Health
Olive Oil Can Save Your Health
In Nigeria Olive oil is mostly used in churches and other spiritual homes. But alas it is one of nature’s strongest health elixir. Unlike in Europe and other foreign climes where it’s the most popular cooking oil, here olive oil is expensive and an exclusive of the rich. Hence a lot of people miss its huge health benefits as an antioxidant and healthy fat.
According to a study conducted by researchers from the American College of Cardiology, consuming olive oil regularly is also linked to a lower risk of some severe medical conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.
The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
During the study, the research team found that respiratory disease mortality and neurodegenerative disease mortality are also less common in individuals who consume over seven grams of olive oil per day.
Additionally, replacing 10 grams of butter, mayonnaise and dairy fat daily with the same quantity of olive oil helped significantly reduce mortality risk.
Dr. Marta Guasch-Ferre, the study’s first author, said the results support current dietary recommendations to “increase the intake of olive oil and other unsaturated vegetable oils.”
She added that clinicians should advise patients to replace certain fats, like butter and margarine, with olive oil to improve their well-being. The study findings can be used to make more specific recommendations that will be easier for patients to understand and implement into their regular diets.
For the study, the scientists analyzed the diets of more than 30,000 men and over 60,000 women. All the volunteers were disease-free when the trial began in 1990.
The volunteers filled in surveys every four years to track their average fat and oil consumption. For the surveys, olive oil intake was measured on how often a volunteer used it:
· On salads
· While baking
· While cooking
· When adding it to other meals and bread
In the study, one tablespoon equaled more than 13 grams of olive oil.
The scientists discovered that volunteers who consumed the most olive oil daily were 19 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 17 percent less likely to die from cancer. Results also showed that they were more protected from neurodegenerative mortality and respiratory mortality.
Guasch-Ferre explained that it is possible that higher olive oil consumption could be considered “a marker of an overall healthier diet and higher socioeconomic status.” After adjusting for these and other social-economic status factors, the study results remained largely the same.
She noted that the study cohort was made up mainly of a non-Hispanic white population of health professionals, which should minimize potential confounding socioeconomic factors. However, the study cohort may also limit generalizability as this population “may be more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle.”
The results showed that people with a higher olive oil intake were more likely to have an active lifestyle, follow a healthy diet and more likely to be non-smokers.
Olive oil is the naturally gotten from olives that come from olive trees. It is made up of 14 percent saturated fat and 11 percent polyunsaturated fat, like omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
The predominant fatty acid in olive oil is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that makes up a whopping 73 percent of its total oil content.
Research suggests that oleic acid helps minimize inflammation. It may also have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
Since monounsaturated fats are very resistant to high heat, extra virgin olive oil is a healthy choice for cooking.
· Use olive oil in sauces. Whisk to emulsify or blend the watery ingredients with the oil in the sauce.
· Use olive oil instead of butter or margarine as a healthy dip for bread. Pour a little olive oil into a small side dish, then add a bit of balsamic vinegar.
· Drizzle olive oil in a salad or add it to salad dressing.
· Use olive oil in marinades or sauces for meat, fish, poultry and veggies.
· Add olive oil at the end of cooking for a healthy flavour boost.
· Drizzle olive oil over cooked pasta or vegetables before serving.
Follow a balanced diet and replace butter or dairy fat with olive oil to boost your overall health.
Adapted from Natural Health. News
By Kevin Nengia
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.
