Germany says sprouts source of killer bacteria outbreak

BERLIN: Germany blamed vegetable sprouts for a bacteria outbreak that has killed at least 33, left some 3,000 ill and cost farmers across Europe hundreds of millions of euros in lost sales. After a weeks-long hunt for the elusive source of the contamination, German officials said they were confident they had found the origin. "It's the sprouts," Reinhard Burger, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, the national disease centre, told a news conference on the outbreak of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in northern Germany. "People who ate sprouts were found to be nine times more likely to have bloody diarrhoea or other signs of EHEC infection than those who did not," he said, citing a study of more than 100 people who fell ill after dining...

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Why smokers gain weight when they quit

WASHINGTON: Scientists say they've finally discovered why smokers tend to gain some weight when they kick the habit. It turns out that nicotine can rev up brain cells that normally signal people to stop eating when they're full, researchers report in Friday's edition of the journal Science. The weight connection isn't huge: On average, quitters gain less than 10 pounds. Still, it's a worry that many smokers cite when asked why they don't try to quit. Now the question is whether the discovery might lead to better treatments to help them quit without worrying about weight. Yale University associate research scientist Yann Mineur stumbled onto the connection while studying a nicotine-related substance in mice - and the animals suddenly started...

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7 Worst Summer Drinks

What if you could turn this ongoing heatwave into an opportunity to lose weight without exercising or changing what you eat? Here's all you have to do: Think before you drink. A lot of what's offered at the supermarket and the corner convenience store is likely to make this summer only more miserable by adding inches to your waistline. #1: WORST MILKSHAKE Cold Stone Creamery Oh Fudge! Shake (Like It size, 16 oz) 1,250 calories 70 g fat (45 g saturated) 127 g sugarsAt Cold Stone, "Like It" is the small size. If you upgrade to "Gotta Have It," which denotes a large, you're facing 1,920 calories—nearly a full day's energy in one cup. The truth is, milkshakes represent some of the most concentrated calories that will ever cross your lips, so when...

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Seven ways to lose fat faster than ever

Tired of plugging away at the gym without seeing the pounds disappear? We found simple tricks that will transform your usual regimen into the ultimate fat-blasting routine. Whether you use just two of these strategies or all seven, our insider tips will help you get the calorie-burn you deserve. 1. Know this: “You’ll be able to comfortably work out longer and harder if you’re cool,” says Len Kravitz, PhD, coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. “Being too hot stresses your body out, so you don’t perform as well.” Translation: You burn less fat.Do this: When exercising at home, put a fan in front of your workout area. Hitting the gym? Wait to use the treadmill that has a fan built into the console. 2. Know this: “Wearing...

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Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water is one of the best natural drinks Mother Nature has packed for us within the kernel of coconut, this natural water is not only tasteful refreshing drink but can be considered as one of the best natural health drinks from herbal world. Here are some health benefits of coconut water:-Health Benefits of Coconut WaterDrinking coconut water keeps the body cool and at the proper temperature.Coconut Water is an Antibacterial. Coconut water contains monolaurin, an antiviral, antibacterial and antiprozoal monoglyceride that is used to kill lipid-coated viruses such as HIV, Herpes, cytomegalovirus, flu and various pathogenic bacteria.Coconut water is great at reducing vomiting. People who have typhoid, malaria, fevers or other ailments...

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The real reason water helps you lose weight

Water was a very hot topic indeed last week when the results of a study linked water drinking to weight loss. The research showed that adults who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn't have the water. But it's not because there's a magic ingredient in water that sheds pounds or flushes away fat. There's more to the story on how water may ease girth control.First a quick recap of the study: The scientists divided overweight and obese individuals into two groups. Both were given low-calorie diets but one group had to drink two eight-ounce glasses of water before each meal. At the end of the 12-week study, while both groups lost weight, the water drinking subjects lost an average...

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The ugly truth about soft drinks

The perils of pop - both regular and sugar-free - have long been a hot topic in nutrition circles. But lately, the dialogue has reached a boiling point as scientific research has come up with some startling revelations- ones that should make you think twice before you reach for that can of pop.A study, published in the October issue of the journal Obesity, assessed the types of sugars in a number of soft drinks and found that in those that contained high fructose corn syrup, fructose levels were far higher that what most people, including many nutrition experts, had previously believed.We keep hearing from health researchers and soft drink companies alike that regular pop contains similar amounts of fructose and glucose. This means regardless...

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Dumbbells: the best choice for chest training

Dumbbells are recommended for performance of chest exercises as they allow for a greater range of motion and a deeper stretch at the bottom of the movement. Besides they provide for a better isolation and muscle contraction at the top of the movement, helping to recruit more muscle fibres within the chest and surrounding musculature.Also, as they are harder to control and hold than Barbell, they help to strengthen and develop the important antagonistic and synergistic muscles of the chest and Shoulder.Flat bench press is the best Chest muscle builder. It is a power exercise and is one of the Big 3 (other 2 being Squats and Deadlifts) By changing the angle of the bench you can hit hard both the upper chest ( Incline press) and lower chest (Decline...

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Cell phone use ‘possibly carcinogenic’, says WHO

LONDON: Using a mobile phone might increase the risk of developing certain types of brain tumors and consumers should consider ways of reducing their exposure, World Health Organization (WHO) cancer experts said. A working group of 31 scientists from 14 countries meeting at the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said a review of all the available scientific evidence suggested cell phone use should be classified as "possibly carcinogenic." The classification, which puts mobile phone use in the same broad IARC cancer risk category as lead, chloroform and coffee, could spur the United Nations health body to look again at its guidelines on mobile phones, the scientists said. But more lengthy and detailed research is needed...

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Worst ever outbreak of HUS kidney disease

PARIS: The deadly kidney disease reported in a quarter of the recent E. coli cases in Germany and 11 other nations is the worst ever outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a top expert said Friday. "This is the largest epidemic of HUS to have occurred anywhere in the world," said Francois-Xavier Weill, head of France's National Reference Centre for Escherichia coli (E. coli). More than 550 cases of the kidney-wrecking condition have been reported since the outbreak in northern Germany of a virulent strain of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Twelve of these HUS cases -- eleven in Germany and one in Sweden -- have proven fatal as of midday Friday, the ECDC said. More...

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Experts advise people to get swine flu vaccine

PESHAWAR: Health experts at a seminar urged the masses to vaccinate themselves against avian and pandemic influenza. They said that such people are at a high risk who do not get vaccinated against the virus. The seminar held titled, ‘H1N1’ by National Programme for Prevention and Control of Avian ad Pandemic Influenza in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF here at local hotel on Thursday. While addressing the awareness seminar, Dr Salma Kausar Ali, National Program Manager- NICP briefed media persons and identified symptoms of influenza. The health expert said after hitting many parts of the world the first victim of avian influenza was reported in district Charsadda back in 2007 and till 2009 fifty people died of the virus in the country with...

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Shark fin: A soup with bite

HONG KONG: First a golden ladle is laid on its own gleaming stand. The steaming dish is brought out from the kitchen and a dedicated waitress decants it into individual bowls, without spilling so much as a drop of the precious liquid. For the Chinese diners in a specialist Hong Kong restaurant, smiling with anticipation, it is the highlight and centrepiece of the meal, but for environmentalist critics it is one of the worst foods in the world -- shark's fin soup. "It's full of nutrition," said Lisa Lau, a housewife, who was marking her birthday with friends. "In Chinese culture, when a family go out to eat together or when we treat friends we will eat something good. If we want to order something good, most times we will order shark fin." To...

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Top 10 a-must Healthy Seeds in your diet

A seed is the part of a plant that contains the embryo of a future plant. To provide the embryo with a good source of energy, the seed often contains stored nutrients and oils that make the seed high in fat (good). Seeds are excellent sources of fiber, selenium and vitamin E, and fairly good sources of protein, zinc, and iron. Because they contain a concentrated source of fat and calories, it is best to enjoy them in small amounts (1/8 - 1/4 cup), 3-4 times a week. There are several varieties of seeds, which come in all different colours, shapes, and sizes. Here we cover top 10 needs a must in your diet. 1. Flex Seed:  Also known as linseed, is noted to have high nutritional value, making it a priority choice of food for health...

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