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Diet has a very important role in man’s struggle against diseases and disability.
Latest research finds that eating enough quantities of nutritious diets in along with proper exercise are the major contributing factors to one’s physical fitness and health. The research was conducted to American people. It showed that one out of every three Americans is obese. These individuals who are obese are at greater risk for additional diseases, since obesity leads to other health problems, such as diabetes. A team of researchers has examined the effect of exercise on fat accumulation in a new study involving five obese women. In one session the women overate and did not exercise; in a follow-on session they overate and did exercise. The researchers found out that the body’s fat-burning oxidation rate was reduced after one day of overeating; conversely, just one session of exercise increased the rate of fat-burning oxidation; and exercise increased the amount of fat that would eventually be stored in the muscle.
Recent studies were able to associate autism and muscle weakness among children. It was found out that children suffering from autism disorders might have genetic defects which results into mitochondrial disease.
Mitochondrial disease relates to the mitochondria which convert the energy molecules of food taken by higher-order life forms for cellular functions. This lack of energy conversion is the cause of muscle weakness.
The study found out that sixty-five percent of the thirty-seven children evaluated have problems in their bodies when it comes to the conversion and production of energy in their muscles. All of the evaluated children have autism spectrum disorders.
Gene therapy is a method of curing diseases in the cells and tissues of an individual by inserting genes to replace defective ones (known as mutant alleles). This technology could prove to be very useful in treating cancerous cells and malignant tumors.
Functional genes carried by human cells aimed to cure the mutant alleles are inserted with tiny magnets for easier navigation of such cells. The cells can accurately reach the cancerous cells or malignant tumors by placing another magnet in the tumor to attract the “curative” cells. This technique is still on its birth stage but if it can it be fully developed its full potential, curing disease through gene therapy can be very effective and efficient.
Just about everyone knows Dolly, the sheep clone whose “birth” into this world was received with opposing reactions. Now, scientists are saying that they have cloned the first primate. Is the world ready for this?
Just imagine what the future could be like if science fiction meets reality when humans can finally be cloned. This would surely ignite further debate on the issue as regards the morality of the matter.
When the debate ensues, on which side will you be?
Photo credits: Maurcio Braz
