Cocoa, not tea, calms blood pressure, study says
CHICAGO, April 9 -
Some may see a cup of tea as soothing but chocolate is more likely to lower one's blood pressure, German researchers reported on Monday.
Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association.
The drop in blood pressure among participants who consumed cocoa products for at least two weeks was in the same range as achieved by someone taking drugs commonly prescribed to control high blood pressure.
The fall in blood pressure credited to cocoa could be expected to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks by 10-20 percent, the report said.
Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, a class of chemicals known to help prevent cardiovascular disease that are present in most fruits and vegetables. But cocoa has a different type than tea -- procyanids -- that appear to be more active.
Currently, patients with high blood pressure are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables, although cocoa and tea products account for the bulk of total polyphenol consumption in Western countries, the study said.
But don't start gobbling up chocolate bars just yet, wrote study author Dirk Taubert of the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany.
Treats such as dark chocolate might be substituted for other high-calorie desserts, based on the study's findings, but "we believe that any dietary advice must account for the high sugar, fat and calorie intake with most cocoa products.
"Rationally applied, cocoa products might be considered part of dietary approaches to lower hypertension risk," he wrote.
Source:
Reuters
Cape Coast records 35 births between Good Friday and Easter Monday
Cape Coast, April 10, GNA-
A total number of 35 babies, made up of 17 females and 18 males were delivered between Good Friday and Easter Monday at health institutions in the Cape Coast Municipality, with the exception of the Cape Coast District Hospital.
At the Central Regional Hospital, popularly called "Interbeton", Ms. Stella Osei-Boateng, a health aide, told the GNA that a total number of 23 births comprising 10 females and 13 males were recorded between Good Friday and 1315 hours on Easter Monday.
Mrs Beatrice Okyere, a midwifery superintendent at the University of Cape Coast Hospital, also said a total number of six births made up four females and two males were recorded within the same period of time. At the Ewim Urban Health Centre, Mrs Dorothy Morgue, a senior staff midwife reported that the facility recorded six births, comprising three females and three males, including a set of twin boys, between Good Friday and 1100 hours on Easter Monday.
At the District Hospital, a midwife popularly known as Anti Rose at the maternity ward refused to talk to the GNA on the grounds that permission had not been sought from the Director of the health institution, who was nowhere to be found within the hospital premises.
Source:
GNA
Ho Municipal Hospital records 15 births during the Easter
Ho, April 10, GNA -
The Ho Municipal Hospital recorded 15, births, 10 girls and five males, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Five were born on Friday, five on Saturday and five on Sunday Madam Dorothy Boateng, Senior Staff Midwife, told the GNA that all the babies were in good health. She said their mothers, who went through normal delivery, were also in good health and were about to be discharged.
Source:
GNA
Presiding Member Stoned to death
... Chief was an accomplice
Sunyani (Ghanaian Times) --
The Presiding Member of the Asunafo North Assembly in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Anthony Yeboah, was in the early hours of yesterday, Easter Monday, stoned to death by some youth of Atronie, near Sunyani.
Mr. Yeboah, who was also the Administrator of the Goaso Government Hospital, was together with his wife and a Catholic nun conveying the corpse of the nun’s mother, from Sunyani to the hospital’s mortuary in his car.
At Atronie, the youth who were said to have mounted a barrier in the middle of the road, stopped him and upon seeing the corpse, demanded an explanation.
As he tried to explain, some of the youth who apparently suspecting him of carrying the body for rituals, stoned him.
The Member of Parliament for Asunafo North, Mr Robert Sarfo Mensah, is blaming the police and opinion leaders in the Brong Ahafo town of Atronyie for the mob justice meted out to the presiding member
Speaking to JOYFM, the MP said:
"The incident followed a week of agitation amongst the youth, over alleged killings in the town. I even understand that when they stopped the late presiding member someone went and informed the chief who was then asleep that they had just spotted the vehicle that was suspected to be that of the serial murderer. I was just informed when I visited the family that the chief told them to do whatever they want to do with the person. If the chief whose residence is about six metres away from the crime scene had come out to advise the youth who had gone on rampage…I am told that after they had killed the late PM they were about to set the vehicle on fire and it was around that time that the chief came and told them to stop they stopped.”
Source:
Ghanaian Times
Power outage spoils Easter Monday fun
Ho, April 10, GNA -
This year's Easter Monday was quiet in Ho apparently due to the power outage in most parts of the town and entertainment spots, which would normally be heavily patronized, were lifeless.
Most people kept to their homes and the streets were less busy. The celebrations however picked up after 1800 hours with the restoration of power as revellers especially youths swarmed entertainment centres.
A popular entertainment spot, Pleasure Gardens, was the greatest attraction for young people who danced themselves into the early hours of Tuesday.
Source:
GNA
Residents of Avie block road in protest
Avie, April 10, GNA -
Residents of Avie, a farming community on the Afife-Tsiyinu road in the Ketu District, at the weekend prevented vehicles from using a by-pass through compounds in the community. An uncompleted culvert, abandoned almost a year ago at Avie during construction works on the road, forces vehicles plying the route to use compounds in the village as thoroughfare.
The residents said their action was a demonstration of their anger at the under performance of the district authorities in completing the road.
The angry mob, including women and children, occupied portions through the compounds used by vehicles and also blockaded other sections with tree stumps.
Some journalists who were on their way to cover Easter activities at Tsiyinu had to plead with the angry residents with a promise to carry their protest across before they were allowed to pass through. Togbi Doe Ashiabor II, Dufia of Tsiyinu, where residents celebrated their 21st Annual Deviza festival as part of Easter activities, also highlighted the bad nature of the Afife-Tsiyinu road, particularly during the rains, and urged the authorities to refocus on it.
He mentioned lack of potable water and bad state of the Tsiyinu Basic School as some of the problems being faced by the community and appealed to the authorities to come to their aid. Togbe Ashiabor also appealed to the government to consider establishing a vocational training centre in the area because youths in the area cannot enrol in similar centres at Ho and Sogakope because of the cost involved.
Source:
GNA