Elevated total and 'bad' cholesterol can be a cause of heart disease and stroke, so monitoring it is extremely important. Although some believe that skipping dinner contributes to rapid weight and cholesterol reduction, experts question this effectiveness.
Cholesterol is necessary for the body's function, but its rise to dangerous levels poses a threat. Simply skipping dinner is not enough to lower cholesterol; one must pay close attention to nutrition throughout the entire day. Specialists note that cholesterol levels depend on what a person eats during the day, how many calories they consume, their weight, and their physical activity level.
Professor Dr. Tarun Kumar from the Cardiology Department of Medanta Medical Center explained that skipping dinner does not always bring benefits. He specified that in some cases, a slight reduction in dinner might yield a small positive effect if it leads to an overall decrease in daily calorie intake and improves insulin resistance, which over time can reduce 'bad' cholesterol, but such cases are rare.
Dr. Kumar warns that dinner should not be skipped without consulting a doctor. He notes that people often skip dinner and then overeat the next day, which increases the risk of further cholesterol increase. Furthermore, such a dietary regimen can lead to a deficiency of necessary nutrients. Therefore, dinner should only be skipped upon a doctor's recommendation.
To control cholesterol, it is necessary to monitor the diet throughout the day. It is recommended to include fruits, green vegetables, protein, and vitamins in the daily menu, while avoiding excessive consumption of fats. Consumption of ghee, oil, and processed foods should be limited. It is also important to engage in physical exercise for 30–45 minutes at least five days a week. It is important to remember that no cholesterol medication should be taken without specialist advice.
Dr. Kirti Ramdhani has reached a historic milestone by becoming the first African specialist qualified in both pediatric and plastic surgery. Ramdhani herself emphasized that her motivation was the desire to provide comprehensive care to children, rather than the pursuit of recognition.
This 38-year-old surgeon works at Tigerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University in Cape Town. She recently completed exams in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery, having previously qualified as a pediatric surgeon through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) in 2021.
Her success has been recognized by the Smile Foundation, where she volunteers as a specialist helping children with congenital facial differences and other reconstructive problems. Ramdhani shared that this moment was the result of many years of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and faith.
Ramdhani explained that the unique combination of two disciplines has shaped her approach to patient care. In her view, pediatric surgery taught her to care for a child holistically, while plastic surgery provided the tools to restore not only form and function but also confidence, hope, and dignity. She believes that the boundary between these two specialties exists more in educational curricula than in the lives of the children they treat.
She noted that a child with a cleft lip requires not just an operation, but years of coordinated surgical care, including reconstruction, development, function, and aesthetics.
Dr. Ramdhani received her medical degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), followed by an internship at New Somerset Hospital in Cape Town. She then returned to KZN for public service and worked as a medical officer in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Grace Hospital from 2014 to 2017.
It was there that she gained extensive experience as a junior surgeon, including procedures for correcting cleft lip and palate, before obtaining her post-specialist qualification in pediatric surgery. In 2021, after registering for final pediatric surgery exams, she took on another highly competitive position in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery at Tigerberg Hospital.
Ramdhani links her passion for surgery to a childhood experience involving her younger brother. When he was ill, she wished she could help others like an ENT specialist did. Later, in medical college, she realized that while there were no cures for allergic rhinitis, there were ways to solve problems precisely and effectively, which sparked her love for surgery.
A special moment in her career was meeting the mother who saw her child after cleft lip repair surgery in 2014. She noted the mother's genuine emotion upon seeing the face she had prayed for, realizing that there was hope for the future in her eyes.
Beyond professional achievements, her motivation is deeply connected to the spiritual teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda's principle that 'service to humanity is service to God.' Her parents, Sham and Shirley Ramdhani, had a profound influence, teaching her resilience, honesty, and the importance of education.
Outside the operating room, Ramdhani draws strength from her family. She is married to pediatric surgeon Shamaman Harilal, who practices in the private sector of Cape Town, and they have a daughter. She emphasizes that family is her primary source of balance.
Ramdhani highly values multidisciplinary teams that support children during difficult times. She lists numerous specialists, including nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, psychologists, as well as various surgeons and geneticists, asserting that caring for children is never the work of one person.
As a member of the Smile Foundation, she notes that the organization makes specialized surgery accessible to children who might otherwise not receive it. In conclusion, she hopes her journey will inspire the younger generation of doctors, reminding them that origin does not determine potential, and that Africa is capable of leading through innovation and compassion.
Hollywood celebrity Sharon Stone shared details of her difficult decision to stop taking stroke and cannabis medications in pursuit of a completely substance-free life.
In an candid interview with Variety, the actress known for the film 'Basic Instinct' described her arduous, self-planned journey toward a life without any substances. This decision included refusing her last prescription for stroke, despite strong medical warnings, as well as ceasing cannabis use.
More than two decades after a life-threatening cerebral hemorrhage and stroke in 2001, Stone felt ready to sever ties with the pharmaceuticals that supported her recovery. However, her medical team strongly cautioned against such a step. According to Stone herself, the doctors warned: 'You cannot give it up. You can never give it up.'
Despite this, the Oscar-nominated actress continued her path, determined to regain full control over her body. She explained her decision with the phrase: 'I just thought: 'I want my life back.'' Stone added that over the years she had eliminated most of her prescribed medications, but her goal was a 'drug-free life.'
The physical consequences of stopping prescription drugs were immediate and extremely severe. Stone described a torturous withdrawal process that lasted for months. She compared the state to 'quitting damn heroin,' recalling how painful the detox was. The actress stated: 'I was sick like a dog for four and a half months.'
After overcoming this grueling period, Stone turned her attention to another habit—smoking marijuana. She expected a relatively easy transition but was surprised when quitting the weed triggered another month of illness. She linked the severe withdrawal syndrome to the high concentration of substances in modern cannabis compared to what she remembered from her youth.
Stone shared: 'As soon as I quit it, I decided to stop smoking weed. And since I think they put so much stuff in it now, they really do, when I stopped smoking weed, I got sick too. It's not like when you dig it out of the ground. It's not like when we were kids. I got very sick for a month.'
Stone noted that her neurologist expressed concerns regarding high-potency products, warning her about physical strain and emergency room visits associated with heavy marijuana use. Although medical professionals strongly advise against stopping stroke or anti-seizure medications without professional supervision, Stone's persistent drive for complete autonomy marks a radical new chapter in her long recovery process.
A new genetic map developed in Brazil has identified 129 possible therapeutic targets to combat Alzheimer's disease. The study utilizes artificial intelligence and RNA analysis to expand the search for treatment methods and uncover new possibilities for diagnosing this disease, which currently lacks a cure.
The work was conducted by the Brazilian startup BioDecision Analytics. The project aims to increase the number of investigated targets beyond proteins traditionally associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as beta-amyloid and tau. According to the publication Pesquisa para Inovação from FAPESP, scientists analyzed genetic data from thousands of samples to detect changes correlating with the disease. This work may help researchers and pharmaceutical companies find new avenues for developing medications and blood tests.
For decades, most research has focused on beta-amyloid. When this protein accumulates abnormally in the brain, it forms plaques that disrupt communication between neurons and cause inflammatory processes. For a long time, beta-amyloid was the only known target for Alzheimer's therapy, necessitating the exploration of other areas.
To create the genetic map, the team used 2870 samples of brain tissue and blood from both healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The data were obtained from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA), a public database supported by the US government. Brain samples included five different regions selected for their specific functions: the hippocampus (related to memory), the cingulate cortex (related to information processing), Wernicke's area (related to language), the visual cortex (responsible for vision), and Broca's area (involved in communication).
Researchers considered the separation of these areas crucial because the brain is not a homogeneous tissue; each region possesses its own genetic characteristics, and mixing this information could obscure significant changes.
Data processing was carried out using the BDASeq® platform, developed by BioDecision with support from FAPESP's Small Business Innovation Research Program (PIPE). The tool analyzes RNA sequencing to identify genes whose activity changes in people with Alzheimer's disease. Since RNA is involved in protein production in cells, these changes may indicate processes involved in the development of the disease.
João Rafael Dias Pinto, co-founder of BioDecision, explains that combining various statistical methods helps reduce errors. He noted that most studies use only one statistical method, leading to a large amount of noise.
The platform integrates eight statistical techniques and includes an artificial intelligence layer that correlates genetic data with clinical information. Thus, researchers can prioritize changes with the greatest potential for creating drugs or diagnostic tools.
The analysis revealed over 4200 genes with altered expression in Alzheimer's patients. Among them, 75 genes are linked to neuronal plasticity—the ability of neurons to form new connections, a process affected by the disease. Eight genes from this group had not previously been indicated as potential therapeutic targets in prior studies. Another group consisted of 74 genes altered in both the brain and blood, making them candidates for biomarkers.
Of these genes, 21 showed an accuracy above 90% in differentiating between individuals with Alzheimer's disease and healthy individuals. Araldi stated that today, Alzheimer's diagnosis is clinical, lengthy, and imprecise. He added that this discovery provides the possibility of conducting diagnosis through blood analysis, which is much more accessible.
The results were presented at the AD/PD Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Although the findings are promising, researchers emphasize that several more stages are required before drugs or tests based on these findings become available. BioDecision also plans to expand access to the platform via the cloud so that small laboratories can perform advanced analysis without depending on large computing structures.
