TEA, RED WINE MAY PROTECT AGAINST FlU
Drinking tea and wine may help prevent influenza, as a compound found in these beverages can boost the immune system, scientists say. Researchers at Washington University in the US found that a particular gut microbe can prevent severe flu infections in mice by breaking down naturally occurring compounds called flavonoids. This strategy is effective in staving off severe damage from flu when the interaction occurs prior to infection with the influenza virus, researchers said. “For years, flavonoids have been thought to have protective properties that help regulate the immune system to fight infections,” said Ashley Steed, from St louis Children’s Hospital in the US. Flavonoids are commonly found in black tea, red wine and blueberries. “We were able to identify at least one type of bacteria that uses these dietary compounds to boost interferon, a signalling molecule that aids the immune response,” said Thaddeus Stappenbeck from the University of Washington.
UN DEClARES SOMAlIA FREE OF POlIO
The WHO recently said it had not recorded any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years, declaring the country polio free. The WHO said the country recorded the last case of polio in 2014 in the central part of the country but has since then remained free of the paralysing disease. The UN health agency, however, warned that Somalia remained vulnerable, calling for continued vaccination campaign, Xinhua reported. The head of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean, which covers Somalia, Mohamed Fiqi, said massive vaccination campaigns and commitment from Government and international actors had ensured the polio virus did not recur in the Horn of Africa country.
EAT AlMONDS TO REDUCE BAD CHOlESTEROl
Eating almonds helps the function of ‘good cholesterol’ in the body to improve overall heart health, according to a US study. High-density lipoprotein (HDl) is known as the ‘good’ cholesterol because it helps remove other forms of cholesterol from your bloodstream and arteries that have been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. Researchers at Penn State University recently compared the levels of HDl cholesterol in people who ate almonds every day to those who ate a muffin instead. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found participants on the almond diet had improved HDl levels and functionality. Professor of Nutrition Penny Kris-Etherton says: “There’s a lot of research out there that shows a diet that includes almonds lowers low-density lipoprotein or lDl cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.”