A glass of milk contains around 20 painkillers, antibiotics and growth hormones

Scientists have found that a glass of milk may contain up to 20 painkillers, antibiotics and growth hormones.
Through a highly sensitive test, scientists found a host of chemicals used to treat illnesses in animals and people in samples of cow, goat and human breast milk, Daily Mail reported.
Though the doses of drugs were far too little to create an effect on anyone drinking them, the results highlight how man-made chemicals were now found throughout the food chain.
The highest quantities of medicines were found in cow’s milk.
Researchers believe some of the drugs and growth promoters were given to the cattle, or got into milk through cattle feed or contamination on the farm.
A Spanish-Moroccan team analysed 20 samples of cow’s milk bought in Spain and Morocco, along with samples of goat and breast milk.
Their breakdown, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, revealed that cow’s milk contained traces of anti-inflammatory drugs niflumic acid, mefenamic acid and ketoprofen – commonly used as painkillers in animals and people.
It also contained the hormone 17-beta-estradiol, a form of the sex hormone oestrogen.
The researchers claim their new 30-minute test is the most sensitive of its kind. If the findings are true for Spanish and Moroccan milk, they could equally be true for milk produced in Britain and northern Europe.
Source: IANS

"Dr. A has been working too hard. He keeps confusing 'a three putter' with 'atrial flutter.'"

The tools of a doctor's trade may be useful even on the putting green. According to this month's hilarious cartoon caption entries,(Medscape) golf and patient treatment may not be that different after all. Doctor takes on this stethoscope-turned-putter were nothing short of a hole in one.

The story of Mother's Day . . .

Anna Jarvis was born in West Virginia in 1864, toward the end of the American Civil War. She was the 9th of 11 children. 

As she grew up, Anna Jarvis rarely noticed all her mother did for her family. Her Mom raised her children, took care of her home and husband, and held a job outside the house as a school teacher. Yet it was seldom that any of her family remembered to thank her for all she did for them.

After her mother died, Anna Jarvis felt her absence. She wanted so much to have another chance to let her Mom know how much she was appreciated.

But it was too late.

Anna decided something rather unusual. She decided to try and create  a new holiday, a holiday to remind people who are fortunate enough to have a great Mom to thank their own Mom, at least once each year. 

Anna worked very hard to convince the American people that we needed this new holiday – Mother’s Day – to strengthen our family bonds. She wrote letters and gave talks and tried to get other people involved in her idea.

In 1914, Anna achieved success. President Woodrow Wilson issued the first Mother's Day proclamation, stating that the observance serves as a "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."  This made Mother’s Day an official national holiday, celebrated each year onthe 2nd Sunday in May.

It has been nearly 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national holiday. Since that time, Mother’s Day has been adopted by people around the world, and many celebrate Mother’s Day as Anna meant it to be – a day of personal thanks.

 

Today is World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day

Let us pledge to serve the society - ‘Youth on the Move’ is the theme for 2012 World Red Cross Day.

Jean Henri Dunant's life (May 8, 1828-October 30, 1910) is a study in contrasts. He was born into a wealthy home but died in a hospice; in middle age he juxtaposed great fame with total obscurity, and success in business with bankruptcy; in old age he was virtually exiled from the Genevan society of which he had once been an ornament and died in a lonely room, leaving a bitter testament. His passionate humanitarianism was the one constant in his life, and the Red Cross his living monument.

His birthday is celebrated as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.

Violence, discrimination and exclusion cause suffering for millions of people across the world today. Born out of fear, ignorance and mistrust, these factors Undermine safety, health and human potential. Differences of opinion and disagreements are a normal Part of humanity, but the question is: how can we deal with these in a constructive way?

Violence, discrimination and exclusion are too often looked at in isolation, as separate issues. However, they are intertwined and have common root causes. By looking at these common root causes, we can seek common solutions.The promotion of a culture of non-violence and peace (CNV+P) is a process of finding constructive and creative solutions to problems and tensions,
without fear of violence. 

A Call to the Youth --- Let us work for creating CNV+P for  peace to Prevail On Earth Everyday! Every moment ! for the time to come;.

What Constitutes 'Healthy Eating?'

The American Diabetes Association offers these guidelines for healthy eating:

• Choose a variety of healthy foods, including lean meats, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and non-fat dairy products.
• Limit portion sizes.
• Avoid eating too much of the same type of food.
• Eat meals regularly throughout the day at evenly spaced intervals.
• Don't skip any meal.           
• Dr Sujnanendra Mishra

Ethinyl estradiol-drospirenone versus ethinyl estradiol-drospirenone plus metformin in the treatment of lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome; Cinar N, Harmanci A, Bayraktar M, Yildiz BO; Clinical Endocrinology (Apr 2012)

Oral contraceptive use might be associated with cardiometabolic risk in PCOS. ;Cinar N, Harmanci A, Bayraktar M, Yildiz BO,studied to compare the effects of ethinyl estradiol-drospirenone (EE/DRSP) alone versus EE/DRSP plus metformin on clinical and cardiometabolic parameters in PCOS. DESIGN: Prospective observational study PATIENTS: Forty-five lean PCOS patients who received EE/DRSP (30μg/3mg) (n=25) or EE/DRSP plus metformin (1700mg/d) (n=20) and 45 BMI-matched healthy controls. MEASUREMENT: BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), hirsutism scores, androgens, lipids, glucose and insulin levels during an OGTT were measured before and after 6 months of treatment in patients and compared to controls. RESULTS: At baseline, PCOS patients showed similar glucose, insulin and lipids but increased 2h glucose values compared to controls. Hirsutism scores and free androgen index decreased in both treatment groups. BMI and WHR did not show any change in the EE/DRSP group while metformin addition resulted in a decrease in BMI. Lipid levels increased in both groups. Glucose and insulin parameters did not change in any group, but metformin addition compared to EE/DRSP alone significantly decreased waist circumference, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. After-treatment values for both EE/DRSP alone and in combination with metformin compared to the control group showed increased 2h glucose and increased lipids in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION: EE/DRSP alone or in combination with metformin improves clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism in lean PCOS. Both treatments similarly alter lipid profile. EE/DRSP alone does not affect insulin sensitivity whereas combining EE/DRSP with metformin might improve it.

3 Five Keys to safer food

Everyone wants to look and feel healthy. By choosing safer food, healthier nutrition and regular physical activity,

you can improve your health throughout your life. These choices are particularly important because they are about personal decisions that only you can make.
Increasing your knowledge about the Five key behaviors related to each of the areas above can help you make better choices. These key behaviors are important for your health no matter how old you are or where you live in the world. Look better, feel better, reduce your visits to the doctor, maintain normal blood sugar and blood pressure, keep a healthy weight – these are just a few of the benefits of adopting the key behaviors described in a brochure prepared by the South African Department of Health in collaboration with the Regional Office for Africa, World Health Organization. It was part of an overall strategy to enhance public awareness about the contribution of food and physical activity to healthy lifestyles.
As the teams display the highest levels of fitness and health, the 2010 FIFA World Cup provided a unique opportunity to share these messages.               And More