Friday, October 30, 2009

Cruelty in Srilanka: A group of persons attacked an unidentified man on the Bambalapitiya beach killing him on the spot. ..!!!

Police look on
as stone thrower clubbed to death

by Shiran Ranasinghe and Akitha Perera

A group of persons yesterday afternoon attacked an unidentified man on the Bambalapitiya beach killing him on the spot.

Police said that the attackers had prevented the man from coming out of water and attacked him with clubs. A senior police official told The Island last night that he had been targeted after he threw stones at a passing train and some vehicles.

Sources said that he had also thrown stones at a military vehicle. Sources said that the police had not intervened to save the man though they were present at the scene. The man had struggled for about one hour in the water and pleaded with those who surrounded him to allow him to come ashore, sources said.



Police spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediweka told The Island that the CDB had been directed to investigate. He said that investigators could obtain video evidence as a TNL cameraman had recorded the incident.

www island.lk

Thursday, October 29, 2009

STROKE-THE SECOND DEADLIEST KILLER WORLDWIDE...!!!

STROKE-THE SECOND DEADLIEST KILLER WORLDWIDE

By Olindhi Jayasundere

It is little known fact that strokes account for 5.7 million deaths a year worldwide and ranks second to ischemic heart disease as a cause of death. Due to the ignorance and negligence the disease has been and continues to be a danger to the lives of humans.

At an event yesterday commemorating World Stroke Day, Dr. Padma Gunaratne, President of the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka (NSASL), said that strokes are the second most common cause of death in the world and is the fourth highest cause of death in the country. “This is a very serious matter which we have to address the causes effectively,” Dr Gunaratne said.

WHO Country Representative, Dr. Firdosi Mehta said that there are three important things to look for when a person is on the verge of a stroke. Firstly, if you ask a patient to smile when you suspect someone is about to suffer a stroke you can tell immediately because a stroke victim cannot smile. The second symptom you should look for is the inability to speak. A stroke victim cannot speak. And finally you must check the tongue as often the tongue hangs side ways or curls up. If all these symptoms are present in a person then you can be certain that he/she is a stroke victim,” Dr. Mehta said.

There is no known drug that can be used to eliminate the possibility of a stroke, nor is there a guaranteed cure. However, early diagnosis and quick action can reduce the severity of a stroke. For patients suffering from speech loss, movement or other disabilities rehabilitation is possible with the assistance of physical and speech therapy, according to NSASL.

Dr. Mehta explained that strokes are caused by smoking, lack of nutrition and physical inactivity. “If you want to eliminate the chances of getting a stroke, then you must take precautions.” Dr. Mehta explained that this can be done by consuming fresh fruits and vegetable as opposed to excessively oily foods, reducing the consumption of sugar and taking up some sort of daily physical exercise that will ensure good health and the prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

In order to highlight the impact of the rising rate of strokes in Sri Lanka, several stroke victims were invited to an event yesterday to create awareness amongst people on the severity of the issue. They received cash donations of Rs.10, 000 and wheelchairs which were presented to them by the Social Service and Welfare Ministry Secretary, V. Jegarajasingham.

Health Ministry Secretary, Dr.Athula Kahandaliyanage, who was also present at the event, said that his ministry will undertake strategies to reduce the ever-increasing number of stroke victims in the country. “We have already taken several policy decisions with regard to this issue and hope to implement them in the near future. It is a challenge of great magnitude, but it is one that must be achieved,” he said.

dailymirror.lk

REVELATIONS ON COLOMBO CITY....!!!

REVELATIONS ON COLOMBO CITY

CMC , WHO release report on 'Urban Heart' project

By Yohan Perera

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) said that there was a low rate of enrolment in primary education, high rate of tuberculosis, dengue and highest number of road accidents being reported in the city compared to the rest of the island.

These were revealed by the Chief Medical Officer Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam who released a report of 'Urban heart project' which had been prepared jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday.

According to the data by Dr. Kariyawasam the enrolment ratio in primary education are less than 50 in most of the areas in the Colombo city compared to 97.5 which is the national rate.

He said most of the children studying in schools in the Colombo city are not residents of the city.

When it comes to tuberculosis 42 persons in every 100,000 are having the disease in Sri Lanka while in Colombo City an average of 65 persons out of 100,000 have this disease.

The number of dengue cases in the city is also reported to be high 32 out of 100,000 persons are infected while 50 out of every 100,000 are infected within the city. In some areas over 100 persons out of every 100,000 are affected with the disease in the city.

Another staggering disclosure was the high rate of road traffic accidents compared to the average.

In Sri Lanka 10 persons out of 10,000 meet with road accidents while in the Colombo City more than 30 persons out of 10,000 meet with road accidents. In some areas in the city 100 out of every 10,000 persons meet with accidents.

The aging population is low in the city compared to other areas. Dr. Kariyawasam said a large amount of people within the city might be dying young or might be moving out of the city to spend their retirement.

The population density in most of the other cities in Asia is said to be 6,000 to 7,000 persons per square km while the population density in Colombo is said to be 17,250 persons per square km.

dailymirror.lk

Turmeric:One of the most powerful antioxidants you can consume with amazing health benefits...!!!

C.S Baskaran

The Most Potent Super-Spice Antioxidant in Your Cabinets

Hi everyone: have you ever eaten curry? That yellow color in curry is attributed to a spice called Turmeric, and it is one of the most powerful antioxidants you can consume with amazing health benefits.
Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a dye, as a spice for dishes, and also in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric has some of the world’s most powerful fat-burning and healing qualities of any food or spice. It is a potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial substance.
What is turmeric?
Turmeric grows as a shrub in India and tropical parts of Asia. The roots are ground up to make turmeric. Its active ingredient is a substance called curcumin and it is bright yellow. This bright yellow spice has medicinal properties as well as adding its pungent color and taste to many delicious dishes.
Ayurvedic medicine has used this spice as a whole body cleanser, an aid for digestion, and in treatments for fevers, infections, liver and gall bladder problems and arthritis. It may even help to burn fat, and is also very effective as a preventative for heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
The rich stores of antioxidants are very effective against the free radicals which contribute to premature aging, disease and cancer. Many natural practitioners actually recommend turmeric when a potent antioxidant is needed.
A digestion aid and fat-burning compound
Turmeric helps to digest fats by stimulating the flow of bile in the gall bladder and therefore is very effective as a digestive aid and fat-burning compound. Studies also show it is highly effective at reducing the inflammation from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
For the heart, it contains strong anti-platelet substances which help prevent the blood from clotting too easily, and so is very effective against heart attacks and strokes. In addition, homocysteine, a chemical component in the body, which is one of the primary predictors of heart attacks, is significantly lowered in the presence of curcumin.
The curcumin in turmeric also has been shown to lower and reduce the oxidation of plaque on the artery walls.
As an anti-inflammatory it has been used effectively for a treatment for all types of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and for joint pain.
Turmeric and cancer-risk reduction
Turmeric is a powerful weapon against cancer cells as well. Studies show that this super spice can actually prevent cancer tumors from growing and in those who already have cancer, turmeric slows the growth and spread of cancer. In a research study done with mice injected with cancer cells, the curcumin in turmeric was proven to be more than twice as effective as the cancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol).
The curcumin in turmeric is also highly effective when combined with the anti-oxidant quercetin (found in red onions, apples and cherries) against pre-cancerous polyps in the colon. Studies show that polyps were reduced by 60% and the average size of existing polyps were reduced by 50%.
Turmeric and Alzheimer's disease
One of the most exciting new studies has shown turmeric’s value against Alzheimer’s. Studies of the Indian population who have a high intake of turmeric in their curry dishes show a very low incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in the elderly.
Alzheimer’s victims have a buildup of a certain type of plaque in the brain and turmeric is highly effective at breaking down this plaque and protecting brain health.
Ways to get turmeric into your diet:
One way to get high concentrations of curcumin is to use the spice turmeric in some of your cooking and recipes.
Curry contains turmeric, but is usually a combination of several spices and you may not get as much turmeric as you would using pure turmeric. That's not to say there aren't benefits to curry too, since it is a blend of several spices.
Try to get creative and test using turmeric and/or curry on various foods so you can benefit as much as possible from this potent super-spice...
Turmeric is very yellow and can stain so be careful when using it. This spice doesn’t have to be used just for curries. It is delicious on sautéed apples, or steamed cauliflower, green beans and onions, or any of your favorite veggies.
Try it with raw cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli, or with celery, sweet pepper, jicama or radishes. Turmeric is also a great spice to complement recipes that feature lentils. Give salad dressings an orange-yellow hue and a little extra flavor by adding some turmeric powder to them.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in healthy recipes.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Increase of cadmium in Drinking water, use of pesticides, excessive use of fertilizer & the use of Aluminum vessels contributed to Kidney failures.!!

President orders to open ‘Kidney Centre’ immediately

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva to make arrangements to open the ‘Kidney Transplant and Research Centre’ built at a cost of Rs. 450 million at Maligawatte immediately.

Though the construction and installation of machinery and equipment had been completed at the facility more than six months ago the opening had been delayed due to a dispute between the GMOA and the Consultants over the allocation of space at the Centre.

The GMOA vehemently opposed Professors and Consultants using the facility for research work while thousands of patients with renal failure were denied treatment at the state-of-the-art facility.

The Ministry spokesman W.M.D. Wanninayake said as a result Minister De Silva had a meeting with President Rajapaksa on the issue, after which the President has instructed the facility to be opened immediately.

The North-Central, North-West and Uva are the most affected provinces of renal failure with more than 30,000 cases reported.

Medical studies conducted so far have failed to pin point the exact single cause for this health issue.

However, it is believed that the increase of cadmium content in drinking water the use of pesticide, excessive use of fertilizer and the use of aluminum vessels have contributed to cause renal failures.

The new seven-storied centre at Maligawatte is equipped with all modern facilities including surgeries, transplant and dialysis equipment, Mr. Wanninayake said.

DAILYMIRROR.LK