Category: 8. Health

The silent sabotage of alcohol

Dr Chopra said, “Alcohol. The most socially accepted drug that silently sabotages your health. Sure, it gives you pleasure in the present, but it steals clarity from your future. It dulls long-term decision-making and impairs judgment almost instantly. It damages your nerve cells, hits your mitochondria, which is your energy engines, leading to poor memory, risk of dementia, and even brain shrinkage over time.”

Alcohol hinders fat loss, damages organs like liver

Furthermore, he shared how alcohol disrupts brain chemistry, contributing to mental health problems like depression and anxiety, and said, “It disrupts brain chemistry, often triggering depression, anxiety, and unpredictable mood swings.”

From a physiological standpoint, Dr Chopra noted that alcohol hinders fat loss, provides empty calories, and damages vital organs such as the liver, potentially causing fatty liver disease and metabolic issues.

He said, “And if you’re working on fat loss, alcohol delays fat oxidation, directly opposing your fitness goals. It’s just empty calories with zero nutritional value. Worse still, alcohol fuels mindless eating, ruins your sleep, and burdens your liver. It can lead to fatty liver disease and long-term metabolic damage.”

‘Alcohol gives you nothing but short-lived pleasure’

Dr Chopra concluded that despite its social acceptance, alcohol offers only fleeting pleasure and does not contribute positively to overall health, even recommending against its consumption for health benefits.

He said, “Despite what the world shows you, alcohol gives you nothing but short-lived hedonic pleasure. That drink that you enjoy with your friends may feel great, but it doesn’t serve your health. So, yes, an occasional glass of red wine, beer or tequila might be okay, but truly speaking, I’d never recommend it for health.”

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Vitamin B12 is abundantly present in animal food products including meat, fish and poultry. A research published by the Cambridge University highlights how Indians who follow strict vegetarian diets have limited sources of B12, and thus, are more likely to suffer from this vitamin deficiency. This does not mean vegetarians can’t fulfil their B12 requirement. Here are 5 vegetarian-friendly B12 rich diet sources.

Newswise — Astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus region of the brain, an area involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, play a key role in neuron activity in mice and affect their behaviour, Canadian researchers have found.

Led by Ciaran Murphy-Royal of Université de Montréal’s affiliated hospital research centre, the CRCHUM, the scientists detail their finding in a study published in Nature Communications.

In so broadening medical science’s understanding of cerebral mechanisms, the discovery could someday help in the treatment and prevention of depression in humans, the researchers say.

According to the scientific literature, early-life stress leads to a five-fold increase in the risk of developing a mental-health disorder as an adult, notably causing treatment-resistant disorders.

Less active, day or night

As brain cells, astrocytes are sensitive to variations in the blood concentration of metabolites and, in response to changes in the blood, astrocytes can modulate the extent of their interaction with neurons, their neighbouring cells.

In mice, those changes are particularly responsive to the level of corticosterone, the stress hormone in the rodents’ blood.

“In adult mice who experienced early-life stress, we saw abnormally high levels of corticosterone,” said Murphy-Royal, a professor in UdeM’s Faculty of Medicine. “The impact of stress on behaviour also differed according to sex.”

Notably, he said, “females were less active at night, while males were hyperactive during the day.”

In people with depression who have experienced a similar type of stress, this sex differences have also been observed.

Lack of maternal care

Lewis R. Depaauw-Holt, the study’s first author and a PhD student on Murphy-Royal’s team, was able to recreate early-life stress conditions in young rodents by separating them from their mothers.

Over 10 days, for four hours a day, he kept the young mice apart from their mothers. This lack of maternal care occurred during a critical period of brain development for the rodents, the equivalent of ages three to seven in human children.

“The differences in activity levels between female and male mice were also seen within a group of neurons that produces neuropeptides called orexins,” said Murphy-Royal.

“Located in the lateral hypothalamus, these orexin neurons contribute to regulating sleep-wake cycles,” he said. “In males, these neurons showed hyperactivity, while in females we saw hypoactivity.”

In mice that experienced early-life stress, astrocytes were smaller and had fewer branches, especially in females. These branches are essential for transmitting information to neighbouring neurons and interacting with nearby cells.

“In our field of expertise, we believe that the changes in astrocyte morphology are a marker of dysfunction,” said Murphy-Royal. “In humans, we see these variations in diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.”

A single pathway?

What if these changes in behaviour, neuron activity and morphology in both sexes were tied to a single stress-signalling pathway?

To test their hypothesis, the CRCHUM research team deleted glucocorticoid receptors in astrocytes to which corticosterone, the stress hormone, would normally bind.

“Without these receptors, neuronal activity and mouse behaviours returned to baseline similar to that of mice who did not experience early-life stress,” said Murphy-Royal.

“And, even if their astrocytes didn’t return to their normal size, they did regain their complexity, visible in the number of branches they use to interact with neighbouring cells.” 

Contrary to what scientists believed until now, astrocytes are disturbed by stress before neurons are, the study reveals.

In humans, the challenge of countering the effects of early-life stress will surely be more complex than in rodents, Murphy-Royal cautioned, but one thing is for sure: astrocytes could turn out to be an excellent therapeutic target for preventing depression.

Overview

Candida is a yeast that can cause infections ranging in severity. Antifungal resistance among Candida is growing, particularly for specific species such as Candida auris and Candida parapsilosis. These two species also spread more easily between patients in healthcare settings compared to other species of Candida. Awareness of this issue is essential for clinicians, as it can guide testing practices and clinical treatment decisions.

During this COCA Call, presenters will share current evidence demonstrating the increase in antifungal resistance among C. auris and C. parapsilosis and discuss recommendations for testing and treatment.

Webinar

Date: Thursday, September 18, 2025

Time: 2:00-3:00 P.M. ET

A few minutes before the webinar begins, please click here to join.

Presenters

Dallas Smith, PharmD, MAS
Epidemiologist
Mycotic Diseases Branch
Division of Foodborne Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Meghan Lyman, MD
Acting Deputy Branch Chief
Mycotic Diseases Branch
Division of Foodborne Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Call Objectives

COCA Call Objectives

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to accomplish the following:

1. Cite background information on the topic covered during the presentation.
2. Discuss CDC’s role in the topic covered during the presentation.
3. Describe the topic’s implications for clinicians.
4. Discuss concerns and/or issues related to preparedness for and/or response to urgent public health threats.
5. Promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention in cooperation with patients, communities, populations at higher risk, and other members of an interprofessional team of healthcare providers.

Activity-specific Objectives

1. Describe the increasing prevalence of resistant Candida species.
2. Explain the epidemiology of emerging resistant Candida.
3. Outline appropriate testing including species identification, antifungal susceptibility testing, and whole genome sequencing.
4. Summarize treatment options and resources for resistant Candida species.

Continuing Education

Instructions for Obtaining Continuing Education (CE)

To receive continuing education (CE) for WC4520R-091825—The Path of Yeast Resistance: Drug-resistant Candida on the Rise, please visit CDC TRAIN and search for the course in the Course Catalog using WC4520R-091825. Follow the steps below by October 20, 2025. The registration code is COCA091825.

To receive continuing education (CE) for WD4520R-091825—The Path of Yeast Resistance: Drug-resistant Candida on the Rise, please visit CDC TRAIN and search for the course in the Course Catalog using WD4520R-091825. Follow the steps below between October 21, 2025, and October 21, 2027.

1. Register for and complete the course.
2. Pass the post-assessment at 75%.
3. Complete the evaluation.
4. Visit Your Learning to access your certificates and transcript.

Accreditation Statements

CPE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated this Knowledge-based event for pharmacists to receive 0.1 CEUs in pharmacy education. The Universal Activity Number is JA4008229-0000-25-050-L04-P and enduring JA4008229-0000-25-051-H04-P.

CME: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAPA CME: Credit Designation Statement – Live The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

CNE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this activity for 1 nursing contact hours.

CEU: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEUs for this program.

CECH: Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES^®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES^®) to receive up to 1 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Maximum advanced level continuing education contact hours available are 1. Continuing Competency credits available are 1. CDC provider number 98614.

AAVSB/RACE: This program has been submitted (but not yet approved) for 1 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however, participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education.

For Certified Public Health Professionals (CPH): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a pre-approved provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits and is authorized to offer 1 CPH recertification credits for this program.

DISCLOSURE: In compliance with continuing education requirements, all planners and presenters/moderators must disclose all financial relationships, in any amount, with ineligible companies over the previous 24 months as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or products under investigational use.

CDC, our planners, and presenters/moderators wish to disclose they have no financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Content will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or a product under investigational use with the exception of Dr. Meghan Lyman’s discussion of several antifungal medications in clinical trials for C. auris and availability of use under expanded access programs.

CDC did not accept financial or in-kind support from ineligible companies for this continuing education activity.

CDC complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex. To learn more visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/nondiscrimination/index.html

Just a few weeks ago, a 44-year-old woman walked into my clinic with unusual vaginal bleeding. My examination findings were strongly suggestive of advanced cervical cancer. My worst fears were confirmed after further investigations.

The painful truth was that, as a gynaecologist, this was not the first piece of cervical cancer–related bad news I had to deliver in my career. What makes it even more difficult to accept that cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease, yet countless women in Pakistan continue to face it in silence and without timely intervention.

Globally, cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women. According to the World Health Organisation, there were an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020, making it the third most common malignancy among women. Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with a 50 per cent lifetime risk of infection for both men and women.

In Pakistan, the picture is even more concerning. With over 73 million women aged 15 years and older at risk. More than 5,000 new cases are reported annually, and 64 per cent of these women die due to late diagnosis and inadequate screening. According to a study, the true burden is much greater due to the absence of a national cancer registry and extremely low screening rates.

Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s first nationwide HPV vaccine campaign, supported by Unicef and WHO, will run from September 15 to 27 (2025) and marks a historic landmark. The programme aims to reach 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 across Punjab, Sindh, the Islamabad Capital Territory and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Even more promising is the planned inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), ensuring long-term sustainability. The phased launch, expanding to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026 and Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027, will strengthen routine immunisation and move Pakistan closer to global elimination goals.

The campaign advances the WHO goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, which aims for 90 per cent of girls vaccinated by the age 15; 70 per cent of women screened; and 90 per cent of women with pre-cancer or invasive cancer receiving timely treatment. The WHO views this campaign as a revolutionary step towards a future where every girl in Pakistan is protected from cervical cancer.

Yet, the road ahead is not without challenges. About 36 per cent of Pakistani girls between the ages of 9 and 14 are out of school, making it difficult to reach them through school-based vaccination. In addition, Pakistan’s cervical cancer screening is purely opportunistic, with only 1.5–2 per cent of the women’s population ever screened. Without a national screening programme, most cases are diagnosed late, when treatment options are limited.

When I began my training as a gynaecologist ten years ago, I joined community outreach teams in Islamabad, performing simple visual inspections and referring women for cervical screening to the tertiary care unit. I recall that women flocked to the basic health units for their assessments. Even back then, I believed that if women were given the chance, they would step forward to protect their health. That potential remains, but it will take unwavering commitment to make this HPV vaccine campaign a life-changing reality.

To promote greater acceptance of HPV vaccination in communities across Pakistan, a multifaceted approach is essential, emphasising both health education and cultural sensitivity. The HPV vaccine should be presented not simply as a means of protection against a sexually transmitted infection, but as a proven shield against cervical cancer, which claims thousands of Pakistani women every year. Engaging the Council of Islamic Ideology and securing religious endorsements could be pivotal in Pakistan’s HPV vaccine rollout.

Providing parental consent forms and pre-vaccination counselling sessions can further address concerns around vaccine safety and efficacy. Engaging doctors and influencers to spread clear content in Urdu and regional languages, while showcasing success stories from Muslim and developing countries to prove HPV vaccination is compatible with Islamic values and acceptable globally.

Internationally, cervical cancer is responsible for one in four cancer orphans. It is a social tragedy, where a preventable disease claims the lives of women who leave behind devastated families. In Pakistan, women already face multiple barriers to healthcare, where lower value for women’s health, delayed diagnoses, and lack of empowerment often force them to suffer without seeking medical help. The HPV vaccine offers a rare chance to rewrite this story, but only if prevention is embraced as a shared responsibility

Pakistan’s HPV vaccine campaign is more than a health promotion campaign. It is a lifesaving opportunity for millions of girls. For the first time, we have the tools to stop a deadly cancer before it takes root. The challenge now is to ensure that every girl, whether in school or out, in cities or in villages, can access this vital vaccine.

As a gynaecologist who has witnessed the devastating consequences of cervical cancer firsthand, I urge parents, teachers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community leaders to rally behind this campaign. If we combine vaccination, awareness, screening, and empowerment, we can make cervical cancer a disease of the past in Pakistan. Our will to act is all that stands between despair and hope.

The writer is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist.

In the fall of 1928, Alexander Fleming returned from a holiday to his lab at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, where he was conducting experiments with staphylococcal bacteria. In an uncovered culture by an open window, he noticed mold colonies growing that seemed to be killing off the surrounding bacteria. He later determined it wasn’t the mold—a strain of Penicillium—but a “juice” it produced that killed the bacteria. He dubbed the substance penicillin.  

In his petri dishes, Fleming found that penicillin could knock out the bacteria that cause diseases like scarlet fever, pneumonia, gonorrhea, meningitis, and diphtheria. But he struggled to isolate and purify the drug for clinical use.  

A decade after his discovery, a team of Oxford researchers did just that, conducting experiments in mice and then, in 1941, on a British police officer covered with abscesses. The drug was astonishingly effective in just 24 hours—but the small amount of available penicillin ran out before the infection was fully treated, and the officer died a few weeks later.  

Penicillin remained in short supply—so short that it was sometimes extracted from patientsʼ urine to be reused. 

That changed later in 1941 when the Oxford scientists traveled to the U.S., where government scientists led a wartime effort, alongside pharmaceutical companies, to scale the drug, ultimately developing a fermentation method that dramatically expanded production.

In the late 1940s, the nascent UN and WHO pledged to spur penicillin’s global production and distribution, funding equipment and training around the world. At the same time, the drug’s growing availability spurred its overuse and misuse, an issue Fleming had anticipated.

Accepting the Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1945, he warned that “the time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops.” He gave the example of a hypothetical Mr. X, who had a sore throat and used enough penicillin to “educate” the Streptococci to resist the drug, but not enough to kill the infection. He then passed it on to his hypothetical wife, who died from the drug-resistant infection.  

“Moral: If you use penicillin, use enough,” he said.  

The warning went unheeded. Penicillin became widely available in a plethora of forms. It even turned up in cosmetic creams. 

But it was the golden age of antibiotic discovery, and dozens of new antibiotics emerged from the 1940s through the 1960s, including methicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and vancomycin. “Clinicians and patients thought that we would always be a step ahead” of the bacteria, says Scott Podolsky, MD, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at Harvardʼs Countway Library.  

For a while that was true. The development of novel antibiotics largely kept pace with demand. Pharmaceutical giants were excited by antibioticsʼ promise and made significant R&D investments to get them to market.  

In 1961, the first reports of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus emerged, followed in 1967 by penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae. The list has grown over the decades. 

The Hamilton County Health Department is reporting an uptick in cases of hand, foot and mouth disease as children settle into the new school year.

The viral infection typically causes fever, painful mouth sores, and a skin rash. Stephen Miller, Health Officer with the Hamilton County Health Department, says the illness is especially common this time of year.

“It’s a very common virus that children experience this time of year, usually when they’re starting their school year,” Miller explained.

The illness is most often seen in children around kindergarten through second grade. Miller says it can spread quickly through classrooms.

“It can spread through a classroom and infect the entire classroom within just a few days,” he said.

The virus spreads through coughs, sneezes, and by touching contaminated surfaces. Symptoms generally appear three to six days after initial exposure and may include blisters on the hands and feet, ulcers in the mouth, or rashes on the chest and arms.

There is no specific treatment, and symptoms subside over the course of 7 to 10 days, but over-the-counter medications can help reduce fever and ease pain. According to Miller, once symptoms subside, children can return to school.

“The little mouth ulcers and the fever—once that’s resolved, about 24 hours later they can go back to school,” he noted.

As the seasons begin to change, health officials urge families to focus on prevention.

“If you want to protect your kids, really go over hand washing—vitally important,”* Miller said. “Definitely want to avoid the sharing of food and drinks with classmates. Just make sure everyone is taking precautions.”

Adults can also contract the virus, though the symptoms are much more mild and typically consist of just a rash.

For more information on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, you can visit this website.

Cholesterol is the waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver. It is involved in important processes such as making cell membranes and hormones and digesting fatty foods. Too much cholesterol can lead to plaque in your arteries and eventually heart disease or stroke. But not all cholesterol is the same. There’s one type—often called the “good cholesterol”—that requires a higher number for better heart health. This “good cholesterol” is high-density lipoprotein (HDL). It removes excess cholesterol and transports it to the liver for elimination, says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., RD, CDCES, CDN. “This process is called reverse cholesterol transport,” she says. Guidelines recommend HDL be greater than 50 milligrams per deciliter for women and greater than 40 mg/dL for men.,

Though cholesterol can be impacted by genetics, certain lifestyle habits promote higher HDL levels like avoiding smoking, exercising and eating a heart-healthy diet. In fact, health experts say the simple activity you should start today to raise your HDL cholesterol is to increase your physical activity—particularly your cardio. “To effectively elevate HDL levels, I recommend incorporating a combination of aerobic and strength exercises performed at a moderate to high intensity,” says cardiologist Bradley Serwer, M.D. 

Let’s dive into how aerobic exercise—aka cardio—can help raise your HDL cholesterol levels and get them closer to a healthy range.

How Adding Cardio to Your Day May Help Improve Your Good Cholesterol

Supports Your Heart

Regular physical activity provides significant heart-health benefits. Living an active lifestyle has shown to lower blood pressure while also lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. “Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help boost HDL levels and improve overall heart health,” says Routhenstein.

May Improve HDL Effectiveness

Aerobic exercise, such as biking, walking and running, benefits the processes that are involved in raising HDL cholesterol. This not only improves the effectiveness of HDL in removing cholesterol but also benefits fat metabolism. “While higher levels of HDL were traditionally associated with a lower risk of heart disease, newer research suggests that how well HDL functions may be even more important than how much of it you have,” says Routhenestein. 

Research shows that exercise can increase the size of HDL particles, which may make them more effective. Additionally, cardio increases the concentration of beneficial enzymes that raise HDL cholesterol including lipoprotein lipase.

MID CIRC – CALL OUT BOX: https://www.eatingwell.com/hdl-vs-ldl-cholesterol-whats-the-difference-11678853

Aids in Weight Management

In general, a healthy weight can improve HDL cholesterol levels. Regular physical activity is associated with a reduction in body fat, which improves lipid levels, including HDL. Additionally, physical activity can aid in weight loss and maintenance. However, for an exercise plan to be effective, it must be maintained over the long term. “The cornerstone of any exercise program lies in consistency and longevity,” says Serwer. “To maximize benefits, it is essential to ensure that you engage in exercise for a minimum of 150 minutes per week.”

Ideas for Adding Physical Activity to Your Day

Here are ideas for simple and (for the most part!) enjoyable activities that can help you increase your cardio throughout the day.

• Walk outside. Short walks after meals, during conference calls or while listening to your favorite podcast can help you increase your activity without the need for special equipment.
• Take the stairs. It’s a simple habit that will have a lasting impact. The more often you can take the stairs versus using an elevator, the better it is for your total activity level. If you have multiple flights to climb, consider using the elevator for part of the trip up and stairs for the rest. 
• Play a sport. Sports are great for increasing your cardio activity while also offering the opportunity for social connection. The connection makes it that much more enjoyable!
• Do your chores. A win-win is keeping your house tidy and increasing your movement. Turn up the music or listen to an audiobook to help the time pass as you work.

Other Tips for Better Cholesterol

• Eat unsaturated fats. Prioritizing unsaturated fats while also limiting saturated fats aids in cholesterol management. “Examples of foods that contain heart-healthy fats are olive oil, fish, avocado, nuts and seeds,” says Amy Woodman, RD. Replacing saturated fats like fatty meats, processed meats and fried foods with unsaturated fats in the diet can improve cholesterol levels.
• Eat enough fiber. “Eat more soluble fiber from foods like oats, barley, beans, lentils, fruits (e.g., apples, berries) and vegetables,” says Aye Thandar Win, M.D., a cardiologist at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix. “Soluble fiber helps improve cholesterol profiles, including HDL.”
• Do not smoke. Smoking is associated with reductions in HDL cholesterol as well as a host of damaging cardiovascular health effects. Avoiding smoking is one of the best things you can do for your heart health and overall health.
• Maintain a healthy weight. “Losing excess body fat, especially visceral fat around the abdomen, can raise HDL,” says Win. Weight loss is not always a result of a regular exercise program and healthy diet; regardless, exercise may still help with reductions in visceral body fat.

Our Expert Take

If you’re looking to improve your good cholesterol levels, the simple activity we suggest is adding more cardio to your day. At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly has been shown to benefit HDL cholesterol. Since genetics also play a role in cholesterol levels, it’s important to work with a cardiologist or other health care provider to determine the best plan for you. “Habits take time to impact HDL (weeks to months), so the key is to stick with them for long-term benefits!” says Win.