Eating soy can ease the symptoms of inflfl ammatory bowel disease, study finds

Soy is found in edamame beans, specialist milks, tofu and sauces, as well as meat substitutes.

Mail Online 

• Soy protein eases weight loss and enlarged spleens in ulcerative colitis mice

• Protective effects also occured when the protein was given to human bowel cells

• Human trials should be easy as the protein is easily available in meat

Adding soy to your diet could ease painful infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms.

Researchers have found adding the staple bean to a sufferer's repertoire may improve symptoms of weight loss and an enlarged spleen, which both commonly occur in the gut disorders.

The most common forms of IBD are Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD).

UC affects the colon and rectum, and has a prevalence of around 146,000 people in the UK. 

CD is often considered the more severe form of the disease as it can cause infl ammation at any point in the gut. It affects at least 115,000 people in the UK.

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University induced mice with a condition similar to UC.

They then added a soy-protein concentrate into their diet and removed other protein sources.

Study author Amy Wopperer, said: 'Soy-protein concentrate mitigates markers of colonic inflammation and loss of gut barrierfunction in the mice with induced IBD.'

Loss of gut function in a so-called 'leaky gut' prevents the proper absorption of nutrients and can cause particles to escape into the bloodstream, provoking symptoms.

The mice were given a soy-protein concentrate of 12 percent, which was based on the amount humans generally consume.

Study author Zachary Bitzer,said: 'We didn't want to get carried away with using doses that were really high and would crowd out all the other protein that was there.

'Instead, we wanted to find a scenario that was going to fit into a more human-relevant situation.'

Protective effects were also seen when the concentrate was given to cultured human bowel cells.

The researchers believe the study's findings, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry,will translate well to humans in future trials as soy protein is widely available as a meat substitute.

Dr Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science, said:'Since it is already out there commercially, that makes it more straightforward.'

This comes after researchers from Ghent University found that swapping dairy for soy could substantially reduce your cancer risk.

Among those eating a soy-rich diet, the risk of developing colon cancer was reduced by 44 percent in women and 40 percent in men.

Women who swapped dairy for soy had a 42 percent lesser risk of getting stomach cancer, while men's risk was reduced by 29 percent.

Cutting out dairy also lessened men's prostate cancer risk by 30 percent.

ျမ၀တီေန႔စဥ္သတင္းစာ စာ(၂၀)

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Saving tigers

= Maung Than Weik =

If we can travel 100 years back wards we will see up to 100,000 tigers ruling the forests and grasslands of Asia including Myanmar, but sadly, and also alarmingly, the total population of the surviving lords of the jungle today is from 3,000 to 4500 only.That means we have lost 97 percent of the big cats during a century. And shamefully, even some of the areas thought to be well protected sanctuaries are included in the forests where tiger populations have been totally wiped out.

Historically the range of tiger habitats ran from Turkey through Siberia, China, and South and Southeast Asia till reaching the far eastern shorelines of the Asian continent. But nowadays, only South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East remain as their last frontiers.

In the wild the total body length of a tiger may reach up to 11 feet (3.38 m) over curves, and a body weight of up to 857 lb (388.7 kg). The largest of all the cat species its most notable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish orange fur with a lighter underside.

Distinct from their many feline cousins, tigers are excellent swimmers who can cross rivers up to 4.3 miles (7 km) in width. They can swim up to 18 miles (29 km) in a day and also love immersing in ponds, lakes or rivers as it keeps them cool in the heat of the day. Sometimes, tigers even kill prey while swimming and can carry the carcass through the water.

Normally, tigers in the wild favor hoofed mammals weighing not less than 200 pounds (90 kg) and typically prey on large and medium-sized animals. These predators enjoy devouring creatures like wild boar, various species of deer, gaur, wild water buffalo, domestic buffalo and cattle. In some cases other predators like wild dogs, leopards, pythons, bears and crocodiles fall prey to the Lord of Jungle. Naturally, tigers do not pose any harmful effect on their prey populations.

As ambush predators, tigers apply the tactic of using their body weight in knocking its prey down to the ground, and killing it with a bite to the neck. Mostly they hunt at night as they are more active in the dark. As these big cats can survive in various habitats they are found in tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands, mangrove swamps, grasslands, savannahs and rocky terrains.

Basically, the lords of jungle are solo hunters, and live with their companion or family only during mating season or when females bear young. Normally, they are territorial predators living in their marked large home ranges. But nowadays, they are forced to compete for space with dense and often growing human populations. Across their ranges, tigers face unrelenting pressure from poaching, retaliatory killings and habitat loss that has significantly reduced their numbers in the wild.

Although poaching may be the main cause of the tiger population decline, other major culprits include habitat destruction and habitat fragmentation.

Now the world has become aware of the problem and many countries, organizations, forums, gatherings and individuals have dedicated their efforts in saving the last remaining tigers in the wild and increasing their population.

As for Myanmar it has established tiger sanctuaries including Hukaung reserve and Tamanthi reserve in cooperation with global partners. Anyhow, the danger of extinction still looms high despite the ongoing and enhanced global efforts to safe these proud predators once wrongfully seen as an enemy of humans.

Dr. Barney Long, a WWF Asian Species Expert, once said “Saving tigers is simple. All they need is enough prey, space and protection. The difficult part is securing unswerving long-term commitment from the world to save this species.”

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Hazards of betel nut chewing

= Nadi Nain =

No one exactly knows when Myanmar people started chewing betel nut but this habit today is causing more harm than good for the society.

Anyhow everyone knows that this nasty habit is growing among Myanmar people and the business of selling betel nuts for chewing is prospering. We can find vendors selling this product in every corner of towns and cities.

Many people in spite of knowing the fact that betel nut chewing is harmful make excuses to continue addicted to this habit. So, why people like betel nut. There are many reasons. People chew betel nut for various reasons. They chew it because they like it, or because they are addicted to it, or because they believe it has medical properties. Moreover, some accept betel chewing as a traditional practice, or a lifestyle of their society, or as a way to overcome stress and pressures resulting from economic and personal problems, or as an agent providing relaxation or energy while going through a hard time, or as a means to quit smoking or other harmful addictions, or as an adventure especially among teens.

And finally, there are people who say they just love to chew betel nut because it gives them pleasure and makes them feel good.Whatever the reason may be, betel chewing is a bad habit that is very difficult to give up.

Preparing a betel nut is very easy. First, few pieces of the betel nut or areca nut are wrapped in a betel leaf along with slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) and other stuffs for additional aroma.

Various forms of this product -- betel leaf with areca nut and slaked lime; betel leaf with areca nut, slaked lime and tobacco; betel leaf with tobacco, but without any areca nut; betel leaf with areca nut and other spices or ingredients, but without tobacco; betel leaf with areca nut, tobacco and other spices or ingredients – are available of the streets everywhere.

Other substances are often added to the betel quid, in particular spices, such as cardamom, saffron, cloves, aniseed, turmeric, mustard or sweeteners according to local preferences.

On the other hand, research has revealed some serious health risks of betel nut. The World Health Organization categorizes betel nut as a carcinogen that tends to produce a cancer. Many studies have shown a credible link between betel nut chewing and cancer of the mouth and esophagus. Betel nut consumers are also at a higher risk for oral submucuous fibrosis. This incurable condition can cause stiffness in the mouth and eventually the loss of jaw movement.

Other studies have found a strong connection between betel nut and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Regular chewing of betel nut can also cause gum irritation and tooth decay. Teeth may become permanently stained deep red or even black.

Betel nut may interact with other drugs or herbal supplements, causing toxic reactions in the body or reducing the effects of medications. More testing is needed to determine just how betel nut affects other drugs. Regular betel nut use may also lead to dependency and withdrawal symptoms.

Betel nut chewing also makes towns and cities dirty especially in countries like Myanmar where indiscriminate spitting is common. It’s loathsome to see betel nut stains and rubbish all over Yangon city. Moreover, the spittle is unhygienic and has led to rising rates of airborne diseases including tuberculosis that has developed itself into drug resistant species.

But the good news in Myanmar is that campaigners are pushing to ban spitting in public, in a country where people chew and spit betel nuts, leaving red stains on buildings and public property.

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In the final days of summer

In the final days of summer

 
= Nadi Nain =

We have been living under high temperatures feeling the intense summer heat day and night, amidst the discouraging reports that final days of this dry season will take longer than usual.

As the blazing sun has dried up many water resources including village water supply lakes, water holes and creeks, a number of regions, especially those in the arid zone of the country are facing water shortages.

People in the cities like Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay too are suffering from the extraordinary heat of this abnormal summer, with no monsoon rains in sight yet.

Despite the rising temperatures people have to leave their homes almost daily for work which makes them exposed to the burning sun that according to experts is coming to the Mother Earth together with ultraviolet rays.

So, most of the people going out in the open space are protecting themselves from these harmful rays with the help of an umbrella. In fact, the umbrella is the best ultraviolet ray protector for everyone. Moreover people need to wear cloths of light color or white color to adapt themselves to the extreme weather conditions. Dark colors absorb heat, and make you feel hotter. You should prefer loose-fitting clothes that allow for more air circulation than fit or tight ones. Longyi (saroung) is the best outer garment of the lower body part for Myanmar people. But if you want to wear trousers the baggy ones are suitable for this season. Choose natural fabrics like cotton or linen for coolness (though knit dresses aren’t terrible). Besides, breathable fabrics like cotton and linen are the best to wear in hot summer months.

People need to drink more water these days as the sweat excretion rate is high for ever person when the weather is terribly hot. So, potable water has become more important as a person normally needs to drink two to three liters of water every day depending on his lifestyle or the nature of his occupation. If you work in an air-conditioned environment and follow a sedentary lifestyle, you should not drink more than two to 2.5 liters of water per day. For moderate workers, for instance salespersons, it is important to drink around three liters of water. During summers, keep yourself hydrated by drinking water at regular intervals. If you don’t suffer from diabetes or blood pressure, having electrolyte or glucose water is also advisable.

Some reports say El Nino is raising its ugly head again and because of this phenomenon the current year will see changes in the weather patterns. The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) occurs in the Pacific Ocean but plays an important part in the world’s climate system. A new study suggests that droughts and floods driven by El Nino will be more intense. The El Nino phenomenon

plays a complicated role in the global weather system. It can also prolong the summer. Additionally, the long summer months and the intense heat may also produce violent storms in the seas.

As the rise in temperatures is on the march, the best and only thing people should do is to the take preventive measures such as taking bath only in the morning hours (not later than 10 am), staying in cool or shady places, wearing light cloths, drinking more water, avoid staying under the sun so long and so on.

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The symbol of friendship

The symbol of friendship

= Nadi Nain =

One more friendship bridge appears, and this time it is on the mighty Mekong a natural watercourse skirting Myanmar in her easternmost section that is a part of the Golden Triangle Region. This is the first ever Myanmar bridge on this trans boundary river passing through six countries before emptying into South China Sea.

Linking Myanmar with Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia with much economic prospects the friendship bridge will benefit not only the two friendly neighbors, but also the whole Greater Mekong Sub region and beyond.

Sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam, and also bordering Myanmar and China in the north and Cambodia in the south, Laos is a hydro power importer of the region, selling electricity mainly to Thailand, Vietnam and China.

The bridge formally inaugurated by Myanmar President U Thein Sein and his Laotian counterpart Mr. Choummaly Sayasone, is an outcome of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy meeting held in Yangon in October 2003. At the meeting Vietnam proposed a northern economic corridor linking Myanmar and Vietnam via Laos.

Accordingly, the bridge will become an important facility on this economic corridor between Haiphong port in Vietnam and the deep-sea port in Kyaukphyu of Myanmar, with non-coastal Laos as the- in between.

A number of bridges have already been erected on this legendary river by other countries along its basin. But this newly commissioned facility stands as an obvious accomplishment in the history of cooperation between the governments of Laos and Myanmar as well as a catalyst for increasing their bilateral trade volume.

Additionally, it bears witness to the strengthening amity, cooperation, trust and understanding between the two ASEAN member states.

The governments of Laos and Myanmar reached an agreement on building the bridge during President U Thein Sein’s offi cial good will visit to Laos in March 2012. The project started in February 2013 after a groundbreaking ceremony. The construction of the 691.6 meters long and 10.9 meters wide bridge took roundabout 30 months and completed five months ahead of the target date.

The bridge capable of withstanding 75 tons of loads per vehicle was built at a cost of USD $ 26 million. It was a joint project between Myanmar and Laos with each country contributing 50 percent of the cost.

The overpass is located between Houay Koum village, approximately 13-km north from Xiangkok village, Long district, Luang Namtha province of Laos, and Kenglap, Thachilek district, eastern Shan State of Myanmar.

A momentous historic landmark between the two nations sharing a 230-kilometer long common border in their remote areas, the bridge will also help create cross-border trade and ease transportation between the two nations in particular and their neighbors, including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh and India in general.

As for the locals, they do not need to rely solely on ferry boats to cross the river as in the past. The friendship bridge has opened up a speedy and smooth transport of goods and passengers between the two neighbors and also acted as a springboard for development of the remote area where it is located.

Finally, the friendship bridge is a milestone and a symbol of the 60-year old friendly diplomatic relations between the two countries which was established in July 1955.

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