enhancement" and practiced the technique at home had higher levels of oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone" and the "cuddle chemical," while their levels of alpha amylase, a stress indicator, were reduced, Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah, and her colleagues found. Emotional and social support is key to both mental and physical health, Holt-Lunstad and her team note, while support between spouses may be particularly vital. One important but little-studied way that people express this support, they add, is through "non-sexual, caring physical touch, such as hand-holding, hugs, and sitting or lying 'cuddled up.'"

To investigate how this caring touch might affect stress levels, the researchers 36 married couples who were assigned to a Couple Contact Enhancement group or to a "monitoring only" comparison group. The contact-enhancement subjects received training in "listening touch" -- which involves increasing awareness of the partner's mood by touching his or her neck, shoulders, and hands -- and training in neck and shoulder massage. Couples were instructed to practice the techniques together for 30 minutes three times a week for four weeks. The people in the control group kept a record of their physical affection and mood, but were asked not to change their normal behavior. All study participants had their blood pressure, amylase and oxytocin levels checked before, during and after the intervention. The researchers also tested their blood levels of cortisol, a hormone key to the body's stress response.

During the first week, the researchers found, the couples in the warm touch group had more oxytocin in their saliva than the control couples, and their levels remained significantly higher in the last week of the study. The men and women in the intervention group also had significantly lower levels of salivary amylase than those in the control group by the end of the study. Among men in the intervention group, blood pressure was reduced after the four weeks. There were no differences between the two groups in cortisol levels. "Our data suggest that warm partner contact may be particularly cardioprotective for men," the researchers write. They conclude: "These findings may help us better understand the protective mechanisms of positive marital interactions in the prevention of stress-related diseases."

Antarctic Peninsula Glacier Melt

More rain on the Antarctic Peninsula is speeding a melt of glaciers such as the Sheldon, which has retreated two kilometres in 20 years and is nudging up world sea levels, a leading expert said. "Rain is very corrosive to glaciers and at least in part the reason this glacier is retreating," David Vaughan, a British Antarctic Survey glaciologist, said on an inflatable speedboat in a bay that had been blanketed by ice for thousands of years. "The glacier has retreated since 1989 and left this open water. That’s the same pattern for 87 per cent of 400 glaciers along the Antarctic Peninsula," he told Reuters. The ice cracks and growls as the 70-metre-high ice cliffs at the front of the Sheldon glacier slide downhill, some of the ice a bluish white. Icebergs sometimes split off into the sea, where penguins and seals swim.

The front edge of the Sheldon - a small glacier by Antarctic standards - has receded two kilometres since 1989, apparently because of global warming blamed on greenhouse gases emitted by burning fossil fuels, Vaughan said. Temperatures were above freezing with clear skies on Friday and Thursday. Rain spattered the glacier on Wednesday and has fallen several times this month. Vaughan said rain was becoming more frequent in summertime on the peninsula, the northernmost part of Antarctica that sticks up towards South America. The peninsula is warming faster than anywhere else in the southern hemisphere. And the thaw of Sheldon, near the British Rothera reseach station and other peninsula glaciers, is part of a wider melt adding to world sea levels. "It doesn’t add up to much on its own but by the time we’ve added Patagonia, Alaska, all those other areas where glaciers are receding, we have one millimetre at least (a year) of sea level rise around the globe," Vaughan said.

Adding in other factors including that water expands as it warms up, ocean levels are rising three millimeters a year - or 30 centimeters a century. And the rate is accelerating after a gain of 17 centimeters in the 20th century. Vaughan, a leading member of the UN Climate Panel, said there were worrying signs that vast glaciers to the south were also starting to spill more water into the sea. "The concern is . . . that the much bigger glaciers (further south) are going to start doing the same thing," he said. The large Pine Island glacier about 500 kilometers to the south has also accelerated. The peninsula covers a fraction of Antarctica, a frozen continent bigger than the United States that contains most of the world’s fresh water. More than 190 governments have agreed to work out by the end of 2009 a new UN treaty to fight global warming, partly fearing that rising sea levels could swamp low-lying PacificIslands or flood coastal cities from Amsterdam to Sydney. Average temperatures on the peninsula have risen by up to 3 Celsius in the past 50 years against a world average of 0.7 Celsius in the past century.

Fruits & Vegetables

As budgets get tighter and you look for more ways to cut your food budget, you can still eat well. "It doesn't hurt nutrition-wise to switch to canned and frozen vegetable and fruits, if they're not packed in heavy syrup," says Jane Brody, personal health columnist for the New York Times. Canned and frozen veggies are picked at their peak of ripeness. They cost less and their nutritional value is as good or better than fresh produce. Brody, who has written three cookbooks, says it's time to bring back some old favorites. "Potatoes have been unfairly maligned," she says. "They're wonderful boiled, baked, mashed -- any way except deep fried." Cabbage, broccoli, carrots, kale, onions and peas fall into the welcome category.

Brody says for fresh vegetables and fruits, pick whatever is in season to get the best deal. She says when it comes to meats, such as chicken, beef and turkey, think about reducing how much you eat. "Most people eat too huge a portion." A portion size should be 3 ounces to 4 ounces. Look for alternative inexpensive sources for protein. "Beans are the bargain of the century," she says. "When you mix beans with any kind of starchy food, even bread -- preferably whole grain, of course, or brown rice or bulgur or even potatoes, you balance the protein in the bean and it's very inexpensive."

Smoking During Pregnancy Reduces Blood Flow To The Developing Fetus

Smoking during pregnancy reduces blood flow to the developing fetus and, in turn, retards growth, new research suggests. "We have known for 50 years that infants born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy have lower birth weights," lead investigator Dr. Malene Rohr Andersen, from Gentoffe University Hospital in Hellerup, Denmark, said in a statement. "But this study provides a possible explanation of why there is restricted blood flow to the fetus," she added. Smoking during pregnancy reduces blood flow to the developing fetus and, in turn, retards growth, new research suggests. Andersen's team studied 266 pregnant women, of which 182 were non-smokers, 43 were smokers, and 41 were ex-smokers.

According to a report in the medical journal Circulation, compared with newborns of non-smokers and ex-smokers, those of smokers weighed less, had smaller head sizes, and were shorter. Smoking was associated with a 47 percent drop in the fetus in levels of a key protein that helps blood vessels to relax and blood flow to increase called endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). "This study is one of the first to show a biochemical measurement of what is going on to cause the lower birth weight," Andersen said. Smoking was also associated with an 18 percent reduction in plasma levels of "good" HDL cholesterol in the fetus. In terms of future research, Andersen said her group hopes to determine whether compromised blood vessel function in fetuses of smokers translates into atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) later in life.

Researchers Claim Enamel 'Tissue' May Be Regrowable

The days of whining drills and shrieking patients that can make a trip to the dentist an experience to dread may be numbered, according to scientists who claim that they may have found a way to regrow rotting teeth. Researchers studying tooth development have singled out a gene that controls the growth of enamel, the hard outer layer of teeth, which cannot grow back naturally once it is damaged by tooth decay. The discovery sheds fresh light on the way teeth form and could pave the way for new dental treatments that heal decayed teeth by regenerating a layer of enamel, making traditional drilling and filling obsolete. Scientists at Oregon State University found the gene after noticing that mice born without it grew teeth with no enamel covering. Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the body and begins to form when humans are still embryos. Specialised cells called ameloblasts in the tooth bud make enamel by releasing calcium phosphate minerals into a protein "scaffold" that shapes them into tightly packed rods of enamel. When our teeth are fully formed, they erupt from the gums and the enamel-forming cells die off, making it impossible for our teeth to regrow new enamel later.

For most animals this is not a problem, but in humans, the large amount of sugar and starch in our diet is turned into acid by bacteria living on our teeth, which slowly dissolve the enamel to make a hole in the tooth. If untreated, cavities can cause life-threatening infections in the body. If scientists can perfect a way of regrowing teeth and replacing the drill in the dentist's surgery, it could have important knock-on effects for patients. In 2005, a survey by researchers at the University of Toronto found that 5% of patients were extremely anxious about visiting the dentist, and half were so afraid that they either cancelled their appointment or failed to show up. By missing appointments, patients risk turning a fairly minor dental problem into a serious risk to their health. Last year, a poll by the Irish Dental Association found that parents passed on their fear of dentists to their children by telling them they were being brave or had nothing to fear from a visit. Despite rates of dental cavities falling for the past 30 years, almost half of children and adolescents and more than 55% of adults in the UK are still affected by holes in their teeth. Paul Sharpe, an expert on tooth development at the Dental Institute at King's College London, said: "If you could find some way of growing ameloblasts that make enamel, you could find a way to repair teeth. "Any gene like this is worth understanding.

The more we learn about it the more we can use the information to make biological models of tooth repair." Prof Sharpe's own work focuses on using stem cells to regenerate teeth, but he said the introduction of the Human Tissue Act had made it difficult to obtain teeth from patients to do the work. "We've probably lost a year because we've not been able to get hold of the right cells, and often these are from wisdom teeth that people are choosing to have removed," he said. In the latest research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by Chrissa Kioussi and Mark Leid bred mice that lacked a gene known as Ctip2. They found that the gene was crucial for the enamel-producing cells to form and work properly. By understanding the genetics of tooth development, Kioussi said it may be possible to repair damaged enamel and even produce new teeth in the laboratory. Some groups have already succeeded in growing the soft tissues inside teeth, but they do not have the hard enamel covering needed to withstand chewing and biting. "Enamel is one of the hardest coatings found in nature. It evolved to give carnivores the tough and long-lasting teeth they needed to survive," said Kioussi. "A lot of work would still be needed to bring this to human applications, but it should work. It could be really cool; a whole new approach to dental health," she said.

Mother's Obesity

Women with a BMI of 25 — 145 pounds for that 5-foot-4 woman — up to 29.9 are considered overweight, but the new analysis did not link that weight range and a higher risk of birth defects. "That's not necessarily because overweight doesn't have a risk attached to it," but studies to answer that question haven't been done, says co-author Judith Rankin, an epidemiologist at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. Rankin and her co-authors came up with possible explanations for the link between obesity at conception and a higher risk of birth defects:

•Obesity is a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and diabetes in pregnant women is an established risk factor for birth defects, especially of the central nervous system and the heart.

•Performing ultrasounds of obese pregnant women is more difficult, so perhaps they might not terminate pregnancies because of fetal defects as often as thinner women.

•Research has found an association between maternal obesity and nutritional deficiencies, specifically reduced foliate levels. Women of childbearing age are advised to take 400 micrograms of folic acid a day to protect against spina bifida, but maybe that's not enough if they're obese, Rankin says.

But James Mills, senior investigator in the epidemiology branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, says there's no evidence that bigger doses of folic acid for obese women would help. Back in 1994, Mills co-wrote the first study to link obesity in pregnancy to birth defects. It found that obese women were 2½ times more likely to have a baby with spina bifida than normal-weight women, fairly consistent with Rankin's finding.

Get Rid Of Belly Fat

Almost everyone has a little excess belly fat. Even the healthiest people can have a little fudge in the tummy. For many women, your stomach, along with your hips and thighs, is one of the first areas that expand when you put on extra weight. But be careful that your tummy doesn’t expand too much.A study released Thursday, suggests that young and middle-aged adults, between the ages of 20 and 55, with excess waistlines have an increased risk for migraine headaches. The researchers sampled over 22,000 people and asked them to report if they suffered from migraines or severe headaches. Using the body mass index, they calculated abdominal obesity and total body obesity. They found that overweight people between 20 and 55 years of age had more migraine attacks than those of the same age but with smaller waists. Around 37 percent of the overweight women in this age bracket reported migraines compared to the 29 percent of their slimmer counterparts.

Twenty percent of men with a larger waistline reported they suffered from migraines compared to the 16 percent of the non-obese men. For people over 55, the researchers did not find that total body obesity was associated with migraines. Women over 55 with more belly fat actually reported fewer migraines. “These results, while still in the early stages, suggest that losing weight in the stomach area may be beneficial for younger people who experience migraine and especially so for women,” study author, B. Lee Peterlin, DO, of Drexel University College of Medicine said in a press release. The American Academy of Neurology Foundation estimates that migraines affect around 28 million Americans. It affects more women than men and tends to run in families. This study is scheduled to be presented in Seattle, Washington later this year. These findings are just the latest in a string of health problems associated with obesity. Other health risks include some cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Tennessee has one of the highest obesity rates in the country—30.1 percent, according to the CDC.

Watch Out, Dating An Attractive Woman?

Let's be honest – who doesn't want to date an attractive bombshell? They are show stoppers wherever they go, have men drooling all over them as they possess all the right reasons to boost a man's self-esteem and even multiplying his sexual desirability. And, no points for guessing – pretty women know it all!

Considering that the woman of your dreams is constantly flooded with proposals and can afford to be selective about the men she dates, knowing how to deal with a pretty lass and win her is no child's play. You really need to think of 'out-of-the-box' ideas when dating an attractive woman. Here are some tips to help you...

Don't pamper her

Not surprisingly, attractive women love to be pampered, needless to say – they are also high maintenance. So, don't spoil her with expensive gifts or a lavish dinner incessantly. Don't pay attention to her over every little thing as that is what she is most likely expecting. Treat her like she is nothing extraordinary and don't be surprised if she makes the first move... Sarika Gupta (name changed on request), 25, a media professional confesses, "I may sound arrogant, but I have always been considered very good-looking. Whenever I am out with my friends or at a party, being approached by men doesn't come as a surprise anymore, but I believe it gets irritating after a while. I wonder how many of these men are interested in knowing me and not just intimidated by my looks alone. And the day I find such a guy, I don't mind being the one who pops the question."

Ignore her whims

No matter how awestruck you are by her looks, don't show it blatantly. Try looking around at other women. Good-looking women have more than they could ask for, especially when it comes to seeking flattery and attention from men. So, what do you do to catch her eye? Be different. Even if you want to start a conversation, talk to her like you would talk to any other person. Pick up lines are a complete no-no. Dr. Ritu Nanda, a psychologist and counselor explains, "It's natural for a person to be attracted to someone who isn't giving him/her the attention he/she is used to. Most women feel uncomfortable talking to a stranger. So, one should be very careful with how you begin your conversation with a woman."

Don't push for sex

She is gorgeous, sexy and you just can't get your eyes off her, you want to grab her right away, but hold on. When you look at her with lust, she knows exactly what's on your mind. So take it easy. Play-hard-to get, don't give in to her easily. Say something like, "You are not up to my expectations" or "Let's just be friends to begin with." The less desperate you are, the more magnetic the sexual pull. Manmeet Bhalla, a marriage and relationship counselor suggests, "You are most likely to scare someone away if you sound too desperate for sex before the person is even thinking about it. It's very important to be patient before you advance in a relationship. Mutual consent and compatibility is of utmost importance."

Have One Lustrous Hair

MANY of us envy women who are blessed with elegant hair. You know, those women with thick hair full of body? Although it seems impossible to have lustrous hair, the good news is one can achieve beautiful hair by getting to know one’s hair type and looking after it. To understand hair better, consultant trichologist (hair specialist) Mark Birch recommends visiting a trichologist who can give a prognosis and diagnosis based on one’s hair type and scalp problems. Dubai-based Birch was in Kuala Lumpur for a series of talks on hair, organized by Svenson Hair Centre.Despite the number of hair treatments available (laser, infra red, ultra-violet, high frequency, ray therapy and hair growth lotions, among others), Birch advised hair loss sufferers to consult hair specialists who can determine hair loss programmes suited to one’s needs.

Dubai-based Birch was in Kuala Lumpur for a series of talks on hair, organised by Svenson Hair Centre. Despite the number of hair treatments available (laser, infra red, ultra-violet, high frequency, ray therapy and hair growth lotions, among others), Birch advised hair loss sufferers to consult hair specialists who can determine hair loss programmes suited to one’s needs. “You won’t have the same volume of hair in your 20s compared with your 50s so you need to take certain steps to maintain your hair. Research shows that one in three men will go bald while one in five women will lose their hair genetically. “Trichologists can educate you if your diet is lacking vitamins. Asian women are usually thinner than Western women as they consume less red meat and tend to skip meals. To boost health, women should increase their meat intake and those suffering from anaemia should consume vitamin B complex, zinc and iron.”

He added that losing their “crowning glories” may have a devastating impact on women’s quality of life and this includes psychological and emotional effects ranging from decreased self-esteem to anxiety and depression. “There are some ‘normal’ causes for female hair loss such as ageing, hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and genetics. However, women who are losing hair should note that hair loss could be an early indication of some illnesses or other problems such as overuse of prescription drugs, dietary deficiencies, stress or damage to hair and scalp caused by styling,” said Birch, who has over 30 years of experience in the profession. “You won’t have the same volume of hair in your 20s compared with your 50s so you need to take certain steps to maintain your hair. Research shows that one in three men will go bald while one in five women will lose their hair genetically.

The British-born trichologist, who studied Combined Science (Trichology) at the London College of Fashion, explained it was also important to use hair products suited to one’s needs. “There are many types in the market and people often end up using products recommended by friends or purchase shampoos based on advertisements which might not be suitable for certain hair types,” he explained. Birch added that hair is a barometer of one’s health and a trichologist would know everything about an individual by merely studying hair samples. Hair is the fastest growing cell in the body apart from bone marrow and is important in DNA. A hundred strands of hair is called a trichogram (1g of hair) and if you break it down, you can ascertain if it lacks any minerals. No two hair samples in the world are alike.

“Hair plays an important role in DNA and can determine if you have taken drugs for the past six months or even five years. A few years ago, researchers discovered that hair analysis of a lock of German composer Beethoven’s hair suggested that he died from lead poisoning. It’s amazing how much can be discovered through hair,” he explained. When asked how often hair should be washed, Birch recommended at least once a day. He said it was an old wives’ tale that hair should be washed on a weekly basis. “People sweat everyday and there’s a build up of dead skin cells, bacteria and pollution on your head. People usually wash their face twice or thrice a day. What’s the difference between your face and hair? The sweat glands on your scalp are twice the size compared to those on your face. Hair should be washed daily to avoid complications like dandruff and itchy scalp,” he said.

Pets & Technology

Let's face it; we're obsessed with our pets and technology is making it easier. Other equally infatuated pet lovers have devised all sorts of ways to indulge our passion for our pets while sitting in front of our computers. Even though this website is primarily for cat lovers, it's filled with such hilarious photos and captions, even hardcore dog people will spend hours flipping through page after page of entries.

Know you, it's my favorite of all the websites and the one that has been most forwarded to other people. Each of them has become an instant addict as well Share photos and videos, read blogs and get information about cat breeds and anything else cat-related. Since cats generally think the world revolves around them, why not find out which spoiled celebrity your cat is most similar to with the Which Celebrity Is Your Cat?

You know how they say that dogs and their owners look alike? Well, perhaps that's because deep down they really are the same. Try the What Breed Are You? game. Each pet has its own picture profile page cataloging its favorite things to do and who's on their "pals" list. Your dog or cat can send other pets "treats" and "barks" or "meows." Want to meet someone and, for once, not have to worry about allergies or fur balls being a deal breaker? It's online dating for single pet owners (or just the pets.) across Canada and the U.S.

If you're having trouble figuring out what to name your new fluffy friend, you should be able to pick one out of the more than 20,000 pet names listed here. If you want something exotic sounding, choose names from countries all over the world. Like being popular? Pick a Top 10 pet name. Or, name your pet after a famous celebrity. You can even find out if the name you gave your pet has any special meaning.

Why not just let the pets themselves do the talking? That's what Max's owner did by giving his dog his own blog. Max dishes on his park escapades, how to sneak up on squirrels and when to use "puppy eyes" for maximum effect. Your young humans can have fun playing online games with Rover while beginning to develop a lifelong passion for pets, too. Hey, it's never too early to start "grooming" them.

Mobile Phone Slump

The mobile-phone market is polarizing as the global econ-omic slump prompts some consumers to trade down to cheaper devices and operators feed demand for high-end handsets by promoting them with subsidies. Nokia, the world's biggest mobile-phone maker, is selling entry-level devices costing less than $50 and advanced phones with satellite navigation, music and e-mail as fewer consumers consider mid-tier handsets. Vodafone Group offers Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm for free with an 18-month plan in the UK and Sweden's TeliaSonera sells Apple's iPhone 3G for one krona (12 US cents) with a two-year contract.

The global handset industry is forecast to shrink for the first time in eight years, with Citigroup analysts predicting a 13 per cent plunge as consumers are more hesitant to replace their phones. Espoo, Finland-based Nokia cut its industry outlook twice in less than a month in the fourth quarter and said in December the market will slide five per cent or more this year. "This year will reshape the industry quite a bit," said Mikko Ervasti, an analyst at Evli Bank in Helsinki. The polarization of the market may squeeze those in the middle. Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Motorola and LG Electronics have struggled to come up with hit phones or stumbled in their attempts to widen their product offerings.

Nokia, which ships 15 units per second, may boost its global market share to more than 40 per cent in 2009, said Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight in London. Nokia's third-quarter market share was 38 per cent, more than its next three rivals combined. "In this economic environment, we expect some, not all, consumers to trade down to less expensive devices," Nokia chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said on a call last month. "We are best positioned to take this tradedown opportunity." Nokia also has an advantage in its network of suppliers and distribution. Nokia was ranked first globally in sourcing, logistics and distribution last year, ahead of companies like Procter & Gamble and Toyota Motor, according to ARM Research. Nokia's size allows it to demand lower prices for the 120 billion parts it buys from suppliers.

The Finnish company may post a 47 per cent drop in profit to 975 million euros ($1.29 billion), the median of 16 analysts' estimate compiled by Bloomberg. "Nokia is set to be a winner on a relative basis, but they will be hurt too," said Martti Larjo, an analyst at Nordea Equity Research in Helsinki. "Apple and RIM will also be winners in relative terms as the smartphone market will still continue to grow, albeit at a lower pace." The growth in sales of so-called smartphones, which have computer-like capabilities, will be fuelled by the addition of features such as Web browsing, e-mail and video to cheaper models. Apple, whose iPhone is the industry's most-hyped handset in the past few years, moved to third place in the smartphone segment last year. The advance of Cupertino, California-based Apple is set to continue as most new touch-screen products to be announced in 2009 by competitors are likely to disappoint given the high standard set by the iPhone, according to CCS Insight. Apple stunned the market on Thursday by reporting an increase in net profit to $1.61 billion in the quarter ended December 27, up from $1.58 billion a year ago.

Nokia has trailed Apple in touch screen devices and started selling its first model in the fourth quarter, more than a year after the first iPhone went on sale. The Finnish company has said it plans to bring touch-screen models across the price range. "Even as Nokia missed some of the trends, they could pick them up in six to 12 months, come back and really crush some of their smaller rivals," said Greger Johansson, a Stockholm-based analyst at Redeye. Research In Motion is well positioned to advantage of the industry shift to smartphones, Co-CEO Jim Balsillie said last month, when the Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry maker forecast sales in the fourth quarter ending February 28 that topped analysts' estimates. Sales have been buoyed by demand for the new Bold and touch-screen Storm models."Apple and RIM, they are almost niche businesses in a sense as they are focused on a very high-end segment, but it's the segment that is going to see better growth prospects and healthier margins as well," CCS's Blaber said.

Samsung Electronics is poised to increase its market share and remain the second-biggest phone maker, Blaber said. Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung reports earnings today, when it may say fourth-quarter profit at the unit that makes mobile-phones fell 42 per cent from a year earlier, while revenue increased 43 per cent, as competition drove up marketing expenses, according to a Bloomberg survey. Samsung's revenue from the handset business will probably rise eight per cent this year, with shipments increasing three per cent, according to UBS estimates. "This will pinch everybody," Nordea's Larjo said. "The weak will suffer the most and it will be even more difficult for companies with bad balance sheets and an inferior product offering to cope." Sony Ericsson, which has posted two consecutive quarterly losses and cut jobs, said last week it will refocus on pricier models. The venture between Sweden's Ericsson and Japan's Sony may struggle to return to profit this year

Thailand's Tourism

In the closing weeks of 2008 it looked like Thailand might be beckoning visitors for an opportunity of a lifetime: cheap luxury hotel rooms and empty beaches. The global economic downturn combined with the seizure of Bangkok's two main airports by protesters in late November brought the travel industry to its knees. In early December staff at Bangkok's top five-star hotels greatly outnumbered the dwindling number of guests. But as has happened many times in recent years when tourism suffered from disasters natural and human-made - the tsunami of 2004 and military coup of 2006 among them - the foreigners have returned to Thailand.


"It's started to bounce back," said Pornthip Hiranyakij, secretary general of the Tourism Council of Thailand, a travel industry association. She estimates that beach resorts in southern Thailand were about 80 to 85 percent full during the holiday season compared with about 90 percent last year. A staff member at the high-end Four Seasons hotel in the northern city of Chiang Mai said the hotel would be "crowded" for the rest of January; on the resort islands of Samui and Phuket the beach chairs filled up for the holidays.


The Thai central bank reported this week that the weeklong closure of Bangkok's airports by protesters cost the country 290 billion baht, or $8.3 billion, in lost income, about 3 percent of the country's total gross domestic product. Thailand remains a relatively cheap place to visit. Hotel Web sites are offering off-season rates for what would normally be peak season, even around Chinese New Year, when visitors from Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China normally flood the country. The Year of the Ox starts Jan. 26.


Some luxury hotels are discounting more than others. Hotels that cater to business travelers were worst affected by the cumulative effect of the business downturn, Thailand's political crisis and the airport closure. The Conrad Hotel, which caters to business travelers and diplomats, is offering rooms for $150. By contrast the riverside Mandarin Oriental Hotel, popular with well-to-do tourists, showed no discounted rates in early January on its Web site and was offering rooms upwards of $389. The early months of the year are traditionally considered the high season in Thailand because it rains less frequently and temperatures are generally cooler. But travel industry executives say they are most concerned about the political climate.


Thailand's three years of political turbulence climaxed Nov. 25 with the seizure of both of Bangkok's airports by anti-government protestors. The airports reopened eight days later, but only after hundreds of thousands of foreigners were left stranded. Now with a new government in power and the protesters strutting victoriously - the new foreign minister was one of the anti-government protesters who shut down the airport - the tables are turned. Supporters of the previous government are out on the street protesting.


Thailand's political crisis looks likely to drag on. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced that an upcoming summit of regional leaders would be moved from Bangkok to the beach resort town of Hua Hin because of fears protesters could disrupt the event. The summit by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will begin Feb. 27, was initially scheduled to take place in December but was postponed because of the country's political crisis.

The Devastating Effects On Environment

THE contraceptive pill is polluting the environment and is in part responsible for male infertility, a report in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said today.

The pill "has for some years had devastating effects on the environment by releasing tonnes of hormones into nature" through female urine, said Pedro Jose Maria Simon Castellvi, president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, in the report.

"We have sufficient evidence to state that a non-negligible cause of male infertility in the West is the environmental pollution caused by the pill," he said, without elaborating further.

"We are faced with a clear anti-environmental effect which demands more explanation on the part of the manufacturers," Mr Castellvi said.

The article was promptly dismissed by several organisations.

"Once metabolised, the hormones contained in oral contraceptives no longer have any of the characteristic effects of feminine hormones," said Gianbenedetto Melis, vice-president of a contraceptive research association, quoted by the ANSA news agency.

The hormones contained in the pill such as oestrogen "are present everywhere... in plastic, in disinfectants, in meat that we eat," said Flavia Franconi, of the Society of Italian Pharmacology.

Pope Benedict XVI in October reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's condemnation of artificial birth control.

Contraception "means negating the intimate truth of conjugal love, with which the divine gift (of life) is communicated," the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics wrote on the 40th anniversary of a papal encyclical on the topic.

An encyclical is a letter usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine and issued occasionally by the pope.

The landmark document, whose title in English is On the Regulation of Birth, was published at a time when the development of the Pill was giving new sexual freedom to women across the world.
Millions of Catholics distanced themselves from Rome as a result.

Risk Of Diabetes In Pregnancy Higher In Some Women

Certain ethnic groups and women with lower socioeconomic status are at increased risk of developing diabetes while pregnant, research shows.

Thirty percent of women who develop "gestational diabetes" will develop type 2 diabetes within the next 7 to 10 years, Dr. Hidde P. van der Ploeg of the University of Sydney, Australia, told Reuters Health. "In some groups, the incidence may increase to 50 percent in 5 years."

Dr. van der Ploeg and colleagues examined data on more than 950,000 births which took place in New South Wales between 1995 and 2005.

Over this period, the prevalence of gestational diabetes rose from 3 percent to 4.4 percent -- a 45 percent increase.

Women born in South Asia were about four times more likely than women born in Australia to develop gestational diabetes. Women born in the Middle East and North Africa had 2.4-fold higher odds of pregnancy-related diabetes.

In addition, compared to women with the highest socioeconomic status, those of lower status were 54 to 74 percent more likely to develop diabetes while pregnant. Increased age was also an important risk factor. Compared to women in their 20s, those over 40 years of age had about a six-fold increase in their risk of pregnancy-related diabetes.

Pregnancy-related diabetes is an increasingly prevalent risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and ethnicity and socioeconomic status appear to considerably influence the risk of gestational diabetes, the investigators conclude.

"Cultural specific interventions," noted van der Ploeg, "should be developed to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in these women at high risk."

Weight Loss Surgery Improves Sexual Function In Men

Sexual dysfunction that commonly occurs in morbidly obese men improves after weight loss surgery, according to a new study.

"Sexual dysfunction should be considered one of the numerous potentially reversible complications of obesity," the study team concludes.

Dr. Ramsey M. Dallal, from Albert Einstein Health care Network, Philadelphia, and colleagues measured the degree to which 97 morbidly obese men suffered from sexual dysfunction and then analyzed the change in sexual function after substantial weight loss following gastric bypass surgery.

Before surgery, the morbidly obese men had significantly lower sexual function relative to that of a previously published reference control group of men before surgery, the investigators report.

After losing an average of two thirds of their excess weight, men experienced significant improvements in sexual function, with the amount of weight loss predicting the degree of improvement.

"We estimate that a man who is morbidly obese has the same degree of sexual dysfunction as a non obese man about 20 years older," the investigators report. "Sexual function improves substantially after gastric bypass surgery to a level that reaches or approaches age-based norms."

"Sexual function is an important aspect to quality of life and is now well documented to be a reversible condition," Dallal explained.

"We are interested in examining sexual function in females, as well as understanding the mechanism of obesity-related sexual dysfunction," Dallal added.

Please bear with me

Hey guys this is my first post for this blog of mine. Hope you guys will bear with me as I really have to fixed all the HTML and CSS here. Don’t you worry ’cause from now on I’ll gonna update you on the latest things about my adventure, the things I love to work with and some other great things which I feel is cool so watch it out. That's it for now! Have a great day everyone see yah!