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The incidence of chronic constipation increases as we age. A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers compares five common diets to determine the effectiveness of preventing chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults. The team studied over 96,000 adults for several years to understand how different eating habits affect the risk of developing the chronic gastrointestinal condition. They found people who followed a Mediterranean or plant-based diet were less likely to develop constipation. Their results are published in Gastroenterology.

“Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” said senior author Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, of the Division of Gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits.”

It’s been established that healthy diets can improve constipation symptoms, but this is the first study to show that certain diets can prevent people from developing chronic constipation. “We have always assumed that the benefits of eating a healthy diet would be driven by fiber, but our analyses showed the benefit of these healthy diets on constipation were independent of fiber intake,” said Staller.

Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, the researchers tracked dietary patterns in middle- and older-age adults and examined who developed chronic constipation, which was defined as having symptoms for at least 12 weeks in a year. Diets included in the analysis were the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diet, low-carb diet, Western diet and inflammatory diet. Individuals who adhered to a Western or inflammatory diet were more likely to develop chronic constipation. In addition, participants who ate a low-carb diet didn’t show a strong effect.

“Our findings suggest a diet rich in vegetables, nuts and healthy fats may help prevent chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults,” said Staller.

Reference:

Wang, Yiqing et al., Dietary Patterns and Incident Chronic Constipation in Three Prospective Cohorts of Middle- and Older-aged Adults, Gastroenterology, DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.06.020.

Scientists have found that eating too much dairy could ruin your sleep. Researchers questioned more than 1,000 students about the quality of their sleep, their eating habits, and any perceived link between the two, and found a strong association between nightmares and lactose intolerance-potentially because gas or stomach pain during the night affects people’s dreams.

“Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,” said Dr Tore Nielsen of Université de Montréal, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Psychology. “These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!”

Sweet dreams?

Although folk beliefs have long held that what you eat affects how you sleep, there’s very little evidence to prove or disprove them. To investigate, researchers surveyed 1,082 students at MacEwan University. They asked about sleep time and quality, dreams and nightmares, and any perceived association between different kinds of dreams and different foods. They also asked about participants’ mental and physical health and their relationship with food.

About a third of respondents reported regular nightmares. Women were more likely to remember their dreams and to report poor sleep and nightmares, and nearly twice as likely as men to report a food intolerance or allergy. About 40% of participants said that they thought eating late at night or specific foods affected their sleep; roughly 25% thought particular foods could make their sleep worse. People who ate less healthily were more likely to have negative dreams and less likely to remember dreams.

“We are routinely asked whether food affects dreaming-especially by journalists on food-centric holidays,” said Nielsen. “Now we have some answers.”

Cheesy culprits

Most participants who blamed their bad sleep on food thought sweets, spicy foods, or dairy were responsible. Only a comparatively small proportion-5.5% of respondents-felt that what they ate affected the tone of their dreams, but many of these people said they thought sweets or dairy made their dreams more disturbing or bizarre.

When the authors compared reports of food intolerances to reports of bad dreams and poor sleep, they found that lactose intolerance was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, nightmares, and low sleep quality. It’s possible that eating dairy activates gastrointestinal disturbance, and the resulting discomfort affects people’s dreams and the quality of their rest.

“Nightmares are worse for lactose intolerant people who suffer severe gastrointestinal symptoms and whose sleep is disrupted,” said Nielsen. “This makes sense, because we know that other bodily sensations can affect dreaming. Nightmares can be very disruptive, especially if they occur often, because they tend to awaken people from sleep in a dysphoric state. They might also produce sleep avoidance behaviors. Both symptoms can rob you of restful sleep.”

Eat well to sleep well?

This could also explain why fewer participants reported a link between their food and their dreams than in a previous study by Nielsen and his colleague Dr Russell Powell of MacEwan University, conducted eleven years earlier on a similar population. Improved awareness of food intolerances could mean that the students in the present study ate fewer foods likely to activate their intolerances and affect their sleep. If this is the case, then simple dietary interventions could potentially help people improve their sleep and overall health.

However, besides the robust link between lactose intolerance and nightmares, it’s not clear how the relationship between sleep and diet works. It’s possible that people sleep less well because they eat less well, but it’s also possible that people don’t eat well because they don’t sleep well, or that another factor influences both sleep and diet. Further research will be needed to confirm these links and identify the underlying mechanisms.

“We need to study more people of different ages, from different walks of life, and with different dietary habits to determine if our results are truly generalizable to the larger population,” said Nielsen. “Experimental studies are also needed to determine if people can truly detect the effects of specific foods on dreams. We would like to run a study in which we ask people to ingest cheese products versus some control food before sleep to see if this alters their sleep or dreams.” 

Reference:

Tore Nielsen, More dreams of the rarebit fiend: food sensitivity and dietary correlates of sleep and dreaming, Frontiers in Psychology, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544475

CBI exposes NMC inspection Racket: How a Pan India syndicate was engineering the Biggest Medical Education Scam

For more information, click on the link below:

CBI exposes NMC inspection Racket: How a Pan India syndicate was engineering the Biggest Medical Education Scam

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations have allowed medical MSc, PhD degree holders to be appointed as faculty in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology departments.

This follows a 2020 change that reduced non-medical faculty appointments in these departments to 15%, with some departments like Microbiology and Pharmacology restricted to 0%. The 2025 regulations restore non-medical faculty appointments to 30% in these subjects.

The Apex Medical Commission recently released the final Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, in the official Gazette on June 30, 2025, and laid down the eligibility qualifications of medical teachers at medical institutes.

Relaxing the existing norms for appointing non-medical faculty in medical colleges, NMC has specified in these new regulations that non-MBBS holders can teach in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology Departments in medical colleges if they possess a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy Degree in the respective fields of Medical Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, Medical Pharmacology, and Medical Microbiology.

In this regard, the Apex Medical Commission mentioned in the Gazette notification, “Any person possessing the academic qualfications specified in column (3) of the table below, in the corresponding specialties specified in column (2) of the said table, shall be eligible for appointment as a non-medical faculty as per the minimum standards requirement specified by the Commission from time to time, if such qualification is obtained through a regular, incampus course from a recognised medical institution…”

Medical MSc Degree holders were allowed to teach in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Microbiology and Pharmacology departments of medical colleges until 2020. Back then, the intake of Medical MSc and PhD teachers was allowed up to 30% of capacity per subject (50% in biochemistry).

The National M.Sc Medical Teachers’ Association (NMMTA) protested against NMC’s decision for a long time. Earlier this year, NMC released the Draft TEQ 2024 regulations and clarified that non-medical teachers can work as senior residents and faculties in medical colleges to teach three subjects including Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology.

NMC had mentioned in the Draft that to become eligible to teach these subjects in medical colleges, non-medical teachers must have an MSc and PhD degree in these specialities. However, the Commission had also clarified that non-medical teachers would be eligible for appointment as Senior Resident and Faculty (Assistant Professor and beyond) to teach these Broad Specialty subjects during the transitional period.

NMMTA had earlier expressed several doubts regarding the Draft TEQ 2024, and the association had also sought clarity regarding the transitional period. Now, releasing the final Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, the Apex Medical Commission has specified that Medical MSc and PhD holders can teach in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology Departments in medical colleges.

Non-Medical Teachers Allowed in up to 30% of Total posts: 

Now, on July 2, 2025, NMC released an amendment to the UG-MSR 2023 and clarified that Medical MSc and PhD holders would now be allowed in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Pharmacology departments to the extent of 30% of the total number of posts in the department, subject to the non-availability of medical teachers.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by subsection (d) of subsection (1) of Section 24 read with Sections 26, 28 and 29, 10(1)(d) read with sub-section (r) of subsection 2 of Section 57 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Act No. 30 of 2019), the National Medical Commission hereby makes the following amendment in the “Guidelines under Regulation 10 of the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulation 2023 in short (UG-MSR 2023)” and Regulation 19 of the Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 notified in Extraordinary Gazette of India Part-III Section 4 vide ADVT-III/Exty/360/2023-24 dated 16.08.2023..,” NMC mentioned in the Gazette notification dated 02.07.2025.

The UG-MSR 2023 document mentioned that in the department of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, non-medical teachers may be appointed to the extent of 15% of the total number of posts in the department subject to non-availability of medical teachers. The above-mentioned non-medical teachers and the Statistician in the department of Community Medicine should possess a qualification in that particular subject from a recognised University as per requirements in Teacher Eligibility Qualification Regulations.

Also Read: Draft TEQ 2024: NMC Says Non-Medical Teachers Can Teach Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Doctors Cry Foul

However, NMC mentioned that these rules shall now be substituted with the following:

“In the department of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Pharmacology, non-medical
teachers may be appointed to the extent of 30% of the total number of posts in the department, subject to the
non-availability of medical teachers. The above mentioned non-medical teachers and the Statistician in the
department of Community Medicine should possess qualification in that particular subject from a recognised
University as per requirements in Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations.”

NMMTA Welcomes New Rules: 

NMMTA has welcomed the National Medical Commission’s decision to appoint Medical MSc and PhD holders as faculty members in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology departments.

It has also lauded the amendment notification through which the Commission restored the permissible 30% appointment limit for teachers with medical M.Sc./Ph.D. qualifications in these departments. 

Issuing a Press Release, the association mentioned, “Through the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025 dated 30th June 2025 and the Amendment Notification dated 2nd July 2025, the National Medical Commission & Health ministry has restored the permissible 30% appointment limit for teachers with medical M.Sc./Ph.D. qualifications in the five non-clinical subjects—Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology.”

According to the association, this correction brings a “much-needed end to years of injustice that stemmed from the MSR-2020 guidelines, which had severely impacted the careers, livelihoods, and dignity of non-medical teachers while also aggravating faculty shortages in medical colleges across India.”

Welcoming the change, the President of NMMTA Dr. Arjun Maitra said “Ministry has stood by the principles of fairness and meritocracy, and we are deeply grateful for this decisive and inclusive policy change. We are grateful to Shri J.P. Nadda ji as he delivered his promise to resolve the issues.”

The association also pointed out that its legal challenge filed in 2020 still remains pending and it thanked the Ministry for acting faster and more effectively to address the genuine concerns of thousands of affected faculty members.

“However, certain concerns remain unresolved. These include the lack of clarity surrounding the “transition period,” which must be clearly defined and time-bound to prevent anxiety and uncertainty,” said Dr. Ayan Das, the Secretary of NMMTA.

He also explained that the unfair disparity in entry-level qualifications, where Tutors require only an MBBS while Demonstrators must possess both M.Sc. and Ph.D.—a requirement that should be rationalized; and the misinterpretation of UGC norms regarding Ph.D. modes of study, where only distance-mode degrees are invalid, not part-time Ph.D.s pursued while in service.

NMMTA’s founder Dr. Shridhar Rao mentioned that “the continued denial of Head of Department (HOD) positions to senior faculty with M.Sc./Ph.D. qualifications—despite their experience and competence—is discriminatory and unjust. We urge the Ministry to address these issues through timely executive action and to include a permanent saving clause to ensure that in-service faculty are protected from any future reversals or disqualifications.”

“NMMTA views this policy shift as long awaited justice and victory earned through years of advocacy, petitions, and perseverance. The association thanks the Ministry, NMC, all members and all supporters who stood by and reaffirm association’s commitment to upholding the standards of medical education in India,” read the release.

What is the Transition Period? 

NMC in these new regulations defined the “Transition Period” as such period as may be determined by the Commission based on the recommendations of the Postgraduate Medical Education Board for the purposes of allowing alternate qualifications for eligibility of faculty in a broad or super specialty, till adequate faculty with qualifications specified for such specialty are available.

Appointment of Faculty During Transition Period: 

The Commission mentioned that where there is a shortage of qualified faculty in a particular specialty, any person possessing the qualifications specified in the regulations shall be eligible for appointment as faculty in that specialty, for the transition period, and having any of the following experience:

(a) at least three years of experience in a medical institution with an exclusive department or unit dedicated to the specialty, having separate and dedicated infrastructure and faculty members who are not concurrently shown as part of any other department or unit; or

(b) at least three years of experience in an institute of national importance with a dedicated department or unit in the specified specialty; or

(c) at least three years of experience in a reputed or recognised institute of excellence in India or abroad, approved by the Commission, running a department or unit dedicated to the specified specialty; and

(d) shall have at least two research publications in the concerned specialty during the three years period specified above and must be amongst first three authors.

Also Read: NMC proposes changes in TEQ regulations- here’s how doctors, non-medical teachers react

Ludhiana: The Sarabha Nagar police have registered a case against a city-based doctor for allegedly issuing a fraudulent medico-legal report (MLR) and falsely categorising an injury as grievous. 

The incident dates back to April 11, 2024, when an FIR for attempted murder was lodged against four residents of Sarabha Nagar. Following the registration of the case, Palwinder Kaur, wife of one of the accused, approached the Police Commissioner, alleging that the injury sustained by the complainant, Daljit Singh, had been misrepresented in the MLR prepared by the doctor, who is associated with a nursing home in Samrala Chowk.

According to news reports, in response to the complaint, a five-member medical board was constituted on April 16, 2024, by the then Civil Surgeon, Dr. Jasbir Singh Aulakh. The board consisted of Dr Varun Saggar, senior medical officer (SMO), Hathur; Dr Davinder, senior medical officer (SMO), CHC Sudhar; Dr Ravi Datt, senior medical officer, Manupur; Dr Gurbinder Singh Kakkar (forensic expert), civil hospital, Khanna; and Dr Aditya Prakash (orthopaedician).

Also Read: Punjab Govt doctor under scanner for fake medical report case

According to the TOI, the FIR says that the inquiry report of the medical board was sent to the police commissioner on May 2 last year. The board observed, “From the available record, the board of doctors is of the unanimous opinion that there is nothing to suggest that any injury to the person of Daljit Singh was either grievous or dangerous in nature. Rather, it was done fraudulently.” The inquiry report by the then civil surgeon mentioned that the accused doctor did not follow the guidelines of the government of Punjab and the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Emphasising the absence of any life-threatening injuries, the report also raised serious questions about the conduct of ASI, the investigating officer from Sarabha Nagar police station. As per the report, the board stated that Kumar failed to provide any credible medical documentation during the inquiry to establish that Daljit Singh’s injuries were life-threatening.

Ironically, the same officer has reportedly been assigned to investigate the current FIR, raising questions of procedural fairness and conflict of interest.

Also Read: Neurosurgeon arrested for allegedly providing fake medical report in hit-and-run case gets bail

In the inquiry report, the then civil surgeon also recommended to the registrar, Punjab Medical Council, Mohali, to delete the name of Dr Jasvir Singh Kathuria permanently from the register of Punjab Medical Council, Mohali, as per section 7.7 of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002. Police said that legal opinion was sought from the deputy district attorney (legal), who said that a doctor issuing a fraudulent MLC can face both criminal and civil legal action, reports TOI.  

On Friday, the Sarabha Nagar police registered a case against the doctor under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)- sections 420 (cheating), 195 (giving or fabricating false evidence), and 197 (issuing or signing of false certificates) of the IPC against the accused.