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World Marrow Donor Day (WMDD) is celebrated globally on the third Saturday of September and in 2019, it will be celebrated on the 21st of September. The primary objective of WMDD is to thank all the donors worldwide, who have donated or are on the global registry waiting to donate. The secondary objective is to raise public awareness and benefits to patients’ lives. Who can become a donor? A donor can be any volunteer aged 18-60 yrs old, in good health and willing to donate a marrow or blood stem cell to the patient.  Bone marrow is the soft, spongy...

Electrolytes are chemicals which form ions in the body fluid and are essential for a number of bodily functions. A right balance of electrolytes is crucial for normal functioning of the human body. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, chloride, phosphate. Primary functions Regulation of nerve and muscle function Maintaining fluid balance and hydration levels Balance blood acidity and pressure Rebuild damaged tissues Any imbalance in electrolyte levels can cause health problems. For instance, muscle contraction involves calcium, sodium and potassium exchange, so any reduction can lead to either muscle weakness or cramps. The electrolyte balance homeostasis is maintained...

Tannins are compounds present in tea, responsible for its distinct flavour, colour, odour and specific chemical properties. They belong to the category of polyphenols. Tannins are also present in foods and beverages like coffee, chocolate and wine in abundance, which accounts for their astringent and bitter flavours. Tannin levels in tea might vary depending upon the variety and tea with high tannin level is referred to as tannic. For example, black tea contains a high level of tannin but green, white and oolong tea has little or no tannin content. But the amount consumed will depend upon the duration for...

The gut is our ‘second brain’ so, it needs to be feed proper nutrients like good bacteria, for a healthy life.  Maintaining a good microflora can prove fruitful for a healthy life. The gut microbiota is also known as prebiotics, which like every living organism has a limited lifespan. Speaking of prebiotics, let’s define the concept and discover its benefits. Prebiotics are nutrients that are degraded by gut microbiota and utilised as food. Recent scientific findings have established the importance and their relationship with our health. After being degraded by the gut bacteria, they are converted into short-chain fatty acids...

Carnitine is present in almost every cell of the body. It is conditionally an essential nutrient. It occurs in two-forms, D and L. L-carnitine is the biologically active form found in body, foods, and supplements. Table 1:-Selected Food Sources of Carnitine Food Amount (Mg) Beef, cooked (4 ounces) 56-162 Milk, whole, 1cup 8 Chicken (4ounce) 3-5 Cheddar cheese (2 ounce) 2 When can carnitine deficiency occur? The body is designed to make sufficient carnitine to meet the required needs. But incase of genetic or medical condition some individuals cannot make enough carnitine, so for them, carnitine becomes a conditionally essential...