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Barley can help curb diabetes risk

Elderly who are more active on online social networks are less likely to feel lonely and healthy diet can reduce risk of heart disease in teensstudies and research tips for a healthier you

Including barley in daily diet can reduce blood sugar levels and risk of diabetes. Photo: iStockphoto<br />
Including barley in daily diet can reduce blood sugar levels and risk of diabetes. Photo: iStockphoto

Light exposure can prevent jet lag

Exposure to brief flashes of light during the night can reset circadian rhythms offset by travelling to new time zones and help prevent jet lags, a US study claims. Researchers from Stanford University feel it can help people whose sleep/wake schedules don’t align with their circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms cycle about every 24 hours and affect everything from sleep and mood to metabolism. It is disrupted when people fly across time zones, leading to feelings of grogginess, fatigue and low levels of alertness for several days. Exposing people to flashes of light at the start of the night delays the circadian clock, and can help people who are flying east to west, while exposure at the end of the night advances the circadian clock, and can help people travelling from west to east. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Read more here.

Regular intake of barley can reduce risk of diabetes

Including barley in daily diet can reduce blood sugar levels and risk of diabetes, a Swedish study claims. Researchers from Lund University asked middle aged adults to eat bread largely made out of barley kernels for three days at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Approximately 11-14 hours after their final meal of the day, participants were examined for risk indicators of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Researchers found a considerable decrease in blood sugar and insulin levels and increase in insulin sensitivity and improved appetite control in the participants. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Read more here.

Healthy diet can reduce risk of heart diseases and diabetes in teens

Teens on healthier diets are less likely to suffer from diabetes, cardiovascular disease or stroke, a US study shows. Healthy diet increases levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol that cleanses blood vessels of triglycerides —dangerous fats that can make blood thicker, stickier and more prone to clots. Researchers from the University of Virginia examined nationwide survey data involving 5,117 teenagers between 1999 and 2012 and found a lower severity of metabolic syndrome in teens on healthy diet. The study was published in the journal Pediatrics. Read more here.

Having more nurses can boost patients’ survival odds

Patients are more likely to die when they are being cared by nurses who are looking after more than six patients at a time, a British study warns. Researchers from the University of Southampton and King’s College London carried out a detailed analysis of 2,917 registered nurses manning 31 trusts (measured patients per ward nurse) and found death rates were 20% lower in trusts where each registered nurse cared for an average of six or fewer patients than in trusts where nurses cared for 10 or more patients. The study was published in BMJ Open. Read more here.

Being active on social networks can help elderly

Elderly who are socially active on internet are more likely to engage in social activities and are less likely to feel lonely, a Swedish study shows. Researchers from Umea University, interviewed and used an Internet-based evaluation to show how online social activity can significantly reduce loneliness among the elderly. A follow-up examination of the elderly showed that the online social activities played an important role in their offline social activities as well. “Digitalisation is increasing the risk of excluding seniors who often can have limited experiences of Internet-based activities. We need to pay attention to an increased inclusion of seniors," said study author Ellinor Larsson. Read more here.

Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar

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