Women must have a soy-rich diet

Regularly consuming a soy-rich diet may protect women who are undergoing infertility treatment from poor success rates linked to Bisphenol A exposure, a new study suggests. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical found in a variety of food containers, including polycarbonate plastic water bottles and can linings. BPA can mimic estrogen, one of the two main sex hormones found in women, which can be possible cause of kidney, eye, liver and reproductive problems. The study was designed to evaluate the role of environmental factors and nutrition in fertility that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. According to the study, women who consumed no soy foods had higher levels of BPA in their urine.  They even had lower rates of embryo implantation, fewer pregnancies that progressed to the point where the foetus could be seen on an ultrasound, and fewer live births than women with lower levels of BPA in their bodies, the study found. 

Anti-depressants can make kids aggressive 

Giving common anti-depressants to children and young adults may put them at a greater risk of developing aggression and even suicidal tendencies, warns a study. According to the researchers from Denmark, there is double the risk of aggression and suicides in children and adolescents. They, however, found no significant association between anti-depressants and suicide and aggression in adults. To reach this conclusion, the team carried out a study with 18,526 patients to examine the use of anti-depressants and associated serious harms. The study, published in BMJ, recommends “Minimal use of anti-depressants in children, adolescents and young adults as the serious harms seem to be greater, and as their effect seems to be below what is clinically relevant," and suggests alternative treatments such as exercise or psychotherapy. They also call for the need to identify “hidden information in clinical study reports to form a more accurate view of the benefits and harms of drugs.”

Eat apple, berries to cut flab

Eating fruit, such as apples, pears, and berries, and vegetables that contain high levels of flavonoids, may be linked to less weight gain, finds a study. The findings of the study, which was published in The British Medical Journal, revealed that increased consumption of flavonoid subclasses was associated with less weight gain. Dietary flavonoids are natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables linked to weight loss, but most studies have looked at a particular flavonoid found in green tea, and have mostly been limited to small samples. Losing or preventing even small amounts of weight can reduce risk of diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. People may be able to maximise the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables by choosing those with high levels of flavonoids, such as apples, pears, and berries.

How to lose fat and gain muscles 

Canadian researchers have found new dietary regimen for losing fat while gaining muscle, an oft-debated problem for those trying to manage their weight, control calories and balance protein consumption. The study has established that it is possible to achieve both — gain muscles and lose fat quickly and at the same time — as the researchers, from the McMaster University in Ontatrio, Canada, said. Exercise, particularly lifting weights, provides a signal for muscle to be retained even when you're in a big calorie deficit, the research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed. The researchers divided their subjects into two groups. Both groups went on a low calorie diet, one with higher levels of protein than the other. The higher-protein group experienced muscle gains — about 2.5 pounds — despite consuming insufficient energy, while the lower protein group did not add muscle. The results showed that the high-protein group lost about 10.5 pounds and the low protein group only eight pounds. 

Inactive lifestyle causes menopause problems 

Sedentary middle-aged women in Latin America have significantly worse menopause symptoms than their active counterparts, reveals a study. The sedentary women were also more likely to be obese and to have higher scores on depression, anxiety, and insomnia scales, the study revealed. "Less menopause misery is just one of the positive impacts of being active for women at midlife," said Jonn V. Pinkerton, executive director of the North American Menopause Society in Ohio, US The study found 64 per cent of women leading a sedentary lifestyle. Some 16 per cent of them had severe menopause symptoms compared with 11 per cent of the active women. Results of earlier studies on the ability of exercise to reduce menopause symptoms have been conflicting, but this study, published online in the journal Menopause, adds some weight to the exercise side of the equation.   — Agencies