Exercising before breakfast burns more fat

A small UK study on 30 obese or overweight men found that those who exercised before breakfast burned twice the fat as men who ate breakfast before they worked out. Exercising with no fuel forces the body to turn to stored carbs, and when those are quickly gone, to fat cells.

In addition, it did also have "profound and positive" effects on the health of the group that fasted: skipping the meal before exercise made the men's muscles more responsive to insulin, which controls high blood sugars, thus reducing the risk for diabetes and heart disease.

"The group who exercised before breakfast increased their ability to respond to insulin," said exercise physiologist Javier Gonzalez, an associate professor in the department for health at the University of Bath.

CoQ10 and K2 for Heart Health

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol, is a vitamin-like nutrient used by every cell in our body for energy production, growth and maintenance. It is heavily concentrated in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.

Health conditions like heart disease, brain disorders, diabetes and cancer have been linked to low levels of CoQ10.

Researchers say CoQ10 may have significant cardiovascular health benefits, while also promoting antioxidant activity, enhancing cellular energy production and physical performance and helping maintain healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range

In a study of 420 people with heart failure, treatment with CoQ10 for two years improved their symptoms and reduced their risk of dying from heart problems.

It seems that treatment with CoQ10 could assist with restoring optimal levels of energy production, reduce oxidative damage and improve heart function, all of which can aid the treatment of heart failure.

As we age, our body begins to show a decrease in energy metabolism. This decrease takes place within many body tissues but is most prominent in the heart, liver and skeletal tissue. Accompanied by this decline are reduced CoQ10 concentrations. Thus we have to eat more of food containing CoQ10 in our daily diet.

The following foods contain CoQ10:

• Organ meats: Heart, liver and kidney
• Some muscle meats: Pork, beef and chicken
• Fatty fish: Trout, herring, mackerel and sardine
• Vegetables: Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli
• Fruit: Oranges and strawberries
• Legumes: Soybeans, lentils and peanuts
• Nuts and seeds: Sesame seeds and pistachios
• Oils: Soybean 

Meanwhile, vitamin K2 is also a critical nutrient for hearth health

Atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries— is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer globally. In this connection, vitamin K2 helps to inhibit arterial calcification and has the ability to improve arterial stiffness. 

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble nutrient that is commonly found in fermented foods like sauerkraut and animal sources such as high-fat dairy products, egg yolks, liver and other organ meats.

Foods that are rich in vitamin K2 include:

• Natto, fermented soy.
• Goose liver.
• Cheese.
• Egg yolks.
• Dark chicken meat.
• Butter.

Factors for good health

Health depends on a wide range of factors.

Physical and mental health are the two most commonly discussed types of health.

Physical health

In a person who experiences physical health, bodily functions are working at peak performance, due not only to a lack of disease, but also to regular exercise, balanced nutrition and adequate rest.

Physical wellbeing involves pursuing a healthful lifestyle to decrease the risk of disease. Maintaining physical fitness, for example, can protect and develop the endurance of a person’s breathing and heart function, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition.

Mental health

Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, social and psychological wellbeing. Mental health is as important as physical health to a full, active lifestyle.

How a person manages stress will affect health. People who smoke, drink, or take drugs to forget their problems are likely to have more health problems later than someone who combats stress through a healthful diet and exercise.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the higher a person’s socioeconomic status, the more likely they are to enjoy good health, a good education, a well-paid job, afford good healthcare when their health is threatened.

People with a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience stresses related to daily living, such as financial difficulties, marital disruption and unemployment, as well as social factors, such as marginalization and discrimination. All these add to the risk of poor health.

Also a low socio-economic status often means less access to healthcare. People in developed countries with universal healthcare services have longer life expectancies than people in developed countries without universal healthcare.

Cultural issues can affect health. For example, around the Mediterranean, people are more likely to consume high levels of fruits, vegetables and olive, and to eat as a family, compared with cultures with a high consumption of fast food.

Overall, steps that can help us maximize our health include:

• a balanced, nutritious diet, sourced as naturally as possible
• regular exercising
• screening for diseases that may present a risk
• learning to manage stress
• engaging in activities that provide purpose and connection to others
• maintaining a positive outlook and appreciating what you have
• defining a value system, and putting it into action

World health officials have a name for the coronavirus illness – China

The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed an official name for the illness caused by the new coronavirus: COVID-19. The acronym stands for coronavirus disease 2019, as the illness was first detected toward the end of last year. The new name makes no reference to any of the people, places or animals associated with the coronavirus. The goal was to avoid stigma.

There are now more than 42,200 confirmed cases across China. The number of deaths has overtaken that of the Sars epidemic in 2002-2003. But the number of new infections nationally was down.

WHO had mentioned 2% as a mortality rate but specified that this is a very early and provisional estimate that may change. According to the NHC of China, the  mortality rate was 2.1% nationwide, 4.9% Wuhan, 3.1% Hubei and 0.16% other provinces.

"That varies with age," Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said. "The older you are, the higher the proportion of (severe) cases there are." Overall, the 2 per cent of patients infected with the virus had died, mostly due to multiple organ failures in elderly people and those with underlying health issues.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. 

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

The COVID-19 began at an animal and seafood market in Wuhan and has spread to several other countries, including the United States. The illness is said to be transferable between humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

Older adults who drink tea are less likely to be depressed

Depression is common among older adults. Luckily, a study by researchers from the National University of Singapore and Fudan University in Shanghai found a statistically significant link between regular tea drinking and lower levels of depression in seniors.

The researchers analyzed the data of 13,000 individuals who took part in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey between 2005 and 2014. They discovered a virtually universal link between tea drinking and lower reports of depression.

The data also suggested that the benefits of tea drinking are strongest for males aged 65 to 79 years. 

"It is likely that the benefit of tea drinking is more evident for the early stage of health deterioration. More studies are surely needed in regard to this issue."

Other factors seemed to reduce depression include living in an urban setting and being educated, married, financially comfortable, in better health and socially engaged.

One in Five deaths around the world due to Sepsis

11 million people around the world are dying from sepsis a year - one in five of all deaths - more than are killed by cancer.The overwhelming majority of cases (85%) are in low- and middle- income countries. Children were most at risk with four in 10 cases in children under the age of five. But there are around 48,000 deaths from sepsis in the UK each year.

Sepsis also known as blood poisoning, is caused by the immune system going into over-drive. Instead of just fighting an infection, it starts attacking other parts of the body too.Ultimately it causes organ failure. Even survivors can be left with long-term damage and disability.

Bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhoeal infections or lung diseases are the leading triggers of sepsis.Thus reducing the number of infections can reduce the number of cases of sepsis. For many countries, this means good sanitation, clean water and access to vaccines. And early treatment with antibiotics or anti-virals to clear an infection can make a massive difference.

Symptoms of sepsis:

In adults:

§  slurred speech

§  extreme shivering or muscle pain

§  passing no urine in a day

§  severe breathlessness

§  high heart rate and high or low body temperature

§  skin mottled or discoloured

In children:

§  a mottled, bluish or pale appearance

§  very lethargic or difficult to wake

§  abnormally cold to touch

§  breathing very fast

§  a rash that does not fade when you press it

§  a seizure or convulsion