A new research has revealed that Indian yellow spice saffron may help people to keep their vision sharp.

The new study pointed out that saffron is an effectual weapon to prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the commonest cause of blindness in the elderly.

The discovery is timely as it is believed that the number of AMD patienets will increase threefold by the next 25 years. There is no treatment available to cure the condition.

Aiming the administering of an additional polio vaccine to approximately 70 lakh kids below 5-years, the second phase of the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation campaign was started across Tamil Nadu on February 7.

A total of 40,399 polio booths were established in schools, government hospitals, primary health centres, Anganwadis, bus stands, railroad terminals as well as tourist spots to administer polio drops to kids.

The government on Friday launched a four-year medical course to cater to the rural parts of the country, with the aim to fill the urban-rural void in medical services,

The truncated course focuses to produce 1.45 lakh rural doctors, health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

With majority of MBBS doctors disagreeing to work in India's most far flung and remote areas, the Medical Council of India and Union health ministry's ambitious project -- the Bachelor of Rural Medicine and Surgery (BRMS) grabbed back from a dozens of experts who had gathered in Delhi for a two-day national consultancy.

Washington, Feb 7 : Hot springs, sweat lodges, and pricey spas around the world are becoming increasingly popular as they offer "sweat wraps" and other techniques claimed to detoxify and purify the body. However, experts have challenged the idea that human body can sweat out toxins.

According to Live Science, sweating is the body''s method of regulating its temperature.

Because humans are warm-blooded, our bodies need a way to control excess heat.

When the body gets too hot, it releases water via sweat glands, which in turn cools the skin and body through evaporation.

The country continues to reel under the outbreak of pandemic H1N1 virus, which has sniffed life out of 1,263 people in India thus far. The lethal virus claimed four more lives in two states.

Of these casualties, two demises have been reported during the day in Maharashtra, while two deaths were reported from Rajasthan.

In the meantime, the highly contagious virus continued to circulate unabated and inflicted thirty people across the country on the same day.

With the intention to offer healthcare facilities to millions of rail travelers and people living in regions beside railway tracks, the health ministry has signed up a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the railway ministry to set up over 480 health care facilities at major stations across India.

The healthcare facilities, which include 351 diagnostic centres, 88 second-level medical units plus 41 multi-specialty medical facilities, could also be utilized as trauma centres for mishaps, emergencies and natural calamities.

Three more people - all in Gujarat - died of swine flu, taking the state's toll to 242, health functionaries said.

According to Health Department officials, Patel (55) and Solanki (50) lost their lives at Civil Hospital on Tuesday and the third fatality, Joshna Ramanlal, took place at the hospital on Monday.

In the meantime, 19 new cases were tested positive in the state, taking the number of people affected with the contagious influenza to 1,289.

Boston Scientific Corp. finally reached a settlement of three patent disputes with Johnson & Johnson. According to the settlement, Boston Scientific will have to make a $1.73 billion payment to J&J.

The disputes originated in 2003. The three patents on which both the companies have dispute, are Boston Scientific's Jang patent and J&J's Palmaz and Gray patents. All these patents involve intellectual property in the cardiovascular arena. The Settlement is being seen as an effort by Boston Scientific to reduce litigation risk.

What seemed to be a heaven's grant for the U. S., France, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Canada is finally being conferred to Sweden. In lieu of Yoga and Ayurveda the areas of geriatric care, mental health and diagnostics would be taken care of. An outline convention for the alcoholics and throughout registration of the pregnant ladies is their primary motif.

Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer that affects children, usually below the age of five. Approximately one child in every 15,000 is affected by this cancer.

Proclaiming the collaboration of Narayana Netralaya and Toronto-based Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids India is moving leaps and bounds for child care. The objective is to diagnose, cure and check the capacity for genetic analysis and help in predicting chances of other members of the family being affected by retinoblastoma.

The Obama administration proposed a 9 percent increase in funding for global health needs in its fiscal 2011 budget, pledging to spend more to combat preventable diseases and reduce deaths among women and children at a time when it is tightening its belt elsewhere.

President Barack Obama's request totals $9.6 billion for funds for the State Department, the US Agency for International Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Defense Department, the White House said. That compares with $8.8 billion enacted for fiscal 2010.

Bangalore-based Narayana Nethralaya has signed up a collaborative deal with 'Hospital for Sick Children' (Sick Kids) in Toronto, Canada with the intention to fight against retinoblastoma and save kids from becoming blind.

Retinoblastoma is an uncommon eye cancer type that affects kids, generally aged below 5. Around one child in every 15000, is suffers from Retinoblastoma.

The deal is facilitated by Healthy Kids International, a SickKids Organisation that backed up various global projects.

During the Indo-Sweden health week, Indian health authorities will offer up its proficiency in Ayurveda and yoga to Sweden.

Swedish Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health Maria Larsson and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad kicked off Indo-Swedish Health Week on Monday.

Mr. Azad stated that countries such as France, Brazil, Chile, Canada, United States and Argentina have already asked for trainers and trained manpower in this field.

A research by a team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute has now shown that the ageing in stem cells may be reversible. Stem cells, which are used to replace mature cells lost to wounds, diseases and everyday wear and tear, loose their function by ageing.

The research conducted shows that a several-week exposure to old mice to the blood of young mice causes their bone marrow stem cells to begin to act like young ones. The researchers are yet to isolate the blood-borne factors that can rejuvenate old stem cells.

Ecstasy a common drug amongst the party-goers has recently caught attention. It currently tops the charts in Britain as one of the most dangerous Class A drugs, alongside heroin and cocaine. Also, the sole reason of death amongst the youngsters. This drug is a close companion of amphetamine. It increases wakefulness and raises the focus level to manifolds, simultaneously decreasing the appetite and fatigue.

Serious health concerns have been aroused as in a span of 11 years as 605 people died after intake of ecstasy. To add woes, most were aged between16 to 24.

Death- A perennial thought which often haunts an individual post sixties.

That’s right! For all the retired and ageing people, exercise is the only way to stimulate your dropping dead brain. Studies have shown that regular dose of aerobic activity not only eradicate the problems with thinking and memory that often come with age, but it can actually help turn back the clock on brain ageing. Researches performed on ageing individuals showed that intense aerobic activities such as yoga, brisk walk etc for six months showed mental improvement and further likelihood of developing mild cognitive impairment was also reduced.

Well …..The above statement is a possibility in near future with the advent of new magnetometer. This device works as a scanner and detects the magnetic variations occurring in the heart. These cardiovascular variations are detected by the device which helps in demonstrating the condition of the patient’s heart.

Philanthropy a synonym with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seems to bestow upon all the unprivileged children of poor countries. This was supported by a charitable donation of $10 billion (£6 billion).

According to recent reports, seven more fatalities in recent days in three states have taken the Indian death toll because of deadly H1N1 flu thus far to 1221.

Out of seven casualties, four have been reported from Gujarat, two from Maharashtra and one from Madhya Pradesh, the state authorities to the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare stated.

The total number of demises also comprised four deaths, - three in Gujarat and one in Maharashtra, informed yesterday when the health ministry did not publish its daily report.

European scientists are urging for curbs on the use of Ginkgo biloba, a herbal medication, owing to health worries.

In a fresh statement, they mention growing scientific facts that Ginkgo may raise the threat of seizures in people suffering from epilepsy and could lessen the potency of anti-seizure medicines.

The report published in the Journal of 'Natural Products' also hints that the herb may have harmful effects in other people after eating raw or roasted Ginkgo seed or drinking tea prepared from Ginkgo leaves.