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For those living with thalassemia minor, dietary choices can greatly impact their health and well-being.
However, with conflicting information and a wide range of foods to choose from, it can be difficult to determine what to eat and avoid.
This article aims to explore essential elements of a thalassemia minor diet. Further, it provides insights into making informed choices that support your health and manage your symptoms.
You may carry genes associated with inherited conditions and not develop the condition but may pass it to your children.
Thalassemia is a blood disorder inherited from parents.
In this disease, the body does not produce enough hemoglobin.
As a result, red blood cells (RBCs) don’t function properly in the body and last for a shorter period.
Due to the shortage of RBCs in the body, oxygen is not adequately transported to the organs.
People with thalassemia often experience shortness of breath and suffer from anemia.
Beta thalassemia, the more severe form of thalassemia, can be of two types: major and minor.
Of these, minor thalassemia patients do not show any symptoms and are often unaware that they have the condition.
May 8 is designated as World Thalassemia day.
People with thalassemia are encouraged to make healthier lifestyle choices to manage the disorder.
Patients with thalassemia are more prone to suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
They are often prescribed oral chelators for treatment that reduce appetite and make an individual nauseous.
It might lead to nutritional deficiency.
Chelation therapy also leads to the loss of certain minerals like zinc from the body.
Thalassemia patients are encouraged to include foods rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
A thalassemia diet should contain protein sources that are not high in iron.
It should also include foods rich in minerals like zinc and calcium that strengthen the bone.
But these foods should also be low in iron content.
Eggs, peanut butter, cheese, and soy are ideal proteins for thalassemia patients.
Over time, this may lead to bone deformities.
Milk, yogurt, cheese, and white beans can prevent calcium deficiency in thalassemia patients.
Milk fortified with vitamin D can be a good option for thalassemia patients.
If it is inadequate, supplements can be added after consulting your doctor.
Crabs, oysters, and peanuts are rich in zinc.
A diet low in iron is recommended for both transfused and non-transfused patients.
Transfusions can lead to iron accumulation in the liver.
Once the liver is saturated, iron accumulates in the heart and pituitary.
Too much iron in the diet can lead to health problems.
Thus it is necessary to avoid high amounts of iron in the diet.
Patients should avoid iron-rich red meat like beef and pork.
Other foods high in iron, like raisins, fava beans, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables, must be avoided.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Please consult a qualified medical practitioner before making any significant dietary changes.
People with thalassemia are often suggested to include some form of exercise in their daily routine.
Thalassemia patients can often find it very overwhelming to exercise daily.
Frequent blood transfusions can lead to chronic tiredness.
However, studies have shown that thalassemia patients are prone to muscle mass loss and osteoporosis.
That is why thalassemia patients can significantly benefit from regular exercise.
A little brisk walking can also be highly beneficial for the body.
Individuals diagnosed with thalassemia are considered to be at a higher risk for contracting infections, particularly if their spleen has been removed.
It's crucial for them to stay current with all their recommended vaccinations to minimize this risk.
More attention on vaccinations for the Hemophilus influenza B, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Neisseria meningitides bacteria is highly recommended.
Thalassemia is a blood disorder that is passed down from a parent to their child.
It is a common autosomal recessive disorder that affects 1 in every 100,000 individuals in the United States.
People affected by thalassemia minor are usually asymptomatic.
This disease is managed with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Thalassemia patients are prescribed a diet rich in calcium, zinc, and vitamin D-containing foods.
They include milk, yogurt, cheese, and peanut butter.
Avoiding iron is necessary as the disease makes it challenging to digest iron.
Besides a healthy diet, light yet regular exercise can also benefit thalassemia patients.
Regardless of what your fitness goals may be, aerobic capacity is an important metric to focus on. It determines how well your body can utilize oxygen. Simply put, the better the aerobic capacity, the longer you will be able to sustain exercises. Aerobic training not only helps achieve peak fitness but also improves cardiac health and respiratory functions. An individual's genetic makeup can determine up to 50% of their aerobic capacity by influencing factors such as antioxidant production, heart function, etc. The analysis of such genes and their variants can give a clearer idea of the kind of training you need to take on to achieve maximum results.
Aerobic capacity (AC) is the maximum amount of oxygen consumed while performing intense activities that involve large muscle groups.
It is also a measure of how effectively the heart and the lungs get oxygen to the muscles. Hence, improving your aerobic capacity can directly result in more efficient use of oxygen by the body.
The other term which is used to describe aerobic capacity is vO2 max.
However, the vO2 max also takes into consideration the individual's body weight.
One of the best ways to estimate your cardiovascular fitness is by calculating your aerobic capacity.
If you are in a fitness center, one of the following two techniques can be used to measure your AC
A simpler and less accurate way of measurement is a walk/run test.
This requires walking/running at the maximum speed you can and measuring your heart rate at the end of it.
With this measurement, you can use one of the many online calculators that are available to check your Aerobic Capacity.
For instance, the Rockport walk test is one such calculator that requires the input of your heart rate, time of the run/walk, and your weight to calculate your Aerobic Capacity.
Genes majorly control a lot of factors that have an association with the fitness levels of an individual.
According to a study in 2016, 155 genetic markers were found to be associated with better athletic performance, 93 of which were endurance-related markers, and the other 62 were power/strength related markers.
Polymorphisms of ACE, ADRB, ACTN3, PPARGC1A were one of the first genetic markers found to be associated with athletic performance.
There's another famous exercise genetics study conducted by a consortium of five universities in the United States and Canada revealed astonishing variation in the aerobic capacity among the 481 participants.
The study subjected its participants to identical stationary-bicycle training regimens with three workouts per week of increasing intensity under strict control in the lab.
The results
These can be attributed to the variants of genes like NRF1, NRF2, VEGF, PPARA, etc. that an individual carries.
The nuclear respiratory factor (NRF2) gene influences the vo2 max. NRF2 regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins and thus can influence the oxygen uptake.
| Genotype | Implication |
|---|---|
| AA | 57.5 % higher training response |
| CC | Normal training response |
Some genes affect a few secondary traits that exert influence on aerobic capacity.
For example, genetic variations in VEGF in the gene influence heart structure, size, and function. These have an impact on the stroke volume which is an important determinant of aerobic performance.
| Genotype | Implication |
|---|---|
| GG | Reduced aerobic performance |
| CC | Normal aerobic performance |
Genetics is only 50% of the fitness story.
The rest wires down to other factors like your lifestyle, your eating habits, and your training.
Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week is vital to ensure a longer healthier life
Augmenting your aerobic capacity can result in better blood and oxygen flow to muscles.
Therefore, this promotes faster recovery between sets and improves your flexibility.
Aerobic exercises include walking, running, cycling, swimming, and almost every other cardio workout.
When aerobic exercises are performed, your heart is trained to deliver more oxygen in a said span of time, and at the same time, your muscles are trained to utilize the oxygen delivered more efficiently.
To improve your aerobic capacity, it is important to understand how your body builds endurance.
It depends on the following three things:
When you train to increase all the above-mentioned variables, naturally the amount of blood and oxygen, reaching your muscles increase.
This, in turn, has a positive effect on your overall athletic performance.
Aerobic training usually, targets large muscle groups of your body that boost your heart rate for longer periods of time.
Some of the commonly recommended aerobic exercises include
Some of the aerobic exercises that you can do at home include:
If you are already not inspired to take up aerobics, take a look at the benefits you can acquire from aerobic training.
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On World No Diet Day we would like to elaborate on a way of eating that does not require any strict diets. Read on to learn more.
Cardiometabolic diseases include cardiovascular conditions such as heart attack, stroke, angina, and metabolic conditions like insulin resistance, type II diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Over the years, low-fat diets have been embraced due to their health effects. But emerging evidence shows that low-carb diets may be just as effective. Recent research has suggested that low-carb diets have been shown to improve cardiometabolic risk profile.
In the last 50 years, the medical community has encouraged low-fat diets to avoid the effects of saturated fats on the heart. So low-fat and fat-free foods have been majorly circulating on the grocery shelves; however, many of these foods happen to be high in processed carbs.
However, recently many studies and healthcare professionals have been challenging this thought process. This has led to the emergence of the ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high-fat diet, restricting intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, candies, and sweets.
Some versions may also limit healthy carb sources, such as grains, starchy vegetables, high-carb fruits, pasta, and legumes.
The diet is high in protein, fat, and healthy vegetables. They may increase good cholesterol levels and decrease blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
Other than helping with weight loss, low-carb diets increase good cholesterol levels, reduce blood sugar levels, lower triglyceride levels, and keep your metabolism in control.
Please note: Some harmful effects like fatigue, kidney stones, headache, loss in muscle tissue have been reported with low-carb diets. Consult a qualified nutritionist before making any significant dietary changes.
The Boston Children's Hospital led a large clinical trial to examine the effects of a low-carb diet on cardiometabolic disease risk.
The study included 164 adults who were overweight or obese. The participants had already lost 10-14 percent of their body weight by undergoing a reduced-calorie diet.
The participants were randomly assigned one of these three diets:
The participants received their customized meals, thus ensuring that all of them rigidly followed the protocol.
In all the prepared meals, saturated fats comprised 35% of the total fat present. In the low-carb meal, saturated fat contributed to 21% of the calories, and in the high-carb meal, it contributed to 7% of the calories.
Compared to the lower-fat higher-carb diets, the low-carb diet had the following benefits:
Though this study was done on adults, the researchers say that low-carb diets may benefit children too. In fact, pediatric cardiologists are also starting to embrace low-carb diets.
As one of the essential vitamins required for proper nerve function and red blood cell production, vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious consequences for your health.
While it is often associated with conditions such as anemia and neurological disorders, recent studies have suggested a potential link between vitamin B12 deficiency and cancer.
In this article, we explore whether vitamin B12 deficiency can be a sign of cancer and what you can do to ensure you're getting enough of this important nutrient.
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin naturally present in some foods.
The recommended dietary intake (RDI) of vitamin B12 varies based on age:
Vitamin B12 is a crucial vitamin required for many important functions in the body.
Any shortfall in vitamin B12 intake can result in its deficiency.
Causes
There are several reasons why you can develop vitamin B12 deficiency:
Symptoms
When you are deficient in vitamin B12, you can become anemic. A mild deficiency may not cause any symptoms. However, leaving it untreated can cause symptoms like:
In severe cases of vitamin B12 deficiency, you may develop memory loss, depression, and experience behavioral changes.
A few medical conditions that can increase your risk of developing B12 deficiency are:
Vitamin B12 deficiency can affect:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is not typically considered a sign of cancer on its own, but it can sometimes be a symptom of certain types of cancer.
In particular, cancers that affect the stomach, small intestine, or pancreas can interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12, leading to a deficiency.
This is because vitamin B12 is absorbed in the gut, and certain types of cancer can affect the cells that produce intrinsic factors, a protein that is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12.
Additionally, some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, can also cause a vitamin B12 deficiency.
While some studies report that an increase in vitamin B12 levels is associated with lung cancer, others have found that a deficiency of the vitamin may increase the risk of gastric cancer.
A controlled study published in 2017 found that people with low vitamin B12 levels developed cancer 10 years after their blood collection.
So, while there is some evidence that vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to cancer, it is too early to state it conclusively.
While vitamin B12 deficiency alone is not an indicator of cancer, it is important to monitor your B12 levels and speak with your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms of deficiency, especially if you have a personal or family history of cancer.
Vitamin B21 deficiency is said to `increase the risk of developing non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma by 5.8 times.
Vitamin B12 plays a role in the development of red blood cells.
A deficiency of this vitamin can cause significant changes in the bone marrow, which can mimic acute leukemia, a serious condition.
So, while vitamin B12 deficiency can give rise to a similar clinical picture as leukemia, it does not cause the condition.
The relationship between vitamin B12 levels and cancer is poorly understood.
However, several studies show that elevated vitamin B12 can be used as a marker for various types of cancers, especially hematological cancers.
More research is required in this field to conclusively prove that B12 can be a reliable tumor marker for diagnosing certain cancers.
Research states that a deficiency in vitamins like folate, B12, B6, C, and D, and minerals like iron and zinc can contribute to DNA damage and lead to cancer risk.
Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency may promote metastasis (or spread) of some types of breast cancer.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is found to be more common among vegetarians and vegans.
Regardless of your food preferences, here are some foods that can help you meet your vitamin B2 requirements:
Over the years, contraception has become the equivalent of necessary primary healthcare.
Contraception helps prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Physical contraception like condoms can protect users from sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and syphilis.
However, there is a significant disparity regarding contraceptive options for men and women.
While women can choose between fem shields, oral pills, or IUDs, men have limited options.
Why do we have no male contraception, despite advances in healthcare?
Could the possibility of developing male contraception lie in our genes?
Let's find out.
Unlike females, men have only two contraceptive options: condoms and vasectomy.
Many have argued that men might not be trusted to take the pill.
However, why we don’t have male contraception might be simpler than that.
Safe and reversible male contraception is much more challenging than a female contraceptive.
Women produce just one egg every month, and it is easier to stop ovulation.
On the contrary, men make a thousand sperm every second, and it is much more complicated to prevent spermatogenesis.
Women stop ovulating during pregnancy, a natural bodily process.
Lowering hormone levels can trick the body into thinking that the woman is pregnant, which will prevent ovulation.
However, no natural state of the body might prevent spermatogenesis.
So the bottom line is male contraception is harder to make.
Scientists have identified a gene that can pave the way for discovering a non-hormonal, reversible male contraceptive.
The ARRDC5 gene is found in the testicular tissues of both humans and other mammals.
Suppressing this gene can result in deformed sperm that cannot fertilize the ovum.
Studies show that this gene contains instructions to produce a protein required for average sperm production.
Disrupting this protein would not require hormonal interference, a major hurdle in developing a male contraceptive pill.
Since testosterone is also responsible for bone density and RBC production, blocking it could affect normal body functions.
ARRDC gene suppression could be a good contraception option for men since it appears to have good reversibility.
The ARRDC5 gene is required for normal sperm morphogenesis (a process that ensures the production of fertilizing sperm).
Lack of this gene causes a condition called oligoasthenoteratospermia or OAT. It is a common diagnosis of male infertility.
In this condition, the sperms show slowed movement and distorted shape and cannot fertilize the egg.
Studies show that male mice lacking this gene produced 98% distorted sperm that moved 2.8 times slower than normal sperm.
Therefore, this gene is required for average sperm production.
Compared to women, men have very few options for contraception.
The main reason for this disparity is that male contraception is much more challenging to develop.
In women, inhibiting estrogen prevents ovulation without having significant side effects.
But in men, inhibiting testosterone could affect other physiological functions like forming red blood cells and building bone mass.
Scientists have discovered a gene called ARRDC5 in the testes that plays a crucial role in normal sperm formation.
Inhibiting this gene can result in distorted sperm formation, which will not be able to fertilize the ovum.
This method appears safe and reversible, requiring no hormonal disruptions.
World Asthma Day Special.
Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with asthma.
In the sample report below, we've attempted to analyze some important genes that increase the risk of asthma.
You can identify your genetic risk of asthma by using your 23andMe DNA data and placing an order for the Gene Health Report.
Asthma is a long-term (chronic) inflammatory condition that causes the tightening of the airway muscles.
The inflammation of the airways causes them to swell up and triggers mucus production, which results in their narrowing.
As a result, the individual finds breathing difficult, makes a whistling sound when breathing out, and experiences shortness of breath.
Asthma affects adults and children and is one of the most common chronic diseases in children.
For some people, asthma is a minor issue, but for many others, it is a major problem that may impact their daily routine and quality of life.
Though asthma cannot be cured, its symptoms can be effectively managed with appropriate measures.
Image: Asthma triggers
It is still unclear why some individuals are prone to asthma while others are not.
The cause of asthma is complex and is more likely due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Researchers believe that the development of asthma may have a genetic component, as having a family member with the condition may increase the individual’s risk for it.
Allergies may play a role in the development of asthma.
People with asthma must know what triggers a flare-up or asthma attack.
A few common asthma triggers include:
Genetics is one of the strongest risk factors for developing asthma.
However, it is essential to understand that having a genetic predisposition does not necessarily mean one will develop the condition.
People with no family history may also develop asthma.
There is plenty of research underway to determine the complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors that result in asthma development.
No single causative gene has been identified for asthma.
So far, research has identified various gene complexes that may play a significant role in the development of asthma. These include DPP1, GRPA, and SPINK5 genes.
If only one parent has asthma, there is a 25% chance that the child will develop the condition.
If both parents have asthma, the risk of developing the condition increases to 50%.
It has been estimated that children are three times more likely to develop asthma if their mothers have it and 2.5 times more likely if their fathers have it.
The likelihood of identical twins developing asthma is higher than non-identical twins.
Other than genetics, environmental factors play a role in asthma as well.
Image: Impact of asthma on breathing
Risk factors increase an individual’s chances of developing a condition.
A few factors that may increase your risk of developing asthma are:
While there's no way to prevent asthma, there are some steps you can take to manage and prevent asthma attacks
People with the condition must avoid trigger factors to prevent an asthma attack.
It is very important to always keep your inhaler with you to manage symptoms in case of a flare-up.
