Lack of Sleep Hormone Linked to Diabetes Risk

Low levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, more than doubles the risk of diabetes in women, a study has found.

Researchers made the connection after analysing data on 740 women with and without the disease.

Melatonin, a popular remedy for jet lag, is best known for its role in helping to control the body’s sleep-wake cycle. But it also has many other biological functions, including some linked to the blood sugar hormone insulin.

None of the women taking part in the study had diabetes at the start. Over a 12-year period, researchers identified 370 who developed Type-2 diabetes and compared them with a matched 370 who did not.  Melatonin secretion varied widely among the participants.

Women who produced the least were more than twice as likely to develop diabetes as those who secreted the most.

Study leader Dr Ciaran McMullan, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, US, said: “This is the first time that an independent association has been established between nocturnal melatonin secretion and Type-2 diabetes risk.

“Hopefully this study will prompt future research to examine what influences a person’s melatonin secretion and what is melatonin’s role in altering a person’s glucose metabolism and risk of diabetes.”

The research, forming part of the US Nurses’ Health Study, is reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“It is interesting to postulate from these data, in combination with prior literature, whether there is a causal role for reduced melatonin secretion in diabetes risk,” wrote the authors.

Whether or not the same association is seen in men remains to be investigated.

Source: Nursing Times

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Simple Tips for AIDS Patients

Modern treatments with combinations of antiretroviral drugs have dramatically enhanced the survival prospects of people with AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and have enabled those with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) to remain symptom-free for prolonged periods. AIDS is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down, so patients are no longer efficient at fighting disease.

Signs of the onset of AIDS 

• Weight loss and general debility. 
• There may also be swollen glands in the groin, neck and armpits; cold sores and other skin disorders.
• Thrush
• As the disease progresses patients may suffer from pneumonia, malnutrition and various cancers - typically large purplish blotches on the skin called Kaposi's sarcoma. 
• Patients often suffer from serious malnutrition. Sound nutrition at the onset of the disease to build up body weight and boost the immune system is now recommended.

Foods to choose

Deficiencies in certain nutrients, notably vitamins A, B6, B12 and zinc, which are known to impair immune function are often apparent at the time of an HIV-positive diagnosis. A diet which includes:

• Fish, liver, full-fat milk and other dairy products will boost the intake of all of these nutrients. 
• Vitamin B12 is found in animal produce and fortified foods, and wholegrain bread and nuts provide both vitamin B6 and zinc. 
• Fats should come mainly from vegetable oils and dairy produce, to ensure adequate supplies of vitamins A, D, E and K. 

Until recently, the selenium deficiency which had been noted widely among AIDS sufferers was attributed to the effect of wasting and an increasing inability to digest food. However, there is now some speculation that selenium depletion may promote development to full-blown AIDS.

What to do?

• Avoid undercooked and unwashed foods, raw or lightly cooked eggs, meat pates, and unpasteurized dairy products.

Rekindling a lost appetite

If people with AIDS cannot face three large meals, they should try:

• Eating six smaller meals.
• Taking a high-calorie drink half-an-hour after eating.
• Snacking on nuts and seeds - such as pumpkin seeds - for their calories, vitamins and minerals.

When suffering from nausea, patients should avoid:

• Greasy or spicy foods.
• Acidic drinks.

Plants that helps

Plants that have shown some potential in fighting HIV include hyssop, silver birch and winter savory. Echinacea and liquorice stimulate the immune system. Rosemary helps to fight fatigue. Garlic and oregano may be helpful in treating recurrent infections.

Source : Readers Digest

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