Tackling The Menace Of Counterfeit Medicines

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counterfeit medication in Pakistan, drug overdose, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, ProCheck, self-medication, verification checks for counterfeit medicines

In a country where approximately 30% of all medications sold are counterfeit, a Pakistani start-up ProCheck – is on a mission to reduce this figure, ensuring that people have access to safe and authentic medicines. This is a welcome initiative given that several instances of fake drug usage have endangered hundreds of lives in recent years.

Incorporated in 2014, the start-up is in the process of establishing collaborative partnerships with the largest pharmaceutical brands operating in the country. Once these agreements are finalised, every strip/bottle of medicine manufactured by these companies will have an eight-digit alphanumeric authentication code imprinted on it. To verify that the medicine they have purchased is original and has not expired, all buyers need to do is to SMS the code to 9900, after which they will receive a message confirming whether or not the medications are valid.

Listen Up! Turn Down The Volume

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105 decibels, Australian Audiologist Nick Parkyn, ‘I Hear Report’, Dr Samia Babar, headphone, high-frequency sounds, iPods, MP3 players, MTV, music devices, National Acoustic Laboratory, Penn State College of Medicine, safe listening habits, sleeping disorders, tinnitus

According to research conducted at Penn State College of Medicine in December 2013, one in six teenagers suffers from a degree of preventable hearing loss due to constantly being ‘plugged’ to their music devices, such as MP3 players and iPods.

Similarly, the I Hear Report (compiled by the National Acoustic Laboratory) concludes that 64% of the 1,400 people who were tested, suffered from a constant ringing sound in their ears caused by a condition called tinnitus, which is believed to be the precursor to hearing loss and is on the rise in people between the ages of 11 and 35. Caused by listening to loud music, tinnitus can also lead to depression, poor concentration and sleeping difficulties.

Watercress Wonders

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Alzheimer’s disease, anti-cancer, anti-dandruff, anti-oxidants, anxiety, blood clotting, degenerative diseases, depression, Dr Samia Babar, healthy bones, immune system, insulin resistance, Magnesium, manganese, neuronal damage, osteoporosis, phytonutrients, premature aging, super foods, Vitamin K, vitamins A and C, watercress, Zinc

Last month, research at William Paterson University in New Jersey ranked 41 powerhouse fruits and vegetables based on their nutritional composition. Guess the name of the vegetable that topped the list? No, it wasn’t kale or carrots which were hailed super foods recently –  it was watercress. 

Here are five reasons why you should make watercress part of your diet: 

Brain, circulation and skin. Watercress is an excellent source of vitamin K, which limits neuronal damage in the brain, and is believed to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The vitamin also performs the vital function of blood clotting and consequently prevents haemorrhaging. Recent research suggests that vitamin K helps improve insulin resistance and protects the cells that line blood vessels. It also helps keep your skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

Attention Please !

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(NIMH), ADHD, Adult ADHD anger issues, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, behavioural therapy, bipolar disorder, depression, distractibility, Dr Summaiya Syed-Tariq, Dr Syed Ali Wasif, family support, habitual procrastination, Karolinska Institutet, low self esteem, National Institute of Mental Health, Sweden

Think ADHD and you think ‘kids’! But have you ever wondered what happens to children who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder when they grow up? Do they simply grow out of it?

Only approximately three to five percent of children exhibiting the symptoms of ADHD are diagnosed; the rest end up being labelled as ‘problem children’, expected to fend for themselves, and they carry the stigma for the rest of their lives.

Recent studies at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have shown that 30 to 70% of children with symptoms of ADHD (distractibility, restlessness, impulsivity) continue to exhibit them in their adult lives and may be diagnosed with ADHD ‘retrospectively’. 

Ghee – Desi And Healthy!

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benefits of ghee, ghee, ghee consumption, Omega-3, preparing ghee at home, research about ghee, saturated fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin E

No traditional Pakistani recipe is ever quite complete without ghee. Although until a few years ago, it was believed that ghee causes a host of health problems, recent research studies have concluded that saturated fats such as good old desi ghee can help you stay healthy and strong.

Tempting Tomatoes

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Arthritis, benefits of tomatoes, calcium, chromium, digestion, eyesight, Fibre, lycopene, osteoarthritis, potassium, skin cancer in women, sodium, tomatoes, Tomatoes the new super food, Vitamin A, Vitamin K

Recent research has led nutritionists to dub tomatoes – the vibrant, tangy and juicy fruit – as the new super food.

Here are the four reasons you should add tomatoes to your diet:

1. Prevents cancer. Loaded with lycopene, regular consumption of tomatoes, along with broccoli, is believed to reduce the chances of contracting a range of cancers. Lycopene also decreases the skin’s sensitivity to ultra-violet light,
one of the primary causes of skin cancer in women.

The Benefits Of ‘Earthing’

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Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction, beach sand, blood viscosity, cardiologists, cardiovascular patients, Dr Waqar Saeed, earthing, Earthing Science, electron balance, electron energy, fresh air, grass, heart attacks, insomnia, joint inflammation, Journal of Environmental and Public Health, salty ocean air, sand, shale, soil, stress, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vitamin D, walk barefoot

Have you ever noticed how your stress literally evaporates as you sink your toes in the soft and silky beach sand, inhale the salty ocean air as you soak up some vitamin D from the sun’s healing rays? An emerging body of research attributes this to ‘Earthing Science’ – a belief that an early morning walk on any natural surface – be it soil, shale, sand or grass – enhances your well-being by restoring your body’s electron balance.

For The Love Of Friends

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Bill Withers, companionship, cortisol, depression, Dr Waqar Saeed, Friendship, health benefits of friendship, Lean On Me, recent studies, self-esteem, spending time with friends, Valentine's Day

“Lean on me when you’re not strong,
And I’ll be your friend,
I’ll help you carry on,
For it won’t be long,
Til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on”.

Come Valentine’s Day, the lyrics of Bill Withers’ 1972 classic Lean On Me, which emphasise friendship, could not be more apt: recent studies have highlighted the health benefits of breaking through the stereotype that the day is reserved only for romantic relationships.

Research conducted at the Centre for Ageing Studies, Flinders University, Australia, last month revealed that people who have an extended circle of friends and express their care and concern towards their loved ones, increase their chances of hitting the 60-year milestone by almost 22%.

Why You Should Have A Pet

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antidepressants, Arshia Ahmed, birds, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, develop empathy, fish, gym, happiness hormone, keep pets, long-term side effects, oxytocin, panic attacks, pulmonary disease, Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, self-esteem, serotonin levels, University of California, University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, walk the dog, withdrawal symptoms

I was lonely so I got a cat,” was the intelligent decision of a colleague living by herself after her children moved away.

Isolation and loneliness have long been believed to trigger anxiety and depression. Experiments conducted at the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in November last year have validated this; they revealed that interacting with animals releases the ‘love and bonding’ chemical, oxytocin, in the body, which creates a sense of happiness and well-being.

Fight The Winter Blues With Healthy Foods!

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age-related cognitive decline, asparagus, calcium, farmed sardines, Folate, folic acid, Greek yoghurt, happy neurotransmitters, iodine, lactose, linoleic acid, liquid whey, master mood regulator, mental fatigue, mild depression, moods, Mussels, myelin sheath, Omega-3 fatty acids, Saba Gul Hasan, Sardines, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Selenium, Serotonin, sociable, stress hormones, thyroid gland, tryptophan, Vitamin B12, weight-related anxiety, Winter Blues, Zinc

Are you feeling blue? Rest assured, you are not alone. As the weather turns chilly and daylight hours decrease, many people tend to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which alters their mood.

Fight the winter blues by adding these four mood boosting foods to your diet:

Asparagus is chock-full of folic acid, the body’s natural mood booster. This spear-shaped green is also a rich source of tryptophan – an essential protein that regulates serotonin levels in the blood – which is responsible for maintaining your moods; research has linked low serotonin levels with mild depression. The presence of folate in asparagus balances your moods, makes you more sociable, and if you are on anti-depressants, folate increases their effectiveness.