Post-antibiotic Era:Shoud We Jump into?

The overuse of antibiotics is well know for its responsibility of antibiotics resistant disease widespread. WHO Director Gro Harlem Brundtland said: "Antibiotics were one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century. Unless we act to protect these medical miracles, we could be heading for a post-antibiotic age in which many medical and surgical advances could be undermined by the risk of incurable infection."
Results from the US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, conducted between 1989 and 1999, showed that 73% of patients with sore throats received antibiotic prescriptions. However, antibiotics are only helpful in about 10% of cases, in which sore throats are caused by bacterial "strep" infection. Most sore throats are due to viruses, against which antibiotics have no effect. "

Positive eating, not fats avoiding

Following my posting about fats, I want to add that the most important in diet success is positive eating. Do not focus on your fats consuming! There are the reports of it.

In 2007 the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on a study of 97 obese women, all of whom were avoiding high-fat foods. Half the women were instructed to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. By the end of a year, the women who were focused on adding vegetables lost an average of 17 pounds, 20 percent more than the women who were just paying attention to fat consumption.

See, it is about better eating habbit, not about fats only. There are good fats and bad fats, but don' t ever try to bribe bad fats. No, deal with both, but do not focus your diet on them.

Soy-rich diet benefits for stroke patients

Reuters released a news about the benefit of soy rich diet. The complete articles are here.

It is relieving because in my country, Indonesia, soy bean is our day to day food. You know tempe, a "synthetic meat" made of fermented soy bean. It is become the symbol of poor people, together with tofu brought by chinese people. In my childhood, I eat tempe and tofu about 7 days a week for almost 365 days without boring. The problem is, when our economy grows, we are like other people are very consuming junk food and meat.

The report says that isoflavone, a chemical found in soybeans, chickpeas, legumes and clovers, can improve artery function in stroke patients, a study in Hong Kong has found.
Published online in the European Heart Journal, it is the first investigation into the effects of isoflavone supplement on the brachial artery, which is the main artery in the arm.

Researchers found that after 12 weeks of isoflavone supplement, at a dose of 80 milligrams a day, there was improved blood flow in that artery, which is especially important in patients who have suffered ischaemic stroke -- which is caused by blood clots or other obstructions.

However, the researchers said it was too early to make clinical recommendations about the use of isoflavone supplements for stroke patients.