My Science School

A mere four seconds of all-out exercise, repeated two or three dozen times, could be all you need to build strength and maintain physical power, according to a new study of the potency of super-quick workouts.

The magic number

Edward Coyle, a professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas, US, and his colleagues studied fit, professional athletes who generated titanic speed and power while pedalling specialised stationary bicycles that feature a heavy flywheel and no resistance.

The athletes reached a maxi- mum level of aerobic effort and power output within two seconds. This effort could be maintained briefly, but repeatedly, with a few seconds of recovery time in between When Coyle and his colleagues tested this with regular, out-of-shape volunteers, they found that those who were asked to complete five repetitions of four-second intervals on these bikes every hour for eight hours, metabolised fat much better the next day than if they sat sedentarily.

With people who are already in good shape, researchers found that, after eight weeks, they had added 17 per cent to their muscular power.

But, Coyle cautioned, if you rip through multiple four-second intervals in the morning and then sit unmoving for the rest of the day, you may still wind up with metabolic problems related to being sedentary.

Credit : Hindustan Times

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You are often bombarded with encouragements to drink more water. The purported benefits of excess water consumption are seemingly endless, from improved memory and mental health to increased energy to better complexion. "Stay hydrated" has become a new version of the old salutation "Stay well".

But what, exactly, does "stay hydrated" mean?"When lay people discuss dehydration, they mean loss of any fluids," said Dr Joel Topf, a nephrologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Oakland University, US.

But that interpretation "has been completely blown out of proportion", said Kelly Anne Hyndman, a kidney function researcher at the University of Alabama, U.S.

From a medical standpoint, Topf said, the most important measure of hydration is the balance between electrolytes such as sodium and water in the body. And you don't need to chug glass after glass of water throughout the day to maintain it.

How much do I really need to drink?

We've all been taught that eight glasses of water per day is the magic number, but that notion is a myth, said Tamara Hew-Butler, an exercise and sports scientist at Wayne State University, US.

Unique factors such as body size, outdoor temperature, and how hard you're breathing and sweating will determine how much water you actually need, she said. A 200-pound person who just hiked 10 miles in the heat will obviously need to drink more water than a 120-pound office manager who spent the day in a temperature controlled building.

The amount of water you need in a day will also depend on your health. For most young, healthy people, the best way to stay hydrated is simply to drink when you're thirsty Topf said. Those who are older, in their 70s and 80s, may need to pay more attention to getting sufficient fluids because the thirst sensation can decrease with age.

Do I have to drink water to stay hydrated?

Not necessarily. From a purely nutritional standpoint, water is a better choice than less healthy options such as sugary sodas or fruit juices. But when it comes to hydration, any beverage can add water to your system, Hew-Butler said.

One popular notion is that drinking beverages with caffeine or alcohol will dehydrate you, but if that's true, the impact is negligible, Topf said. A 2016 randomised controlled trial of 72 men, for instance, concluded that the hydrating impacts of water, lager, coffee and tea were nearly identical.

You can also get water from what you eat. Fluid-rich foods and meals such as fruits, vegetables, soups and sauces all contribute to water intake.

But drinking more water, even when I'm not thirsty, will improve my health, right?

No. Of course, people with certain conditions, such as kidney stones or the more rare autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, may benefit from making an effort to drink a little more water than their thirst would tell them to, Topf said.

In the most extreme case, drinking too much water in a short period of time could lead to a condition called hyponatremia, or "water intoxication". "This is very scary and bad," Hyndman said. If the sodium levels in your blood get too low, it can cause brain swelling and neurological issues such as seizures, coma or even death.

Credit : Hindustan Times

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The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has provided a list of recommendations that may help prevent up to 40 per cent of all cancer cases. Here are some of the top tips you can follow:

• Watch your weight and exercise regularly. Ensure you include at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week.
• Follow a healthy diet and eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, particularly green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli.
• Avoid processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars, such as readymade dishes, snacks, cakes, biscuits and sweets.
• Don't take unnecessary dietary supplements; if you eat a healthy diet, you don't need supplements.
• Instead of drinking fizzy drinks and sweetened fruit juices, try to drink more water and unsweetened drinks. Cut down on alcohol.

Credit : Hindustan Times

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For many people, pets are more than just pets, they are a part of the family. But just like other members of your family, pets can also infect us with germs.

Yes, we should all love our pet dog, cat, parrot, rabbit or whatever, but we also need to remember that our pets can also make us sick. We need to be enlightened to this fact, so that we can take the right precautions and ensure that our pets as well ourselves stay healthy.

Rabies: The WHO tells us that out of 59,000 rabies deaths worldwide, approximately 50% are from India. Rabies is a killer disease that has no cure.

If you have a pet dog, ensure that it gets its anti-rabies vaccine shots on time, and keep it away from stray animals. Rabies is also called 'hydrophobia' because the affected animal develops a fear of water.

Prevention: If your dog bites you, ensure that you wash the bitten area with soap under running water, and apply a disinfectant. Then immediately consult your doctor. Similarly, if your pet is bitten by a stray, consult your vet immediately.

Leptospirosis: Pet owners should also vaccinate their dogs against leptospirosis. This highly infectious disease is spread through the urine of infected animals and can survive in water or soil for a long time. These bacteria can enter your body through broken skin, an open cut or wound, or through your eyes, nose or mouth. Symptoms include chills, sore throat, cough and redness of the eyes.

Prevention: Always wash your hands and feet, and your pet's paws thoroughly after taking them for a walk. Since this disease spreads more during the monsoon, it would be wise to invest in gumboots for your pet.

Toxoplasmosis: You can be infected by this disease simply by cleaning your cat's litter box or by touching soil where your cat may have defecated.

Symptoms are similar to the common flu, where you feel tired, feverish and your body aches. Pregnant women need to take extreme care as this disease can also infect the foetus and cause a miscarriage.

Prevention: Always use gloves while cleaning your cat's litter box. Also always wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling a cat's litter box/or after doing any gardening.

Capnocytophaga or 'Cat Scratch Disease': The bacteria called Capnocytophaga are found in the nails of cats. People who become infected normally experience diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, headache, and muscle pain.

People can become infected if they are scratched or bitten by a cat, or if a cat licks an open wound on their body. Symptoms include infection at the wound site, fever, headache, poor appetite, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes.

Prevention: Wash the cat bite or scratch under running water with soap and then apply a disinfectant. Also, do not let a cat lick an open wound or cut.

Ringworm: Contact with the fungus that causes ringworm will cause it to take root in your skin. It is called ringworm because it can cause an itchy, red, circular rash. This fungus can live and thrive on bedding or towels used for your pets. Apart from adult pets, puppies and kittens are more likely to develop and transmit ringworm. The rash that it causes isn't serious, although it may cause you severe itchiness.

Prevention: A simple antifungal cream should help you get rid of it. But if it persists, then please see your doctor.

Psittacosis: Also known as 'parrot fever', this is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a bacterium, contracted by inhaling the dried secretions from infected birds such as parrots or other pet birds. It can also be contacted through pigeons, sparrows, ducks or hens. Symptoms include headache, breathlessness, fever and a cough.

Prevention: Always use a mask and gloves while cleaning out your bird cages. Any pet bird showing signs of illness should be taken to the vet immediately.

If your symptoms do not go away in a few days always consult your doctor.

Love your pet... but take care they don't make you sick!

Credit : Noel Keymer (The Teenager Today)

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The brain is the fattiest organ in our body it is composed of nearly 60% fat. The largest part of the central nervous system, the brain controls our thoughts, speech, movements and memory. It is composed of billions of neurons, or nerve cells, and glial cells.

Each day humans must consume a certain amount of water to survive. Of course, this varies according to age and gender, and also by where someone lives. Generally, an adult male needs about 3 liters (3.2 quarts) per day while an adult female needs about 2.2 liters (2.3 quarts) per day. All of the water a person needs does not have to come from drinking liquids, as some of this water is contained in the food we eat.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Utz, Neuroscience, pediatrics, Allegheny University, different people have different percentages of their bodies made up of water. Babies have the most, being born at about 78%. By one year of age, that amount drops to about 65%. In adult men, about 60% of their bodies are water. However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue. In adult women, fat makes up more of the body than men, so they have about 55% of their bodies made of water. 

Credit : USGS

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