Swat valley is famous for its high production of agriculture crops. These crops are under constant attacks by different pests and use of pesticides has become very crucial for the control of these pests. Pesticides are toxic substances used to kill organisms which are competing humans for food and may also pose risk to humans. The current study was performed to investigate the effects of pesticides on blood circulating hormones (Thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], Tri-iodothyronine [T3], and haematological parameters of agriculture workers. A total of 30 blood samples were collected from male agriculture workers who have been exposed to pesticides in crop fields for a long period of time, while 30 blood samples have been taken from the group of people in meanwhile who were not dealing with pesticides. The blood samples were collected in a randomized manner. The haematological parameters and hormones levels were determined using standard methods. The mean and standard deviation values for each parameter were calculated using statistical software Minitab version 16. Paired t-test was used to find the significance of data and p-value of ≤ 0.05 at 95% confidence interval was considered as the significant. The analysis showed a decrease in the level of TSH and an increase in the level of T3 hormone in group of people who have been exposed to pesticides in comparison to the other group of people who have not been exposed to pesticides (control). The haematological parameters did not show a uniform pattern upon exposures to pesticides. The white blood cells and platelets were the most affected parameters. This preliminary study would be helpful to determine the future risk of diseases in agriculture workers.

This study aimed to see the role of diet and exercise in the control of disease or in minimizing the complications associated with diabetes. This was hospital based study conducted on four hundred and twenty (420) human subjects, divided in to six (06) main groups of seventy (70) subjects each. Exercise and diet protocol was set according to the international standards. Blood and urinary glucose level of subjects from each group was estimated before the start and at different intervals during the study to compare the effect of diet and exercise in minimizing the disease associated complications. Blood and urinary glucose level of various groups of diet (252.66 ± 6.5/203.00 ± 5.1, 252.66 ± 6.5/159.90 ± 3.3 and 252.66 ± 6.5/158.24 ± 2.70) and diet as well as exercise (252.66 ± 6.5/201.90 ±4.7, 252.66 ± 6.5/164.30 ± 3.7 and 252.66 ± 6.5/157.80 ± 2.70) were compared with that of the control group. The data was recorded and analyzed on SPSS version 16. The role of diet and exercise was observed significant (P ≤ 0.05) in the control of diabetes mellitus type II. Comparison of the blood and urinary glucose levels of individual of various groups under study was made. Significance improvement on the health of individuals in the diet and exercise was observed with P-values of exercise, diet and diet + exercise groups less than 0.05 each. It is concluded that a low calorie intake with regular exercise not only reduces the economic burden of the diabetics but also minimize the associated long term fatal pathologies. The disease is a growing health concern which needs lifelong treatment. Life style modification with changes in dietary habits and exercise therapy would reduce the economic burden on poor and needy diabetics, both in term of chemotherapeutic cost in the early stage of the disease, as well as minimizing the devastating complications of the disease. Type II diabetes and its prevention and treatment is a challenge for the future. The use of drugs therapy should be restricted only where dietary restrictions and exercise fail to achieve the desired goal. Even, in patients where drug therapy is the ultimate choice, life style modifications and dietary control are extremely fruitful and minimize the associated complications.

Background Environmental and ecological stability has been compromised globally as a result of increasing demand and commercial abuse of natural resources. Un-sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) has substantially challenged the survival of many wild plants, especially medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), resulting in the extinction of many important species either at local or global levels. To study the ecological aspects and consequences of commercial harvest of medicinal and aromatic plants in Hindu Kush Himalayan region District Swat, a study was designed to carry out extensive market surveys, and observe commercial harvesters in wild to find the symptoms of over or destructive harvesting. We examined three perspectives: herbal market, collectors and post-harvest survival of these species. Results Among 70 targeted species, about 69% were found to be harvested exclusively from wild, while only 7% were found to be collected from cultivated source. Hence our three-way investigation helped to differentiate among species with no sustainability issues, and species with conservation urgencies, i.e. Species like Acorus calamus, Podophyllum hexandrum, Trillium govanianum, Morchella esculenta, Paeonia emodi were found struggling for survival. This research demonstrates that amplified commercialization of these medicinal plants play a vital role in the decline of the resource and species loss. The economic value was also found to have a considerable impact on the survival of plant species (i.e. in case of Trillium govanianum and Morchella esculenta), which are collected from the wild in bulks to make more economic benefits hence compromising post-harvest survival of these species. Conclusion With the increasing market demand and commercialization of these herbal species, District Swat should be considered a priority zone for medicinal plant conservation and promotion of sustainable extraction practices. Also engage local people of the area to conserve aspects of these ecological resources which are critically important for their livelihoods, which may also lead to a long-term public support for conservation of globally exhausted ecological resources and threatened biodiversity.