Information – Health +
MoH reviews decision on medical test
MoH reviews decision on medical test
By Asma Ali Zain (Our staff reporter)KHALEEJ TIMES 2 July 2008
DUBAI -Following intense discussions, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has reviewed its decision on including the infectious disease, Hepatitis C, in the new set of medical fitness tests required by expatriates taking up study, residency or employment in the UAE. Leprosy was, however, included in the list of tests.
In a ministerial decree issued by the Minister of Health Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami yesterday, the MoH officials cited the need for more technical studies on inclusion of Hepatitis C before a final decision was taken.
However, MoH sources said the decision was deferred due to logistic reasons, including the huge number of infected people willing to enter the country, especially from the Indian subcontinent.
The decree also calls for treating expats for syphilis and TB instead of the earlier policy of deporting them. The deportable disease list now only includes HIV/AIDS.
As reported by Khaleej Times yesterday, expats will have to undergo a urine and stool test for certain professional categories, including nannies, maid servants, private drivers, kindergarten and nursery supervisors, workers in saloons, beauty, health and fitness clubs, and in all food outlets, including cooks and butchers.
However, MoH sources said a decision to include university students in this category was also being mulled.
Vaccination for Hepatitis B has also been made compulsory.
All residents will either be required to hold a health card that will cost Dh300 -a fee that remains unchanged -or a valid health insurance policy.
Tests for HIV, TB, and Hepatitis B will be carried out for Dh250, while Dh50 each will be charged for stool and urine tests, and only for the first dose of the Hepatitis vaccine. The other two required doses will be administered free of charge over a period of six months.
If the resident does not hold a health card and has a valid health insurance policy, Dohms will charge Dh200 to attest the insurance before the screenings are done.
Foreigners visiting UAE must undergo medical check-ups for contagious diseases
Foreigners visiting UAE must undergo medical check-ups for contagious diseases WAM Published: July 01, 2008, 18:56
Dubai: Foreigners who come to the UAE to live, study or work for a period not less than six months will now have to undergo medical check-ups for some contagious diseases, like HIV/Aids, Hepatitis-b and leprosy.
Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami, Minister of Health, has issued a new ministerial decree making it compulsory for all expatriates coming to the UAE to live, study or work to undergo the medical tests.
In the case of Hepatitis-b test, the decree states that a foreigner who enters the UAE to live, study or work shall undergo the test in two phases, the first test will be conducted during the first entry into the country, but during the renewal of residence permit only six categories of expatriates will undergo the test. They include babysitters, maids, private drivers, kindergarten and nursery supervisors, barbers, beauty, health and fitness club employees and workers of all food outlets, including cooks and butchers.
The procedure for the second phase will be determined based on the result of the first phase, said the decree.
In the case of hepatitis-c test, the decree calls for more technical studies on the disease before a final decision would be taken. But the decree calls for syphilis and pulmonary tuberculosis test on foreigners during their first entry to the UAE. Those who tested positive can stay in the country, but must undergo the necessary medical treatment.
Leprosy test would be conducted on every expatriate who enters the country to live, study or work during the first entry and during renewal of residency. Those who tested positive would be deported in accordance with the rules.
Only the Preventive Medicine Department of the Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Dubai Health Authority will conduct the medical tests, said the decree.
New medical tests from today
New medical tests from today
By Asma Ali Zain (Our staff reporter) KHALEEJ TIMES 1 July 2008
DUBAI — Effective today, expatriates will have to undergo a new set of medical fitness screening tests before acquiring their residency or employment visas.
According to the new Government Federal Law No 7/2008, people renewing/applying for a residence or employment visa will have to undergo a number of medical fitness screenings for diseases including HIV, Hepatitis B & C, Tuberculosis and Syphilis. Two more tests —Hepatitis C and Syphilis — have been added to the existing three for which expatriates were already being screened before being granted a residency or employment visa.
Though the X-ray and blood tests were already being conducted, two more screening methods have also been added that include the urine and stool tests. Vaccination for Hepatitis B has also been made compulsory.
However, if a person is found unfit and suffering from any of these diseases, he/she is likely to be deported. The decision applies to the Ministry of Health, and the health authorities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Maitha Al Bustani, Head of the Medical Fitness Centre at the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms), said that the new rules come into effect starting July 1. “According to the decision taken by the Minister of Health Humaid Al Quttami, the rules are being implemented on a trial basis for three months, and may be subject to change in the coming months,” she explained.
A group of professionals who are especially under the scanner include food handlers, nannies, housemaids, educators/teachers, and people who work in restaurants and heath fields due to the sensitivity of their profession.
“If housemaids are found to be disease-carriers, it’s the decision of the sponsor either to send them back or get them treated,” she added.
A new fee structure for the screenings is also in place. All residents will either be required to hold a health card that will cost Dh300 -a fee that remains unchanged- or a valid health insurance policy.
Tests for HIV, TB, and Hepatitis B & C will be carried out for Dh250, while Dh50 each will be charged for stool and urine tests, and only for the first dose of the Hepatitis vaccine. The other two required doses will be administered free of charge over a period of six months.
“If the resident does not hold a health card and has a valid health insurance policy, Dohms will charge Dh200 to attest the insurance before the screenings are done,” she explained.
An inner technology for joyous living
An inner technology for joyous living
Monday June 30 2008 10:19 IST Swahilya for EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
It was surely an ocean of joy for the participants of the Isha Yoga programmes in Chennai held every successive week this summer. The reason was their meeting with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev who devised a combination of Pranayama, Asanas and meditation techniques to help the individual reach to a certain inner well-being. The silent revolution of self-realisation that is the motto of the Isha Foundation is all about individual transformation.
Jananam Sukhadam he began a chant in his stentorian voice before addressing special invitees recently. “A world full of love, light and laughter, its time has come,” is what he says.
Sadhguru says that experience of life happens in every individual “You see everything within yourself. Light, darkness, sound, silence, joy, misery, agony, ecstasy – every experience happens within you and never outside of this,” he says.
When the five sense organs are turned on the moment one is born, survival process happens by nature and our mind is naturally outward bound. “Just as you have to strive to read or write or do anything, you have to strive to get the inward perception too – it won’t happen otherwise.”
Though we are physically the most comfortable generation today, we are the most neurotic people too. “A research said that 43 per cent of the American population are on anti-depressants. They have to pop a pill to just keep their mind in balance. Not just the U.S. they reached there first and all of us are following very fast,” he says.
The problem is because of fixing the outside world and not taking care of the inside which is the basis of all experience. With a practical exercise along with the audience, he explained how just the position of the palms could change one’s breathing pattern and how the pattern of one’s breath is directly related to one’s experience of joy or sorrow.
The physical body and intelligence functions at its best, only when the individual is peaceful and joyful. “If there’s no fear of suffering, your ability to explore will be greatly enhanced,” he says. Isha Yoga is not a teaching, philosophy or religion, but a technology to fix the inside. “Don’t wait for life to make its point!” Sadhguru exhorts highlighting the need for people to turn towards spirituality.
“There is something within you that does not like boundaries. It is longing to be boundless. The physical body and mind have boundaries and can never be boundless,” he says.
This is the only culture where God is described as bliss – Brahmananda. “You can make yourself blissful right now if you have access to that source,” he says.
This body is just a heap of food – comprised of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The mind is just a heap of impressions. Referring to the Blue Brain project that maps the human brain in Switzerland, he said that even science has come up with the finding that despite genetics, an individual’s brain can be rewired if willing. This re-wiring is a possibility with Yoga.
The Ananda Alai Isha Yoga programmes were conducted between May and June in Chennai, Tiruvannamalai, Pondicherry, Cuddalore and Villupuram in 200 batches. Around 12,000 individuals participated. For further details contact – http://www.ishafoundation. org or email: chennai@ishafoundation.org.
Turmeric may help prevent diabetes, obesity
Turmeric may help prevent diabetes, obesity
Saturday June 21 2008 16:05 IST ANI
WASHINGTON: Turmeric, a common Indian cooking spice may play a vital role in
mbating diabetes and obesity, according to a new study.
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Centre have found that curcumin, the anti-nflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric can significantly reduce insulin resistance and prevent Type 2 diabetes. The component also reduced inflammation in fat tissue.
In the study using a mouse model, lead researcher Drew Tortoriello, an endocrinologist and esearch scientist at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Centre found that turmeric-treated mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, the turmeric-fed obese mice exhibited reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver ompared to controls.
They speculate that curcumin lessens insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in these ouse models by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity.
Curcumin administration was also associated with a small but significant decline in body weight nd fat content, despite level or higher calorie consumption, suggesting that curcumin beneficially influences body composition.
“It’s too early to tell whether increasing dietary curcumin [through turmeric] intake in obese people with diabetes will show a similar benefit,” Dr. Tortoriello said.
“Although the daily intake of curcumin one might have to consume as a primary diabetes reatment is likely impractical, it is entirely possible that lower dosages of curcumin could nicely complement our traditional therapies as a natural and safe treatment,” he added.
Dr. Tortoriello conclude that turmeric reverses many of the inflammatory and metabolic problems ssociated with obesity and improves blood-sugar control in mouse models of Type 2 diabetes.
The study was presented at at ENDO 2008, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San rancisco this week.
Yoga classes
Yoga classes
Saturday June 21 2008 13:01 IST ENS
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala State Jawahar Balbhavan will start the new batch of the yoga classes for elders on July 4. The classes are arranged in a way to keep the physical fitness and health and to cure various diseases like diabetis, hypertension, thyroid, hormonal imbalances, mental tension etc. The duration of the course is three months and the classes will be held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
There will be three batches and the classes will be arranged from 6.30 a m to 8 a m for the first batch, 10.30 a m to 12 noon for the second batch and 5.30 p.m to 7 p m for the third batch. The fee for the course is Rs 1200 and for those who pay in instalments Rs 500 for a month.
Superfood for a super you
Superfood for a super you
21 June 2008 KHALEEJ TIMES
A week scarcely passes without us being told about yet another ‘superfood’. Recently we’ve learnt tomatoes prevent sunburn and premature wrinkles, purple grapes boost memory, while rhubarb is good for kidney disease.
But do all superfoods match up to their ‘super’ status? To help you sort the wheat from the chaff, leading American dietician, David Grotto reveals the foods that really are worth eating
ALMONDS
Obesity: Women who’d eaten a serving of almonds had higher levels of cholecystokinin (a hormone which helps you feel full) than men did, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. So while almonds may leave both women and men with a feeling of ‘satisfaction’, women may stay full longer.
Alzheimer’s: Mice with an Alzheimer’s-like disease were fed an almond-rich diet. After four months, those animals did much better on memory tests than those fed the usual food.
Heart health: American research has found that eating almonds reduces the risk of heart disease as effectively as some statins.
Top tips: Make sure you are buying ‘the real McCoy’ — many imported almonds are not almonds at all, they’re apricot kernels; these look similar but the taste and health benefits are not the same. Also look for almonds in the shell that don’t rattle when you shake them. Rattling may be a sign that the almonds are old.
ASPARAGUS
Digestive health: Asparagus contains inulin, a carbohydrate that is not digested but promotes friendly bacteria in the large intestine. Asparagine, a natural chemical in asparagus, encourages the body to excrete water.
Diabetes: A study reported in the British Journal of Medicine found that an extract of asparagus significantly increased the action of insulin, which helps mop up excess blood sugar.
Heart health: Just one serving of asparagus supplies almost 60 per cent of the daily recommended intake of folate, one of the B vitamins. Folate helps reduce levels of homocysteine, a substance in the blood, which at high levels can increase the risk of heart disease
Top tips: Trim off some of the bottom of the asparagus and store upright in a container with a little water to keep it fresh.
CAULIFLOWER
Cancer: Cauliflower contains a compound called indole-3-carinol (I3C) which has cancer fighting properties. Scientists have also found that the chemical sulphoraphane, found in cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, stopped lung cancer cells in an animal trial, and helped kill off and stop the growth of prostate cancer cells in a test tube study on human cells.
Dandruff: Biotin, a water-soluble vitamin found in cauliflower, has been shown to control dandruff.
Arthritis: A team of researchers who followed a group of women for more than ten years found those who ate more cruciferous vegetables had a decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Top tips: Munching crunchy foods such as cauliflower before bed may help stop jaw-clenching while sleeping.
EGGS
Vision: According to one study, people who ate foods high in the natural chemicals lutein and zeaxanthin had a 20 per cent reduction in developing cataracts and a 40 per cent reduction in developing macular degeneration, an eye disease that affects the retina and is more common in the over-60s. Eggs are a good source of these chemicals.
Obesity: The hunger fighting power of eggs means an egg first thing in the morning may lead to reduced calorie consumption for the rest of the day, according to a report in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Top tips: Keep your eggs in the fridge and they will stay good for a month. The quality of egg protein is the highest of any whole food product, second only to human breast milk.
FIG
Skin disorders: Figs contain a substance that, when combined with exposure to ultraviolet light, was found to help several skin diseases and certain forms of lymphoma in some studies.
Diabetes: Figs are higher in fibre than any other fresh or dried fruit per serving, containing about five to six grams per portion of three figs. The type of fibre found in figs may reduce the risk of developing adult-onset diabetes (type 2) by slowing down the digestion and absorption of sugars in foods.
Top tips: The white ‘frost’ that occurs on dried figs is called ‘sugaring’. It’s caused by the sugars from the fig rising to the surface. Keep refrigerated to reduce frost.
GUAVA
Diabetes: Diabetic mice who received guava juice for four weeks experienced a reduction in glucose of nearly 25 per cent.
Heart health: Guava has been shown to markedly reduce bad cholesterol and improve the good kind and reduce blood pressure as well.
Antibacterial: Guava leaves have antibacterial properties and have been shown to have a highly lethal effect on salmonella and other harmful bacteria.
Top tips: Ripe guava bruise easily and are highly perishable. They must be eaten within a few days.
KIWI
Heart disease: Norwegian scientists have found kiwi fruit helps a component of red blood cells called platelets become less sticky.
Cancer: Eating kiwi fruit daily can protect DNA against damage that may lead to cancer. More significantly, kiwi seems to help repair the damage caused to DNA. A variety of naturally occurring substances have also been discovered in kiwi fruit that are effective in killing oral tumour cells.
Macular degeneration: Kiwi is an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin, natural chemicals found in the human eye. Diets rich in lutein are protective against cataracts and other forms of macular degeneration.
Top tips: The skin is an excellent source of nutrients and fibre.
MUSHROOMS
Prostate cancer: Many mushrooms contain large amounts of selenium, a cancer-busting mineral. In studies, white button mushroom extract suppressed the growth of prostate cancer cells and decreased tumour size.
Immune system: Mushrooms contain substances that may help the immune system remove abnormal cells that cause disease.
Migranes: Psilocybin, originally an extract of certain psychedelic mushrooms, is being studied for migraine headaches.
Top Tips: Don’t wash mushrooms, they act like sponge and can soak up water. Gently wipe them with a damp cloth or soft brush instead.
OREGANO
Cancer: A tablespoon of oregano packs the same antioxidant strength as an apple. It also contains important phenolic acids that might prevent certain types of cancers from forming.
Antibacterial: Oregano has been found to damage E. coli bacteria and Giardia lamblia, a nasty parasite that causes diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
Top tips: Fresh oregano can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.
POTATOES
Cancer: They contain proteins called lectins, which inhibit tumour growth.
Diabetes: Potato peel added to the diet of diabetic rats significantly reduced blood sugar levels.
Top tips: It’s a myth that all the nutrition is within the skin of the potato; more than 50 per cent of the overall nutrition content can be found in the potato itself! Washing your face with cool potato juice clears up blemishes.
QUINOA
Weight management: Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) refers to the seed, about the size of millet, of the Chenopodium or ‘Goosefoot’ plant. It contains more protein than any other grain. Quinoa makes you feel fuller than rice and wheat, so it’s good for fighting obesity.
Vaccine helper: Research has shown the potential of quinoa as a ‘helper’ for vaccines. Quinoa enhances antibody responses in mice.
Top tips: Be careful not to add too much water or cook it too long, since quinoa can become mushy; it takes only 15 minutes to cook.
STRAWBERRIES
Anti-inflammatory: Strawberries block the enzymes responsible for promoting inflammation in the body.
Diabetes: Strawberries help control type 2 diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels after a starchy meal.
Thrombosis: An animal study found strawberries had a powerful anti-clotting effect.
Top tips: Don’t remove the stalks until after washing, or the berries will absorb excess water, damaging their flavour and texture.
TEA
Cancer: Tea contains antioxidants that help prevent certain types of cancer, such as oral, skin, digestive, ovarian and lung.
Obesity: Japanese research has found drinking green tea might reduce body fat.
Top tips: Teabag tea tends to be ground finer, providing more surface area to extract more antioxidants when submerged in hot water.
WALNUTS
Cancer: Walnuts are packed with a form of vitamin E that may help fight breast, prostate and lung cancer.
Diabetes: They might improve insulin resistance in those with type 2 diabetes.
Walnuts contain a powerful antioxidant melatonin, which promotes restful sleep. A U.S. study found eating walnuts increased blood levels of melatonin three-fold.
Top tip: Shake the nut; if it rattles or feels light it may be withered. Shelled walnuts will stay fresh for up to three weeks if refrigerated in a tightly covered container.
Extracted from 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life by David Grotto, published by Bantam
A boon for would-be mothers
A boon for would-be mothers
Monday June 16 2008 11:33 IST Zubeda Hamid EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI: Grandmothers apparently, no longer know it all. A generation ago, they would have done everything from predicting the sex of a baby to helping with labour pain. Today, young women go for childbirth classes.
A recent trend in the city, childbirth classes are becoming popular. And it’s not just pregnant women who go for them, most are accompanied by nervous yet determined husbands, some by mothers and mothers-in-law.
Rekha Sudarsan, a psychologist and childbirth educator, who takes lessons on ante-natal and post-natal care at several city hospitals, said these days her classes are full. “I started six years ago with just one pregnant woman. Now my classes are full of expectant mothers, their husbands and in-laws.”
Nithya Ranganathan, who delivered this February, swears by birth lessons, saying that the classes gave her both an objective perspective on pregnancy and prepared her mentally and physically for delivery.
Sriram, Nithya’s husband, said the classes were extremely informative. “I had no clue what my wife would go through, but the class had helped,” he said.
Rakhi Kapoor, who runs Dwi Maternity Studio, said working women have a stressful period, when it comes to pregnancy. This, coupled with the absence of a joint family, had led to the popularity of classes.
The childbirth classes offer guidance in every aspect of pregnancy, including diet, fitness, exercises and breast-feeding after the delivery.
“I see a lot of women who are terrified of labour. Then there are the google-confused-moms who have no one to guide them,” said Sudarsan.
Though there seems to be only two centres at present – Progeny and Dwi Maternity Studio
Orange peel extract may help enhance sporting performance
Orange peel extract may help enhance sporting performance
Tuesday June 17 2008 15:17 IST ANI
London: The next time you eat an orange, don’t forget to chew its peel because it may enhance your sporting performance.
This proposition springs from a study of plant metabolites called polymethoxylated flavones, which are found in the peel of sweet oranges such as the Valencia and Hamlin varieties.
Funded by the US Army Natick Soldier System Center in Massachusetts, the study has shown that polymethoxylated flavones can decrease post-exercise recovery time.
The researchers conducted tests on horses, and measured the time it took for post-exercise oxygen consumption levels to return to normal.
It was observed that the horses who were not administered any treatment took about 110 seconds to recover, while those treated with the flavones were ready to go again after about 85 seconds, 23 per cent quicker.
The researchers reckon that the extract could be used to delay the onset of fatigue in sporting competitions in a way that does not require banned performance enhancing drugs, reports New Scientist journal.
The magazine also reports that some researchers are studying the orange peel for their ptential anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties.
Coffee may help you live longer
Coffee may help you live longer
Tuesday June 17 2008 17:34 IST ANI
WASHINGTON: Good news for coffeeholics: Drinking up to six cups a day of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee everyday won’t reduce your life span, according to a new research.
What’s more, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption is associated with a somewhat smaller rate of death from heart disease.
“Coffee consumption has been linked to various beneficial and detrimental health effects, but data on its relation with death were lacking,” says Esther Lopez-Garcia, PhD, the study’s lead author.
“Coffee consumption was not associated with a higher risk of mortality in middle-aged men and women. The possibility of a modest benefit of coffee consumption on heart disease, cancer, and other causes of death needs to be further investigated,” Lopez-Garcia added.
Women consuming two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the follow-up period (which lasted from 1980 to 2004 and involved 84,214 women) as compared with non-consumers, and an 18 percent lower risk of death caused by something other than cancer or heart disease as compared with non-consumers during follow-up.
For men, this level of consumption was associated with neither a higher nor a lower risk of death during the follow-up period (which lasted from 1986 to 2004 and involved 41,736 men).
The researchers analyzed data of 84,214 women who had participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and 41,736 men who had participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. To be in the current study, participants had to have been free of cancer and heart disease at the start of those larger studies.
The study participants completed questionnaires every two to four years that included questions about how frequently they drank coffee, other diet habits, smoking, and health conditions.
The researchers then compared the frequency of death from any cause, death due to heart disease, and death due to cancer among people with different coffee-drinking habits.
Among women, 2,368 deaths were due to heart disease, 5,011 were due to cancer, and 3,716 were due to another cause. Among men, 2,049 deaths were due to heart disease, 2,491 were due to cancer, and 2,348 were due to another cause.
While accounting for other risk factors, such as body size, smoking, diet, and specific diseases, the researchers found that people who drank more coffee were less likely to die during the follow-up period. This was mainly because of lower risk for heart disease deaths among coffee drinkers.
The researchers found no association between coffee drinking and cancer deaths. These relationships did not seem to be related to caffeine because people who drank decaffeinated coffee also had lower death rates than people who did not drink coffee.
The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
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