Equity conversion

The Delhi High Court Monday granted six more weeks’ time to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to respond to a PIL seeking implementation of a Uniform Banking Code for foreign exchange transactions to control black money generation and benami transactions. Time was sought for filing reply by the counsel for RBI from a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad which was hearing the plea by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.

The petitioner has contended that there are loop holes in the system in relation to transfer of foreign funds which could be used by separatists, naxals, maoists, fundamentalists, and terrorists.

“Counsel for RBI prays for six weeks to file reply as RBI has been recently impleaded as one of the respondents. He is granted six weeks time,” said the court and the matter was listed for further hearing in July.

On December 5 last year, the court had observed that the matter deserved a detailed hearing and asked RBI to file its response on the petition.

The petition has sought direction to ensure that Real Time Gross Settlement ( RTGS ), National Electronic Funds Transfer ( NEFT ) and Instant Money Payment System ( IMPS ) are not used for depositing foreign money in Indian banks.

The petitioner has said it is not only harming the foreign exchange reserve of India but is also being used to provide money to separatists, fundamentalists, naxals, maoists, terrorists, traitors, conversion mafias and radical organisations like the SIMI and the PFI.

He has submitted that immigration rules for a visa are the same whether a foreigner comes in business class or economy class, uses Air India or British Airways, and comes from USA or Uganda.

Likewise, the deposit details in Indian banks, including foreign bank branches for foreign exchange transactions, must be in the same format whether it is export payment in a current account or salary in a savings account or donation in charities current account or service charges payable in YouTuber’s accounts. The format should be uniform whether it is converted by Western Union or National Bank or an India-based foreign bank, the plea has said.

“Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC) must be issued and all international and Indian banks must send the link through SMS to get FIRC automatically in case foreign exchange is being deposited in the account as converted INR.

“Moreover, only a person or company should be permitted to send Indian rupees from one bank account to another bank account inside the territory of India through RTGS, NEFT and IMPS and international banks should not be allowed to use these domestic banking transactions tools,” it has said.

The plea has also sought direction that foreign exchange transactions through Indian banks and foreign bank branches in India must have information like the name and mobile number of the depositor, International Money Transfer (IMT) and not RTGS/NEFT/IMPS and name of currency.

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You’ve probably heard about the medication Ozempic , used to manage type 2 diabetes and as a weight loss drug.

Ozempic (and the similar drug Wegovy ) has had more than its fair share of headlines and controversies. A global supply shortage, tweets about using it from Elon Musk , approval for adolescent weight loss in the United States. Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel even joked about it on film’s night of nights last week.

But how much do we really need drugs like Ozempic? Can we use food as medicine to replace them?

How Does Ozempic Work?
The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which works by inducing satiety. This feeling of being satisfied or “full”, suppresses appetite. This is why it works for weight loss.

Semaglutide also helps the pancreas produce insulin, which is how it helps manage type 2 diabetes. Our body needs insulin to move the glucose (or blood sugar) we get from food inside cells, so we can use it as energy.

Semaglutide works by mimicking the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1 (glucagon like peptide-1) normally produced in response to detecting nutrients when we eat.

GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten, and prepare it to use the energy that comes from your food.

Can Food Do That?
The nutrients that trigger GLP-1 secretion are macronutrients – simple sugars (monosaccharides), peptides and amino acids (from proteins) and short chain fatty acids (from fats and also produced by good gut bacteria).

There are lots of these macronutrients in energy-dense foods, which tend to be foods high in fat or sugars with a low water content. There is evidence that by choosing foods high in these nutrients, GLP-1 levels can be increased.

This means a healthy diet, high in GLP-1 stimulating nutrients can increase GLP-1 levels. This could be foods with good fats, like avocado or nuts, or lean protein sources like eggs. And foods high in fermentable fibres, like vegetables and whole grains, feed our gut bacteria, which then produce short chain fatty acids able to trigger GLP-1 secretion.

This is why high fat, high fibre and high protein diets can all help you feel fuller for longer. It’s also why diet change is part of both weight and type 2 diabetes management.

Not So Fast …
However, it’s not necessarily that simple for everyone. This system also means that when we diet, and restrict energy intake, we get more hungry. And for some people that “set point” for weight and hunger might be different.

Some studies have shown GLP-1 levels, particularly after meals, are lower in people with obesity. This could be from reduced production of GLP-1, or increased breakdown.

The receptors that detect it might also be less sensitive or there might be fewer receptors. This could be because of differences in the genes that code for GLP-1, the receptors or parts of the pathways that regulate production. These genetic differences are things we can’t change.

So, Are Injections The Easier Fix ?
While diet and drugs can both work, both have their challenges.

Medications like Ozempic can have side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and issues in other organs. Plus, when you stop taking it the feelings of suppressed appetite will start to go away, and people will start to feel hungry at their old levels.

If you’ve lost lots of weight quickly, you may feel even hungrier than before.

Dietary changes have much fewer risks in terms of side effects, but the responses will take more time and effort.

In our busy modern society, costs, times, skills, accessibility and other pressures can also be barriers to healthy eating, feeling full and insulin levels.

Dietary and medication solutions often put the focus on the individual making changes to improve health outcomes, but systemic changes, that reduce the pressures and barriers that make healthy eating hard (like shortening work weeks or raising the minimum wage) are much more likely to make a difference.

It’s also important to remember weight is only one part of the health equation. If you suppress your appetite but maintain a diet high in ultra-processed foods low in micronutrients, you could lose weight but not increase your actual nourishment.

So support to improve dietary choices is needed, regardless of medication use or weight loss, for true health improvements.

The Bottom Line
The old quote: “Let food be thy medicine” is catchy and often based on science, especially when drugs are deliberately chosen or designed to mimic hormones and compounds already naturally occurring in the body.

Changing diet is a way to modify our health and our biological responses. But these effects occur on a background of our personal biology and our unique life circumstances.

For some people, medication will be a tool to improve weight and insulin-related outcomes. For others, food alone is a reasonable pathway to success.

While the science is for populations, health care is individual and decisions around food and/or medicine should be made with the considered advice of health care professionals. GPs and dietitians can work with your individual situation and needs.

(The article has been shared by PTI via The Conversation)

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Your diet – the foods and drinks you eat, not short-term restrictive programmes – can impact your heart disease risk . Evidence-based approaches to eating are used by dietitians and physicians to prevent and treat cardiovascular (heart) disease.

National Nutrition Month, with its 2023 theme of Unlock the Potential of Food, is an ideal opportunity to learn more about these approaches and adopt more heart-friendly behaviours.

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend three main dietary patterns for lowering heart disease risk: the Mediterranean Diet , Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Portfolio Diet.

The Mediterranean Diet is rich in colourful vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil and seafood. Research studies have shown that this diet reduces risk of having a heart attack or stroke, even if you already have heart disease, and provides several other health benefits. Dietitians of Canada has created a resource that summarizes the details of this approach to eating.

The DASH Diet focuses on eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, whole grains and nuts, while limiting red and processed meats, foods with added sugar, and sodium.

Originally developed to treat high blood pressure, this diet can also lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C – the unhealthy type of cholesterol) and provides several other health benefits. Heart & Stroke has several resources on this approach to eating.

The Portfolio Diet was originally developed in Canada to treat high cholesterol. It emphasises plant proteins (for example, soy and other legumes); nuts; viscous (or “sticky”) fibre sources such as oats, barley and psyllium; plant sterols; and healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil and avocado.

Many research studies have shown that this diet can lower LDL-C, and provides several other health benefits. Research shows that even small additions of Portfolio Diet heart-healthy foods can make a difference; the more you consume of these recommended foods, the greater your reductions in LDL-C and heart disease risk.

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society has an infographic on how to follow the Portfolio Diet.

A common theme among these three approaches to eating is that they are all considered plant-based, and small changes can make a difference in your overall heart disease risk.

“Plant-based” does not necessarily mean you have to be 100 per cent vegan or vegetarian to get their benefits. Plant-based diets can range from entirely vegan to diets that include small to moderate amounts of animal products.

Knowledge of healthy eating approaches is key, but behaviours unlock the power of food . Below are three strategies to use to apply the potential of food to promote heart health . They show that by combining the power of nutrition and psychology, you can improve your chances of making long-term changes.

You don’t need to do this alone. We recommend requesting a referral from your physician (this helps with getting the appointment covered by your insurance) to work with a registered dietitian and/or psychologist (behaviourist) to co-create your own ways to unlock the potential of food.

3 ways to unlock the power of food

Master and conquer the 90 per cent goal
Pick a goal you’re 90 per cent sure you can succeed at, while creating a plan to meet larger and harder goals in the future. This approach will help you build confidence in your skills and give you valuable information about what does and does not work for you.

Research shows starting with 90 per cent of goals makes it more likely we meet future goals. A 90 per cent goal could be swapping out animal protein for plant protein – such as tofu or beans – at lunch on Mondays (Meatless Mondays).

Another example: use a meal delivery service that provides measured ingredients with plant-based recipes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so you can get some new ideas about how to incorporate more plants into your meals.

Why eliminate and restrict, when you can substitute?
Pick a “do instead” goal or work with a registered dietitian to substitute healthier choices for your current foods and drinks. Avoid setting goals that may make you focus MORE on the foods you’re trying to avoid (for example, “stop eating sugar”).

Instead, the substitution approach can include things like choosing lower-sodium soup or purchasing pre-cut vegetables with the aim of reducing your starch portion at meals by half. Canada’s Food Guide, Diabetes Canada and Heart & Stroke recommend that half your plate be vegetables.

Set value-based goals
Connect your goal to something that deeply matters to you. While long-term outcomes (such as heart disease) may be the impetus for change, research shows that things that matter to us right now motivate us most. Picking personal and meaningful reasons for change will help with sustained change.

For example, choose to cook one meal that incorporates a vegetable with a close friend or family member, so you can share the experience and spend time together. This example may be rooted in the following values: kindness, relational values, cultural values, empathy, courage.

Pick a goal you’re 90 per cent sure you can succeed at.

Unlock the power of food
Research shows a key to changing diet is focusing on changing eating habits and food behaviours, one at a time.

The support of a nutrition professional, such as a registered dietitian and/or a psychologist, can help you make informed choices and plans, tailored to your unique needs, situation, preferences, traditions, abilities and capacity.

(The article has been shared by PTI via The Conversation)

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