Several recent studies have suggested that drinking several cups of tea per day could lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

The latest study indicates that drinking four cups of black, green, or oolong tea per day can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 17% over a decade. The research will be presented next week at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual conference.

“Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” Xiaying Li, a researcher at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, told NBC News.

Li and colleagues reviewed 19 studies, which included more than 1 million adults across 8 countries. They found that the benefits of drinking tea went up as someone drank more cups. For one to three cups per day, for instance, the risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by 4%. The percentages increased from there.

In another study published last month, researchers found that drinking two or more cups of black tea per day lowered the overall risk of death by 9% to 13% among 498,000 people in the U.K. during a 14-year period, as compared with those who drank no tea. The study also found a link between drinking multiple cups of tea per day and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

“We think our findings will be very reassuring to people who are already drinking tea,” Maki Inoue-Choi, PhD, a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute, told NBC News.

Even among those who drank more than 10 cups of tea per day, “we didn’t see any negative effects on mortality risk,” she said.

The health benefits could stem from the polyphenols in tea, which are natural compounds in plants that provide antioxidants and may decrease inflammation, Inoue-Choi noted. Reducing inflammation can lower the risk of developing health conditions such as heart disease.

In green tea, the dominant polyphenols are called catechins, which can protect cells from damage, NBC News reported. When green tea leaves are fermented to make black tea, the catechins convert to theaflavins, which provide another form of antioxidants.

Inoue-Choi said she and colleagues found that adding milk or sugar to tea didn’t reduce the health benefits. But she noted that the participants tended to use those ingredients sparingly.

“The sweetened tea from the store has a lot more sugar,” she said. “We should still follow the dietary guidelines to avoid too much sugar and too much saturated fat.”

Other studies have found that drinking tea may provide other health benefits as well, such as reducing the risk of lung, ovarian, prostate, or colorectal cancer. But the results have been mixed. Other studies have found that drinking several cups of black tea per day can increase the risk of breast cancer, and one study found that drinking extremely hot tea can increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

“Findings for cancer have been more mixed,” Inoue-Choi said. ‘There have been more consistent results for [reduced risks of] heart disease or stroke.”

For now, she said, drinking tea appears beneficial, but scientists wouldn’t likely tell people to change their behavior or give recommendations about the ideal amount of tea to drink.

“We wouldn’t recommend people change their tea intake solely based on this single study,” Inoue-Choi said.

Fasting for 8 hours is as good as counting calories for weight loss, new research shows.

The study, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that people with obesity lost 10 pounds through intermittent fasting, compared to 12 pounds through calorie restriction. The statistical analysis found no significant difference between the two groups’ weight loss.

Most of the people in the study were female and weighed around 220 pounds at the start of the trial. A total of 77 people were split into three groups: One was told to fast for 8 hours, another was told to restrict their calories, and the third ate as they normally would.

The people who fasted and restricted calories were in a weight loss phase for 6 months – the intermittent fasting group could eat anything they wanted between noon and 8 p.m., and didn’t have to cut their calories.

The calorie restriction group had to cut 25% of their daily calorie intake. They were also told to fill half of every plate with fruits or vegetables, and consume about half their calories as carbohydrates, 30% as fat, and 20% as protein.

For 6 months after that, both groups were in a weight maintenance phase. The intermittent fasting group could eat from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the calorie restriction group was told to match their diet with their energy needs.

The people in the study met regularly with dietitians – a part of the trial that experts say could have made the effects of fasting more pronounced than in previous studies.

An earlier, shorter trial found that people lost about 2 pounds after 12 weeks of intermittent fasting, a more modest result, compared to the 9 pounds that lost after 6 months in this trial.

Intermittent fasting, or time-restricted eating, is a catch-all for eating patterns that could include several full days of fasting per week or time-restricted eating during the day.

The effect of having less time to eat is thought to lead to eating fewer calories, and therefore losing weight. This trial found the intermittent fasting group ate 425 fewer calories per day and 20 calories less than the calorie-restricted group.

“Time-restricted eating is undoubtedly an attractive approach to weight loss in that it does not require the purchase of expensive food products, allows persons to continue consuming familiar foods, and omits complicated calorie tracking,” Shuhao Lin, a registered dietitian at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and colleagues write in the paper.

Dispelling myths about mental health can help break the stigma and create a culture that encourages people of any age to seek support when they need it. Here are seven common misconceptions about mental health:

1. Myth: If a person has a mental health condition, it means the person has low intelligence.

Fact: Mental illness, like physical illness, can affect anyone regardless of intelligence, social class, or income level.

2. Myth: You only need to take care of your mental health if you have a mental health condition.

Fact: Everyone can benefit from taking active steps to promote their well-being and improve their mental health. Similarly, everyone can take active steps and engage in healthy habits to optimize their physical health.

3. Myth: Poor mental health is not a big issue for teenagers. They just have mood swings caused by hormonal fluctuations and act out due to a desire for attention.

Fact: Teenagers often have mood swings, but that does not mean that adolescents may not also struggle with their mental health. Fourteen per cent of the world’s adolescents experience mental-health problems. Globally, among those aged 10–15, suicide is the fifth most prevalent cause of death, and for adolescents aged 15–19 it is the fourth most common cause. Half of all mental health conditions start by the age of 14.

4. Myth: Nothing can be done to protect people from developing mental health conditions.

Fact: Many factors can protect people from developing mental health conditions, including strengthening social and emotional skills, seeking help and support early on, developing supportive, loving, warm family relationships, and having a positive school environment and healthy sleep patterns. The ability to overcome adversity relies on a combination of protective factors, and neither environmental nor individual stressors alone will necessarily result in mental health problems. Children and adolescents who do well in the face of adversity typically have biological resistance as well as strong, supportive relationships with family, friends and adults around them, resulting in a combination of protective factors to support well-being.

5. Myth: A mental health condition is a sign of weakness; if the person were stronger, they would not have this condition.

Fact: A mental health condition has nothing to do with being weak or lacking willpower. It is not a condition people choose to have or not have. In fact, recognizing the need to accept help for a mental health condition requires great strength and courage. Anyone can develop a mental health condition.

6. Myth: Adolescents who get good grades and have a lot of friends will not have mental health conditions because they have nothing to be depressed about.

Fact: Depression is a common mental health condition resulting from a complex interaction of social, psychological, and biological factors. Depression can affect anyone regardless of their socioeconomic status or how good their life appears at face value. Young people doing well in school may feel pressure to succeed, which can cause anxiety, or they may have challenges at home. They may also experience depression or anxiety for no reason that can be easily identified.

7. Myth: Bad parenting causes mental conditions in adolescents.

Fact: Many factors – including poverty, unemployment, and exposure to violence, migration, and other adverse circumstances and events – may influence the well-being and mental health of adolescents, their caregivers and the relationship between them. Adolescents from loving, supporting homes can experience mental health difficulties, as can adolescent from homes where there may be caregivers who need support to maintain an optimum environment for healthy adolescent development. With support, caregivers can play an essential role in helping adolescents to overcome any problems they experience.

(This article is based on UNICEF and the World Health Organization's Teacher’s Guide to the Magnificent Mei and Friends Comic Series.)

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common gastro-intestinal issue affecting a large number of people. IBS is any feeling of pain in stomach for which one cannot assign a cause like swelling in intestine or stomach. The condition may last lifelong and patients suffer from symptoms like stomach pain, abdominal bloating, constipation among other digestive issues. So, far, the exact cause of IBS has not been fully understood but what experts know is that it has certain triggers like increase in stress, eating spicy foods, caffeinated drinks or alcohol. IBS is more common in people over 40 years of age but can even affect young people.

WHAT IS IBS

"Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastro­ intestinal disorder that has a substantial impact on quality of life and social functioning. The pathophysiology of IBS is not fully understood. The condition affects between 5% and 15% of the Indian population and is characterised by recurrent abdominal pain associated with a change in the form of the stool or a change in the frequency of stool," says Dr Sandeep R Sharma, Consultant -Interventional & medical gastroenterology, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR IBS

While there are various therapies that can help treat IBS, the first step always includes dietary and lifestyle modifications.

1. REGULAR EXERCISE

Including regular exercise in one’s routine has been shown to improve symptoms of bloating and abdominal pain in many individuals in various studies.

"Any form of exercise is a welcome addition to the management of IBS symptoms. There is no preference for any particular exercise, it can even be traditional forms, such as yoga," says Dr Sharma.

2. INCREASE FIBRE INTAKE

Improving fibre intake in the diet is the second most important step towards mitigating symptoms of IBS. Dr Sharma suggests taking soluble fibre, such as ispaghula husk (around 20-30 grams per day).

3. LOW FODMAP DIET

Another intervention that is effective in improving symptoms of IBS is a diet low in FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols). These are found in a variety of natural foods, fruits, and vegetables. It is beneficial in certain individuals to restrict FODMAP-rich foods in their diet. However, a long-term low FODMAP diet can be deleterious. It is advisable to slowly reintroduce FODMAP foods in a graded manner as tolerated by the individual, once there is improvement in IBS symptoms.

Fruits like apple, avocado, blackberry, mango, watermelon and dairy products with lactose are avoided in low FODMAP diet, while banana, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit and lactose-free dairy can be consumed.

4. INCLUDE PROBIOTICS

IBS symptoms can also be managed by inclusion of probiotics or foods rich in probiotics, such as curd, yogurt, buttermilk, and certain types of cheese (gouda, mozzarella, cheddar, and cottage cheese).

"In a few trials, probiotics were found to be useful in alleviating diarrhoea and reducing the frequency of bowel movements in IBS patients," says Dr Sharma.

Nior, an American Color Cosmetics and Skincare brand, is going to make its luminous presence at the US Trade Show 2022. The annual US Trade Show is about to make its return to Dhaka after its two-year hiatus today. One of the highlights of this event is going to be the presence of the American Color Cosmetics and Skincare brand Nior. With constant research and cutting-edge technology, Nior's products have paved the way in the hearts of cosmetic enthusiasts.

This event's 28th iteration will take place on October 27, 28, and 29 from 10 am to 8 pm. The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) and the American Embassy are jointly sponsoring the grand renaissance of this trade event, which is going to take place at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Famous celebrities, dermatologists, beauticians, and influencers are going to attend the event to experience a variety of US goods from various brands.

Nior, which began operations in 1996, is currently one of Bangladesh's most popular and well-known brands. With a solid market position for more than 25 years, Nior has demonstrated that innovation in beauty procedures has enhanced consumer confidence. Amid boosted clientele confidence and demand, Nior currently has 49 products in the color cosmetics market in Bangladesh. At the same time, Nior promises to expand its presence in the glamour world in the future.

Tickets for this event, which is going to be open to all, will be available for regular visitors at the exhibition gate. Students will get free entry to this event by showing their identity cards