'Smoking turns men bald'

'Smoking turns men bald'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Smoking_turns_men_bald/articleshow/2571337.cms

WASHINGTON: Asian men should kick the butt if they don’t want their locks to fall off, for a new study has stated that smoking might be the cause of age-related hair loss among them.

According to doctors in Taipei, the risk for the condition is largely genetic, however some environmental factors may also play a role.

“Androgenetic Alopecia, a hereditary androgen-dependent disorder, is characterized by progressive thinning of the scalp hair defined by various patterns,” the authors wrote as background information in the article.

“It is the most common type of hair loss in men”, they added.

A survey was conducted among 740 Taiwanese men of age 40 to 91 (average age 65) in 2005, where at an in-person interview, information was gathered from the men regarding their smoking habits.

They were also asked about other risk factors for their hair loss and if they were suffering from Alopecia, and if so, at what age they began losing their hair.

Using clinical classifications, their degree of hair loss was assessed, height and weight were measured and blood samples were taken for analysis.

It was found that men increased their risk of hair loss with advancing age, but still had lower risk than the average white men.

“After controlling for age and family history, statistically significant positive associations were noted between moderate or severe Androgenetic Alopecia and smoking status, current cigarette smoking of 20 cigarettes or more per day and smoking intensity,” the authors wrote.

They noted that the relationship between the two could be caused by a number of means. Smoking may destroy hair follicles, damage the papilla that circulate blood and hormones to stimulate hair growth or increase production of the hormone estrogen, which may counter the effects of androgen.

“Patients with early-onset Androgenetic Alopecia should receive advice early to prevent more advanced progression,” the authors conclude.

Posted By Dr.Savitha Suri
Ayurveda help through ayurveda consultations

What To Eat For Glowing Healthy Skin

What To Eat For Glowing Healthy Skinhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109201438.htm

The old adage “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs. In fact, new research suggests that eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.

Good Food, Good Skin

Perhaps the simplest way to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and ensure the skin is getting optimal nutrition from the foods we eat is to follow the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Daily Food Guide, commonly referred to as the food pyramid.


These include:

Choosing and eating at least three ounces of whole grain breads, cereals, rice, crackers or pasta. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including more dark green and orange vegetables. Consuming calcium-rich foods, such as fat-free or low-fat milk and other dairy products. Opting for a variety of low-fat or lean meats, poultry and fish.

“The foods recommended by the USDA as part of a healthy diet contain valuable vitamins and minerals that have proven health benefits for our bodies,” said Dr. Taylor. “Research has shown that the antioxidants in vitamins C and E can protect the skin from sun damage and help reduce damage in skin cells caused by harmful free radicals, which contribute to aging skin. Similarly, we have long known that the B vitamin biotin is responsible for forming the basis of skin, hair and nail cells, and vitamin A – found in many fruits and vegetables – maintains and repairs skin tissue. Without an adequate supply of these vitamins, you may notice it in the appearance of your skin, hair and nails.”

Foods That Can Worsen Skin Conditions
For the millions of Americans affected by medical skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, eating certain foods or consuming alcohol could aggravate their symptoms or trigger an unexpected flare-up. Dr. Taylor recommended that patients affected by these chronic skin conditions should be aware of certain food interactions in order to better manage their treatment regimen.

http://www.ayurhelp.com/2007/11/ayurveda-guide-for-beautiful-skin.html

Ayurveda ‘holds promise’ to cure diabetes

Ayurveda ‘holds promise’ to cure diabetes

Sassoon General Hospital’s six-month trial on the use of ayurvedic treatment to control diabetes has provided a ray of hope. In what can be termed as a breakthrough of sorts, a majority of diabetic patients in the clinical trial showed relief of symptoms in just two months of ayurvedic treatment, while one diabetic patient successfully managed on ayurvedic treatment without insulin.

The clinical trial on 63 patients was undertaken to find out the effect of ayurvedic treatment on diabetic patients. Around 46 patients (73 per cent) responded to ayurvedic diabetic treatment, where a statistically significant difference was found in the blood sugar levels. One out of 14 Type 1 diabetic patient successfully managed on ayurvedic treatment without insulin, while nine patients of Type 1 diabetes (those requiring insulin) showed reduction in the dosage of insulin from 35 units to 21.6 units.

Eating soya could slash men's sperm count

Eating soya could slash men's sperm count
Men who eat just half a serving of soya a day have drastically fewer sperm than those who do not consume such foods, according to a small, preliminary study.

The study's researchers say larger trials are needed to determine whether men hoping to conceive a child should try to avoid soya foods, such as tofu, tempeh and soya milk. However, soya industry representatives caution that the new findings contradict earlier studies that have shown no impact on sperm count from soya-based products.

Soya foods contain high amounts of isoflavones, compounds that mimic the effects of oestrogen in the body. For this reason, women sometimes increase their intake of soya foods to treat hot flushes caused by declining oestrogen levels in menopause.

Oestrogen-like compounds can also have a dramatic impact on the male body. And previous rodent studies have suggested that high intake of soya products can reduce male fertility. This has led scientists to wonder how isoflavones might influence men's reproductive function, which is highly sensitive to hormones.


Read complete article at http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3741133&page=1