New Delhi: India’s economic growth slowed for a third straight quarter in the January-March period, at 4.1 per cent, data released on Tuesday showed. For full FY22, the National Statistics Office pared its growth forecast marginally to 8.7 per cent from the 8.8 per cent estimated in January. As per the data, the Indian economy witnessed a 6.6 per cent contraction in 2020-21.Further, an elevated level of inflation and rising interest rates are expected to temper economic growth momentum in FY23.During the March quarter, agriculture grew at 4.1 per cent, while manufacturing contracted 0.2 per cent. Public administration, defence and other services, which represent government expenditure, grew 7.7 per cent during the March quarter, boosting overall economic growth. Among other sectors, mining and quarrying and construction grew 6.7 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively."GDP growth for Q4 FY22 at 4.1 per cent reflects the impact of the Omicron wave, higher input costs and a high base in certain sectors from last year. Manufacturing activity contracted while agriculture was the biggest support. The worrying part remains private consumption, which saw a decline in share in GDP in the fourth quarter."With rising inflationary pressures, consumption recovery remains under a cloud of uncertainty for FY23. We expect growth to print at 7.2 per cent in the current fiscal. This GDP print does little to change our view that the RBI is likely to raise rates by 25 bps at the upcoming policy," said Sakshi Gupta, principal economist, HDFC Bank.According to the NSO data, India's real GDP grew to Rs 147.36 trillion from Rs 135.58 trillion in 2020-21. Gross value added (GVA) growth during the fiscal ending March 2022 was at 8.1 per cent as against a contraction 4.8 per cent in the preceding year.The GVA growth in the manufacturing sector accelerated to 9.9 per cent during the year as against a contraction of 0.6 per cent earlier.GVA growth in both mining and construction was 11.5 per cent. These two large segments of the economy had contracted in the COVID-hit 2020-21.However, agriculture sector growth decelerated to 3 per cent from 3.3 per cent in FY21.Electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services segment grew by 7.5 per cent during 2021-22. The segment had contracted by 3.6 per cent in the previous fiscal. GVA growth in services sector -- trade, hotel, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting -- was 11.1 per cent during 2021-22 as against a contraction of 20.2 per cent in the previous year.Financial, real estate and professional services grew by 4.2 per cent in the year over 2.2 per cent earlier.Public administration, defence and other services posted 12.6 per cent growth against (-)5.5 per cent in 2020-21."Real GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in the year 2021-22 is estimated to attain a level of Rs 147.36 trillion, as against the First Revised Estimate of Rs 135.58 trillion for the year 2020-21."The growth in GDP during 2021-22 is estimated at 8.7 percent as compared to a contraction of 6.6 percent in 2020-21," the NSO said.Also, nominal GDP or GDP at Current Prices in 2021-22 was estimated at Rs 236.65 trillion, as against Rs 198.01 trillion in 2020-21, showing a growth of 19.5 per cent As per the NSO data, per capita income (based on net national income) during 2021-22 was Rs 1.5 lakh per annum at current prices, up from 1,26,855 in 2020-21, showing a growth of 18.3 per cent.However, at constant prices, per capita annual income works out to be Rs 91,481, up 7.5 per cent from Rs 85,110 in FY21.Gross fixed capital formation was estimated at Rs 47.84 trillion in 2021-22, up from Rs 41.31 trillion in the preceding year."Fourth quarter of FY22 GDP growth eased to 4.1 per cent y/y, with the sequential pace restrained by temporary mobility restrictions imposed back then, impact of inclement weather and, separately, high commodity prices on account of geopolitical risks, besides a high base."We don't expect this outcome to materially disrupt the central bank's policy normalisation plans. This subdued reading is likely to be followed by a strong double-digit growth in June'22 quarter on base effects," said Radhika Rao, senior economist, DBS Bank. The country's GDP growth had stood at 20.3 per cent in the April-June quarter of FY22, and 8.5 per cent in the July-September quarter. During the third quarter of 2021-22, it slowed to 5.4 per cent but was higher than China's GDP expansion of 4 per cent; the country retained its position as the world's fastest-growing major economy.The economy's near-term prospects have been darkened by a spike in retail inflation, which hit an eight-year high of 7.8 per cent in April. The surge in energy and commodity prices following the Ukraine crisis has also been a drag on the economic activity.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the benchmark repo rate by 40 basis points in an unscheduled meeting early this month.Soaring prices and the subsequent hit to consumer spending and investments dampened India's economy, as the Reserve Bank of India faced a finely balanced struggle to tame inflation via rate hikes without hurting economic growth, economists said. — PTI

 India’s economic growth slowed for a third straight quarter in the January-March period, at 4.1 per cent, data released on Tuesday showed. For full FY22, the National Statistics Office pared its growth forecast marginally to 8.7 per cent from the 8.8 per cent estimated in January.

India's GDP Grew 8.7% In Fiscal Fy22, 4.1% In Q4

Maryland: According to a new study, HIV patients who started antiretroviral medication (ART) early in their infection had a long duration of HIV suppression without ART after getting two broadly neutralising anti-HIV antibodies (bNAbs).The findings of the research were published in the journal 'Nature'.The findings suggest that combination bNAb therapy might offer a future alternative to daily ART for people living with HIV. The research was conducted by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, in collaboration with researchers at the NIH Clinical Center; the Maple Leaf Medical Clinic in Toronto; the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research; Harvard Medical School, Boston; and The Rockefeller University, New York City.Although oral antiretrovirals are highly effective at keeping HIV levels under control, it can be difficult for some people with HIV to adhere to a daily medication regimen. Additionally, the medicines can present long-term side effects from lifetime usage and create the possibility for the development of drug-resistant viruses.In previous research, single bNAbs showed only limited success in keeping virus levels low partly because bNAb-resistant HIV either already existed or emerged in the individual. To address this problem, researchers in the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation tested a dual combination of bNAbs--called 3BNC117 and 10-1074--targeting different parts of the surface of HIV.The researchers conducted a two-component clinical trial between September 2018 and January 2021. The first component was a Phase 1 randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 14 participants with HIV. These individuals had started ART during the early phase of their infection. They were taken off antiretrovirals shortly after receiving their first infusion of the combination bNAbs or placebo. Participants received up to eight bNAb or placebo infusions--two in the first month and once monthly thereafter--for 24 weeks. HIV levels and CD4 T-cell counts were measured every two weeks.The purpose of the study was to see if treatment with the bNAbs could suppress HIV in the absence of ART. None of the seven participants who received the bNAb treatment had to restart ART before 28 weeks post-infusion compared to six of the seven participants who received placebo. The median duration of time off antiretrovirals was 39.6 weeks (bNAb group) and 9.4 weeks (placebo), respectively.The second component of the study involved bNAb infusions in a group of 5 study participants who were not taking ART but still maintained low levels of HIV. In this smaller group, only two of the five study participants maintained complete suppression of the virus for an average of 41.7 weeks following the bNAb transfusions.The authors note that the bNAb combination was ineffective in suppressing HIV if participants harboured virus resistance to either or both experimental antibodies before receiving the infusions. The presence of pre-existing antibody-resistant HIV poses a major challenge going forward, according to the authors. No safety issues occurred in the study, and the infusions were well-tolerated.The study authors conclude that the combination bNAb therapy can be highly effective in suppressing HIV in the absence of ART for extended periods, provided that the antibody-resistant virus is not present at the time individuals begin antibody treatment.Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings, but as next-generation bNAbs with increased potency and durability become available, "there is reason to believe that infrequent administration (i.e., twice a year) of such antibodies, possibly along with a long-acting injectable antiretroviral drug, could lead to ART-free HIV suppression for extended periods (years) in infected individuals," the authors wrote.&nbsp;—ANI

 According to a new study, HIV patients who started antiretroviral medication (ART) early in their infection had a long duration of HIV suppression without ART after getting two broadly neutralising anti-HIV antibodies (bNAbs).

Combination Anti-HIV Antibody Infusions Suppress Virus For Long Period, Says Study

New Delhi: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Saturday said that the Periodic table has not been removed from the school education curriculum and it is available in great detail in the Class 11 textbook.
In this regard, the official media handle of NCERT took to Twitter and said, "Periodic Table has not been removed from school education curriculum but is, in fact, available in great detail in Unit 3 -"Classification of Elements and periodicity in properties" (Page 74-99) of Class 11th textbook."
Earlier in a bid to reduce the burden on students, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) dropped the full chapter on the Periodic Classification of Elements, a full chapter on Democracy and Diversity, a full chapter on Challenges to Democracy, and a full page on Political Parties from the newly released textbooks of Class 10 students.
As per the NCERT, the decision has been taken to reduce the content load on students in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Complete chapters on these above subjects now stand deleted as a part of a "rationalisation" meant to reduce the "burden on students".
According to the NCERT website, "The National Education Policy 2020, also emphasises reducing the content load and providing opportunities for experiential learning with a creative mindset. In this background, NCERT has undertaken the exercise to rationalise the textbooks across all classes. Learning Outcomes already developed by the NCERT across classes have been taken into consideration in this exercise. "Contents of the textbooks have been rationalised in view of the Overlapping with similar content included in other subject areas in the same class, Similar content included in the lower or higher class in the same subject, Difficulty level, Content, which is easily accessible to students without much interventions from teachers and can be learned through children through self-learning or peer-learning, Content, which is irrelevant in the present context," NCERT said. —ANI

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Saturday said that the Periodic table has not been removed from the school 

Periodic Table Not Removed From School Curriculum, It's Included In Class 11 Book: NCERT

Washington: Researchers found children who have been breastfed for a longer period of time appear to achieve slightly better results in their school GSCEs at the age of 16 when compared to non-breastfed children. The study was published in 'Archives of Disease in Childhood.' Even when various factors such as people's socioeconomic status and the intelligence of their parents are considered, evidence of improved educational outcomes remains visible. Previous research has suggested that children who are breastfed for a longer period of time have better educational outcomes later in life. However, these are scarce, and most have not taken into account potential factors that could influence outcomes, such as the fact that mothers with higher socioeconomic status or intelligence scores are more likely to breastfeed their children for longer periods of time and have children with higher exam results. A team of researchers from the University of Oxford, therefore, set out to analyse data on a large group of British children who were included in the Millennium Cohort Study, which enrolled 18,818 children born in 2000-2002 living in the UK and who were followed up at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 17 and 22. This data was linked to the National Pupil Dataset, which stores longitudinal academic data of students enrolled in English state schools. For the new study, the researchers analysed a nationally representative group of 4,940 participants from England up to age 16 and looked at the results of their secondary education standardised examinations (set by the English Department of Education), specifically their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs) in English and Mathematics. The Attainment 8 score, which is the sum of all the GCSEs taken by the children, was also analysed. Around a third (32.8%) of the participants were never breastfed, and the remainder were breastfed for different periods. Only 9.5% were breastfed for at least 12 months. Analysis of the results showed that longer breastfeeding was associated with better educational outcomes. Only around a fifth (19.2%) of children who were breastfed for at least 12 months failed their English GCSE compared with 41.7% of those who were never breastfed, while 28.5% of those breastfed for at least 12 months achieved a high pass (A and A*) compared with 9.6% among non-breastfed children. For the Mathematics GCSE, only 23.7% of children who were breastfed for at least 12 months failed their test compared with 41.9% of those who never breastfed, while 31.4% of those who breastfed for at least 12 months achieved a high pass (A and A*) compared with 11% among non-breastfed children. After taking into account confounding factors, the overall association showed that compared with children who never breastfed, children who breastfed for at least 12 months were 39% more likely to have a high pass for both exams and were 25% less likely to fail the English exam. Additionally, those who breastfed for longer had a better overall performance in their GCSEs (higher Attainment 8 score) than those who never breastfed. The study had some limitations in that it was not possible to link the National Pupil Dataset for approximately 4,000 children because they were lost to follow-up or did not consent, while a further 1,292 children were not followed up to age 14 when the maternal cognitive ability was measured. Additionally, other factors that could potentially influence the association were not considered. Nevertheless, the authors said their findings were nationally representative of children enrolled in state schools in England and the large sample size allowed them to detect outcome differences between several breastfeeding duration groups. They had also taken into account the confounding effects of several markers of family-level and area-level socioeconomic status and maternal intelligence. They concluded: "Breastfeeding duration was associated with improved educational outcomes at age 16 among children living in England, after controlling for important confounders. "However, the effect sizes were modest and may be susceptible to residual confounding. Breastfeeding should continue to be encouraged, when possible, as potential improvements in academic achievement constitute only one of its potential benefits. "Future studies should adjust for both socioeconomic circumstances (comprehensively) and maternal general intelligence." —ANI

Researchers found children who have been breastfed for a longer period of time appear to achieve slightly

Breastfeeding Children For Longer Period Leads To Better Results In Their School: Study

New Delhi: In a speech given on Sunday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta called the years of emergency that began in June 1975 and ended in March 1977 the "darkest period" in the post-independence, democratic history of India.
Mehta, speaking as the keynote speaker at an event titled "A Talk on the Abuse of the Constitution During the Emergency," claimed that the public has been exposed to "factually incorrect propaganda" for the past decade, in the form of claims about things like "a majoritarian regime," "arbitrary governance," and "government interference in the judiciary."
Lawyers, he argued, ought to use "legal logic" to counter such arguments.—Inputs from Agencies

In a speech given on Sunday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta called the years of emergency that began in June 1975 and ended in March 1977 the "darkest period" in the post-independence, democratic history of India.

Emergency darkest period in history of post-Independent democratic India: Solicitor General

Aligarh (UP): A 55-year-old woman and her 22-year-old adopted daughter were allegedly beaten to death by her in-laws over a property dispute in Aligarh district, barely a week after her husband's death.
The double murder took place at Kaimthal under the Gonda police limits when Mukesh Devi was attending her husband's 'terahvin' (ritual conducted on the 13th day of the mourning period) along with daughter Priyanka at her in-laws' place.
Mukesh Devi's husband, Surender Singh, had died of a heart attack in Delhi on August 31.&nbsp;
At the ritual, Mukesh Devi was attacked by her brother-in-law and others with a stick and heavy objects.
When her daughter tried to save her, she was also brutally assaulted. Both suffered head injuries and were declared dead at a nearby hospital, police said.
An FIR has been registered against seven accused -- Dharmveer Singh, Mona Singh, Dubla Singh, Ramesh Singh, Neeraj Singh, Sonu Singh and Rakesh Singh -- under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 147 (rioting) following a complaint by the woman's brother Bhola Singh.
SP (Aligarh rural) Palash Bansal said, "Five police teams have been formed to arrest the accused. We are investigating the matter and action will be taken soon."
Mukesh Devi's nephew Bablu added, "My aunt married Surender Singh of Kaimthal nearly 30 years ago. They later settled in Delhi. My uncle had recently retired from the Delhi Transport Corporation. He died a few days ago and his brother brought the body to his native place for cremation. On Monday, as we visited the house for the terahvin, there was a heated argument between my aunt and her brother-in-law over property. It soon turned ugly and the latter attacked her."
"She was murdered for three bighas of land as the accused did not want the property to go to her adopted child. Her daughter was working at a private firm in Delhi," a neighbour said.&nbsp;
—IANS

A 55-year-old woman and her 22-year-old adopted daughter were allegedly beaten to death by her in-laws over a property dispute in Aligarh district

Wife, daughter killed at man’s post-death ritual in UP

Washington DC: A major study has given new insight into North African humid periods that have occurred during the last 800,000 years, explaining why the Sahara Desert has been green at times. The research, published in Nature Communications, showed periodic wet phases in the Sahara were driven by changes in Earth’s orbit around the Sun and were suppressed during the ice ages. For the first time, climate scientists simulated the historic intervals of ‘greening’ of the Sahara, offering evidence for how the timing and intensity of these humid events were also influenced remotely by the effects of large, distant, high-latitude ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. Lead author Dr Edward Armstrong, a climate scientist at the University of Helsinki and University of Bristol, said: “The cyclic transformation of the Sahara Desert into savannah and woodland ecosystems is one of the most remarkable environmental changes on the planet. “Our study is one of the first climate modelling studies to simulate the African Humid Periods with comparable magnitude to what the palaeoclimate observations indicate, revealing why and when these events occurred.” There is widespread evidence that the Sahara was periodically vegetated in the past, with the proliferation of rivers, lakes and water-dependent animals such as hippos, before it became what is now desert. These North African Humid Periods may have been crucial in providing vegetated corridors out of Africa, allowing the dispersal of various species, including early humans, around the world. The so-called ‘greenings’ are thought to have been driven by changes in Earth’s orbital conditions, specifically Earth’s orbital precession. Precession refers to how Earth wobbles on its axis, which influences seasonality (i.e. the seasonal contrast) over an approximate 21,000-year cycle. These changes in precession determine the amount of energy received by the Earth in different seasons, which in turn controls the strength of the African Monsoon and the spread of vegetation across this vast region. A major barrier to understanding these events is that the majority of climate models have been unable to simulate the amplitude of these humid periods, so the specific mechanisms driving them have remained uncertain. This study deployed a recently-developed climate model to simulate the North African Humid periods to greatly advance understanding of their driving mechanisms. The results confirm the North African Humid Periods occurred every 21,000 years and were determined by changes in Earth’s orbital precession. This caused warmer summers in the Northern Hemisphere, which intensified the strength of the West African Monsoon system and increased Saharan precipitation, resulting in the spread of savannah-type vegetation across the desert. The findings also show the humid periods did not occur during the ice ages, when there were large glacial ice sheets covering much of the high latitudes. This is because these vast ice sheets cooled the atmosphere and suppressed the tendency for the African monsoon system to expand. This highlights a major teleconnection between these distant regions, which may have restricted the dispersal of species, including humans, out of Africa during the glacial periods of the last 800,000 years. Co-author Paul Valdes, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Bristol, said: “We are really excited about the results. Traditionally, climate models have struggled to represent the extent of the ‘greening’ of the Sahara. Our revised model successfully represents past changes and also gives us confidence in their ability to understand future change.” The research, including climate scientists from the University of Birmingham, is part of a Kone Foundation-funded project at the University of Helsinki, which studies the impacts of climate on past human distributions and evolution of their ecological niche. Co-author Miikka Tallavaara, Assistant Professor of Hominin Environments at the University of Helsinki, said: “The Sahara region is kind of a gate controlling the dispersal of species between both North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and in and out of the continent. “The gate was open when Sahara was green and closed when deserts prevailed. This alternation of humid and arid phases had major consequences for the dispersal and evolution of species in Africa. Our ability to model North African Humid periods is a major achievement and means we are now also better able to model human distributions and understand the evolution of our genus in Africa.” —ANI

A major study has given new insight into North African humid periods that have occurred during the last 800,000 years

Researchers Discover Why, When Sahara Desert Was Green

New Delhi [India]: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the Akasa Air matter filed the written submissions and stated that DGCA cannot interfere in the employment agreement between the airline and the pilot which itself contains the mechanism of termination of pilots and it would be in the interest of the parties that petitioner airline complies with the mandate of the answering respondent to maintain a limited schedule if it does not have enough necessary number of pilots to maintain the operations of the flights. Recently, Akasa Air has moved Delhi High Court against pilots who have resigned without serving the mandatory notice period. Airlines sought direction from DGCA to take action against the pilots.
DGCA opposed the Akasa Air plea in the Delhi High Court stating that it categorically denies that the Petitioner Company has provided any documents or reasons to it in respect of cancellation of flights as a result of pilots submitting their resignations. It is pertinent to mention that the data/records are maintained by DGCA for cancellation of flights along with the cited reasons which are primarily due to operational, commercial, technical or account of weather, but no such information regarding the cancelled flights was communicated to DGCA as averred by the petitioner. Earlier Airlines informed the Delhi High Court that the Airline's operations have come to be gravely affected on account of flagrant breaches and violations committed by the Pilots engaged in relation to the agreements between the Airline and the Pilots.
Airlines stated that due to the sudden resignation, it will have to cancel multiple flights in September. The Court was informed also by the airlines that due to these resignations, it had to cancel numerous flights every day this month. The bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Arora recently kept the order reserved and asked the concerned parties to file their written synopsis. SNV Aviation Private Limited and its CEO Vinay Dube stated that none of the resignations tendered by the Pilots appear to have been issued on account of any legitimate or bonafide reasons. In fact, most of the resignation emails from the Pilots do not even contain any reasons or justifications whatsoever for abandoning their service almost immediately after their resignation and without serving any notice period. In the past few weeks, several Pilots engaged by the Airline's firm have resigned from their positions in violation of their contractual obligations. Among other things, the Pilots refused to serve the mandatory notice period of six months under their Employment Agreements. The plea also mentioned that a few of the resignation emails give vague and unsubstantiated reasons for the resignations. The collective mala-fides and lack of transparency from the Pilots are evident from the fact that all of the emails seek resignation to be effective immediately.&nbsp;
—ANI

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the Akasa Air matter filed the written submissions and stated that DGCA cannot interfere

Can't interfere in employment agreement between airline and pilot: DGCA in Delhi HC

New Delhi: In a recent groundbreaking endeavour, Gynoveda.com, conducted India’s largest Period Health Study. The survey saw responses from over 3 lakh women across the country in the age bracket of 18 to 45 years, who were categorised into 3 groups based on prevalence, severity and bodily changes.  The first group included women with Menstrual Disorders, which constituted a staggering 70% of total respondents. The second group noted women with Vaginal Disorders (26 percent) who had challenges concerning their vaginal well-being, which encompassed discomfort, infections, or irregularities affecting their overall vaginal health and quality of life. The third group included a total of 4 percent of the respondents who face no disorders.  The Pan India survey highlights findings based on age and incidence of PCOS, its prevalence, other disorders including irregular periods, pain severity during periods, and the observed bodily changes faced among the respondents.  Deep Diving into the key findings from the report:  Age Group and Incidences of PCOS  Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) isn’t bound by age — it’s a disorder that affects women across their journey. As per the survey, 60 percent of women in the age group of 25 to 34 have PCOS. What came out very glaringly was that 51% of women in the less than 24 yrs age group have PCOS. However, what makes this more worrisome is the fact that PCOS affects women’s fertility to a great extent. As per detailed research by the National Institute of Health (Government of India), the prevalence of infertility in women with PCOS varies between 70% and 80%.  Prevalence of PCOS and Other Hormonal Disorders  PCOS is not the only gynaecological disorder wreaking havoc on the women of our country; the data suggests that whilst 54% of women suffered from PCOS, the second leading menstrual disorder is PID, affecting 17% of the female population. Furthermore, 9% suffered from Candidiasis, 5% from Fibroid &amp; 1% from Endometrial Hyperplasia.  Irregularity and Pain Severity During Periods  When surveyed regarding pain during the menstrual cycle, over 83% of Indian women have periods that are painful, which compels them to consume painkillers every month. 58% complained about mild and bearable pain, 25% complained about severe pain and only 17% reported no pain during the course of their periods.  Irregular periods with scanty flow were experienced by 76% of women. Nearly half of women resort to using fewer than 5 pads throughout their entire period cycle; whereas a healthy menstrual flow requires the use of a minimum of 10 to 12 pads per cycle.  Major Body Changes Faced by Women with PCOS  While dealing with PCOS, women also go through major body issues. Excessive weight gain was observed in 60% of women, closely followed by facial hair growth (Hirsutism) noted to be in 59% of women. Skin issues like Acne were observed in 55% of the women whereas pigmentation and other hormonal skin issues were seen in 51% of respondents. Due to certain defined health and beauty standards in society, these issues become a cause of mental and emotional distress in them.  Rachana Gupta, Co-founder at Gynoveda, who led the research opines, “The strategically designed period test complemented by the insights from doctors, customers, and respondents ensures accuracy and efficacy. By utilising the insights from this test and combining with Ayurvedic formulations and doctor support, Gynoveda has remarkably impacted over 200,000 lives in just 3 years since its inception and aims to continue the exceptional community work.”  Dr Aarati Patil, Chief Ayurveda Gynecologist at Gynoveda, shares that, “Ayurveda considers PCOS as Kapha disorder. Faulty diet and lifestyle habits like lack of exercise, day sleeping, including more sugar, fast food, junk food, and packaged food in the diet lead to excessive Kapha production. Excessive kapha affects digestion and poor digestion gives rise to AMA which can be considered as sticky toxins that block the channels in the ovary. These blockages affect the egg growth and that is how PCOS pathology starts as per Ayurveda.”
—IANS

In a recent groundbreaking endeavour, Gynoveda.com, conducted India’s largest Period Health Study. The survey saw responses from over 3 lakh women

83% of women admitted to having painful periods

By Lauren Ball, Pui Ting Wong, Emily Burch for The Conversation
Brisbane: Painful periods are common. More than half of people who menstruate have some pain for up to three days a month, typically throbbing or cramping in the lower abdomen.  Digestive changes, such as vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhoea and a 'bubbling gut,' are also common around the time of menstruation.  There are many treatments for period pain (known medically as dysmenorrhoea). Not all these treatments are well-tolerated or work for everyone.  We’re learning more about food’s role in influencing inflammation in our body. So, could eating or avoiding certain foods help with painful periods? Here’s what we know based on high-quality research.
Foods that may relieve period pain or cramps  Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids  Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds, salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, oysters and edamame beans. Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally present in oils including fish, cod liver, algal, krill, flaxseed (linseed), soybean and canola oils.  Omega-3 fatty acids affect how our cells function and the signalling pathways associated with inflammation and pain.  Earlier this year, researchers published a meta-analysis where they combined and analysed all data available on the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on period pain. They found diets high in omega-3 fatty acids (including supplements of 300-1,800 milligrams a day) over two to three months may reduce pain, and pain medication use, in people with painful periods.  Foods high in vitamin D  Foods high in vitamin D include trout, salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as fish liver oils. Small amounts are also found in beef liver, egg yolk and cheese. Mushrooms contain varying levels of vitamin D, and you can boost this by exposing them to direct midday sunlight for 15-120 minutes.  The body can make vitamin D when it gets sunlight exposure and you can also get vitamin D from supplements.  Vitamin D may help reduce the factors that cause inflammation in the uterus. This includes levels of hormone-like molecules called prostaglandins.  A 2023 meta-analysis showed women who received weekly doses of vitamin D greater than 50,000 IU (or international units) had relief from period pain, regardless of how long and how often women took the vitamin.  Foods high in vitamin E  Foods rich in vitamin E include seeds (particularly sunflower seeds), nuts (particularly almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts) and spinach, broccoli, kiwifruit, mango and tomato.  There is some evidence vitamin E supplements reduce period pain. In a well-conducted trial run over the course of four periods, women took vitamin E supplements (90 milligrams, twice a day) for five days, beginning two days before the expected start of the period. This significantly reduced the severity and duration of period pain.
Foods that may worsen period pain or cramps  Highly processed foods  Highly processed foods include energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods such as takeaways, chips, biscuits, doughnuts, processed meats and soft drinks.  Research findings on the impact of a diet high in processed foods on period pain vary. A 2022 review found sugar consumption had little association with painful periods.  However, some observational studies (which do not involve an intervention) suggest women who eat more processed foods may have more intense period pain. For example, a 2009 study found adolescent females who ate fast or processed foods for two days or more a week reported more period pain compared with those who did not. Therefore, eating less processed food may be something to consider.  Caffeine  Foods high in caffeine include coffee, energy drinks and some processed energy bars. Caffeine intake is associated with menstrual pain.  Although we don’t know the precise underlying mechanism, researchers think caffeine may narrow blood vessels, which limits blood flow, leading to stronger cramps.  Alcohol  Drinking alcohol is not a recognised risk factor for painful periods. However, chronic heavy alcohol use reduces levels of magnesium in the blood. Magnesium is an important factor in relaxing muscles and supporting blood flow.  A healthy, balanced diet is your best best  Having a healthy, balanced diet is one of the best ways we can support our own health and prevent future chronic conditions. This can help reduce inflammation in our bodies, thought to be the main way diet can help people with painful periods.  If you are looking for tailored dietary advice or a menstrual health meal plan, speak with an accredited practising dietitian.  It’s important to stress, however, that diet alone cannot treat all forms of menstrual pain. So if you are concerned about your painful periods, check in with your GP who can discuss your options.
(Lauren Ball is a professor of community health and wellbeing at The University of Queensland, Emily Burch is a lecturer at Southern Cross University, Pui Ting Wong is a PhD candidate, diet and adolescent mental health at The University of Queensland)
—PTI

Painful periods are common. More than half of people who menstruate have some pain for up to three days a month, typically throbbing or cramping

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India's GDP Grew 8.7% In Fiscal Fy22, 4.1% In Q4

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India's GDP Grew 8.7% In Fiscal Fy22, 4.1% In Q4

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