"Mystery pollutant' found in Yamuna, poses threat to liver and other body functions

Hundreds and thousands of rupees have been spent on Clean Yamuna project, but the river continues to swell with pollutants and other harmful chemicals.

The latest in the series of a pollutants found in the river is a 'mystery pollutant'.

According to a news report, the new pollutant was discovered by states water supply body, Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The new pollutant is said to be deteriorating the water quality to dangerous level.

According to doctors, the new 'mystery' pollutant is potentially dangerous and poses a serious threat to liver, respiratory tract and cellular function of human beings.

The doctors and DJB scientists claim that the pollutant is some of the most dangerous natural poison and they have called for more tests.

The pollutant came to the notice of DJB during a disinfectant drive. However, the officials are clueless about the origin of the pollutant.

But, DJB officials are hopeful and have said that a dose of chlorination would be sufficient to decontaminate the water body.

The scientists stumbled upon pollutant formed after the reaction of chlorine with ammoniacal contaminants and cyanobacterial bloom.

Eyes can reflect liver problem

Various medical traditions demonstrate that observing a person’s eyes also foretells of their liver health. Some of the ways eyes can be correlated with liver are as follows:

#1 – Scleral Icterus
Usually white to off-white and opaque, the sclera is the white part of a human eye. When the sclerae are yellow, jaundice is the most common culprit. Yellowing of the eyes, sclera icterus, is frequently a sign of liver damage or liver disease. Jaundice is caused by a buildup of bilirubin, the byproduct of old red blood cells the liver can’t process. While most people associate jaundice with yellowing of the skin, the whites of the eyes are typically the first tissue to be affected by an injured liver that is unable to remove bilirubin from the blood supply. Scleral icterus is different from pinguecula, light-yellow colored bumps on the sclera. Although pinguecula usually appear in the corner of the eye near the nose, they can appear anywhere on the sclera. Believed to be a fatty deposit, pinguecula are usually a result of irritation from the elements, such as dust, wind and sun exposure.

#2 – Xanthelasma Palpebra
Xanthelasma palpebra are tiny yellow bumps on the eyelids. Sometimes referred to as "cholesterol bumps," xanthelasma palpebra is typically a warning that a person has high cholesterol. These bumps are frequently mistaken for a stye, but xanthelasma palpebra usually consists of multiple, very small bumps. Because high cholesterol frequently accompanies fat accumulation in the liver, xanthelasma palpebra could be a warning of the easily missed, very common, and potentially dangerous condition known as fatty liver disease.

#3 – Dry Eyes
While dry eyes can have many different etiologies, dry eyes accompanied by pallor, fatigue, blurry vision, thirst, absence of menstruation, muscle cramps, floaters in the eye and poor night vision all have a common denominator in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In TCM, these concurrent symptoms could indicate liver blood deficiency, an imbalance that has the potential to hinder optimal liver function. Please note that TCM detects imbalances in the body before they manifest as an illness; as such, a diagnosis of liver blood deficiency in TCM does not necessarily imply liver disease.

#4 – Irregularity Between the Eyebrows
One of the hallmark diagnostic measures in TCM is observation. The Chinese see the body as a whole, where each organ is related to the rest of the body. As such, looking closely at certain areas of the body can offer big clues to its associated organ system. This connection has many applications, one of which is useful when an anomaly is seen between the eyebrows – an area that relates to the condition of the liver. A vertical line between the eyebrows may indicate liver problems that encompass impaired liver health due to alcohol, poor dietary choices or high stress levels. Evidenced by a crease in the forehead’s center, excessive fat in the diet or food intolerances can negatively impact the liver. In TCM, the liver is the organ that holds anger – and it can be injured from rage. A precursor to congestion in the liver, a deep frown line is frequently found on those who either suppress their anger or get angry quickly; both contributing to potentially harmful liver congestion.

Encompassing tenets of both Western medicine and traditional medicine, the eyes are a sort of window into the liver’s well-being. If you notice any of the four mentioned signs – jaundiced sclera, yellow eyelid bumps, dry eyes or a line between the eyebrows – don’t panic. In many cases, observing one of these four signs can function as motivation to be evaluated by a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner. Armed with this knowledge, you can take an active role in preventing and/or addressing any possible liver ailments.

Young are more prone to high cholesterol levels and liver disorders

One out of every four Indians between the age–group of 20–29 years have high cholesterol which is making the y-gen more and more prone to heart and liver diseases. Generally, two out of every five Indians have high cholesterol. Top doctors in the national capital have found that youth in the country are becoming increasingly prone to high cholesterol levels. The medical fraternity is of opinion that one should change cooking oil every month to keep cholesterol levels under control.

According to a study report titled “Cooking oils for heart health” done by Department of Cardiology of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a heart healthy oil should be cholesterol and trans fats free, low unsaturated fats and high in Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Mustard and Canola oils offer to be ideal in this regard.

Cholesterol is the fatty substance that is found in the blood stream and the body cells. It is an essential substance required for a proper functioning of body especially the brain.

One should use mixture of oils or one should change oil as a cooking medium every month to avoid the rise of cholesterol levels. People should always make use of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids oil like olive oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil and mustard oil. No variety of cooking oil should be used consecutively for more than two months.

Cholesterol is of two types: high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL cholesterol is considered as “bad cholesterol” responsible for allowing fatty plaques to develop in the lumen of arteries, leading to their narrowing. If this narrowing develops in coronary arteries (supplying blood to the heart), the person can develop coronary artery disease (CAD) and can lead to heart attacks. HDL cholesterol on the other hand is called as “good cholesterol” and can prevent the development and evolution of these dangerous plaques.

The prevalence of high cholesterol levels depends on geographical location and different dietary habits. People living in hilly areas have high levels of good cholesterol and low levels of bad cholesterol whereas those living in plains have high levels of bad cholesterol.

An ideal diet to overcome high cholesterol should include: Intake of fresh seasonal vegetable juices like bottle gourd (lauki), celery and aloe vera ; diet rich in fiber, fruits and one should avoid intake of red meat.