Delhi researchers prove health benefits of cinnamon
Apart from its aroma and flavour, cinnamon helps in reducing abdominal fat, increases good cholesterol levels that could cut heart attack risk by 10%, shows a recent study by Indian researchers.
National Diabetes, Obesity & Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC), Institute of Home Economics (University of Delhi) and Fortis CDOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences investigated the effect of this commonly used spice among Indians, and the results were published in the June issue of US medical journal— Lipids in Health and Disease.
“Purported ‘beneficial properties’ of traditional Indian herbs and spices need to be proven on the anvil of hard scientific methods. Looking at the results of our robust scientific study, now I can say with confidence that cinnamon should be included in meals by all adult Indians, and particularly those who have multiple metabolic risk factors or diabetes,” said Dr Anoop Misra, director-N-DOC, and chairman-CDOC.
Cinnamon was tested in 58 people with metabolic syndrome— abdominal obesity, high triglycerides,
low HDL (good cholesterol), high blood sugar, and high blood pressure, and compared them 58 people on placebo over a period of 16 weeks. Those given cinnamon showed improved health parameters by the end of the study.
Dr Seema Puri, associate professor, Institute of Home Economics, said, “The promising results of this research reveal that simple functional foods can have tremendous health benefits. Cinnamon is a spice which is commonly used in Indian cooking and hence can be easily incorporated in our daily dietaries that will balance out metabolism better.”
Indians have much greater propensity to develop multiple metabolic problems, leading to diabetes at an early age.
“This research proves that usage of simple dietary intervention such as judicious and recommended usage of cinnamon can lead to multiple health benefits. Cinnamon has, therefore, proven to be a cost effective measure for the prevention and management of multiple metabolic risk factors among Indians,” said Dr Sonal Gupta Jain, assistant professor, Institute of Home Economics.
A key focus of the policy draft is to reduce the backlog of matrimonial disputes in family courts across the country.
“We have recommended that the line ministry, in this case the law ministry, amend their rules to expedite disposal of such cases,” the official said.
The draft document also suggested that women convicts who have already served a third of their jail time as under-trials for non-heinous crimes be released. Other recommendations included providing Aadhaarlinked health cards to all women and free education to girls of Below Poverty Line families for as long as they wish to study.
For the first time, the draft policy recommended a 10-fold increase within a decade in the number of working women’s hostels in the country. It has suggested the setting up of better and larger facilities for homeless widows.
One idea that did not find a place in the final draft was that of Swaraj, who wanted men to study home science and learn culinary skills while women took up physical education, especially martial arts, the official said.
“We were born in the same village, Purvati. I was his only friend as he was my mother’s brother and we were the same age but now I am his biggest enemy,” says 34-year-old Bheema.
Bheema now spends his time hunting the jungles for landmines and scouring local villages on intelligence to track down Maoists, who have been fighting a decades-long insurgency against government forces to claim land rights for tribals.
The place of his birth, Purvati, is one of several pockets known as “liberated zones” where the militants have set up parallel administration and there is scant government presence. His knowledge of forest trails and Maoist strategies is a great help to police, who often find themselves outfoxed by local militants’ guerilla tactics.
“If Hidma comes my way during an encounter, I won’t think of him as my friend,” says Bheema. “Amne -samne ke ladai mein goli chalegi aur jiskee kismet hogi bachega (In a face-to-face fight, bullets will fly and whoever has fate on his side will live).”
The duo became president and vice-president of the Bal Sangam (Maoist’s children wing) at 14. Later, Bheema became secretary of Guerilla Peoples Committee in CPI (Maoist) and Hidma went to join the military battalion of the party. Locals say the two were inseparable.
But the relationship soured in 2006 when Bheema surrendered. He says he was disillusioned after several men he had recruited for the extremist group were murdered on the suspicion that they were police informers. He joined the police in 2011 but is currently facing suspension for allegedly torching the huts of local residents in Talmetla during an antiMaoist operation – an incident for which he is also facing a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.
“Bheema is a close relative of Hidma and both were childhood friends. Bheema’s cousin brother who was Naxal and is in jail also confirmed this relationship,” said a police officer posted in region. Another officer from the intelligence department, who refused to give his name because he’s not authorised to speak to media, confirmed the family connection.
Bheema’s family has faced a heavy price for his surrender. Months after he switched sides, his younger brother was hacked to death and his family shunned from public life. His mother told this correspondent that she didn’t want to speak about Hidma as he didn’t try to save his cousin.
Today, Hidma has a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, and his diminutive figure hides a battlehardened commander. He operates across three districts of Chhattisgarh, has at least 100 fighters under him. But Bheema remembers him as a shy and introverted chid who was sharp and hardworking.
“Today he speaks less but is a big man now. He is dreaded and ruthless and it is not easy for anyone to kill him. I know him and I know that he is a big challenge for security forces,” says Bheema.
Bheema feels Hidma still carries a grudge against him. “People told me that he organised many meetings and termed me as traitor. My effigies were also burnt in some villages,” he added. “A journalist met Hidma and asked him about our childhood friendship. Hidma refused to talk and said he didn’t want to talk anything about me.”
“Recently, the Chinese side in the Donglang area for road construction, was blocked by the Indian Army line,” a late-night statement from the PLA said. “The construction of the abovementioned roads by the Chinese side is entirely a sovereign act in its own territory, and the Indian side has no right to interfere.”
For decades, ties between India and China have remained fraught over stretches of their disputed Himalayan border and competing geo-political ambitions. The two sides fought a short but bloody border war in 1962.
On Monday, the PLA said the problem persisted despite a meeting between the two sides and the Indian military “unilaterally provoked trouble”.
“China is committed to developing bilateral relations between China and India, but also firmly defend their legitimate rights and interests. It is hoped that the Indian meet China halfway and do not take any complication of the border issue and jointly maintain the good momentum of development of bilateral relations,” the statement said.
According to the PTI report, the Indian Army twice asked the Chinese to join a flag meeting after the confrontation. Both requests were turned down before the Chinese side agreed to a meeting on June 20. It was then that they conveyed to their Indian counterparts that pilgrims would not be allowed to cross into Tibet.
The pilgrims were kept waiting till June 23 after which they returned to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, which is the only region where the border between India and China is demarcated, according to PTI.
The Line of Actual Control is the de-facto, 4,000-km long border that India and China share in regions that they both claim as their territory.
It is not the first time that a transgression has happened at Doka La, on the Sikkim-BhutanTibet tri-junction.
Chinese forces had in November 2008 destroyed makeshift Indian army bunkers.
Earlier this year, Chinese helicopters entered Indian airspace in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhand.