Much has happened in my country since my last post.
Matters of Race and Religion, pronouncements by state leaders, all affected the minority citizens of my country.
In the course of my future postings I shall keep those concerned senior citizens of the world some insight of the harsh realities of our world today.
Malaysia a secular State
The statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister in this 50th year of Merdeka that Malaysia has never been a secular state is startling as it ignores the undisputed constitutional history of the country as well as the social contract by which the multi racial and multi-religious people of this nation came together.
The Federal Constitution was a carefully thought out, carefully negotiated document that evolved after much debate and discussion. Some historical context is necessary. In 1956, Tunku Abdul Rahman had headed a Merdeka Mission to London to negotiate for independence. The negotiations were conducted by 4 representatives of the Malay Rulers, 4 representatives of the then Alliance Government and representatives of the British Government. The Reid Commission was then appointed to draft a constitution for independent Malaya. The Reid Commission held 118 meetings in Malaya. It met a wide cross-section of people and organisations and received 131 memoranda.
One of the striking features of the Reid Commission report and the Federal Constitution is the inter-communal compromises. These compromises were essentially the result of proposals set out in a memorandum by the then Alliance party which had in turn been vigorously debated over many months by a core group from UMNO, MCA, and MIC under Tunku's chairmanship. The Alliance Memorandum referred to the issue of religion as follows:
"The religion of Malaya shall be Islam. The observance of this principle shall not impose any disability on non-Muslim nationals professing and practising their own religion, and shall not imply that the State is not a secular State." (Emphasis added)
Subsequent to the issuance of the Reid Report, further reviews were carried out by a Working Party that again consisted of representatives from the Malay rulers, the Alliance party and the British Government. The Alliance party set up its own sub-committee chaired by its then deputy president, Datuk Abdul Razak. Again the Alliance maintained its position that they had no intention of creating a Muslim theocracy and that Malaya would be a secular State. A white paper subsequently issued by the British Government in June 1957 confirmed this by stating "This will in no way affect the present position of the Federation as a secular State".
Since then Tunku himself, respected Academics, and our own Supreme Court in 1988 have reiterated in one way or another that we are a secular State and not an Islamic State. Thus for more than 40 years (until 2001), no-one had suggested that Malaysia is an Islamic State.
One has to only look at the Articles in the Federal Constitution, our system of government and the administration of justice to know that we are not an Islamic State. The Civil Courts set up under the Constitution dispense secular justice on a daily basis to all the citizens of this country. Secular law governs contracts, commerce, international relations and trade and every aspect of the lives of a citizen. Islamic law governs specific matters set out in the Federal Constitution in relation to persons professing Islam.
In the context of our history and the Constitution itself that proclaims its supremacy, it is the Bar Council's view that there is no doubt whatsoever that Malaysia is a secular state and not an Islamic state. It is noteworthy that the Prime Minister in his speech delivered at the conference yesterday and in his propagating Islam Hadhari has never referred to Malaysia as an Islamic State.
It is time that the proposition that Malaysia is not secular, (which is a rewriting of the Constitution), be put to rest once and for all and that there is due recognition and reaffirmation of the clear legal and constitutional position that Malaysia is, and has always been, a secular State.
Ambiga Sreenevasan
President
Malaysian Bar
18 July 2007
Friday, November 2, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Ageing is a natural process
Ageing is a natural process....just as you go to bed at night to rest your tired body, and wake up fresh as a daisy in the morning, fully rested. Some age better than others....just as one who knows how to take full advantage of restful sleep to savour the best of the next day!
The benefits of research
Science is beginning to uncover some of the secrets of ageing and the pace of research is hotting up. But don't worry that research will produce a nightmare world in which we all linger longer in a state of advanced decrepitude - the goal of most of this research is to improve the quality of our later years. Already, we're living longer than ever before.
One of the important advances is to get rid of the fatalistic idea that we're simply programmed to die when our time is up. This idea has always been hard to square with the fact that even in old age the body does its very best to keep itself alive. If we were programmed to self-destruct after three score years and ten, the programming seems pretty clumsy. There are neater ways to die than ageing.
Why we age
The reason we age and die is not that death serves any biological purpose. In past times when lifespans were so much shorter, our genes didn't evolve to keep us going indefinitely. When life was brutal and short, you were more likely to be cut down in your prime by an infection or an accident. There was no point in building bodies that might last forever. We live, biologically speaking, with bodies that were designed for the Stone Age rather than the 21st century.
How we age
What this tells us about the ageing process is very important. As we live our lives, all kinds of things begin to go wrong within the cells of our bodies. We have billions of cells. It takes a long time for the damage to build up to a level where it may harm us. But build up it does - in time we can no longer overlook it. The fibres of protein that make our skin and artery walls elastic go through changes that lead to loss of that vital flexibility. The DNA strands inside our cells get damaged, too. The cells' energy production systems may ultimately fail.
Odd things about ageing
One of the unusual things about ageing is that although we know it will catch up with us eventually, we don't know exactly what lies in store. Some of us may keep our mental faculties largely intact until we're over 100. Others will suffer from dementia. Some of us will still be able to get about - others with conditions like arthritis will find it more difficult.
How ageing will affect us is partly down to luck - where the damage strikes first and hardest. Some of it's down to genes and some of it will be affected by how we choose to live our lives. Researchers are beginning to look at the genetic contribution to ageing, linked with the human genome project.
Longevity
Long life tends to run in families. Longer lived parents tend, on the average, to have longer lived children. The risk of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's, appears also to have a genetic component. Understanding how genes affect ageing will help us to understand how the ageing process unfolds.
As with all new research that seeks to harness the incredible power of genetic analysis, we mustn't abuse the knowledge that will come. Luckily it appears that the genetics of ageing can tell us only part of what may affect each of us as we grow old.
(This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in May 2005.First published in March 2000.)
The benefits of research
Science is beginning to uncover some of the secrets of ageing and the pace of research is hotting up. But don't worry that research will produce a nightmare world in which we all linger longer in a state of advanced decrepitude - the goal of most of this research is to improve the quality of our later years. Already, we're living longer than ever before.
One of the important advances is to get rid of the fatalistic idea that we're simply programmed to die when our time is up. This idea has always been hard to square with the fact that even in old age the body does its very best to keep itself alive. If we were programmed to self-destruct after three score years and ten, the programming seems pretty clumsy. There are neater ways to die than ageing.
Why we age
The reason we age and die is not that death serves any biological purpose. In past times when lifespans were so much shorter, our genes didn't evolve to keep us going indefinitely. When life was brutal and short, you were more likely to be cut down in your prime by an infection or an accident. There was no point in building bodies that might last forever. We live, biologically speaking, with bodies that were designed for the Stone Age rather than the 21st century.
How we age
What this tells us about the ageing process is very important. As we live our lives, all kinds of things begin to go wrong within the cells of our bodies. We have billions of cells. It takes a long time for the damage to build up to a level where it may harm us. But build up it does - in time we can no longer overlook it. The fibres of protein that make our skin and artery walls elastic go through changes that lead to loss of that vital flexibility. The DNA strands inside our cells get damaged, too. The cells' energy production systems may ultimately fail.
Odd things about ageing
One of the unusual things about ageing is that although we know it will catch up with us eventually, we don't know exactly what lies in store. Some of us may keep our mental faculties largely intact until we're over 100. Others will suffer from dementia. Some of us will still be able to get about - others with conditions like arthritis will find it more difficult.
How ageing will affect us is partly down to luck - where the damage strikes first and hardest. Some of it's down to genes and some of it will be affected by how we choose to live our lives. Researchers are beginning to look at the genetic contribution to ageing, linked with the human genome project.
Longevity
Long life tends to run in families. Longer lived parents tend, on the average, to have longer lived children. The risk of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's, appears also to have a genetic component. Understanding how genes affect ageing will help us to understand how the ageing process unfolds.
As with all new research that seeks to harness the incredible power of genetic analysis, we mustn't abuse the knowledge that will come. Luckily it appears that the genetics of ageing can tell us only part of what may affect each of us as we grow old.
(This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in May 2005.First published in March 2000.)
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Early to bed.....may save your life
For Some, Restful Sleep Can Be Lifesaving
A good night's sleep is vital to everyone's good health. But for some people who are severely depressed, good sleep literally may be lifesaving.
Recent research has found that people who attempt suicide are much more likely to experience sleep disturbances than other members of the general population. Sleep disorders such as insomnia may contribute to feelings of despair or clouded judgment associated with suicide.
People who think of killing themselves often experience overpowering feelings of despair, hopelessness and isolation. Such intense feelings are considered abnormal reactions to normal events in life such as loss, disappointment, rejection or failure. In addition, stressful events may trigger the extreme emotions that can lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
The intensity of these feelings may be coupled with the disturbances produced by sleep disorders such as nightmares. Nightmares are frightening dreams that occur later in the sleep period and cause a person to awaken with a lingering sense of fear or anxiety. Suicidal associations were also seen with people who had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
If you or a loved one are depressed and are experiencing sleep problems, it is important to see a physician. In addition to diagnosing any associated depression, the doctor may discover underlying physical, neurological and mental health conditions that are at the root of your sleep problems.
A doctor or therapist also may teach you various relaxation techniques or employ other therapies designed to help you relax. Medications are sometimes used to treat both sleep problems and depression.
You can also encourage better sleep and lower your risk of depression simply by making certain changes in your life. Such steps include:
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, soft drinks and chocolate, should be avoided during late afternoon or evening hours. Alcohol speeds the onset of sleep, but increases waking during the latter half of the night. Alcohol is also a depressant that can make you feel blue.
• Avoid eating or drinking too close to bedtime. This can interrupt sleep. Also, avoid foods that may cause heartburn, such as tomato products and spicy foods. Lying down worsens heartburn and makes falling asleep more difficult.
• Avoid smoking. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems awakening. Also, when smokers fall asleep, they experience nicotine withdrawal, which may cause them to awaken.
• Exercise. Exercising 20 to 30 minutes a day often helps people sleep, although exercising too close to bedtime can cause difficulties falling asleep. Regular exercise also has natural antidepressant effects.
• Get light exposure at the proper times. Too little exposure to sunlight during the day can cause sleep problems at night, and is also associated with depression. In addition, bedrooms should be kept dark during sleeping hours so light does not interfere with slumber.
• Create a good sleep environment. Minimize ambient noise with ear plugs, rugs, heavy curtains or drapes, or double-pane windows. Find the right temperature for sleeping - extreme temperatures can disrupt sleep. Get a good mattress.
• Create a consistent routine. Get into bed only when tired and maintain consistent sleep and wake times. Use the bed only for sleep and sex, not for reading, eating or television viewing.
A good night's sleep is vital to everyone's good health. But for some people who are severely depressed, good sleep literally may be lifesaving.
Recent research has found that people who attempt suicide are much more likely to experience sleep disturbances than other members of the general population. Sleep disorders such as insomnia may contribute to feelings of despair or clouded judgment associated with suicide.
People who think of killing themselves often experience overpowering feelings of despair, hopelessness and isolation. Such intense feelings are considered abnormal reactions to normal events in life such as loss, disappointment, rejection or failure. In addition, stressful events may trigger the extreme emotions that can lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
The intensity of these feelings may be coupled with the disturbances produced by sleep disorders such as nightmares. Nightmares are frightening dreams that occur later in the sleep period and cause a person to awaken with a lingering sense of fear or anxiety. Suicidal associations were also seen with people who had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
If you or a loved one are depressed and are experiencing sleep problems, it is important to see a physician. In addition to diagnosing any associated depression, the doctor may discover underlying physical, neurological and mental health conditions that are at the root of your sleep problems.
A doctor or therapist also may teach you various relaxation techniques or employ other therapies designed to help you relax. Medications are sometimes used to treat both sleep problems and depression.
You can also encourage better sleep and lower your risk of depression simply by making certain changes in your life. Such steps include:
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, soft drinks and chocolate, should be avoided during late afternoon or evening hours. Alcohol speeds the onset of sleep, but increases waking during the latter half of the night. Alcohol is also a depressant that can make you feel blue.
• Avoid eating or drinking too close to bedtime. This can interrupt sleep. Also, avoid foods that may cause heartburn, such as tomato products and spicy foods. Lying down worsens heartburn and makes falling asleep more difficult.
• Avoid smoking. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems awakening. Also, when smokers fall asleep, they experience nicotine withdrawal, which may cause them to awaken.
• Exercise. Exercising 20 to 30 minutes a day often helps people sleep, although exercising too close to bedtime can cause difficulties falling asleep. Regular exercise also has natural antidepressant effects.
• Get light exposure at the proper times. Too little exposure to sunlight during the day can cause sleep problems at night, and is also associated with depression. In addition, bedrooms should be kept dark during sleeping hours so light does not interfere with slumber.
• Create a good sleep environment. Minimize ambient noise with ear plugs, rugs, heavy curtains or drapes, or double-pane windows. Find the right temperature for sleeping - extreme temperatures can disrupt sleep. Get a good mattress.
• Create a consistent routine. Get into bed only when tired and maintain consistent sleep and wake times. Use the bed only for sleep and sex, not for reading, eating or television viewing.
The many wonders of Green Tea
Green Tea May Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis
May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Green tea, already touted for its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, may also help ease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
The study was conducted in the laboratory, and its findings are preliminary, stressed lead researcher Salahuddin Ahmed, an investigator at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.
"It's too early" to fully recommend green tea to ease rheumatoid arthritis, he said, but the study "is a starting point."
Ahmed was scheduled to present the research Sunday at the Experimental Biology meeting, in Washington, D.C.
For the study, Ahmed isolated cells called synovial fibroblasts from the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These cells form a lining of tissue surrounding the capsule of the joints.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this lining is inflamed, leading to long-term joint damage and chronic pain. About 2.1 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Ahmed's team next cultured these cells and exposed them to the active ingredient in green tea, a compound named epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Next, the cells were stimulated with a protein of the immune system known to play a role in causing joint degradation in rheumatoid arthritis. The protein is called cytokine interleukin-1 beta or IL-1B.
"IL-1B is a major player in mediating cartilage degradation," Ahmed explained.
In an earlier study, Ahmed's team found that fibroblasts pretreated with EGCG and then stimulated with cytokine IL-1B were better able to block IL-1B's ability to produce damaging proteins and enzymes. Those proteins and enzymes can infiltrate the joints and cause the cartilage breakdown seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
In the more recent study, the researchers focused on whether EGCG had the ability to block the activity of two potent molecules, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which also play a role in breaking down bone in an RA joint.
The two molecules were suppressed by the EGCG, Ahmed's team found. While he said it is difficult to quantify exactly the effect of the suppression, the EGCG "blocked them significantly," he said.
EGCG also blocked the production of prostaglandin E2, another compound that can cause joint inflammation.
One expert said the new green tea study was intriguing. "This study is very specific," said Stephen Hsu, an associate professor of dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics at the medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
In his own research, Hsu has found that green tea may help protect against certain autoimmune diseases, in which the body triggers an immune response, basically attacking its own cells. Hsu studied EGCG's effect in helping to inhibit an autoimmune disorder known as Sjogren's syndrome, in which the salivary glands are affected, and in lupus, in which the skin is affected.
The new research by Ahmed is one of the first to focus on rheumatoid arthritis and green tea, Hsu said. If it bears out, it could be good news for rheumatoid arthritis patients, perhaps offering them a non-drug option to keep pain under control, he said.
Ahmed cautioned that it's too soon to advise rheumatoid arthritis patients to drink green tea. On the other hand, drinking green tea certainly wouldn't hurt, he said, since it is known to have many health benefits and no known side effects.
He said people might want to try drinking three or four 8-ounce cups of green tea per day. "Try different brands," he suggested. The flavors may taste slightly different. "Drink it continuously throughout the day," he said, to keep blood levels more constant.
And you might want to consider popping some tart cherries along with that tea, according to another study presented at the same meeting.
In the study, conducted by another team of University of Michigan researchers, powdered tart cherries appeared to lower total cholesterol and blood sugar and help the body handle fat and sugar -- at least in animals.
SOURCES: Salahuddin Ahmed, Ph.D., research professor, internal medicine-rheumatology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Stephen Hsu, Ph.D., associate professor, dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta; Experimental Biology 2007, April 29, 2007, Washington, D.C.
Publish Date: May 01, 2007
May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Green tea, already touted for its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, may also help ease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
The study was conducted in the laboratory, and its findings are preliminary, stressed lead researcher Salahuddin Ahmed, an investigator at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.
"It's too early" to fully recommend green tea to ease rheumatoid arthritis, he said, but the study "is a starting point."
Ahmed was scheduled to present the research Sunday at the Experimental Biology meeting, in Washington, D.C.
For the study, Ahmed isolated cells called synovial fibroblasts from the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These cells form a lining of tissue surrounding the capsule of the joints.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this lining is inflamed, leading to long-term joint damage and chronic pain. About 2.1 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Ahmed's team next cultured these cells and exposed them to the active ingredient in green tea, a compound named epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Next, the cells were stimulated with a protein of the immune system known to play a role in causing joint degradation in rheumatoid arthritis. The protein is called cytokine interleukin-1 beta or IL-1B.
"IL-1B is a major player in mediating cartilage degradation," Ahmed explained.
In an earlier study, Ahmed's team found that fibroblasts pretreated with EGCG and then stimulated with cytokine IL-1B were better able to block IL-1B's ability to produce damaging proteins and enzymes. Those proteins and enzymes can infiltrate the joints and cause the cartilage breakdown seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
In the more recent study, the researchers focused on whether EGCG had the ability to block the activity of two potent molecules, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which also play a role in breaking down bone in an RA joint.
The two molecules were suppressed by the EGCG, Ahmed's team found. While he said it is difficult to quantify exactly the effect of the suppression, the EGCG "blocked them significantly," he said.
EGCG also blocked the production of prostaglandin E2, another compound that can cause joint inflammation.
One expert said the new green tea study was intriguing. "This study is very specific," said Stephen Hsu, an associate professor of dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics at the medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
In his own research, Hsu has found that green tea may help protect against certain autoimmune diseases, in which the body triggers an immune response, basically attacking its own cells. Hsu studied EGCG's effect in helping to inhibit an autoimmune disorder known as Sjogren's syndrome, in which the salivary glands are affected, and in lupus, in which the skin is affected.
The new research by Ahmed is one of the first to focus on rheumatoid arthritis and green tea, Hsu said. If it bears out, it could be good news for rheumatoid arthritis patients, perhaps offering them a non-drug option to keep pain under control, he said.
Ahmed cautioned that it's too soon to advise rheumatoid arthritis patients to drink green tea. On the other hand, drinking green tea certainly wouldn't hurt, he said, since it is known to have many health benefits and no known side effects.
He said people might want to try drinking three or four 8-ounce cups of green tea per day. "Try different brands," he suggested. The flavors may taste slightly different. "Drink it continuously throughout the day," he said, to keep blood levels more constant.
And you might want to consider popping some tart cherries along with that tea, according to another study presented at the same meeting.
In the study, conducted by another team of University of Michigan researchers, powdered tart cherries appeared to lower total cholesterol and blood sugar and help the body handle fat and sugar -- at least in animals.
SOURCES: Salahuddin Ahmed, Ph.D., research professor, internal medicine-rheumatology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Stephen Hsu, Ph.D., associate professor, dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta; Experimental Biology 2007, April 29, 2007, Washington, D.C.
Publish Date: May 01, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
RHEUMATOID FACTOR RELATED TO HEART DISEASE
Another New Medical Finding For Your Informaion:
June 6 (HealthDay News) -- Men with autoantibody rheumatic factor -- a marker of inflammation strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis -- in their blood have a three-fold increased risk of heart disease, a new study says.
In men, the increased risk associated with rheumatoid factor is similar to that of well-known heart disease risk factors such as diabetes (2.5 times) and high blood pressure (4.4 times). Rheumatoid factor does not increase heart disease risk in women, the researchers said.
A simple blood test is used to measure rheumatoid factor.
The study authors said their findings add to growing evidence that inflammation is implicated in atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and suggest that auto-immune processes -- and rheumatoid factor in particular -- may play a role in the disease process itself.
They studied 567 men and 589 women born in Hertfordshire, Great Britain, between 1931 and 1937. The participants were assessed for history of ischemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart), rheumatoid factor and traditional risk factors for heart disease.
The researchers also looked at other common auto-antibodies (antinuclear antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies) but found no link with ischemic heart disease.
The study findings were published online June 5 in the journal Heart.
SOURCE: BMJ Specialist Journals, news release, June 5, 2007
Publish Date: June 06, 2007
June 6 (HealthDay News) -- Men with autoantibody rheumatic factor -- a marker of inflammation strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis -- in their blood have a three-fold increased risk of heart disease, a new study says.
In men, the increased risk associated with rheumatoid factor is similar to that of well-known heart disease risk factors such as diabetes (2.5 times) and high blood pressure (4.4 times). Rheumatoid factor does not increase heart disease risk in women, the researchers said.
A simple blood test is used to measure rheumatoid factor.
The study authors said their findings add to growing evidence that inflammation is implicated in atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and suggest that auto-immune processes -- and rheumatoid factor in particular -- may play a role in the disease process itself.
They studied 567 men and 589 women born in Hertfordshire, Great Britain, between 1931 and 1937. The participants were assessed for history of ischemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart), rheumatoid factor and traditional risk factors for heart disease.
The researchers also looked at other common auto-antibodies (antinuclear antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies) but found no link with ischemic heart disease.
The study findings were published online June 5 in the journal Heart.
SOURCE: BMJ Specialist Journals, news release, June 5, 2007
Publish Date: June 06, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
DRINKING MAY HELP DEMENTIA
Here's a piece of news to lift up your spirits.
Researchers in Italy have stumbled on what may be considered as the good part of drinking (and why not since wine is considered the national drink of Italians).
Actually, it's supposed to help your mind work better. Read on.....
May 22 (HealthDay News) -- People with mild cognitive impairment may slow their mental decline if they have up to one alcoholic drink a day, a new Italian study suggests.
Researchers followed 121 people with mild cognitive impairment and looked at the impact of their drinking habits, to see if moderate alcohol use might slow the progression to dementia. The participants were aged 65 to 84 at the study start and were followed for three and a half years.
Those who were cognitively impaired at the start of the study and had up to one alcoholic drink a day, typically wine, developed dementia at a 85 percent slower rate than those with cognitive impairment who abstained, the researchers reported.
The study results are published in the May 22 issue of Neurology.
Dr. Denis Evans, director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said that while the study is interesting, its value is limited by the small number of participants. “That is not saying the study is worthless at all,” he said, just that more research needs to be done.
In a statement, study authors Dr. Vincenzo Solfrizzi and Dr. Francesco Panza, with the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Bari, said: “While many studies have assessed alcohol consumption and cognitive function in the elderly, this is the first study to look at how alcohol consumption affects the rate of progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.”
Earlier studies have yielded mixed results about whether alcohol consumption helps cognitive function. Exactly how moderate alcohol intake might help thinking is not known. But Solfrizzi speculated that alcohol might somehow help keep the brain’s blood vessels healthier. Some other research has found that alcohol increases the release of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which helps neurons communicate with each other.
The study participants were part of a larger study, called the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and were asked in 1992 about alcohol and food consumption. They were given a standard exam to evaluate their cognitive functioning. Then, the researchers zeroed in on the 121 people found to have mild cognitive impairment. They classified these people as “abstainers,” “moderate” or “more than moderate” drinkers.
The link between alcohol and delayed mental decline was found only for those people who had less than a drink a day, not for those who drank more, the researchers said.
Of the 55 people who drank less than a drink a day, three progressed to dementia during the three-and-a-half year follow-up period. Six of the 23 abstainers went on to develop dementia. Three of the 22 who had one or two drinks a day developed dementia, while two of the 21 who had more than two drinks a day did.
People who drink moderately may be in better physical and mental shape to begin with, Evans suggested. “People who are drinking a glass of wine a day are not those who are very sick or those in bad shape,” he said. “On average, the people who tend to consume a little alcohol every day are healthier than those who don’t. It’s a social thing.”
SOURCES: Denis A. Evans, M.D., director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago; May 22, 2007, Neurology Publish Date: May 22, 2007
Researchers in Italy have stumbled on what may be considered as the good part of drinking (and why not since wine is considered the national drink of Italians).
Actually, it's supposed to help your mind work better. Read on.....
May 22 (HealthDay News) -- People with mild cognitive impairment may slow their mental decline if they have up to one alcoholic drink a day, a new Italian study suggests.
Researchers followed 121 people with mild cognitive impairment and looked at the impact of their drinking habits, to see if moderate alcohol use might slow the progression to dementia. The participants were aged 65 to 84 at the study start and were followed for three and a half years.
Those who were cognitively impaired at the start of the study and had up to one alcoholic drink a day, typically wine, developed dementia at a 85 percent slower rate than those with cognitive impairment who abstained, the researchers reported.
The study results are published in the May 22 issue of Neurology.
Dr. Denis Evans, director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said that while the study is interesting, its value is limited by the small number of participants. “That is not saying the study is worthless at all,” he said, just that more research needs to be done.
In a statement, study authors Dr. Vincenzo Solfrizzi and Dr. Francesco Panza, with the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Bari, said: “While many studies have assessed alcohol consumption and cognitive function in the elderly, this is the first study to look at how alcohol consumption affects the rate of progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.”
Earlier studies have yielded mixed results about whether alcohol consumption helps cognitive function. Exactly how moderate alcohol intake might help thinking is not known. But Solfrizzi speculated that alcohol might somehow help keep the brain’s blood vessels healthier. Some other research has found that alcohol increases the release of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which helps neurons communicate with each other.
The study participants were part of a larger study, called the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and were asked in 1992 about alcohol and food consumption. They were given a standard exam to evaluate their cognitive functioning. Then, the researchers zeroed in on the 121 people found to have mild cognitive impairment. They classified these people as “abstainers,” “moderate” or “more than moderate” drinkers.
The link between alcohol and delayed mental decline was found only for those people who had less than a drink a day, not for those who drank more, the researchers said.
Of the 55 people who drank less than a drink a day, three progressed to dementia during the three-and-a-half year follow-up period. Six of the 23 abstainers went on to develop dementia. Three of the 22 who had one or two drinks a day developed dementia, while two of the 21 who had more than two drinks a day did.
People who drink moderately may be in better physical and mental shape to begin with, Evans suggested. “People who are drinking a glass of wine a day are not those who are very sick or those in bad shape,” he said. “On average, the people who tend to consume a little alcohol every day are healthier than those who don’t. It’s a social thing.”
SOURCES: Denis A. Evans, M.D., director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago; May 22, 2007, Neurology Publish Date: May 22, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
Malaysia's PM to marry again
Malaysia's widowed PM to wed again
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will remarry this weekend, in a move he said Wednesday should be good for the nation.
"I hope the public will bless us. A happy prime minister can do a lot of good work," Abdullah told reporters.
"I am not saying I am not happy so far but I am happier now with a companion."
Abdullah, 67, will on Saturday wed Jeanne Abdullah, the former manager of his residential complex, according to a statement posted on the prime minister's website.
The ceremony will take place at his official residence, attended only by close family, the statement said.
The bride-to-be is a native of the capital Kuala Lumpur and has two children, it added.
Jeanne Abdullah, 53, is also the former sister-in-law of his late wife Endon Mahmood, who died of breast cancer in October 2005, the prime minister told reporters.
Endon's death triggered an outpouring of support and sympathy for Abdullah, whose love for his wife inspired many Malaysians. Their 40-year marriage was widely considered a model relationship.
"My love for Endon remains as strong as ever but I have fallen in love with this one," Abdullah said.
"I believe that God has created in your heart many spaces for many people that you can love as much as you want."
He said his pictures of Endon, whom Jeanne also loved, will remain in the house.
"Nothing has changed because those are eternal memories," the prime minister said.
Jeanne Abdullah was married to Endon's younger brother but they have been divorced for more than 15 years, he explained.
"Thanks be to God. I feel happy and grateful to God because the woman of my choice has got the blessing from my children and my siblings," he said.
Although he and Jeanne had known each other for more than 20 years, their courtship began less than a year ago, he added.
"She's a simple person and friendly. I believe she can take care of me, be my companion."
They had not discussed a honeymoon but she will follow him on his official overseas trips, he said.
"We express our heartiest congratulations and best wishes," Rafidah Aziz, minister of international trade and industry, said at the start of a speech to about 1,000 people at an exhibition for small and medium industries.
In his speech at the same event, Abdullah suggested that two marriages would be enough.
"Thank you for your best wishes," he said. "They say, for a Malay, when a man gets married people like to pull his legs, make fun and to tease him -- especially so when he's marrying for the second time, what's more the third or fourth. But I will not go beyond this."
In March Abdullah laughed off "rumours" that he planned to wed again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
