Indian Horse Chestnut: A Magical Herbal Remedy for Multiple Health Disorders

Indian Horse Chestnut (Aesculus indica) belongs to the family Hipocastanaceae and grows generally at higher altitudes of 1000-3050 meters above the sea level. This tree possess abundant medicinal values as its seeds, leaves, flowers, and bark of these plants can be used for centuries as traditional medicinal therapy to cure vascular problems and venous insufficiency.

These trees grow in the Himalayan region of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Hilly areas in Kangra, Shimla and Mandi districts are blessed with prevalence of them. They are also grown across North-eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal. Tall, deciduous and spreading Indian Horse Chestnut has multiple benefits; it is used as food, feed, home decorative, and medicines. Its bark is used to cure intermittent fever and ulcer. The fruit is used to relieve rheumatism, neuralgia, rectal complaints, skin disease, and hemorrhoids and headache. As it is also used to cure colic disorder in horses, it attained its name Horse Chestnut.

In the absence of medical facilities, tribal population of this area relies heavily on plants like Aesculus indica to cure various ailments. The plant extracts contain active chemical ingredients called as Aescin , which is a mixture of triterpenoid saponin. This is blessed with pleanty of  anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant with βanti-oedema properties. Aescin exists in water-insoluble and soluble in organic. Hence it is widely used in the preparation of therapeutic agents required for the oral administration. Aesculus seeds and nuts are highly toxic and they are used as skin care medicine.  

Despite these many values, Indian Horse Chestnut remains misused and underutilized due to low awareness about it medicinal value. In their study Sangita Sood, Manju Mishra, Anil Sood and Vikram Thakur have discussed how the flour made of the plant is used to test the glucose levels among rats reduced blood glucose level from 228 to 95 mg/dl. The study observes the need to enhance the awareness levels among the local population in general and scientific community in particular about its medicinal importance.

Dietary Reasons Swell Diabetes among Senior Citizens of USA

As per the national Diabetes report-2014, 21 million citizens above 65 years are diabetic and this is a cause for growing concern as it is significantly affecting the lifespan of men and women in the country by over 50 years. Diabetes among the seniors is prevalent among the American Indians of Alaska origin (15.9%), followed by 13.2% non-Hispanic Blacks and 12.8% of blacks.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Report, diabetes is the largest and fastest spreading health concern in the country and it was the 7^th leading cause for death in the year 2007. 37-40% of the elderly population is getting low nutrition levels leading to hospitalization, and physical disability among them. Measures like ‘Meals on Wheels’ has been initiated to assist the elderly population to cater to their nutritional needs.

The Older Americans Act (OAA) makes provision for 1/3^rd of the nutrition requirements prescribed by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and there by abide by the food safety and sanitation requirements of people in the age group of 60 and above. Although it covers 30% of the home delivered meals, it do not cover any therapeutic diet, which is not part of the DRI of the people aged 60 and above.

According to the National Home and Hospice Care Survey of 2011, about 7.6 million people receive home-based care and 30.6% of them are diabetic. 7% of US adults over 60 years are receiving benefits from Meals on wheels ‘programme and 74% of these beneficiaries are suffering due to malnutrition.

Although no cure for diabetes, diabetes management is possible with dietary supplements and necessary workouts. Medication is increasingly expensive if the individuals do not have health coverage. Patient education is extremely important as it leads to early screening. Together with necessary datary measures, diabetes management can be optimized among the senior citizens of USA.

Blessed to stay Slim amidst many Obese!

High rates obesity is a global concern today as the numbers have been on rise in the developed and less developed world alike. Despite growing numbers, few people remain slim even when they are living in an obesogenic environment.  

According to a study conducted by Rachel et al, from the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, which compared two groups consisting individuals that are obesity resistant (ORIs) and obesity susceptible individuals (OSIs). The study found that sensitivity to oral fatty acids remained as the root cause for making certain individuals fat.

In order to prove their argument, the researchers have conducted a test called ‘triplicate triangle’ amongst 50 ORIs and 36 OSIs and have compared the oral fatty acid sensitivity and fat ranking ability between the two groups.  Participants are asked to taste three varieties of milk, one sample with oleic acid and two samples without oleic acids. Individuals that are sensitive to fatty acids picked up Oleic acid in three of the samples and those that are free from the fat acid sensitivity could resist the intake of oleic acid.

Fat ranking test was conducted to examine their ability to differentiate the fat content of custards containing 0%, 2%, 6%, and 10% canola oil (Sunfield, Tasti Products Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand) and the participants were asked to rank the custard samples from the highest to the lowest fat level and scores based on their ability to rank the samples was recorded based on a previous study by Stewart et al.

The study found sufficient support to claim that Hypersensitivity to oral fatty acids among ORIs may influence their dietary fat intake, and thus their body weight regulation. Future larger studies are needed to confirm this. The researchers however maintain that future studies with more number of samples need to be conducted to confirm the fact that sensitivity to Oral Fatty Acids is the main cause to become obese.

Old is Gold Policy is the Best to Promote Health

In tropical countries like India where there is abundant sun light available throughout the year, can you believe 75 to 100% of people of all age group are suffering due to vitamin D deficiency?  We have to believe the statistics that speak the truth.

It is a traditional practice among the elderly people in the Indian household to expose the new born babies to tender sunlight during the day. Schools of good old days allow children in schools to play during evening sunlight so that they get benefitted not only due to physical activity, but also due to exposure to Vitamin D rich sunlight.

The diversified Indian food with cereals, grains, fruits and vegetables, oil and meat, fish and leafy vegetables full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrient values have been a source of promoting a good health. These practices have passed on from the generation to the next for ages. 

According to the study by Agarwal et al, 55% of extensively breastfed infants of 10 months old and 44% of kids over 6 months old have developed Rickets due to vitamin D deficiency. As per Ekbote et al, 83% 0f toddlers below 3 years are vitamin deficient. As the schooling starts at the very tender age in modern days, 77% of kids that spend time in play schools are suffering as they are not exposed to sun light during the day. Children that are residents of high level of Atmospheric pollution have abundant Vitamin D levels that children living in less polluted areas.

Irrespective of social and economic strata, 94% of children aged 6-17 years also suffering from health issues due to insufficient vitamin d level.

76% of Pregnant and lactating women and 70 women of menopause age in south Indian states is vitamin deficient according to a study by Harinarayan et al.

Both urban and rural population of central and north India are also affected by it. What are the challenges on our way to accumulate vitamin-D?

Poor dietary intake of vitamin-D followed by the reduced exposure to sun light is the major reasons for the vitamin-D deficiency among Indians. Strangely, The Indian Council of Medical Research, a nodal agency that should play an instrumental role in propagating the importance of Vitamin-D is not very active.

Indians should remember the old Indian practices are golden in blessing them with good health. So don’t hesitate in learning them from your elders.

The Relationship Between Diet Quality and the Body Image

Are you trying to be like your favorite movie star? 

You must read this;the general assumption is that teenagers are highly conscious about their body image and structure and they strive hard in maintaining it.

If you question any teenagers about the types of measures s/he take in order to maintain good body image, the obvious answer would be ‘I follow a particular singer, dancer or actor as a role model’ or  ‘I try to imitate their dress, hair, or body language’ would be the immediate answer.

What does research say about it?

Studying the dietary habits of the adolescents of the Balearic Islands of the Mediterranean region, researchers Maria del Mar Bibiloni, Antoni Pons and Josep A Tu have found a profound relationship between the quality of diet they consume and their physical activity.

Traditionally, the Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts and olive oil with moderate consumption of sea food, meat and dairy products. They also consume processed meat, food rich in sugars and fats with regular but moderate consumption of wine with food.

The youngsters aged 12-17 years were included in this study and the researchers found enormous changes in the dietary patterns of these youngsters and its impact on their body image. Socioeconomic status of the family and the parent’s education level has direct impact on the type of diet consumed by the teenager. Apart from this, amount of physical activity and the time spent in front of TV matters a lot in attaining a great body shape and image.

The study concluded that the increasing numbers of child obesity cases are registered thanks to the change in the dietary habits like consumption of junk food and sedentary lifestyles. 

Does and Don’ts of the Food and Diet

Wait, wait….! Wait…!

Do you assume this piece of writing as one another article that suggest you what you should eat and what you should not in order to lose weight, grow hair, or gain control over the cholesterol level in your body? Certainly not.  I am not going to list you the food stuff that may bring good eye sight or glow to your skin as I am not a professional dietician. 

I am however going to tell you about how reliable are the topics discussed in the media about food or vitamin or mineral intake as they are several discrepancies as we observe. For example, on a fine day a particular popular newspaper that you might refer on the Internet or as a hard copy might report that Ground nuts, sesame, and sunflower seed extracts as oil are not high in cholesterol hence they can be consumed without hesitation.

The very next day you might come across another source which may quote the disadvantages of consuming the same as they are going to have a heavy toll on your heart. According to a study on the role of the ‘Dietician’ in suggesting the correct diet for the human beings, Helena Jenzar has observed that nutritional food meant for human, unlike the pharmacy we use to fight diseases is very complex with diversified components.

A fruit may be rich in vitamins, fibers, minerals; Omega fats etc and the glucose level it may possess may not be suitable for the diabetic patients.  Dieticians, like academicians must always update their knowledge about the diet that they are going to prescribe as the facts are changing constantly with the new additions to the research in this field every day.

Dieticians should not come to a conclusion about a particular diet based on the research done following surveys as they quote only figures. Diet experts must constantly search for evidences that could prove the validity of a particular diet in laboratories.

For example, societies have been using traditional medicine as a cure for centuries without proper explanation of the components in the past. Pharmacognosy as a science cold dig these facts and documented the reasons why and how a particular herbal extract, collected during a particular season is given as a medicine will be useful to cure a disease if it is executed in proper dose and time.

Such efforts are equally expected and essential from the Nutrition experts. Beware! Do not eat anything and everything simply because it is written somewhere! Dieticians!  Don’t prescribe the diet unless it is scientifically proven and validated.