Should Information On The Health Of Leaders Be Kept A Secret? German Chancellor Angela Merkel was recently seen trembling in public. Merkel says that it was just a case of dehydration, but the incident made the headlines nevertheless. So should information on the health of leaders be kept a secret? Here's a report on the issue.

Gravitas: Is secrecy around world leaders' health justified?

<p>The ruling BJP has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa against the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/goa-cm-manohar-parrikars-health-has-deteriorated-but-he-is-stable-vijai-sardesai-203759">deteriorating health</a> and Congress staking a claim to form a government in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told ANI that all the party's legislators were asked not to leave Goa at a meeting held on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Congress dispatched a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, BJP called for an "emergency meeting" at the party's headquarters in Panaji. A meeting of BJP MLAs is also scheduled for today at the party`s Panaji office, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday. A number of news reports said Sunday that the BJP is looking for alternatives to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Goa Congress on Saturday urged the governor to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government and invite the party to form a government in the state. In a letter to the governor, Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, claimed that the Congress party has the majority to form the government and that "the numbers of the BJP may further dwindle" in the Assembly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Consequent upon the sad demise of BJP MLA Francis D`Souza, the BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of people, has also lost the strength of the House," Chandrakant said in his letter to the Governor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D`Souza died last month after a prolonged battle with cancer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stating that Parrikar is "very ill", Deputy Speaker and Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Saturday said, "There are no chances of him getting well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress had staked to form the government in October last year too but then its claims were not accepted by the Governor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The present strength of the Goa Assembly stands at 37 instead of 40.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress is currently the single-largest party in the state with 14 MLAs.BJP has 13 legislators, including Parrikar, and its government is supported by three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtra Gomantak Party, and three Independents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two Congress MLAs have resigned after defecting to BJP.&nbsp;</p>


The ruling BJP has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa against the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health and Congress staking a claim to form a government in the state.

The ruling BJP has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa against the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health and Congress staking a claim to form a government in the state. Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told ANI that all the party's legislators were asked not to leave Goa at a meeting held on Saturday. After Congress dispatched a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, BJP called for an "emergency meeting" at the party's headquarters in Panaji. A meeting of BJP MLAs is also scheduled for today at the party`s Panaji office, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday. A number of news reports said Sunday that the BJP is looking for alternatives to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The Goa Congress on Saturday urged the governor to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government and invite the party to form a government in the state. In a letter to the governor, Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, claimed that the Congress party has the majority to form the government and that "the numbers of the BJP may further dwindle" in the Assembly. "Consequent upon the sad demise of BJP MLA Francis D`Souza, the BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of people, has also lost the strength of the House," Chandrakant said in his letter to the Governor. Former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D`Souza died last month after a prolonged battle with cancer. Stating that Parrikar is "very ill", Deputy Speaker and Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Saturday said, "There are no chances of him getting well. "Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year. Congress had staked to form the government in October last year too but then its claims were not accepted by the Governor. The present strength of the Goa Assembly stands at 37 instead of 40. Congress is currently the single-largest party in the state with 14 MLAs.BJP has 13 legislators, including Parrikar, and its government is supported by three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtra Gomantak Party, and three Independents. Two Congress MLAs have resigned after defecting to BJP.

After Congress stakes claim to form government, BJP MLAs asked not to leave Goa

<p>Seven persons including a joint director of the health department have died of swine flu in Chhattisgarh since the beginning of this year, the government informed the Legislative Assembly Friday.</p>

<p>Health Minister TS Singhdeo said joint director of health department Mahendra Janghel was among those who died of H1N1 infection.</p>

<p>The issue was raised by Congress' Kunwar Singh Nishad and BJP MLAs Shivratan Sharma and Ajay Chandrakar.</p>

<p>The MLAs claimed that at least 10 people had died of swine flu in the state in the recent weeks but no concrete action has been taken to prevent its spread and patients are being forced to go to private hospitals.</p>

<p>Singhdeo said huge stocks of medicines have been made available. Medicines, as well as diagnosis facilities, are being provided free in government hospitals, he said.</p>

<p>District surveillance teams have been formed to keep a tab on new infections, he said.</p>

<p>Swine flu testing facilities are available at Medical College Raipur, Microbiology Department of Jagdalpur Medical College and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. Besides, three private pathology labs have been certified for carrying out H1N1 virus tests, he added.</p>

<p>Chandrakar asked whether swine flu vaccination will be administered to common people, just as it is being provided to health department workers dealing with swine flu cases.</p>

<p>The minister said as of now doctors, nurses and other hospital staff who are at high risk of infection will be covered under the immunisation program.&nbsp;</p>


Seven persons including a joint director of the health department have died of swine flu in Chhattisgarh since the beginning of this year, the government informed the Legislative Assembly Friday.

Seven persons including a joint director of the health department have died of swine flu in Chhattisgarh since the beginning of this year, the government informed the Legislative Assembly Friday. Health Minister TS Singhdeo said joint director of health department Mahendra Janghel was among those who died of H1N1 infection. The issue was raised by Congress' Kunwar Singh Nishad and BJP MLAs Shivratan Sharma and Ajay Chandrakar. The MLAs claimed that at least 10 people had died of swine flu in the state in the recent weeks but no concrete action has been taken to prevent its spread and patients are being forced to go to private hospitals. Singhdeo said huge stocks of medicines have been made available. Medicines, as well as diagnosis facilities, are being provided free in government hospitals, he said. District surveillance teams have been formed to keep a tab on new infections, he said. Swine flu testing facilities are available at Medical College Raipur, Microbiology Department of Jagdalpur Medical College and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. Besides, three private pathology labs have been certified for carrying out H1N1 virus tests, he added. Chandrakar asked whether swine flu vaccination will be administered to common people, just as it is being provided to health department workers dealing with swine flu cases. The minister said as of now doctors, nurses and other hospital staff who are at high risk of infection will be covered under the immunisation program.

Health department, joint director among 7 swine flu victims in Chhattisgarh

<p>Food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxic chemicals is a mounting health hazard and a crippling economic burden, a global conference on food safety has been told.</p>

<p>The two-day forum is bringing together health bosses and experts from 125 countries to combat the peril of unsafe food, a hazard that kills more than 400,000 people each year, according to UN estimates.</p>

<p>"Today, the world produces enough food for everyone," Jose Graziano Da Silva, director general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said at the opening of the conference on Monday.</p>

<p>But much of this food "is not safe", he added.</p>

<p>"We estimate that each year, nearly one person in 10 falls sick after eating contaminated food," said Kazuaki Miyagishima, who heads the World Health Organization (WHO) food security department.</p>

<p>Of the 600 million people who fall sick from unsafe food, around 420,000 die, according to the UN's estimate.</p>

<p>Children under five suffer most, comprising 40 per cent of those who fall ill.</p>

<p>According to the WHO, contaminated food is to blame more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers — and the economic impact is huge but often overlooked.</p>

<p>The FAO estimates the cost for low and middle-income countries to be in the range of $95 billion (83.5 billion euros) per year.</p>

<p>The conference, attended by ministers and deputy ministers from some 20 countries, is expected to issue a call for better coordination and support.</p>

<p>"Africa has a major interest in this," said Miyagishima, adding the continent, followed by Southeast Asia, is the worst affected by contaminated food.</p>

<p><strong>All-round approach&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Miyagishima said a multi-pronged approach was needed.</p>

<p>This includes stronger laws, better training and equipment and beefing up health systems to detect potential risks and swap information countries, he said.</p>

<p>The risks are very diverse, ranging from bacteria such as salmonella or listeria to chemicals such as cancer-causing heavy metals and organic pollutants.</p>

<p>For countries facing drought or famine, the challenge is preventing the population from using water contaminated by cholera, or eating food unsuitable for consumption.</p>

<p>For countries trying to better respect international norms and export certain food products, Miyagishima warned of a "situation where exported food is of better quality than products destined for the local market".</p>

<p>In Europe, Miyagishima said there was a need for faster exchange of information between health authorities, recalling the 2017 contamination of eggs in the Netherlands, which were distributed to numerous countries.</p>

<p>The conference comes at a time of swelling controversy over the use of chemical products in agriculture, including the controversial weed-killer Roundup.</p>

<p>"Regulatory decisions, international or national, should be based on sound science," he said.</p>

<p>The UN in December announced the creation of a World Food Safety Day on June 7.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxic chemicals is a mounting health hazard and a crippling economic burden, a global conference on food safety has been told.

Food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxic chemicals is a mounting health hazard and a crippling economic burden, a global conference on food safety has been told. The two-day forum is bringing together health bosses and experts from 125 countries to combat the peril of unsafe food, a hazard that kills more than 400,000 people each year, according to UN estimates. "Today, the world produces enough food for everyone," Jose Graziano Da Silva, director general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said at the opening of the conference on Monday. But much of this food "is not safe", he added. "We estimate that each year, nearly one person in 10 falls sick after eating contaminated food," said Kazuaki Miyagishima, who heads the World Health Organization (WHO) food security department. Of the 600 million people who fall sick from unsafe food, around 420,000 die, according to the UN's estimate. Children under five suffer most, comprising 40 per cent of those who fall ill. According to the WHO, contaminated food is to blame more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers — and the economic impact is huge but often overlooked. The FAO estimates the cost for low and middle-income countries to be in the range of $95 billion (83.5 billion euros) per year. The conference, attended by ministers and deputy ministers from some 20 countries, is expected to issue a call for better coordination and support. "Africa has a major interest in this," said Miyagishima, adding the continent, followed by Southeast Asia, is the worst affected by contaminated food. All-round approach Miyagishima said a multi-pronged approach was needed. This includes stronger laws, better training and equipment and beefing up health systems to detect potential risks and swap information countries, he said. The risks are very diverse, ranging from bacteria such as salmonella or listeria to chemicals such as cancer-causing heavy metals and organic pollutants. For countries facing drought or famine, the challenge is preventing the population from using water contaminated by cholera, or eating food unsuitable for consumption. For countries trying to better respect international norms and export certain food products, Miyagishima warned of a "situation where exported food is of better quality than products destined for the local market". In Europe, Miyagishima said there was a need for faster exchange of information between health authorities, recalling the 2017 contamination of eggs in the Netherlands, which were distributed to numerous countries. The conference comes at a time of swelling controversy over the use of chemical products in agriculture, including the controversial weed-killer Roundup. "Regulatory decisions, international or national, should be based on sound science," he said. The UN in December announced the creation of a World Food Safety Day on June 7.

Food safety on the table at world conference

<p>President Donald Trump, who delights in confounding health experts with his junk food cravings and disinclination to exercise, is "in very good health," his doctor declared Friday following an annual medical checkup.</p>

<p>"I am happy to announce the president of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his presidency, and beyond," chief physician Sean Conley said in a memorandum released by the White House.</p>

<p>The Marine One helicopter returned the 72-year-old head of state to the White House from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington suburb of Bethesda after a full four hours of prodding, poking and testing.</p>

<p>Dressed in a long dark overcoat, Trump gave a thumb's up but did not respond to reporters' questions about how he was feeling.</p>

<p>It remained unclear how many of the test results would eventually be made public.</p>

<p>Last year, everything from the president's cholesterol levels (high) to weight (too high at 239 pounds, or 108 kilograms) was released.</p>

<p>Trump's then chief physician, Ronny Jackson — who has since run into trouble over alleged ethical misconduct — also held an unusually detailed press conference in which he declared Trump to be in "excellent health."&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the plus side, Trump doesn't smoke and is a noted teetotaler. He says he's never even had a beer.</p>

<p>Less good: the former real estate tycoon and reality TV performer unashamedly embraces the couch potato life.</p>

<p><strong>'Incredibly good genes'&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Not for Trump the basketball sessions that Barack Obama sweated through in the White House, or the bike rides of George W Bush.</p>

<p>Trump loves the more sedate game of golf, but rides a cart between holes and has said that anything more strenuous is actually bad for your health.</p>

<p>"All my friends who work out all the time, they're going for knee replacements, hip replacements — they're a disaster," Trump told The New York Times in 2015.</p>

<p>Trump has described his chief exercise as walking around the White House compound and standing up at public events.</p>

<p>The 45th president's diet, reportedly involving legendary amounts of Coke and red meat, also seems to defy most doctors' orders.</p>

<p>In January, Trump hosted the strapping athletes of America's champion college football team, the Clemson Tigers, with a mountain of hamburgers and pizzas.</p>

<p>According to Jackson last year, Trump's secret is genes.</p>

<p>"Incredibly good genes," he said. "It's just the way God made him."</p>


President Donald Trump, who delights in confounding health experts with his junk food cravings and disinclination to exercise, is "in very good health," his doctor declared Friday following an annual medical checkup.

President Donald Trump, who delights in confounding health experts with his junk food cravings and disinclination to exercise, is "in very good health," his doctor declared Friday following an annual medical checkup. "I am happy to announce the president of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his presidency, and beyond," chief physician Sean Conley said in a memorandum released by the White House. The Marine One helicopter returned the 72-year-old head of state to the White House from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington suburb of Bethesda after a full four hours of prodding, poking and testing. Dressed in a long dark overcoat, Trump gave a thumb's up but did not respond to reporters' questions about how he was feeling. It remained unclear how many of the test results would eventually be made public. Last year, everything from the president's cholesterol levels (high) to weight (too high at 239 pounds, or 108 kilograms) was released. Trump's then chief physician, Ronny Jackson — who has since run into trouble over alleged ethical misconduct — also held an unusually detailed press conference in which he declared Trump to be in "excellent health." On the plus side, Trump doesn't smoke and is a noted teetotaler. He says he's never even had a beer. Less good: the former real estate tycoon and reality TV performer unashamedly embraces the couch potato life. 'Incredibly good genes' Not for Trump the basketball sessions that Barack Obama sweated through in the White House, or the bike rides of George W Bush. Trump loves the more sedate game of golf, but rides a cart between holes and has said that anything more strenuous is actually bad for your health. "All my friends who work out all the time, they're going for knee replacements, hip replacements — they're a disaster," Trump told The New York Times in 2015. Trump has described his chief exercise as walking around the White House compound and standing up at public events. The 45th president's diet, reportedly involving legendary amounts of Coke and red meat, also seems to defy most doctors' orders. In January, Trump hosted the strapping athletes of America's champion college football team, the Clemson Tigers, with a mountain of hamburgers and pizzas. According to Jackson last year, Trump's secret is genes. "Incredibly good genes," he said. "It's just the way God made him."

Fast-food fan Trump in 'very good health': Chief physician

<p>Chinese authorities said tests of a batch of human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection, reportedly contaminated with the HIV antibody, showed the negative presence of the virus.</p>

<p>"Shanghai authorities have run virus tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C on the reported batch and they all show negative," the National Medical Products Administration said in a statement on late Wednesday.</p>

<p>China's National Health Commission had earlier said there was a "very low" risk of HIV infection from the batch after a baby was reported to have tested "weak" HIV positive.</p>

<p>It asked medical institutions to halt the use of the batch and seal remaining supplies for further investigation.</p>

<p>Shanghai's Medical Products Administration said it had ordered the manufacturer to halt production.</p>

<p>Human immunoglobulin is made with human blood plasma and is used to treat a variety of conditions.</p>

<p>The Shanghai Medical Products Administration said in a statement on Wednesday that the batch, identified by China's National Health Commission as number 20180610Z, was made by China Meheco Xinxing Pharma Co, a unit of state-controlled China Meheco Group Co Ltd.</p>

<p>The manufacturer could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday. Chinese offices are largely shut for the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.</p>

<p>The investigation began after a baby in Jiangxi province had initially tested "weak" positive for HIV during a health check, the exposure that was traced to the batch under investigation, domestic media the China Economic Observer reported. The baby subsequently tested negative for HIV, the report said.</p>

<p>It is not clear how many people may have been injected with the batch under investigation. The media report said the batch contained 12,226 doses due to expire in 2021.</p>

<p>The Chinese government has repeatedly vowed to tighten safety oversight and to crack down on companies and officials following a string of food and drug scandals in recent years, including one last year involving the maker of a rabies vaccine.</p>


Chinese authorities said tests of a batch of human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection, reportedly contaminated with the HIV antibody, showed the negative presence of the virus.

Chinese authorities said tests of a batch of human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection, reportedly contaminated with the HIV antibody, showed the negative presence of the virus. "Shanghai authorities have run virus tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C on the reported batch and they all show negative," the National Medical Products Administration said in a statement on late Wednesday. China's National Health Commission had earlier said there was a "very low" risk of HIV infection from the batch after a baby was reported to have tested "weak" HIV positive. It asked medical institutions to halt the use of the batch and seal remaining supplies for further investigation. Shanghai's Medical Products Administration said it had ordered the manufacturer to halt production. Human immunoglobulin is made with human blood plasma and is used to treat a variety of conditions. The Shanghai Medical Products Administration said in a statement on Wednesday that the batch, identified by China's National Health Commission as number 20180610Z, was made by China Meheco Xinxing Pharma Co, a unit of state-controlled China Meheco Group Co Ltd. The manufacturer could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday. Chinese offices are largely shut for the week-long Lunar New Year holiday. The investigation began after a baby in Jiangxi province had initially tested "weak" positive for HIV during a health check, the exposure that was traced to the batch under investigation, domestic media the China Economic Observer reported. The baby subsequently tested negative for HIV, the report said. It is not clear how many people may have been injected with the batch under investigation. The media report said the batch contained 12,226 doses due to expire in 2021. The Chinese government has repeatedly vowed to tighten safety oversight and to crack down on companies and officials following a string of food and drug scandals in recent years, including one last year involving the maker of a rabies vaccine.

Tests of human immunoglobulin are HIV negative: China

<p>Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal who has been given a temporary charge of the ministry to fill in for Arun Jaitley said on Friday that Jaitely was in good health and is recovering rapidly.</p>

<p>The government has however not commented on Jaitely's conditions.</p>

<p>Arun Jaitley who is currently in New York underwent surgery at a hospital on Tuesday.</p>

<p>He has been advised at least two weeks of rest by the doctors, sources said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jaitley had travelled to the US on January 13 and had undergone tests for soft tissue cancer this week.</p>

<p>In his absence Goyal is likely to present the interim Budget, PTI reported citing sources.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal who has been given a temporary charge of the ministry to fill in for Arun Jaitley said on Friday that Jaitely was in good health and is recovering rapidly.

Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal who has been given a temporary charge of the ministry to fill in for Arun Jaitley said on Friday that Jaitely was in good health and is recovering rapidly. The government has however not commented on Jaitely's conditions. Arun Jaitley who is currently in New York underwent surgery at a hospital on Tuesday. He has been advised at least two weeks of rest by the doctors, sources said. Jaitley had travelled to the US on January 13 and had undergone tests for soft tissue cancer this week. In his absence Goyal is likely to present the interim Budget, PTI reported citing sources. (With inputs from agencies)

Arun Jaitley in good health, recovering rapidly: Piyush Goyal

<p>The health (or really the lack of it) of our politicians is a touchy topic in India. It either becomes a joke or it is not talked about. Neither position has served the country well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The health of our leaders must be open to scrutiny and should be part of public knowledge.</p>

<p>In liberal western democracies, the health of a leader is a matter of public knowledge. Boris Yeltsin’s alcoholism for example was a public fact.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian politicians on the other hand have usually been cagey about their health. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was criticised for not making details of her illness public despite the fact that she ran the government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The details of former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s heart bypass surgery were on the other hand shared with the public and India came up with a makeshift mechanism while he was admitted to Delhi's All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS).</p>

<p>BK Hariprasad’s statement on BJP president Amit Shah was in poor taste and people have missed the larger issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One has to acknowledge that the news of Amit Shah’s illness — he was admitted to Delhi's AIIMS on Monday with swine flu, Hariprasad said he had "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-president-amit-shah-admitted-to-aiims-suffering-from-swine-flu-190820"><em>suar</em></a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-president-amit-shah-admitted-to-aiims-suffering-from-swine-flu-190820"><em> ka </em></a><em><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-president-amit-shah-admitted-to-aiims-suffering-from-swine-flu-190820">zukhaam</a></em>"&nbsp;— was not denied but instead confirmed by the party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even in the case of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the details of his ailment were shared with the public with maturity and grace. Even Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj showed grace and political maturity in sharing with the public the details of the procedure she underwent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is recent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the other hand, the establishment seemed uneasy about discussing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s knees after they became public knowledge.</p>

<p>If you look at Narendra Modi’s campaign both pre- and post-poll, a frugal diet and yoga remain the common themes of the conversation around his daily schedule. Despite being in his 60's, Modi was able to harness an image of good health as his ability to serve his country better.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As has Putin.</p>

<p>It is not as if exceptions do not exist. FDR, president of the US during WW2, was paralysed from the waist down but not many pictures of him can be found in the papers. He ensured that his disability did not become a political issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Serving US presidents have also battled disease. Ronald Reagan was successfully treated for both skin and colon cancer while in office.</p>

<p>In India, politicians hide details of their health lest it becomes a prism through which they are perceived by the public.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even health fads become politicised.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I remember a conversation I had (as part of a larger group of journalists) with Prime Minister Modi at Arun Jaitley’s residence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi was speaking about an outsider making it to the country's top post vis a vis Lutyen’s Delhi which works like a "deep society" and is not kind enough to accommodate the views of people who come from other parts of the country. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"Former prime minister Morarji Desai did many things for the country but he is only remembered for one thing,” Modi said. Obviously, he was referring to Morarji's practice of imbibing his own urine, or what we in our childhood would call "Morarji cola”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both mental and physical health are important for a leader, and the nation must know about the health of those who govern them. The argument that disease is a private issue does not hold water here because people holding high office must show that they are fit enough to rule.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That also ensures that the system is not run through proxy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The maturity that India has show in the past (in making the details of its leaders' health public) should be encouraged. The only safeguard needed is that a disability by itself should not bar a person from holding high office — it has not in the past.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The health (or really the lack of it) of our politicians is a touchy topic in India. It either becomes a joke or it is not talked about. Neither position has served the country well.

The health (or really the lack of it) of our politicians is a touchy topic in India. It either becomes a joke or it is not talked about. Neither position has served the country well. The health of our leaders must be open to scrutiny and should be part of public knowledge. In liberal western democracies, the health of a leader is a matter of public knowledge. Boris Yeltsin’s alcoholism for example was a public fact. Indian politicians on the other hand have usually been cagey about their health. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was criticised for not making details of her illness public despite the fact that she ran the government. The details of former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s heart bypass surgery were on the other hand shared with the public and India came up with a makeshift mechanism while he was admitted to Delhi's All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS). BK Hariprasad’s statement on BJP president Amit Shah was in poor taste and people have missed the larger issue. One has to acknowledge that the news of Amit Shah’s illness — he was admitted to Delhi's AIIMS on Monday with swine flu, Hariprasad said he had "suar ka zukhaam" — was not denied but instead confirmed by the party. Even in the case of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the details of his ailment were shared with the public with maturity and grace. Even Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj showed grace and political maturity in sharing with the public the details of the procedure she underwent. This is recent. On the other hand, the establishment seemed uneasy about discussing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s knees after they became public knowledge. If you look at Narendra Modi’s campaign both pre- and post-poll, a frugal diet and yoga remain the common themes of the conversation around his daily schedule. Despite being in his 60's, Modi was able to harness an image of good health as his ability to serve his country better. As has Putin. It is not as if exceptions do not exist. FDR, president of the US during WW2, was paralysed from the waist down but not many pictures of him can be found in the papers. He ensured that his disability did not become a political issue. Serving US presidents have also battled disease. Ronald Reagan was successfully treated for both skin and colon cancer while in office. In India, politicians hide details of their health lest it becomes a prism through which they are perceived by the public. Even health fads become politicised. I remember a conversation I had (as part of a larger group of journalists) with Prime Minister Modi at Arun Jaitley’s residence. Modi was speaking about an outsider making it to the country's top post vis a vis Lutyen’s Delhi which works like a "deep society" and is not kind enough to accommodate the views of people who come from other parts of the country. "Former prime minister Morarji Desai did many things for the country but he is only remembered for one thing,” Modi said. Obviously, he was referring to Morarji's practice of imbibing his own urine, or what we in our childhood would call "Morarji cola”. Both mental and physical health are important for a leader, and the nation must know about the health of those who govern them. The argument that disease is a private issue does not hold water here because people holding high office must show that they are fit enough to rule. That also ensures that the system is not run through proxy. The maturity that India has show in the past (in making the details of its leaders' health public) should be encouraged. The only safeguard needed is that a disability by itself should not bar a person from holding high office — it has not in the past. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The health of our leaders: The nation has a right to know

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/how-cold-is-the-moon-at-night-china-to-find-out-190033">China will step up</a> its anti-corruption crackdown this year to focus on education, medical care, environmental protection and other major areas of concern to the public, the anti-graft watchdog said.</p>

<p>Fighting corruption has been a major priority during the administration of President Xi Jinping. He said last month that, while the Chinese Communist Party had won an "overwhelming victory" against graft, deep-seated corruption still needed to be weeded out.</p>

<p>The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on Sunday this year's campaign would focus on areas related to "the people's livelihood" and would "let the masses have a greater sense of achievement, greater happiness, and greater security".</p>

<p>This year's efforts would also focus on corruption and other criminal behaviours among grassroots governments, and tackle instances of bribery, abuse of power, negligence and malpractice in the financial sector.</p>

<p>It said it would also aim to prevent "interest groups" from corrupting top officials.</p>

<p>As well as tackling direct corruption, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/china-to-cut-restrictions-on-foreign-investment-xinhua-189916">China would also seek to eliminate bureaucratic tendencies</a> in government and "rectify" those officials guilty of behaving in a "perfunctory" manner when carrying out tasks, it said.</p>

<p>China would also aim to participate more in international anti-corruption governance in order to pursue suspects who have fled abroad. China brought 441 "corrupt fugitives" back to the country from August to December last year, the official China Daily said on Monday.</p>

<p>"These efforts aim to finally make officials not dare to, unable to and have no desire to commit any illegal act," the newspaper said in an editorial.</p>

<p>China punished around 621,000 people for corruption last year, including 51 at the ministerial or provincial level or higher, the paper said.</p>


President Xi Jinping said last month that, while the Chinese Communist Party had won an 'overwhelming victory' against graft, deep-seated corruption still needed to be weeded out.

China will step up its anti-corruption crackdown this year to focus on education, medical care, environmental protection and other major areas of concern to the public, the anti-graft watchdog said. Fighting corruption has been a major priority during the administration of President Xi Jinping. He said last month that, while the Chinese Communist Party had won an "overwhelming victory" against graft, deep-seated corruption still needed to be weeded out. The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on Sunday this year's campaign would focus on areas related to "the people's livelihood" and would "let the masses have a greater sense of achievement, greater happiness, and greater security". This year's efforts would also focus on corruption and other criminal behaviours among grassroots governments, and tackle instances of bribery, abuse of power, negligence and malpractice in the financial sector. It said it would also aim to prevent "interest groups" from corrupting top officials. As well as tackling direct corruption, China would also seek to eliminate bureaucratic tendencies in government and "rectify" those officials guilty of behaving in a "perfunctory" manner when carrying out tasks, it said. China would also aim to participate more in international anti-corruption governance in order to pursue suspects who have fled abroad. China brought 441 "corrupt fugitives" back to the country from August to December last year, the official China Daily said on Monday. "These efforts aim to finally make officials not dare to, unable to and have no desire to commit any illegal act," the newspaper said in an editorial. China punished around 621,000 people for corruption last year, including 51 at the ministerial or provincial level or higher, the paper said.

China promises graft crackdown in education, health

<p>Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide.</p>

<p>While in the developed world the severe lung infection mainly affects the elderly, in developing nations it is children who bear the brunt, with hundreds of thousands dying each year from the easily preventable disease.</p>

<p>More than 880,000 children -- mainly aged less than two years old -- died from pneumonia in 2016 alone.</p>

<p>A new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the aid group Save the Children using forecasts based on current trends showed more than 10,800,000 under-fives would succumb to the disease by the end of the next decade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Furthermore, a handful of countries are set to carry the highest burdens, with 1.7 million children set to die in Nigeria and India, 700,000 in Pakistan and 635,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yet there is some good news.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study, published on World Pneumonia Day, found that scaling up existing vaccination coverage, coupled with cheap antibiotics and ensuring good nutrition for children could save a total of 4.1 million lives.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pneumonia, an inflammatory infection of the lungs that may be contracted via viral or bacteria infection, is treatable if caught early enough and the patient's immune system isn't compromised.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But worldwide it hits young children who are often weak through malnutrition, killing more infants each year than malaria, diarrhoea and measles combined.</p>

<p>"It beggars belief that close to a million children are dying every year from a disease that we have the knowledge and resources to defeat," said Save the Children CEO Kevin Watkins.</p>

<p>"There are no pink ribbons, global summits or marches for pneumonia. But anyone who cares about justice for children and their access to essential healthcare, this forgotten killer should be the defining cause of our age."</p>

<p>Watkins' group, which operates health programmes in some of the countries worst hit by the disease, called for prices of major existing pneumonia vaccines to be lowered "dramatically".</p>

<p>2030 is the target date for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a pledge to "end preventable child deaths" by the end of the next decade.</p>


Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide.

Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide. While in the developed world the severe lung infection mainly affects the elderly, in developing nations it is children who bear the brunt, with hundreds of thousands dying each year from the easily preventable disease. More than 880,000 children -- mainly aged less than two years old -- died from pneumonia in 2016 alone. A new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the aid group Save the Children using forecasts based on current trends showed more than 10,800,000 under-fives would succumb to the disease by the end of the next decade. Furthermore, a handful of countries are set to carry the highest burdens, with 1.7 million children set to die in Nigeria and India, 700,000 in Pakistan and 635,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet there is some good news. The study, published on World Pneumonia Day, found that scaling up existing vaccination coverage, coupled with cheap antibiotics and ensuring good nutrition for children could save a total of 4.1 million lives. Pneumonia, an inflammatory infection of the lungs that may be contracted via viral or bacteria infection, is treatable if caught early enough and the patient's immune system isn't compromised. But worldwide it hits young children who are often weak through malnutrition, killing more infants each year than malaria, diarrhoea and measles combined. "It beggars belief that close to a million children are dying every year from a disease that we have the knowledge and resources to defeat," said Save the Children CEO Kevin Watkins. "There are no pink ribbons, global summits or marches for pneumonia. But anyone who cares about justice for children and their access to essential healthcare, this forgotten killer should be the defining cause of our age." Watkins' group, which operates health programmes in some of the countries worst hit by the disease, called for prices of major existing pneumonia vaccines to be lowered "dramatically". 2030 is the target date for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a pledge to "end preventable child deaths" by the end of the next decade.

Pneumonia to kill nearly 11 million children by 2030, study warns

<p>Around 51&nbsp;people have been tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur district, news agency ANI reported on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, eighteen more people in Jaipur have been tested positive for Zika virus, taking the total number of cases to 50.</p>

<p>At least 10 of the new cases were reported from Jaipur's Shashtri Nagar locality, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rajasthan's health department has issued an advisory for pregnant women staying outside Shastri Nagar not to visit the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A control room has been activated at the National Centre for Disease Control to monitor the situation.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rajasthan: Total 50 people have tested positive for Zika virus in Jaipur district <a href="https://t.co/2o5vMbk1yJ">pic.twitter.com/2o5vMbk1yJ</a></p>
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<p>The number of monitoring teams in Jaipur has been increased from 50 to 170 and a special isolation ward has been created at the Hira Bagh Training Centre to treat the Zika virus-affected patients.</p>

<p>A team from the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) recently found Zika virus in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Shastri Nagar, leading to suspicion they are behind the infection.</p>

<p>On Monday, the Prime Minister's Office sought a comprehensive report from the Health Ministry on the outbreak of Zika virus. Union Health Minister JP Nadda had told reporters that the situation is under control and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/22-test-positive-for-zika-in-jaipur-health-minister-nadda-says-no-need-to-panic-170376">there is no "need to panic"</a>.</p>

<p>"Our surveillance is very robust, all such cases get detected. We've standard protocols. ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control and DGHS are monitoring this. I assure people that everything is under control. There's no need to panic," Nadda stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Veenu Gupta on Tuesday confirmed a total 29 positive cases of Zika virus, including three pregnant women.</p>

<p>Zika virus disease is an emerging disease currently being reported by 86 countries worldwide.</p>

<p>Symptoms of Zika virus disease are similar to other viral infections such as dengue and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache.</p>

<p>In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January and February 2017 and the second outbreak in July 2017 from Krishnagiri District in Tamil Nadu. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management, the ministry said.</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from agencies</em>)&nbsp;</p>


Around 51 people have been tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur district, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. According to reports, eighteen more people in Jaipur have been tested positive for Zika virus, taking the total number of cases to 50.

Around 51 people have been tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur district, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. According to reports, eighteen more people in Jaipur have been tested positive for Zika virus, taking the total number of cases to 50. At least 10 of the new cases were reported from Jaipur's Shashtri Nagar locality, news agency PTI reported. Rajasthan's health department has issued an advisory for pregnant women staying outside Shastri Nagar not to visit the area. A control room has been activated at the National Centre for Disease Control to monitor the situation. Rajasthan: Total 50 people have tested positive for Zika virus in Jaipur district pic.twitter.com/2o5vMbk1yJ — ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2018 × The number of monitoring teams in Jaipur has been increased from 50 to 170 and a special isolation ward has been created at the Hira Bagh Training Centre to treat the Zika virus-affected patients. A team from the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) recently found Zika virus in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Shastri Nagar, leading to suspicion they are behind the infection. On Monday, the Prime Minister's Office sought a comprehensive report from the Health Ministry on the outbreak of Zika virus. Union Health Minister JP Nadda had told reporters that the situation is under control and there is no "need to panic". "Our surveillance is very robust, all such cases get detected. We've standard protocols. ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control and DGHS are monitoring this. I assure people that everything is under control. There's no need to panic," Nadda stated. Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Veenu Gupta on Tuesday confirmed a total 29 positive cases of Zika virus, including three pregnant women. Zika virus disease is an emerging disease currently being reported by 86 countries worldwide. Symptoms of Zika virus disease are similar to other viral infections such as dengue and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January and February 2017 and the second outbreak in July 2017 from Krishnagiri District in Tamil Nadu. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management, the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies)

Zika virus scare: 51 people tested positive in Rajasthan

<p>Global health watchdog, the World Health Organisation, describes cardiovascular diseases as the number one cause of death globally. "More people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause," WHO states on its website.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Every year, September 29 is celebrated as World Heart Day with an aim to raise awareness about the rising incident of cardiovascular ailments across the globe and educating people about various ways to ensure a healthy, strong heart.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Experts suggest obesity and lack of exercise as the leading causes of heart ailments, interestingly, one does not need to take any drastic step to better heart health, minor dietary tweaks can go a long way in ensuring a rock-solid heart.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This World Heart Day, let us take a look at some of the thumb-rules that can easily be incorporated into our daily routine to rev up our heart health.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean dieting or giving up all the foods you love. Learn how to ditch the junk, give your body the nutrient-dense fuel it needs," notes the American Heart Association on its website.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnBbtR_Bjbq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">‪Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables to protect your health.‬ ‪A healthy diet contains at least 400g of fruits and vegetables daily. ‬ ‪🍌🍐🍒🍓🥦🥒🍅🥕 ‬ ‪Let’s #BeatNCDs‬</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/who/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> World Health Organization</a> (@who) on <time datetime="2018-08-28T12:21:58+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 28, 2018 at 5:21am PDT</time></p>
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<p><strong>Diet&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Your diet can go a long way in keeping your system healthy and various bodily process in full bloom. The American Heart Association calls for including whole grains, millets, legumes in the daily diet and ditching processed items.</p>

<p>Fats are not bad, saturated ones are -- those are found concentrated in animal fats and processed food items. Fats included in your diet from natural sources -- fish, nuts -- are all rich in essential fats like the omega fatty acids. Load up on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and limit your junk and processed foods intake to see the difference. Managing your caffeine and alcohol intake is also vital for optimum heart health, ensure not consuming more than 400mg of caffeine on a daily basis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ditch processed sugar, honey is better; monitor your sodium intake.</p>

<p>"An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke," WHO adds.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BmQc_-qBwTt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Are you taking care of your heart? ❤️ Cardiovascular diseases are No 1 cause of death globally.</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/who/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> World Health Organization</a> (@who) on <time datetime="2018-08-09T11:50:28+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 9, 2018 at 4:50am PDT</time></p>
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<p><strong>Exercise&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>"Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide. Insufficient physical activity is a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes," WHO states on its website.</p>

<p>The international health watchdog recommends, "at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity."</p>

<p><strong>Everything in between</strong></p>

<p>Besides being mindful of your diet and getting sufficient physical activity, it is imperative to keep a check on your stress levels and maintain a healthy sleep routine. Ensure getting 7-8 hours of sleep every day and indulge in stress-alleviating exercises to refuel your brain.&nbsp;</p>


Global health watchdog, the World Health Organisation, describes cardiovascular diseases as the number one cause of death globally. "More people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause," WHO states on its website.

Global health watchdog, the World Health Organisation, describes cardiovascular diseases as the number one cause of death globally. "More people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause," WHO states on its website. Every year, September 29 is celebrated as World Heart Day with an aim to raise awareness about the rising incident of cardiovascular ailments across the globe and educating people about various ways to ensure a healthy, strong heart. Experts suggest obesity and lack of exercise as the leading causes of heart ailments, interestingly, one does not need to take any drastic step to better heart health, minor dietary tweaks can go a long way in ensuring a rock-solid heart. This World Heart Day, let us take a look at some of the thumb-rules that can easily be incorporated into our daily routine to rev up our heart health. "Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean dieting or giving up all the foods you love. Learn how to ditch the junk, give your body the nutrient-dense fuel it needs," notes the American Heart Association on its website. View this post on Instagram ‪Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables to protect your health.‬ ‪A healthy diet contains at least 400g of fruits and vegetables daily. ‬ ‪🍌🍐🍒🍓🥦🥒🍅🥕 ‬ ‪Let’s #BeatNCDs‬ A post shared by World Health Organization (@who) on Aug 28, 2018 at 5:21am PDT × Diet Your diet can go a long way in keeping your system healthy and various bodily process in full bloom. The American Heart Association calls for including whole grains, millets, legumes in the daily diet and ditching processed items. Fats are not bad, saturated ones are -- those are found concentrated in animal fats and processed food items. Fats included in your diet from natural sources -- fish, nuts -- are all rich in essential fats like the omega fatty acids. Load up on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and limit your junk and processed foods intake to see the difference. Managing your caffeine and alcohol intake is also vital for optimum heart health, ensure not consuming more than 400mg of caffeine on a daily basis. Ditch processed sugar, honey is better; monitor your sodium intake. "An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke," WHO adds. View this post on Instagram Are you taking care of your heart? ❤️ Cardiovascular diseases are No 1 cause of death globally. A post shared by World Health Organization (@who) on Aug 9, 2018 at 4:50am PDT × Exercise "Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide. Insufficient physical activity is a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes," WHO states on its website. The international health watchdog recommends, "at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity." Everything in between Besides being mindful of your diet and getting sufficient physical activity, it is imperative to keep a check on your stress levels and maintain a healthy sleep routine. Ensure getting 7-8 hours of sleep every day and indulge in stress-alleviating exercises to refuel your brain.

World Heart Day 2018: Exercise for at least 150 minutes a week, WHO recommends 

<p>All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday informed that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable.</p>

<p>"Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable and a team of doctors under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS are conducting tests," AIIMS.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS for a routine-check-up, according to doctors.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to meet former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is currently admitted there for a routine-check-up. <a href="https://t.co/fiIECqbxJy">pic.twitter.com/fiIECqbxJy</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1006158019808202752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Director of AIIMS while confirming the same, said in a statement, "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been admitted to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for routine check-up and investigations. He will be under the supervision of Dr&nbsp;Randeep Guleria."</p>

<p>The 93-year-old stalwart was the first ever person from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to have become the nation's prime minister.</p>

<p>Vajpayee served for two terms twice - briefly in 1996 and between1998 to 2004. Currently, he is the oldest living Prime Minister of India.</p>

<p>Vajpayee is also a well-renowned poet. His birthday, which falls on December 25, is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day' by the BJP.</p>

<p>In 2015, Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.</p>


Earlier in the day, Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS for a routine-check-up, according to doctors

All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday informed that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable and a team of doctors under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS are conducting tests," AIIMS. Earlier in the day, Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS for a routine-check-up, according to doctors. Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to meet former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is currently admitted there for a routine-check-up. pic.twitter.com/fiIECqbxJy — ANI (@ANI) June 11, 2018 × The Director of AIIMS while confirming the same, said in a statement, "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been admitted to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for routine check-up and investigations. He will be under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria." The 93-year-old stalwart was the first ever person from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to have become the nation's prime minister. Vajpayee served for two terms twice - briefly in 1996 and between1998 to 2004. Currently, he is the oldest living Prime Minister of India. Vajpayee is also a well-renowned poet. His birthday, which falls on December 25, is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day' by the BJP. In 2015, Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.

Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is stable: AIIMS

<p>Troops of the BSF, country's largest border guarding force, will now undertake a "mandatory" test that will analyse the state of their happiness and wellbeing before deployment along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in anti-Naxal operations.</p>

<p>The forces' headquarters here has prepared a multi-point wellness quotient assessment test (WQAT) tool that helps "identify stress precipitators and physical and mental health issues that need interventions."</p>

<p>"The WQAT is a special tool designed to understand the happiness quotient and mental wellbeing of an individual and this has now been made a compulsory part of the annual medical test for the troops," a recent directive issued by the force, accessed by PTI, says.</p>

<p>The new policy measure has been introduced by BSF Director General (DG) K K Sharma after he got a major research project conducted by UK-based experts with the help of force Inspector General (IG) Satwant A Trivedi, to analyse various triggers behind suicides and other stress factors suffered by troops and their possible solutions.</p>

<p>The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being' chronicling the new standard operating procedures (SoPs) for undertaking physical, psychological and socio-economic interventions, and ways to address the grievances and overall health issues of the about 2.5 lakh personnel strong paramilitary force.</p>

<p>"Research provides evidence to indicate that all such cases (of stress), if cared for, at the right time can take a turn towards mend. Valuable human resource needs to be nurtured carefully," Sharma wrote in the booklet that was unveiled by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday.</p>

<p>In this series, the Gujarat frontier of the force has also launched a 'Ghar ki Baat' initiative in which troops, on a fixed day of the week, gather at border posts along the India-Pakistan frontier and share their personal as well as professional problems.</p>

<p>This plan, a senior official said, will only be replicated at other forward locations of the force once the Gujarat experiment is found successful as not every person is willing to share his or her problem publicly.</p>

<p>The supervisory commanders of the force have been directed to undertake a number of other intervention techniques like interviewing the jawan as soon as he is back from leave.</p>

<p>"This exercise is seen as routine at times due to lack of interest of senior officers but it will help the commanding officer know about the various issues being faced by a jawan both at their homes and professional front," the new SoPs say in the booklet.</p>

<p>"Due to adherence of chain of command in making representation through proper channel, grievance redressal becomes more time taking," they say.</p>

<p>"More emphasis on informal interaction by superior commanders and creating more awareness on the availability of various channels for airing grievances, including through help-line numbers and others should be done," the SoPs say.</p>

<p>They also ask field commanders to undertake yoga, meditation, counselling and have a buddy system (one person responsible for the other) to check stress amongst the personnel.&nbsp</p>

<p>Talking about steps to prevent suicides, the new SOPs state that supervisory officers and fellow personnel should avoid "sermonising, arguing, giving advice or telling such a person to 'forget about it'", and instead should engage the individual and also deny him access to firearms.</p>

<p>As per official data, a total of 173 BSF personnel have committed suicide in the last five years, while over a dozen such deaths have happened this year.</p>

<p>These figures are much more than operational deaths in the line of duty, that took place during the same period.</p>

<p>The BSF jawans are deployed for long stints in inhospitable and harsh climate areas along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, where they cannot keep their families for years together and all these factors contribute to complaints of stress and fatigue among them.&nbsp</p>


The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being'.

Troops of the BSF, country's largest border guarding force, will now undertake a "mandatory" test that will analyse the state of their happiness and wellbeing before deployment along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in anti-Naxal operations. The forces' headquarters here has prepared a multi-point wellness quotient assessment test (WQAT) tool that helps "identify stress precipitators and physical and mental health issues that need interventions." "The WQAT is a special tool designed to understand the happiness quotient and mental wellbeing of an individual and this has now been made a compulsory part of the annual medical test for the troops," a recent directive issued by the force, accessed by PTI, says. The new policy measure has been introduced by BSF Director General (DG) K K Sharma after he got a major research project conducted by UK-based experts with the help of force Inspector General (IG) Satwant A Trivedi, to analyse various triggers behind suicides and other stress factors suffered by troops and their possible solutions. The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being' chronicling the new standard operating procedures (SoPs) for undertaking physical, psychological and socio-economic interventions, and ways to address the grievances and overall health issues of the about 2.5 lakh personnel strong paramilitary force. "Research provides evidence to indicate that all such cases (of stress), if cared for, at the right time can take a turn towards mend. Valuable human resource needs to be nurtured carefully," Sharma wrote in the booklet that was unveiled by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday. In this series, the Gujarat frontier of the force has also launched a 'Ghar ki Baat' initiative in which troops, on a fixed day of the week, gather at border posts along the India-Pakistan frontier and share their personal as well as professional problems. This plan, a senior official said, will only be replicated at other forward locations of the force once the Gujarat experiment is found successful as not every person is willing to share his or her problem publicly. The supervisory commanders of the force have been directed to undertake a number of other intervention techniques like interviewing the jawan as soon as he is back from leave. "This exercise is seen as routine at times due to lack of interest of senior officers but it will help the commanding officer know about the various issues being faced by a jawan both at their homes and professional front," the new SoPs say in the booklet. "Due to adherence of chain of command in making representation through proper channel, grievance redressal becomes more time taking," they say. "More emphasis on informal interaction by superior commanders and creating more awareness on the availability of various channels for airing grievances, including through help-line numbers and others should be done," the SoPs say. They also ask field commanders to undertake yoga, meditation, counselling and have a buddy system (one person responsible for the other) to check stress amongst the personnel. Talking about steps to prevent suicides, the new SOPs state that supervisory officers and fellow personnel should avoid "sermonising, arguing, giving advice or telling such a person to 'forget about it'", and instead should engage the individual and also deny him access to firearms. As per official data, a total of 173 BSF personnel have committed suicide in the last five years, while over a dozen such deaths have happened this year. These figures are much more than operational deaths in the line of duty, that took place during the same period. The BSF jawans are deployed for long stints in inhospitable and harsh climate areas along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, where they cannot keep their families for years together and all these factors contribute to complaints of stress and fatigue among them.

Jawans are happy or not, BSF will test

<p>News of Bollywood actor, Irrfan Khan’s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-irrfan-khan-has-been-diagnosed-with-a-neuroendocrine-tumour-leaves-the-country-for-treatment-36036">deteriorating health</a> shocked the industry last month as he announced that he is suffering from a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-what-is-a-neuroendocrine-tumour-if-not-brain-cancer-36072">neuroendocrine tumour</a>. Currently in London for the treatment, Irrfan missed out on the release of his latest film Blackmail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the entertainment industry geared up to celebrate the film and praise Irrfan for his acting, there are various rumours circulating on social media regarding the actor’s health -- and his spokesperson hasn’t taken it lightly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Irrfan’s spokesperson issued another official statement saying:&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>“This latest round of news being spread through social media in the last few days about Irrfan’s health is absolutely false and there’s no truth to it whatsoever. We as his family and friends again request the members of the media to continue their support and the prayers that have come Irrfan’s way. However, it’s not right to spread rumours through mediums of social media without fact check or any official validation. In the meanwhile once again we request everyone to refrain from picking up social media statuses as affirmative developments on someone’s health.”</em></p>

<p>This is what Irrfan posted on Twitter last month revealing the nature of his illness:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">?? <a href="https://t.co/IDThvTr6yF">pic.twitter.com/IDThvTr6yF</a></p>
— Irrfan (@irrfank) <a href="https://twitter.com/irrfank/status/974578690066669568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Irrfan Khan had announced last month that he is suffering from a neuroendocrine tumour and is currently in London getting treated for it

News of Bollywood actor, Irrfan Khan’s deteriorating health shocked the industry last month as he announced that he is suffering from a neuroendocrine tumour. Currently in London for the treatment, Irrfan missed out on the release of his latest film Blackmail. As the entertainment industry geared up to celebrate the film and praise Irrfan for his acting, there are various rumours circulating on social media regarding the actor’s health -- and his spokesperson hasn’t taken it lightly. Irrfan’s spokesperson issued another official statement saying: “This latest round of news being spread through social media in the last few days about Irrfan’s health is absolutely false and there’s no truth to it whatsoever. We as his family and friends again request the members of the media to continue their support and the prayers that have come Irrfan’s way. However, it’s not right to spread rumours through mediums of social media without fact check or any official validation. In the meanwhile once again we request everyone to refrain from picking up social media statuses as affirmative developments on someone’s health.” This is what Irrfan posted on Twitter last month revealing the nature of his illness: ?? pic.twitter.com/IDThvTr6yF — Irrfan (@irrfank) March 16, 2018 ×

Irrfan Khan's spokesperson issues a statement on his health, says don't spread rumours

<p>In patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, a meal schedule that includes a high-energy breakfast promotes weight loss, improves diabetes and decreases the need for insulin, according to a recent study.</p>

<p>&quot;This study shows that, in obese insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients, a diet with three meals per day, consisting of a big breakfast, average lunch and small dinner, had many rapid and positive effects compared to the traditional diet with six small meals evenly distributed throughout the day: better weight loss, less hunger and better diabetes control while using less insulin,&quot; said lead author Daniela Jakubowicz of the Tel Aviv University.</p>

<p>&quot;The hour of the day--when you eat and how frequently you eat--is more important than what you eat and how many calories you eat,&quot; she noted. &quot;Our body metabolism changes throughout the day. A slice of bread consumed at breakfast leads to a lower glucose response and is less fattening than an identical slice of bread consumed in the evening.&quot;</p>

<p>Jakubowicz and her colleagues studied 11 women and 18 men who had obesity and type 2 diabetes, being treated with insulin and averaged 69 years of age. The patients were randomly assigned to consume one of two different weight-loss diets, which contained an equal number of daily calories, for three months. One group (Bdiet) ate three meals: a large breakfast, a medium-sized lunch and a small dinner. The second group (6Mdiet) ate the traditional diet for diabetes and weight loss: six small meals evenly spaced throughout the day, including three snacks.</p>

<p>Overall glucose levels and glucose spikes were measured for 14 days at baseline, during the first two weeks on diet, and at the end of the study by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Glucose levels were tested every two weeks and insulin dosage was adjusted as needed.</p>

<p>At three months, while the Bdiet group lost 5 kilograms (11 pounds) the 6Mdiet group gained 1.4 kg (3 lb).</p>

<p>Fasting glucose levels decreased 54 mg/dl (from 161 to 107) in the Bdiet group but only 23 mg/dl (from 164 to 141) in the 6Mdiet group. Overall mean glucose levels dropped in the first 14 days by 29 mg/dl (from 167 to 138 mg/dl) and 38 mg/dl (from 167 to 129 mg/dl) after three months in the Bdiet group. Overall mean glucose levels dropped only 9 mg/dl (from 171 to 162 mg/dl) in the first 14 days and only 17 mg/dl (from 171 to 154 mg/dl) in the 6Mdiet group.</p>

<p>Mean glucose levels during sleep dropped only in the Bdiet group, by 24 mg/dl (from 131 to 107), but not in the 6Mdiet group.</p>

<p>The Bdiet group needed significantly less insulin (-20.5 units/day, from 54.7 to 34.8) while the 6Mdiet group needed more insulin (+2.2 units/day, from 67.8 to 70).</p>

<p>Carbohydrate craving and hunger decreased significantly in Bdiet group but increased in the 6Mdiet group.</p>

<p>Importantly, the researchers found a significant reduction of overall glycemia after as little as 14 days on Bdiet, when the participant had almost the same weight as at baseline. This finding suggests that even before weight loss, the change in the meal timing itself has a quick beneficial effect on glucose balance that is further improved by the important weight loss found in the 3M diet.</p>

<p>&quot;A diet with adequate meal timing and frequency has a pivotal role in glucose control and weight loss,&quot; Jakubowicz observed.</p>

<p>The study was presented at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, Ill.&nbsp;</p>


A diet with adequate meal timing and frequency has a pivotal role in glucose control and weight loss

In patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, a meal schedule that includes a high-energy breakfast promotes weight loss, improves diabetes and decreases the need for insulin, according to a recent study. "This study shows that, in obese insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients, a diet with three meals per day, consisting of a big breakfast, average lunch and small dinner, had many rapid and positive effects compared to the traditional diet with six small meals evenly distributed throughout the day: better weight loss, less hunger and better diabetes control while using less insulin," said lead author Daniela Jakubowicz of the Tel Aviv University. "The hour of the day--when you eat and how frequently you eat--is more important than what you eat and how many calories you eat," she noted. "Our body metabolism changes throughout the day. A slice of bread consumed at breakfast leads to a lower glucose response and is less fattening than an identical slice of bread consumed in the evening." Jakubowicz and her colleagues studied 11 women and 18 men who had obesity and type 2 diabetes, being treated with insulin and averaged 69 years of age. The patients were randomly assigned to consume one of two different weight-loss diets, which contained an equal number of daily calories, for three months. One group (Bdiet) ate three meals: a large breakfast, a medium-sized lunch and a small dinner. The second group (6Mdiet) ate the traditional diet for diabetes and weight loss: six small meals evenly spaced throughout the day, including three snacks. Overall glucose levels and glucose spikes were measured for 14 days at baseline, during the first two weeks on diet, and at the end of the study by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Glucose levels were tested every two weeks and insulin dosage was adjusted as needed. At three months, while the Bdiet group lost 5 kilograms (11 pounds) the 6Mdiet group gained 1.4 kg (3 lb). Fasting glucose levels decreased 54 mg/dl (from 161 to 107) in the Bdiet group but only 23 mg/dl (from 164 to 141) in the 6Mdiet group. Overall mean glucose levels dropped in the first 14 days by 29 mg/dl (from 167 to 138 mg/dl) and 38 mg/dl (from 167 to 129 mg/dl) after three months in the Bdiet group. Overall mean glucose levels dropped only 9 mg/dl (from 171 to 162 mg/dl) in the first 14 days and only 17 mg/dl (from 171 to 154 mg/dl) in the 6Mdiet group. Mean glucose levels during sleep dropped only in the Bdiet group, by 24 mg/dl (from 131 to 107), but not in the 6Mdiet group. The Bdiet group needed significantly less insulin (-20.5 units/day, from 54.7 to 34.8) while the 6Mdiet group needed more insulin (+2.2 units/day, from 67.8 to 70). Carbohydrate craving and hunger decreased significantly in Bdiet group but increased in the 6Mdiet group. Importantly, the researchers found a significant reduction of overall glycemia after as little as 14 days on Bdiet, when the participant had almost the same weight as at baseline. This finding suggests that even before weight loss, the change in the meal timing itself has a quick beneficial effect on glucose balance that is further improved by the important weight loss found in the 3M diet. "A diet with adequate meal timing and frequency has a pivotal role in glucose control and weight loss," Jakubowicz observed. The study was presented at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, Ill.

Eating this high-energy breakfast can help you shed kilos

<p>In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court today approved passive euthanasia, recognising a terminally ill patient&#39;s right to &#39;die with dignity&#39;. With apex court&#39;s move, it gets important to throw light on other terms that most of us may come across in association with euthanasia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The term &#39;<strong>euthanasia</strong>&#39; is loosely described to define the &#39;painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or an irreversible coma&#39;. It further gets classified into <strong>active</strong> and <strong>passive euthanasia</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/94mKy2S1XNU" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>The former is where a &quot;deliberate action&quot; is taken to end a patient&#39;s life to save them from further suffering. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is where a &quot;deliberate disconnection of life-support equipment&quot;, or cessation of any life-sustaining medical procedure is carried out. Passive euthanasia facilitates the natural death of a patient.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides these two terms, there are several others technical jargons associated with a person&#39;s life, health and necessitated demise, here&#39;s simplifying some of them:</p>

<p>1. <strong>Active voluntary and involuntary euthanasia</strong></p>

<p>Both involve injecting the patient with a lethal, life-ending drug; the former involves patient&#39;s requests while the latter doesn&#39;t.&nbsp;</p>

<p>2. <strong>Persistent vegetative state</strong></p>

<p>A state where a person is declared brain-damaged, suffers an irrecoverable state of coma and is offered a permanent life support. A person is often described as a &quot;vegetable&quot; when in a state of coma, which may get cured.</p>

<p>3. <strong>Palliative care</strong></p>

<p>Wherein a person is not treated to get cured but to relieve the pain and other discomfort associated with the disease. A person on palliative care is terminally ill -- &nbsp;without any cure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>4. <strong>Terminal illness</strong></p>

<p>A medical condition that cannot be treated.</p>

<p>5. <strong>Living will</strong></p>

<p>A directive by a terminally ill person stating when to not connect or disconnect life-supporting equipment if the process delays the inevitable death making it more painful.</p>

<p>6. <strong>Mercy killing&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Often interchangeably used for euthanasia but not limited to such cases. The act describes a request to end a life with a belief that it is the ultimate and the only compassionate choice.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


With apex court's move, it gets important to throw light on other terms that most of us may come across in association with euthanasia

In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court today approved passive euthanasia, recognising a terminally ill patient's right to 'die with dignity'. With apex court's move, it gets important to throw light on other terms that most of us may come across in association with euthanasia. The term 'euthanasia' is loosely described to define the 'painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or an irreversible coma'. It further gets classified into active and passive euthanasia. The former is where a "deliberate action" is taken to end a patient's life to save them from further suffering. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is where a "deliberate disconnection of life-support equipment", or cessation of any life-sustaining medical procedure is carried out. Passive euthanasia facilitates the natural death of a patient. Besides these two terms, there are several others technical jargons associated with a person's life, health and necessitated demise, here's simplifying some of them: 1. Active voluntary and involuntary euthanasia Both involve injecting the patient with a lethal, life-ending drug; the former involves patient's requests while the latter doesn't. 2. Persistent vegetative state A state where a person is declared brain-damaged, suffers an irrecoverable state of coma and is offered a permanent life support. A person is often described as a "vegetable" when in a state of coma, which may get cured. 3. Palliative care Wherein a person is not treated to get cured but to relieve the pain and other discomfort associated with the disease. A person on palliative care is terminally ill -- without any cure. 4. Terminal illness A medical condition that cannot be treated. 5. Living will A directive by a terminally ill person stating when to not connect or disconnect life-supporting equipment if the process delays the inevitable death making it more painful. 6. Mercy killing Often interchangeably used for euthanasia but not limited to such cases. The act describes a request to end a life with a belief that it is the ultimate and the only compassionate choice.

Euthanasia debate: Key terms you need to know

<p>By Kacie Dickinson*, Jodi Bernstein**</p>

<p>We hear regularly from health organisations and experts that we should eat less sugar. But we&rsquo;re also told we should eat more fruit.</p>

<p>All types of sugar will give us the same amount of calories, whether they are from fruit or soft drink. But the health risks of eating sugar are related to consuming too many &ldquo;free sugars&rdquo; in the diet, not from eating sugars that are naturally present in fruits or milk.</p>

<p><strong>Types of sugar in food</strong></p>

<p>Sugar in food and drinks comes in various forms. Sugar molecules are classified as monosaccharides (single sugar molecules such as glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (more complex structures such as sucrose and lactose).</p>

<p>Fruit contains natural sugars, which are a mix of sucrose, fructose and glucose. Many people have heard that sugar is bad, and think that this must also therefore apply to fruits.</p>

<p>But fructose is only harmful in excess amounts, and not when it comes from fruit. It would be incredibly difficult to consume excessive amounts of fructose by eating whole fruits.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s much easier to consume excess sugar from foods and drinks that contain &ldquo;free sugars&rdquo;.</p>

<p>Free sugars include these same sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), but in this case they have been removed from their naturally occurring source (rather than being eaten as natural parts of fruits, dairy products, and some vegetables and grains). This includes sugar that is added to food and drinks by food companies, cooks or consumers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Health risks come from free sugars, not fruits<br />
Evidence shows that the health risks from sugars, such as tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain, are related to consuming too many free sugars in the diet, not from eating sugars that are naturally present in fruits or milk.</p>

<p>For this reason it is recommended that no more than 10% of your daily calories come from free sugars. For the average adult, this is about 50g or only slightly more than the amount of sugar in a can of regular soft drink or soda. It&rsquo;s estimated that Australians get around 60% (65g) of their sugar intake from free sugars.</p>

<p>Foods that are sources of free sugars, such as juices, soft drinks, biscuits and lollies, are often high in calories and have little other nutritional value. It is often easy to consume more of them compared with fresh fruit and they also may be replacing other nutritious foods in the diet.</p>

<p>Consider a bottle of fruit juice &ndash; you would have to eat six whole oranges to get the same amount of sugar you consume in the juice. And because the fruit is in juice form, it counts towards your daily limit of free sugars.</p>

<p>Calories from drinks that contain sugar often become an addition to the calories you are eating from food, which may lead to weight gain over time.</p>

<p>Eating large amounts of dried fruit is also not a good idea if you are limiting your sugar intake. Through the process of removing water from the fruit, nutrients are concentrated, such that dried apricots, for example, contain about six times as much sugar (40g per 100g) as fresh apricots (6g per 100g).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>We need to eat fruit</strong></p>

<p>Unlike many foods that are high in free sugars, fruits are packaged with lots of nutrients that help provide us with a balanced diet for good health.</p>

<p>For starters, fruit is an excellent source of fibre. An average banana will provide 20-25% (6g) of your recommended daily fibre intake. Getting enough fibre in the diet is important for protecting against bowel cancer. There is clear room for improvement in our fibre intake &ndash; adults in many countries consume only about half of the recommended amount each day (25g for Aussie women and 30g for Aussie men).</p>

<p>The fibre in fruit, which is often absent in many foods and drinks with free sugars, may also help to fill you up, which means you eat less overall at a meal. It&rsquo;s not clear exactly why this is, but it could be related to the volume of the food (especially compared with liquids) and the chewing involved.</p>

<p>Fruit is also a good source of other nutrients such as potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, and flavonoids, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.</p>

<p>There is evidence that eating whole fruits (alone and in combination with vegetables) reduces your chances of dying from cancer, obesity and heart disease.</p>

<p>Despite this, only about 50% of Australians eat at least two pieces of fruit per day.</p>

<p>Most national dietary guidelines encourage eating fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on the vegetables. To try and eat your recommended two pieces of fruit per day remember that a piece could be a banana, apple or orange, or two smaller fruits like plums or apricots, or a cup of grapes or berries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When it comes to other sources of sugars, try to choose foods that have little or no sugar listed in the ingredient list, and drink water instead of sugary beverages when you are thirsty.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>*Kacie Dickinson is an accredited practicing Dietitian; Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University</p>

<p>**Jodi Bernstein&nbsp;is a PhD Candidate in Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto</p>

<p><br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


When it comes to other sources of sugars, try to choose foods that have little or no sugar listed in the ingredient list, and drink water instead of sugary beverages when you are thirsty.

By Kacie Dickinson*, Jodi Bernstein** We hear regularly from health organisations and experts that we should eat less sugar. But we’re also told we should eat more fruit. All types of sugar will give us the same amount of calories, whether they are from fruit or soft drink. But the health risks of eating sugar are related to consuming too many “free sugars” in the diet, not from eating sugars that are naturally present in fruits or milk. Types of sugar in food Sugar in food and drinks comes in various forms. Sugar molecules are classified as monosaccharides (single sugar molecules such as glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (more complex structures such as sucrose and lactose). Fruit contains natural sugars, which are a mix of sucrose, fructose and glucose. Many people have heard that sugar is bad, and think that this must also therefore apply to fruits. But fructose is only harmful in excess amounts, and not when it comes from fruit. It would be incredibly difficult to consume excessive amounts of fructose by eating whole fruits. It’s much easier to consume excess sugar from foods and drinks that contain “free sugars”. Free sugars include these same sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), but in this case they have been removed from their naturally occurring source (rather than being eaten as natural parts of fruits, dairy products, and some vegetables and grains). This includes sugar that is added to food and drinks by food companies, cooks or consumers. Health risks come from free sugars, not fruits Evidence shows that the health risks from sugars, such as tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain, are related to consuming too many free sugars in the diet, not from eating sugars that are naturally present in fruits or milk. For this reason it is recommended that no more than 10% of your daily calories come from free sugars. For the average adult, this is about 50g or only slightly more than the amount of sugar in a can of regular soft drink or soda. It’s estimated that Australians get around 60% (65g) of their sugar intake from free sugars. Foods that are sources of free sugars, such as juices, soft drinks, biscuits and lollies, are often high in calories and have little other nutritional value. It is often easy to consume more of them compared with fresh fruit and they also may be replacing other nutritious foods in the diet. Consider a bottle of fruit juice – you would have to eat six whole oranges to get the same amount of sugar you consume in the juice. And because the fruit is in juice form, it counts towards your daily limit of free sugars. Calories from drinks that contain sugar often become an addition to the calories you are eating from food, which may lead to weight gain over time. Eating large amounts of dried fruit is also not a good idea if you are limiting your sugar intake. Through the process of removing water from the fruit, nutrients are concentrated, such that dried apricots, for example, contain about six times as much sugar (40g per 100g) as fresh apricots (6g per 100g). We need to eat fruit Unlike many foods that are high in free sugars, fruits are packaged with lots of nutrients that help provide us with a balanced diet for good health. For starters, fruit is an excellent source of fibre. An average banana will provide 20-25% (6g) of your recommended daily fibre intake. Getting enough fibre in the diet is important for protecting against bowel cancer. There is clear room for improvement in our fibre intake – adults in many countries consume only about half of the recommended amount each day (25g for Aussie women and 30g for Aussie men). The fibre in fruit, which is often absent in many foods and drinks with free sugars, may also help to fill you up, which means you eat less overall at a meal. It’s not clear exactly why this is, but it could be related to the volume of the food (especially compared with liquids) and the chewing involved. Fruit is also a good source of other nutrients such as potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, and flavonoids, which may reduce your risk of heart disease. There is evidence that eating whole fruits (alone and in combination with vegetables) reduces your chances of dying from cancer, obesity and heart disease. Despite this, only about 50% of Australians eat at least two pieces of fruit per day. Most national dietary guidelines encourage eating fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on the vegetables. To try and eat your recommended two pieces of fruit per day remember that a piece could be a banana, apple or orange, or two smaller fruits like plums or apricots, or a cup of grapes or berries. When it comes to other sources of sugars, try to choose foods that have little or no sugar listed in the ingredient list, and drink water instead of sugary beverages when you are thirsty. *Kacie Dickinson is an accredited practicing Dietitian; Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University **Jodi Bernstein is a PhD Candidate in Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: If sugar is so bad for us, why is the sugar in fruit ok?

<p>United States President Donald Trump has been told to cut down on red meat and highly fattening foods since his doctor told him he needs to lose a few pounds.</p>

<p>Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Trump has cut down his red meat intake and is eating more fish, salads and soups. Reports said that the last time he ate a hamburger was about two weeks back.&nbsp;</p>

<p>White House physician Dr Ronny Jackson, who in January announced that Trump at 6&#39;3&quot; and 239 pounds was just one pound below being classified as &ldquo;obese.&rdquo;</p>

<p>President Trump has reportedly embraced the new menu choices he is being offered and is enjoying his new diet.He is said to have had one cheat day this week, when he enjoyed a hearty bacon breakfast.</p>

<p>&quot;We are going to do both (referring to diet and exercise),&quot; the doctor said after administering his physical.</p>

<p>&quot;He is more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part,&rdquo; Jackson said of Trump at the time.</p>

<p>The Navy doctor exhausted reporters&#39; questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump&#39;s request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy.</p>

<p>&quot;He said, &#39;I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,&#39;&quot; Jackson said of Trump.</p>

<p>Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine.</p>

<p>&quot;He had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald&#39;s-nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade,&quot; Michael Wolff&#39;s book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House stated.</p>

<p>It&#39;s an about-face from his campaign trail regimen, which reportedly included two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate milkshake for dinner. One way Trump supposedly justified his love for McDonald&#39; was the reassurance it offered.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you&#39;e better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food&#39;s coming from. It&#39;s a certain standard,&quot; Trump had said of McDonald&#39;s.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a controversial, best-selling book, &quot;Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,&quot; portrayed him as childlike and mercurial.</p>

<p>Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump&#39;s request.</p>

<p>Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. &quot;The president is mentally very sharp, very intact,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 4.5 to 6.8 kg by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday

United States President Donald Trump has been told to cut down on red meat and highly fattening foods since his doctor told him he needs to lose a few pounds. Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday. Trump has cut down his red meat intake and is eating more fish, salads and soups. Reports said that the last time he ate a hamburger was about two weeks back. White House physician Dr Ronny Jackson, who in January announced that Trump at 6'3" and 239 pounds was just one pound below being classified as “obese.” President Trump has reportedly embraced the new menu choices he is being offered and is enjoying his new diet.He is said to have had one cheat day this week, when he enjoyed a hearty bacon breakfast. "We are going to do both (referring to diet and exercise)," the doctor said after administering his physical. "He is more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part,” Jackson said of Trump at the time. The Navy doctor exhausted reporters' questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump's request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy. "He said, 'I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,'" Jackson said of Trump. Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine. "He had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald's-nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade," Michael Wolff's book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House stated. It's an about-face from his campaign trail regimen, which reportedly included two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate milkshake for dinner. One way Trump supposedly justified his love for McDonald' was the reassurance it offered. "I'm a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you'e better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food's coming from. It's a certain standard," Trump had said of McDonald's. Trump's mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a controversial, best-selling book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," portrayed him as childlike and mercurial. Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump's request. Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. "The president is mentally very sharp, very intact," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump told to lose weight by White House doctor

<p>US Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun is resigning for medical reasons, the organization said on Wednesday, following months of sustained criticism stemming from the sex abuse scandal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.</p>

<p>In a statement, the USOC cited Blackmun&#39;s &quot;ongoing health issues&quot; related to prostate cancer, for which he has been receiving treatment. As part of the same press release, the group also outlined new reforms aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse.</p>

<p>The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based USOC, which announced the change less than a week after the Winter Olympic Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend the Games.</p>

<p>The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport`s governing body, to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations.</p>

<p>A number of critics, including athletes who said they were abused and two US senators - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC board members, accusing them of failing to promptly act on complaints raised against Nassar and fostering a culture of silence.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Scott Blackmun&rsquo;s resignation as CEO of the US Olympic Committee is long overdue,&quot; John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of Nassar`s victims, said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Under his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all its efforts on money and medals while the safety of our athletes has taken a back seat.&quot;</p>

<p>Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, citing Nassar`s years of abuse. &quot;It&#39;s clear that the culture at the US Olympic Committee desperately needs to change,&quot; she said in a statement.</p>

<p>Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for female athletes and member of the Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC, said in a Twitter post that Blackmun &quot;didn`t enact basic #ChildProtection policies or educate the membership about how to prevent it.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;His legacy will be that he failed athletes,&quot; she added.</p>

<p>The USOC statement did not address whether the sexual abuse scandal played a role in Blackmun`s departure. His compensation in 2016 totalled $1.075 million, according to USOC tax filings.</p>

<p>&quot;Given Scott`s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership,&quot; USOC Chairman Larry Probst said in the statement.</p>

<p>Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment and was sentenced to life in prison. Authorities say Nassar victimized more than 260 women and girls, including several Olympic gold medalists. Nearly 200 of them offered testimony during a pair of sentencing hearings in Michigan earlier this year.</p>

<p>USOC board member Susanne Lyons, who in January was chosen to head up a working group to address problems that the Nassar case had exposed, will serve as acting CEO while the organization searches for a permanent replacement.</p>

<p>The USOC also said Wednesday it will increase funding for support and counselling for victims as well as investigations into abuse allegations, among other reforms.</p>

<p>Separately, USA Gymnastics said its vice president of development, Luan Peszek, has left the organization after nearly 30 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following a lengthy stint with the team`s communications department, Peszek was the top administrator for the women&#39;s program for two years, before assuming her most recent post in 2015. Her daughter Samantha was a 2008 Olympic silver medalist.</p>

<p>A team spokeswoman, Leslie King, declined to explain the circumstances of Peszek`s departure or say when the exit occurred.</p>


The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics

US Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun is resigning for medical reasons, the organization said on Wednesday, following months of sustained criticism stemming from the sex abuse scandal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. In a statement, the USOC cited Blackmun's "ongoing health issues" related to prostate cancer, for which he has been receiving treatment. As part of the same press release, the group also outlined new reforms aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse. The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based USOC, which announced the change less than a week after the Winter Olympic Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend the Games. The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport`s governing body, to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations. A number of critics, including athletes who said they were abused and two US senators - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC board members, accusing them of failing to promptly act on complaints raised against Nassar and fostering a culture of silence. “Scott Blackmun’s resignation as CEO of the US Olympic Committee is long overdue," John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of Nassar`s victims, said in a statement. "Under his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all its efforts on money and medals while the safety of our athletes has taken a back seat." Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, citing Nassar`s years of abuse. "It's clear that the culture at the US Olympic Committee desperately needs to change," she said in a statement. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for female athletes and member of the Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC, said in a Twitter post that Blackmun "didn`t enact basic #ChildProtection policies or educate the membership about how to prevent it." "His legacy will be that he failed athletes," she added. The USOC statement did not address whether the sexual abuse scandal played a role in Blackmun`s departure. His compensation in 2016 totalled $1.075 million, according to USOC tax filings. "Given Scott`s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership," USOC Chairman Larry Probst said in the statement. Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment and was sentenced to life in prison. Authorities say Nassar victimized more than 260 women and girls, including several Olympic gold medalists. Nearly 200 of them offered testimony during a pair of sentencing hearings in Michigan earlier this year. USOC board member Susanne Lyons, who in January was chosen to head up a working group to address problems that the Nassar case had exposed, will serve as acting CEO while the organization searches for a permanent replacement. The USOC also said Wednesday it will increase funding for support and counselling for victims as well as investigations into abuse allegations, among other reforms. Separately, USA Gymnastics said its vice president of development, Luan Peszek, has left the organization after nearly 30 years. Following a lengthy stint with the team`s communications department, Peszek was the top administrator for the women's program for two years, before assuming her most recent post in 2015. Her daughter Samantha was a 2008 Olympic silver medalist. A team spokeswoman, Leslie King, declined to explain the circumstances of Peszek`s departure or say when the exit occurred.

US Olympic chief resigns after sex abuse scandal, health cited

<p>Former Congress chief and Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi canceled her visit last moment after concerns over her health, reports said on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi, who had plans to go to her parliamentary constituency for a one-day visit after about two years, canceled last moment due to &quot;unavoidable reasons,&quot; her representative K L Sharma said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharma had informed the representatives in Rae&nbsp;Bareli about the update on Friday night, District Congress President VK Shukla said.</p>

<p>&quot;Gandhi&#39;s day-long visit has been canceled due to unavoidable reasons. We informed district officials about it late last night,&quot; her representative K L Sharma said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi was to inaugurate various schemes from MP&#39;s discretionary fund at Bhuemau guest house and meet party leaders there.&nbsp;</p>


Gandhi was to inaugurate various schemes from MP's discretionary fund at Bhuemau guest house and meet party leaders there

Former Congress chief and Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi canceled her visit last moment after concerns over her health, reports said on Saturday. Gandhi, who had plans to go to her parliamentary constituency for a one-day visit after about two years, canceled last moment due to "unavoidable reasons," her representative K L Sharma said. Sharma had informed the representatives in Rae Bareli about the update on Friday night, District Congress President VK Shukla said. "Gandhi's day-long visit has been canceled due to unavoidable reasons. We informed district officials about it late last night," her representative K L Sharma said. Gandhi was to inaugurate various schemes from MP's discretionary fund at Bhuemau guest house and meet party leaders there.

Sonia Gandhi cancels visit to Rae Bareli

<p>Your genes may play a role in determining your child`s unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study.</p>

<p>Researcher Elie Chamoun of the University of Guelph investigated whether genetic variants in taste receptors related to sweet preference, fat taste sensitivity, and aversion to bitter green leafy vegetables influence the snacks chosen by preschoolers.</p>

<p>He found that nearly 80 per cent of preschoolers in the study carried at least one of these potential at-risk genotypes that could predispose them to poor snacking habits.</p>

<p>&quot;Kids are eating a lot more snacks now than they used to, and we think to look at how genetics can be related to snacking behaviour is important to understanding increased obesity among kids,&quot; said Chamoun.</p>

<p>&quot;This new research could help parents understand how their kids taste and tailor their diet for better nutritional choices.&quot;</p>

<p>The study looked at connections between the genes of the three at-risk taste receptors and linked them to snacking patterns among preschoolers.</p>

<p>The study entailed tracking the day-to-day diets of nearly 50 preschoolers and found that one-third of the kids&#39;&nbsp;diets were made up of snacks.</p>

<p>Chamoun also tested the participants&#39; saliva to determine their genetic taste profile.</p>

<p>Chamoun discovered that kids with a sweet tooth, who have the gene related to sweet taste preference, ate snacks with significantly more calories from sugar. They also ate those snacks mostly in the evening.</p>

<p>&quot;It`s likely these kids snacked more in the evening because that`s when they are at home and have more access to foods with high sugar,&quot; said Chamoun.</p>

<p>The children with the genetic variant related to fat taste sensitivity were found to consume snacks with higher energy density.</p>

<p>People with this genetic variant may have low oral sensitivity to fat and therefore consume more fatty foods without sensing it, said Chamoun.</p>

<p>&quot;Higher-energy density snacks, such as cookies with lots of sugar and fat, have a higher number of calories for their weight. Those are snacks you want to avoid.&quot;</p>

<p>The children with the genetic variant related to avoiding bitter vegetables also consumed snacks with high energy density.</p>

<p>&quot;They might be replacing those healthy veggies with unhealthy snacks. This is why they may be consuming more energy-dense snacks, because they are avoiding the healthy ones.&quot;</p>

<p>This study is the first in an emerging area of nutrition research.</p>

<p>If researchers can establish a solid link between genetics and taste, then we can create tests that will help parents determine which genetic variants their children have, said Chamoun.</p>

<p>&quot;This could be a valuable tool for parents who might want to tailor their children`s diet accordingly. For example, if you know your child has a higher desire for sweet foods based on their genetics, you might be more likely to limit or reduce their accessibility to those foods in the home.&quot;</p>

<p>The findings have been published in the journal Nutrients.</p>


Your genes may play a role in determining your child's unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study

Your genes may play a role in determining your child`s unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study. Researcher Elie Chamoun of the University of Guelph investigated whether genetic variants in taste receptors related to sweet preference, fat taste sensitivity, and aversion to bitter green leafy vegetables influence the snacks chosen by preschoolers. He found that nearly 80 per cent of preschoolers in the study carried at least one of these potential at-risk genotypes that could predispose them to poor snacking habits. "Kids are eating a lot more snacks now than they used to, and we think to look at how genetics can be related to snacking behaviour is important to understanding increased obesity among kids," said Chamoun. "This new research could help parents understand how their kids taste and tailor their diet for better nutritional choices." The study looked at connections between the genes of the three at-risk taste receptors and linked them to snacking patterns among preschoolers. The study entailed tracking the day-to-day diets of nearly 50 preschoolers and found that one-third of the kids' diets were made up of snacks. Chamoun also tested the participants' saliva to determine their genetic taste profile. Chamoun discovered that kids with a sweet tooth, who have the gene related to sweet taste preference, ate snacks with significantly more calories from sugar. They also ate those snacks mostly in the evening. "It`s likely these kids snacked more in the evening because that`s when they are at home and have more access to foods with high sugar," said Chamoun. The children with the genetic variant related to fat taste sensitivity were found to consume snacks with higher energy density. People with this genetic variant may have low oral sensitivity to fat and therefore consume more fatty foods without sensing it, said Chamoun. "Higher-energy density snacks, such as cookies with lots of sugar and fat, have a higher number of calories for their weight. Those are snacks you want to avoid." The children with the genetic variant related to avoiding bitter vegetables also consumed snacks with high energy density. "They might be replacing those healthy veggies with unhealthy snacks. This is why they may be consuming more energy-dense snacks, because they are avoiding the healthy ones." This study is the first in an emerging area of nutrition research. If researchers can establish a solid link between genetics and taste, then we can create tests that will help parents determine which genetic variants their children have, said Chamoun. "This could be a valuable tool for parents who might want to tailor their children`s diet accordingly. For example, if you know your child has a higher desire for sweet foods based on their genetics, you might be more likely to limit or reduce their accessibility to those foods in the home." The findings have been published in the journal Nutrients.

Your child's snacking pattern may be genetic

<p>Indian government and various NGO&rsquo;s have been playing their bit by taking rigorous initiatives like &lsquo;Swachh Bharat Abhiyan&rdquo;, in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. However, it is heart-breaking to see that Indian society is somewhat failing to understand and perform its part.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Keeping the ideology in mind that man is a sensible social being and considering Indians as moralised civilians, the government arranged shoe covers for visitors touring Taj Mahal, so that the dirt of visitors&#39; shoes could be prevented and, thus, the whiteness of the Taj could be well-maintained. Ironically, these shoe covers are littered everywhere or found wafting in the air.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
At first, one might see a poised monument of white marble, beautifully embossed with Arabic inscriptions, securing its stature in the list of seven wonders of world. But when looking around the premises, one might lower the eyes and clamp up noticing the place being littered with the piles of plastic water bottles and discarded shoe covers left behind by the people who come down to admire the monument.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Taj looks shabbier with these wandering shoe covers than it would have looked with dirt stains at first. The beauty of the place has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually. Now, the question is who is to be blamed?&nbsp;<br />
<br />
A consciousness of basic hygiene, etiquettes and sensibility of our society is yet again questionable whenever I see the dirty walls in our country. Instead of tall standing walls of pride, our walls become the &lsquo;wall of shame&rsquo;. Walls have layers of paan stains and its corners are used as the local urinal. It is absurd to witness red spitting stains and red letters running in bold saying &lsquo;Fine of Rs. 200 for spitting and littering here&rsquo;.<br />
<br />
Along with the emotional toll, such discoloured walls bring the dilemma of whether to laugh at these ironic sights or get disheartened.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
These experiences bring me back to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.&nbsp;<br />
Well, we have been talking about the many failures of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan but a deeper analysis is needed into who is to be blamed for the same.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Every individual needs to understand his responsibility of attaining and maintaining the balance in various aspects of our society whether be it health, ecology or heritage. The government of India has taken its step for the conservation of Taj, cleanliness of surrounding and in turn, the protection of its citizens. Now it&rsquo;s the responsibility of us, the Indians, to keep the surrounding clean in order to maintain the ecological balance as well as the esteem of our nation, because if one of them is destroyed, the other is affected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</p>


The beauty of Taj has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually.

Indian government and various NGO’s have been playing their bit by taking rigorous initiatives like ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. However, it is heart-breaking to see that Indian society is somewhat failing to understand and perform its part. Keeping the ideology in mind that man is a sensible social being and considering Indians as moralised civilians, the government arranged shoe covers for visitors touring Taj Mahal, so that the dirt of visitors' shoes could be prevented and, thus, the whiteness of the Taj could be well-maintained. Ironically, these shoe covers are littered everywhere or found wafting in the air. At first, one might see a poised monument of white marble, beautifully embossed with Arabic inscriptions, securing its stature in the list of seven wonders of world. But when looking around the premises, one might lower the eyes and clamp up noticing the place being littered with the piles of plastic water bottles and discarded shoe covers left behind by the people who come down to admire the monument. Taj looks shabbier with these wandering shoe covers than it would have looked with dirt stains at first. The beauty of the place has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually. Now, the question is who is to be blamed? A consciousness of basic hygiene, etiquettes and sensibility of our society is yet again questionable whenever I see the dirty walls in our country. Instead of tall standing walls of pride, our walls become the ‘wall of shame’. Walls have layers of paan stains and its corners are used as the local urinal. It is absurd to witness red spitting stains and red letters running in bold saying ‘Fine of Rs. 200 for spitting and littering here’. Along with the emotional toll, such discoloured walls bring the dilemma of whether to laugh at these ironic sights or get disheartened. These experiences bring me back to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Well, we have been talking about the many failures of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan but a deeper analysis is needed into who is to be blamed for the same. Every individual needs to understand his responsibility of attaining and maintaining the balance in various aspects of our society whether be it health, ecology or heritage. The government of India has taken its step for the conservation of Taj, cleanliness of surrounding and in turn, the protection of its citizens. Now it’s the responsibility of us, the Indians, to keep the surrounding clean in order to maintain the ecological balance as well as the esteem of our nation, because if one of them is destroyed, the other is affected. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How Taj Mahal is doing under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?

<p>Patients at a medical centre in Madhya Pradesh&#39;s Chandla&#39;s Sarwai complained of discrepancies in health services provided by the medical institute.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The patients and their kin here shared instances when they were left unattended for days and were asked for money by the hospital staff. The patients alleged not receiving even the basic healthcare facilities at the hospital and complained of lack of electricity supply.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MadhyaPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MadhyaPradesh</a>: Patients at a medical center in Chandla&#39;s Sarwai of Chhattarpur complain of discrepancies in health services provided by the center, say &#39;doctors leave us unattended &amp; staff demands for money&#39;. Staff member says &#39;we use torch &amp; candles as there is power crisis&#39;. <a href="https://t.co/UpKCltu5DG">pic.twitter.com/UpKCltu5DG</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156218963623938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>One of the staff members here talked about the power crisis at the hospital stating that they often resorted to using torch &amp; candles in the absence of electricity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While one patient complained of not being attended for close to two days, another one shared that she was asked for money when she demanded a discharge from the institute.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have been here since 2 at night but no one has come to see me or my child yet. When I asked them to discharge me, they asked for money in exchange: Sangeeta, Patient at the medical center in Chandla&#39;s Sarwai of Chhattarpur <a href="https://t.co/nh84QOkfJI">pic.twitter.com/nh84QOkfJI</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156223736795136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;We called for the ambulance but then we were told that the driver doesn&#39;t know the address. When he actually dropped us off at the hospital he demanded Rs 200 from us. We are poor people. How could we give that?&quot; noted a relative of a patient.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We called for the ambulance but then we were told that the driver doesn&#39;t know the address. When he actually dropped us off at the hospital, he demanded Rs 200 from us. We are poor people. How could we give that?: Ram Ratan Ahirwar, Relative of a patient in the medical center <a href="https://t.co/hdpZmYW2dJ">pic.twitter.com/hdpZmYW2dJ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156227264253952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>One of the nurses here noted that babies are delivered at the institute without proper care or facilities. &quot;We refer them to other hospitals in case they&#39;re serious. If there&#39;s electricity it&#39;s fine, but we generally use torch &amp; candles for treatment of patients. We complained to authority but never got a response,&quot; she shared.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bhagwan bharose delivery hoti hai. We refer them to other hospitals in case they&#39;re serious. If there&#39;s electricity, it&#39;s fine but we generally use torch &amp; candles for treatment of patients. We complained to authority but never got a response: Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) <a href="https://t.co/vOn7eXro5t">pic.twitter.com/vOn7eXro5t</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156231022247936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, the administration rubbished the claims describing them as false allegations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;There is proper electricity supply. If there&#39;s a power shortage they have power backups. It&#39;s completely false that there&#39;s staff shortage or no power supply. We&#39;ll take action against the ambulance driver,&quot; the Chief Medical &amp; Health Officer noted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It&#39;s a false allegation. There is proper electricity supply. If there&#39;s a power shortage they have power backups. It&#39;s completely false that there&#39;s staff shortage or no power supply. We&#39;ll take action against the ambulance driver: Chief Medical &amp; Health Officer Chattarpur <a href="https://t.co/x4I0aHR8LW">pic.twitter.com/x4I0aHR8LW</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156234289655808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>On the other hand, Chandla&#39;s MLA RD Prajapati urged the administration to bolster up the number of doctors in his constituency.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Maximum deaths due to malnutrition is in my constituency. There&#39;s dearth of doctors. I appeal the administration to depute adequate number of doctors or at least support. There is no electricity supply or generator in the area: RD Prajapati, Chandla MLA <a href="https://t.co/IP28qWXqb4">pic.twitter.com/IP28qWXqb4</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/965156238081306629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;Maximum deaths due to malnutrition is in my constituency. There&#39;s dearth of doctors. There is no electricity supply or generator in the area,&quot; Prajapati shared.&nbsp;</p>


The patients and their kin here share that they are often left unattended while the hospital staff demands money

Patients at a medical centre in Madhya Pradesh's Chandla's Sarwai complained of discrepancies in health services provided by the medical institute. The patients and their kin here shared instances when they were left unattended for days and were asked for money by the hospital staff. The patients alleged not receiving even the basic healthcare facilities at the hospital and complained of lack of electricity supply. #MadhyaPradesh: Patients at a medical center in Chandla's Sarwai of Chhattarpur complain of discrepancies in health services provided by the center, say 'doctors leave us unattended & staff demands for money'. Staff member says 'we use torch & candles as there is power crisis'. pic.twitter.com/UpKCltu5DG — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × One of the staff members here talked about the power crisis at the hospital stating that they often resorted to using torch & candles in the absence of electricity. While one patient complained of not being attended for close to two days, another one shared that she was asked for money when she demanded a discharge from the institute. I have been here since 2 at night but no one has come to see me or my child yet. When I asked them to discharge me, they asked for money in exchange: Sangeeta, Patient at the medical center in Chandla's Sarwai of Chhattarpur pic.twitter.com/nh84QOkfJI — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × "We called for the ambulance but then we were told that the driver doesn't know the address. When he actually dropped us off at the hospital he demanded Rs 200 from us. We are poor people. How could we give that?" noted a relative of a patient. We called for the ambulance but then we were told that the driver doesn't know the address. When he actually dropped us off at the hospital, he demanded Rs 200 from us. We are poor people. How could we give that?: Ram Ratan Ahirwar, Relative of a patient in the medical center pic.twitter.com/hdpZmYW2dJ — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × One of the nurses here noted that babies are delivered at the institute without proper care or facilities. "We refer them to other hospitals in case they're serious. If there's electricity it's fine, but we generally use torch & candles for treatment of patients. We complained to authority but never got a response," she shared. Bhagwan bharose delivery hoti hai. We refer them to other hospitals in case they're serious. If there's electricity, it's fine but we generally use torch & candles for treatment of patients. We complained to authority but never got a response: Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) pic.twitter.com/vOn7eXro5t — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × Meanwhile, the administration rubbished the claims describing them as false allegations. "There is proper electricity supply. If there's a power shortage they have power backups. It's completely false that there's staff shortage or no power supply. We'll take action against the ambulance driver," the Chief Medical & Health Officer noted. It's a false allegation. There is proper electricity supply. If there's a power shortage they have power backups. It's completely false that there's staff shortage or no power supply. We'll take action against the ambulance driver: Chief Medical & Health Officer Chattarpur pic.twitter.com/x4I0aHR8LW — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × On the other hand, Chandla's MLA RD Prajapati urged the administration to bolster up the number of doctors in his constituency. Maximum deaths due to malnutrition is in my constituency. There's dearth of doctors. I appeal the administration to depute adequate number of doctors or at least support. There is no electricity supply or generator in the area: RD Prajapati, Chandla MLA pic.twitter.com/IP28qWXqb4 — ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2018 × "Maximum deaths due to malnutrition is in my constituency. There's dearth of doctors. There is no electricity supply or generator in the area," Prajapati shared.

Lack of facilities at Madhya Pradesh hospital, patients cry foul

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