Structural changes in the retina of adolescents could reveal their risk of cardiovascular disease later, say researchers including one of Indian-origin. The findings showed adolescents particularly males with poorer health-related quality of life had wider arteriolar and narrower venular blood vessels in the retina. “These particular changes are possible indicators for future cardiovascular disease risk,” said lead researcher Bamini Gopinath, Associate Professor at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Sydney, Australia.

“Our research indicates the subtle changes to retinal blood vessels could be promising indicators of a future risk of cardiovascular disease,” Gopinath added. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed adolescents with poorer scores in the social and mental well-being domains of “health-related quality of life” have structural changes in their retinal blood vessels that could be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.

“Poor well-being and certain structural changes to the retina are both associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease,” Gopinath said. Importantly, the health-related quality of life measures were independently linked to the structural changes we observed. This means the changes will still occur, even if no traditional risk factors, such as higher body mass and blood pressure, are present.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause. An estimated 17.7 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2015, representing 31 per cent of all global deaths. Early intervention is the key for preventing the disease in those with an increased risk. “Our findings suggest that in the future, health-related quality of life assessments could also be used to improve or add to existing evaluations of adolescent cardiovascular health,” Gopinath said.

World Liver Day, commemorated on April 19 every year, is about building awareness and understanding how important the liver is for our body and how liver diseases can be managed effectively. According to WHO, liver diseases is the 10th most common cause of death in India. This year, the theme of World Liver Day 2018 is ‘Riding New Waves in Liver Diagnosis, Staging & Treatment’.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The liver is the second largest organ and is a key player in our body’s digestive system. Everything we consume passes through the liver. It fights infections, removes toxins, controls cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, make proteins and releases bile to help digestion.

According to Dr Manish Srivastava, consultant, Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant Department, Jaypee Hospital, Noida, general symptoms of liver diseases include abdominal pain, abnormal stools, loss of appetite, sensitivity to medications, dark urine, to name a few.

To take care of the liver, one needs to adopt a healthy lifestyle and have a balanced diet of grains, proteins, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and fats. Abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and exercising is equally important.

Here are the foods that can help combat liver diseases:

Garlic: It helps in detoxifying the body and is rich in allicin, an antioxidant that protects the liver from oxidative damage. It helps the liver activate enzymes that can flush out harmful substances.

Carrot: Carrots contain carotenoids called beta-carotene, which help keep the liver healthy. Carotenoids are fat-soluble, which stimulate bile to flow and remove liver toxicity.

Apple: These fruits are high in antioxidants, which are great for detoxifying the liver and protects it from various diseases.

Walnut: Like carrots, walnuts help the liver flush fat-soluble wastes. They also contain arginine, which the liver uses to remove toxins like ammonia and glutathione.

Green tea: It contains catechins that help reduce liver cancer, steatosis, and cirrhosis. Drinking 2-3 cups of green tea daily reduces the liver enzymes that are associated with the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Cruciferous vegetables: Veggies such as spinach and lettuce contain a lot of vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and antioxidants that help in flushing out carcinogens and have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the risk of liver diseases.

Citrus fruits: Fruits like grapefruits, lemons, limes, and orange are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which help in the production of liver detoxifying enzymes and have natural cleansing abilities of the liver.

While summer can be a wonderful time to take in the sunshine, if we feel dehydrated or overheated, we can express that and head inside. That's not the case with our pets. They too face the season however, when not careful, the high summer temperatures can cause them a lot of grief, which they cannot express. For your pets to have an enjoyable, safe summer, make sure to add these seven tips to your life.

1. It's easy to get dehydrated in summer if your pets aren't drinking enough water. In addition to their regular bowl, keep another water bowl which cannot be tipped over and fill it with ice cubes in a shady spot. Your pets will enjoy lapping the cool ice and it will keep their body temperature down.

2. Avoid going for a walk between 10 am to 4 pm as that is when the sun is at its harshest. When stepping out early in the morning or late in the evening, touch the ground to see that the surface isn't too hot for your pet's paws.

3. On very hot days, it's ideal to keep your pet in an air-conditioned room. If that isn't possible, place a direct standing fan for them in a well-ventilated shady spot of the house.

4. Just as you enjoy ice cream on scorching days, your dog will enjoy a pupsicle. You heard that right - pupsicle. You can purchase such frozen eats from pet brands like Waggy Zone or even make your own by combining strawberry pulp, mashed bananas and milk to form a paste and freezing it in bite sizes. A perfect cold treat for hot days.

5. Never leave your pet alone in the car. No, not even with the windows down for 15 minutes. High temperatures in cars can cause heat stroke and illness in pets within a matter of minutes.

6. If your pet has thick fur, speak to your vet if it's appropriate to trim or cut it. For pets with thin fur or shaved coats, apply a pet friendly sunscreen when they will be out in direct sunlight for several hours at a stretch.

7. If your pet is vomiting, panting heavily or has diarrhea, it could be the result of heat. In such cases, visit your vet for quick treatment.

When it comes to sexual health, there are certain things we are too embarrassed to ask. Can vaginal farts be stopped? Is it normal to feel like peeing during sex? Can I masturbate multiple times a day? These are a few questions that we are uncomfortable asking even from a health expert. Another such matter which is rarely talked about is whether a gynaecologist can tell your sexual history - if someone is still a virgin and if not, what is their frequency of sex. Can they tell how many sexual partners their patients have had? To get decisive answers to such questions, we spoke with Dr Anuradha Kapur, Director and Head of Unit - Institute of Obs and Gynae, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket and Dr. Loveleena Nadir, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO KNOW SOMEONE'S SEXUAL HISTORY? According to Dr Anuradha, no one can tell about your sexual history. This is because the vagina is an elastic organ. Once it adjusts itself according to a penis size during sex, it returns to its original state immediately after the sexual session.

Dr Loveleena also said that there are tests that examine if hymen is torn or not. But due to certain lifestyle factors, such as horse riding, gymnastics and biking, there are chances that even without any sexual contact, hymen may break. So, these tests are certainly not sure-shot ways to tell about one’s virginity.

CAN GYNAECOLOGISTS TELL WHAT KIND OF SEX LIFE THEIR PATIENTS HAVE? Both the doctors said that no matter what your sex life is like, looking at a vagina is never enough to be able to tell that. This is also so because of the same reason - a vagina regains its size as soon as sex is over, no matter how long and how many times you do it

THE PROCESS: When a woman is aroused, her vagina goes through certain changes. Because of increased blood flow, it enlarges in size and once it gets relaxed, it comes back to its normal size. No matter what size the penis is, vagina naturally lubricates itself and gets stretched.

WHAT IF IT DOESN’T GO BACK TO NORMAL? It’s quite normal when you may feel not-so-tight-as-usual down there. It doesn’t mean your vagina has lost its elasticity. It just had expanded according to the penis and returns soon to its original state. The only two times you may really feel loose down there is after childbirth and menopause. However, even in case of childbirth, the vagina comes back to its original shape in the next six months. In case of menopause too, certain medication and exercises can be done to maintain a tight vagina.

ANSWER: This proves that no matter how many sexual partners you have been with, no one can actually tell that besides you, not even a gynaecologist.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone responsible for bone and muscle health, sperm production and hair growth. It stimulates development of the male secondary sexual characteristics that is produced mainly in the testes, and also in the ovaries and adrenal cortex. You can lose testosterone as you age, and even from chronic illnesses.

Lower levels of testosterone or hypogonadism can result in a succession of problems, including low energy levels. According to a recent study at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, low levels of testosterone can increase risk of depression in men. “In an era where more and more men are being tested for “Low T” — or lower levels of testosterone — there is very little data about the men who have borderline low testosterone levels,” said Michael S. Irwig, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the Center for Andrology at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “We felt it important to explore the mental health of this population. The study published last year and based on 200 men with an average age of 48 revealed that over 56% of them suffered from depression or had symptoms of depression.”

Treatments to boost levels of testosterone may vary from case to case, and depend on your lifestyle, but we’ve listed natural ways to help you beat “low T”.

1. Switch to Health
Stop smoking, reduce your alcohol intake and avoid sugar. Make healthier choices.

2. Sleep!
Some men tend to believe that they can survive on a few hours of sleep, functioning perfectly well. However, poor sleep quality can negatively impact your levels of testosterone. According to The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute,"Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life and safety”.

3. Load Up on Zinc
Zinc is a dietary mineral that is essential for cell division, and helps your immune system function properly. It helps the enzymes in breaking down food and other nutrients, and plays an important role in protein building. Zinc can be found in certain foods such as flax seeds, shrimp, spinach, pumpkin seeds, cashews and more.

4. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Research published in the European Journal of Endocrinology confirms that losing some weight can help you boost testosterone levels. This doesn’t mean that you need to starve yourself, just that you need to follow a sensible diet and workout regime.

5. Hit The Gym
Exercise can elevate your mood, and stimulate brain chemicals to help you feel more confident. And that in turn will increase your testosterone levels.