Benefit of dark chocolate!

Chocolate is a delicious food that my daughter always presses me to buy for her. However, this chocolate has greater beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. It is suggested that one bit of dark chocolate per week may reduce the risk of heart disease (risk of heart failure) [source: Journal of Circulation]. The mechanism is not clear enough; however, it is investigated that flavonoid ingedient in the cocoa acts on blood vessel and reduces the blood pressure. Therefore, it is wise to maintain a normal blood pressure as to prevent from heart diseases.

Brain hemodynamic imbalance and antihypertensive drug!

Drugs have therapeutic effects and as well they also have side effects. However, most of the drugs do not show their adverse effects strongly. It is observed that some important drugs sued
in the major clinical disorder, have sometime major side effects. For this purpose, I would mention, one important anti-hypertensive drug (nifedipine) has adverse effect on global cerebral (brain) blood flow. One case study using nuclear medicine technique (SPECT scan) revealed that administartion of anti-hypertensive drug, nifedipine among hypertensive patients initiated inhomogenous global cerebral blood flow; however, cogntive impairment was not suggestive. It is suggested to pursue a close observation of hypertensive patients during antihypertensive drug administration.

Significance of physical therapy in low back pain!

It is always a common problem from eraly middle age - low back pain. This low back pain usually is commenced at early morning. It is presuamably assumed that early morning back pain is related with temperature and/or hormonal balance. Physicians usually suggest normal pelvic X-ray, however, MRI scanning is useful in evaluating any disk prolapse. Spinal stenosis should be important cause of this low back pain - persuaded by degeneration or trauma. In this case, I always prefer proper clinical history, that would be important for appropriate investigation and management. Usually, symptomatic treatment with vitamin supplements are suggested (vitamin D or Vitamin B1). Rehabilitation is an important non-therapeutic management in low back pain - aerobic training (ergometer bicycle pedal) in flexed position (40 to 50 min for 4 to 5 days) are suggested by considering patients' condition.

How to preserve normal I.Q.!

Always I have a tendency to be clever, though I am not at all. From my childhood, I was always poor in I.Q. (Intelligence quotient); however, nowadays I try to elucidate to retain it in natural phenomenon. Our brain has complex network of neurons (brain cell) those are responsible for keeping a smart I.Q. Usually normal I.Q. should be 100 for a human. However, mentally retarded people (congenital neurodegeneration) have sometime less than 25 of I.Q., those who need full time care by family and/or by nursing home. For a normal human, after the middle age (after 40 y.o.), some natural degeneration of neurons are commenced that initiating some aberrant neuronal networking in the brain refer to decrease in I.Q. Now, it is to evaluate to retain the I.Q. after the middle age – the physical exercise, cognitive training, balanced nutrition etc. are useful natural approaches.

Drinking green tea can reduce the risk of blood and lymphatic system cancer.

Japan is a land of green tea. People frequently drink green tea at home and restaurant. There is also tea ceremony – that revealing the serving of green tea in well-manner. I had a chance to participate in the green tea ceremony, that was wonderful. However, this green tea has splendid activity in human’s physiological system, especially in the hematological system. There are several researches since last decades to find out the beneficial effects of green tea in the human physique. Recently, Japanese researchers at Tohoku University (my host University) found that regular drinking of green tea would prevent blood and lymphatic cancer. They found that regular 5 cups of drinking green tea are beneficial in preventing blood and lymphatic system cancer. Some antioxidant ingredients in the green tea may curb the risk of blood and lymphatic system cancer; however, the clear mechanism is yet to be evaluated. Why do we not take green tea regularly?

Facts of heat stroke!

Nowadays, world temperature is getting higher due to climate change. It is suggested, this year, the average temperature of summer is higher than previous years, that is susceptible to heat stroke and eventually fatality. Normal human body temperature is 37 degree centigrade. Hence, the increase in body temperature due to physiological cause such as high environmental temperature, inferring ‘heat stroke’. Usually, it is said that when core body temperature exceeds 40 degree centigrade, heat stroke is commenced. Usually, the elderly people ( > 65 y.o.) are sufferer, study suggests. However, younger people are not out of risk of heat stroke – that might be caused by summer-hiking in the hot and humid environment. The critical pathological phenomenon is multiple organ damage due to cardiovascular failure in the chronic stage of heat stroke. The vital organs those might be affected are liver and kidney and as well as muscle. It is suggested to take adequate fluid (water) and cooling of body with wet towel in the hot and humid environment. Hence, subjects suffering from heat stroke should be transferred to the critical care unit for emergency management.

Importance of chest x-ray in chagas disease!

A normal chest x-ray may give answer of certain infectious disease – chagas disease, when patient suffers from cardiac problem. Chagas disease is an infectious disease caused by parasite invasion after biting bugs. The specific parasite is responsible for this disease is Tryponosoma Cruzi (T. Cruzi). Sometime it is known as zoonotic disease transmitted to humans from dogs and/or cats or other wild animals. WHO already announced the chagas disease – pandemic around the world. The most prominent clinical features are fever, swelling of glands (lymph) and spleen, eventually cardiac symptoms are noticed. Therefore, chest x-ray is suggested to detect specific cardiac abnormality – calcification is noticed.