New York: Higher sodium intake should not be used as a treatment for lightheadedness, say researchers challenging current guidelines for sodium consumption. Lightheadedness while standing, known as postural lightheadedness, results from gravitational drop in blood pressure and is common among adults. 

Greater sodium intake is widely viewed as an intervention for preventing lightheadedness when moving from seated to standing positions. However, contrary to this recommendation, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre (BIDMC) found that higher sodium intake, actually increases dizziness. 

"Our study has clinical and research implications," said Stephen Juraschek, researcher from BIDMC in Boston. "Our results serve to caution health practitioners against recommending increased sodium intake as a universal treatment for lightheadedness. Additionally, our results demonstrate the need for additional research to understand the role of sodium, and more broadly of diet, on lightheadedness," Juraschek said.

For the study, reported in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, the team used data from the completed DASH-Sodium trial, a randomised crossover study that looked at the effects of three different sodium levels (1500, 2300, and 3300 mg/d) on participants' blood pressure for four weeks. 

While the trial showed that lower sodium led to decrease in blood pressure, it also suggested that concerns about lower level of sodium causing dizziness may not be scientifically correct. The study also questioned recommendations to use sodium to treat lightheadedness, an intervention that could have negative effects on cardiovascular health.

"Health practitioners initiating sodium interventions for orthostatic symptoms now have some evidence that sodium might actually worsen symptoms," Juraschek said. "Clinicians should check on symptoms after initiation and even question the utility of this approach. More importantly, research is needed to understand the effects of sodium on physical function, particularly in older adults."

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LOS ANGELES: Consuming walnuts may lower the prevalence and frequency of depression, and improve concentration levels, according to a study carried out in American adults.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the US found that depression scores were 26 per cent lower for walnut consumers and eight per cent lower for consumers of other nuts, compared to those who did not eat nuts at all.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that walnut consumption was more closely associated with higher energy levels and better concentration, compared to other nuts.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every six adults will have depression at some time in their life. It is important to find low-cost interventions, such as dietary changes, that are easy to implement and may help reduce the incidence of depression,” said lead investigator Lenore Arab, from UCLA.

"Walnuts have previously been investigated for their role in cardiovascular and cognitive health, and now we see an association with depression symptoms - providing another reason to include them in a healthy eating plan," Arab said.

Researchers examined data from the National health and nutrition examination survey, which draws from a large sampling of the US population.

More than 26,000 American adults were asked about their dietary intake over the course of one to two days as well as depression symptoms over the past two weeks.

Using a widely accepted questionnaire, participants ranked how often they experienced factors such as little interest in doing things, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, feeling tired or having little energy, and trouble concentrating on things.

According to the findings, walnut consumers were more likely to have greater interest in activities, higher energy levels, less hopelessness, better concentration, and greater optimism.

Depression scores were significantly lower among those who consumed nuts, particularly walnuts, compared to those who did not consume nuts, even after controlling for age, sex, race, income, 

body mass index

 (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, and marital status.

On average, walnut consumers ate about 24 grammes of walnuts per day, equivalent to one-quarter cup serving.

While the association between nut consumption and depression scores was consistent for men and women, the effect appeared to be strongest among women, who are more likely to report greater depression symptoms and use of antidepressants, compared to men.

When compared to other tree nuts, walnuts have a unique 

fatty acid

 profile -- they contain mostly polyunsaturated fats, including a significant amount of the plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic 

acid

 (2.5g/28 grammes),which is more than any other nut, researchers said. PTI

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If the findings of a latest study are to be believed, consuming a high-calorie dessert at the beginning of your meal can actually make you opt for a healthier course of meal later.

It has been emphasised often enough, that switching to a healthy diet would require you to quit all things sugary and greasy for good. But if the feat is too challenging for you, you may make some changes in the sequence in which you have your food. If the findings of a latest study are to be believed, consuming a high-calorie dessert at the beginning of your meal can actually make you opt for a healthier course.

The findings said that if you choose the dessert first, you may maximise your chances of sticking to a healthier diet plan. For the study, the researchers placed either a healthy or less healthy dessert (fresh fruit vs. lemon cheesecake) at the beginning or end of a university cafeteria line.

The researchers said that if the diners picked the cheesecake first, they often chose lower-calorie main or side dishes later. This way they consumed fewer calories than diners who opted for the fresh fruit first.

We believe diners who chose the indulgent dessert first then picked healthier main and side dishes to make up for their high-calorie.

dessert. Diners who picked the healthier dessert may have thought they already had done a good deed for their bodies so they deserved higher-calorie food further down the cafeteria line," said Martin Reimann

The findings of the study were published in the 'Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied'. The study comes as a surprise to many, the bizarre findings revealed

that  diners who chose the indulgent dessert first consumed an average of 30 percent fewer calories (including the dessert) than diners who picked the healthier dessert first.

Interestingly, the diners who went for the cheesecake first were also twice as likely to order the lighter main dish, as compared to those who picked the cheesecake at the end of the line.

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At least 1,019 cases of swine flu have been recorded in Delhi, this year, whereas nearly 32,000 people were found with flu-like symptoms. Eat these foods to treat or reduce your risk of getting H1N1 virus.

New Delhi: While there are many strategies to prevent or fight the flu, eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to protect yourself against various infections. Currently, Delhi, the National Capital of India, is grappling with a rapid surge in the cases of swine flu, also known as H1N1 virus. According to a report, Delhi recorded one death due to swine flu and 124 fresh cases of Infuenza A (H1N1) on Tuesday 5, taking the total number of people affected by the infection in the city this year to 1019.

Meanwhile, News agency PTI reported that over nine lakh people were screened for swine flu in Rajasthan on Tuesday and nearly 32,000 individuals were found with influenza-like symptoms, according to an official of the state medical and health department said. And two people succumbed to the virus in Jodhpur and Barmer on Tuesday, taking the death toll due to swine flu in the state to 88.

Immune-boosting foods to eat when you have the flu

Vegetable juice

Chances are you won’t feel like making and eating a salad while you recover from the flu. So, loading up on low-sodium, fresh vegetable juice (for instance, tomato celery juice) rich in antioxidants will boost the immune system, which is your body’s defense against germs and infections.

Garlic

Garlic has been used in alternative medicine for a variety of ailments for centuries. In fact, one study showed that adults with the flu who took garlic supplements had enhanced the immune system and reduced symptom severity. Garlic is a great choice to spice up foods like soup.

Turmeric

Curcumin in turmeric contains potent antiviral properties that have a direct effect on influenza infections, or their prevention. A study published in a 2009 edition of ‘Emerging Infectious Diseases’ reported that curcumin can reduce viral replication by over 90 per cent in laboratory cells infected with influenza varieties. 

Ginger

Ginger contains powerful antioxidants that fight inflammation and help boost the immune system against various infections. It is an excellent home remedy that has been used for treating a number of health problems ranging from cold and cough to stomach ache and nausea.

Yogurt

As per a mice study reported in the journal International Immunopharmacology, yogurt with live cultures can help soothe a sore throat as well as boost your immune system. Yogurt is also a rich source of protein that fights fatigue and helps the body build antibodies to fight infection. Just ensure that you opt for whole yogurts without any added sugars.

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Only 5 per cent of marijuana smokers had sperm concentrations below 15 million/ml compared with 12 per cent of men who never smoked marijuana.

New York: Men who have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives had significantly higher concentrations of sperm compared with men who have never smoked weed, according to a new research by Harvard University. The study looked at men who were seeking help at fertility clinics, not the general population.

But the findings, detailed in the Human Reproduction journal, stands in contrast to previous studies that suggested smoking weed can negatively affect male reproductive health. "These unexpected findings highlight how little we know about the reproductive health effects of marijuana, and health effects of marijuana in general," said Jorge Chavarro, Associate Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the US. 

"Our results need to be interpreted with caution and they highlight the need to further study the health effects of marijuana use," Chavarro said. In the new study, the researchers hypothesised that marijuana smoking would be associated with worse semen quality. They found no significant difference in sperm concentrations between current and former marijuana smokers.

In addition, among marijuana smokers, greater use was associated with higher serum testosterone levels. It could be because "low levels of marijuana use could benefit sperm production because of its effect on the endocannabinoid system, which is known to play a role in fertility, but those benefits are lost with higher levels of marijuana consumption," said Feiby Nassan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Harvard. 

"An equally plausible interpretation is that our findings could reflect that men with higher testosterone levels are more likely to engage in risk-seeking behaviours, including smoking marijuana," Nassan explained. The team collected 1,143 semen samples from 662 men aged 36 assessed for infertility. 

Only 5 per cent of marijuana smokers had sperm concentrations below 15 million/ml compared with 12 per cent of men who never smoked marijuana. Understanding the health effects associated with marijuana use is important given the growing perception that it poses few health hazards, the study suggested.

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