Dark circles

Dark circles under the eyes are an extremely common and distressing issue. Did you know that:
 Dark circles are the second most common dermatological complaint? (Acne is #1).
Causes: Though many believe they can be hereditary, there's no conclusive evidence as such. Lack of sleep, mental stress,allergy,  lifestyle habits, nasal congestion , Rubbing or scratching your eyes ,bad diet can contribute to dark circles. Whatever be the reason, it's best to work on the problem before it aggravates.
Here are a few tips to deal with dark circles: 
- Massage Vitamin E or almond oil around the eyes without touching the eyes (massage must strictly be external). This improves blood circulation.
- As a quick fix during parties, use a makeup concealer to hide the dark circle. But remember this is only a temporary solution.
- Get a lot of sleep. Sleeplessness is a culprit for most health problems. Have a set routine and have regular sleep timing. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep.
  • - Drink lots of water. For anything related to health, water is still the best beverage.
    - Grate raw potato, squeeze the juice and apply the juice under your eyes for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can also place thin slices of potato on your eyes (with them closed) every night before you retire. This is one of the most popular and time-tested home remedies for dark circles.
    - Include a lot of green leafy veggies in your diet. Also include food rich in Vitamin A and E.
    - Indulge in some kind of exercise like walking, jogging. Yoga, especially pranayama is known to improve skin health.
    - Take two thin slices of cucumber and place them on your eyes. This removes the puffiness and cools the eyes
    - Dip cotton in rose water and place them on your eyes.
    - Reduce salt intake in your food. Excess salt encourages fluid retention and leads to puffy eyes.
    - The area under your eyes has very sensitive skin, so never use chemical bleach.
    - You can also place used tea bag (cold) on your eyes which helps lessen the darkness
    - Avoid exposing your skin to harsh rays of the sun. Especially for the eyes, wear sunglasses whenever you step out in the sun 



Smoking ups heart disease risk in women



Women who smoke have a 25 per cent higher risk of developing heart disease than men smokers, scientists have warned.
Toxins in cigarette smoke appear to affect women more badly, and the risk takes into account that women tend to get through fewer cigarettes than men.
The findings by Dr Rachel Huxley, of theUniversity of Minnesota, and Dr Mark Woodward,Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore from a massive meta-analysis of 86 international studies involving 2.4million people add to evidence that women's health is worse affected by smoking, reports the Daily Mail.
Women smokers have double the risk of lung cancer compared with their male counterparts, and often suffer more aggressive forms of the disease.
The latest review looked at 75 sets of data, which included 67,000 coronary heart disease events such as heart attacks.
The risk ratio of smoking compared with not smoking for coronary heart disease was found to be 25 per cent higher in women than men.
This increased by 2 per cent for each additional year of follow-up, meaning that the longer a woman smokes, the higher her risk of developing heart disease becomes compared with a man who has smoked the same length of time.
The study has been published on Online First by the Lancet medical journal.

Easy ways to cure acidity


We've all suffered from it at some point or the other. We share tips to cure acidity ... 

Acidity occurs when there is excess secretion of acids in the gastric glands of the stomach. When the secretion is more than usual, we feel, what is commonly known as heartburn, which is normally triggered off by consumption of spicy foods.

Here are some home remedies to cure acidity...

- Skip the aerated drinks as well as the caffeine. Opt for herbal tea instead.
- Have a glass of lukewarm water everyday.
- Include banana, watermelon and cucumber in your daily diet. Watermelon juice is great for curing acidity. 


- Nariyal paani is known to soothe the system if you suffer from acidity.
- Drink a glass of milk - everyday.
- Have your last meal at least two to three hours before you hit the sack.
- Keeping long intervals between meals is another cause for acidity. Have small but regular meals.
- Try to avoid pickles, spicy chutneys, vinegar, etc.
- Boil some mint leaves in water and have a glass of this after meals.
- Sucking on a piece of clove is another effective remedy.
- Jaggery, lemon, banana, almonds and yogurt are all known to give you instant relief from acidity.
- Excessive smoking and drinking will increase acidity, so cut down.
- Try chewing gum. The saliva generated helps move food through the esophagus, easing symptoms of heartburn.
- Ginger aids in digestion. Either buy powdered ginger in capsule forms or add the herb to your recipes.
- A simple preparation of lemon water with sugar can be sipped on an hour before lunch to reduce uneasiness.
- Have vegetables like drumsticks, beans, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot and spring onions. 

Wheezy toddlers likelier to develop asthma

A University of Melbourne led study has revealed that wheezy toddlers who have a sensitivity to house dust mites are more at risk of developing asthma by the age of 12. 

Children aged one - two years with a family history of allergy, who had a positive skin prick test to house dust mites, had a higher risk of developing asthma later in life.

Results showed 75 per cent of these children had asthma at aged 12 compared to 36 per cent of children without a positive skin prick test.

Lead author Dr Caroline Lodge from the University of Melbourne's School of Population Health said the identification of house dust mites as a predictor for asthma in high risk children, is a significant step forward in identifying high risk groups on whom we can trial interventions.

"Our findings provide researchers with a more targeted group of at risk children, for investigating strategies to prevent asthma later in life," she said.

"House dust mite sensitivity amongst wheezy toddlers could be used as a clinical tool to assist parents in understanding the risk of asthma in their children.

"Although currently there is no known intervention to stop asthma developing, identifying children at higher risk may lead to more tailored treatments of wheeze in this high risk group," Dr Lodge added. ANI

Anxiety can weaken bones




Beware- anxiety now comes with a new risk: it weakens your bones! 

Researchers from Deakin in Australia and Norwegian universities analysed data of over 8,000 men and women from central Norway and found a link between depressive symptoms and reduction in bone mineral density.

Participants underwent forearm bone mineral density scans, reports the Journal of Affective Disorders. 

Deakin researcher Lana Williams said, "It was found that depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms in men were associated with lower bone mineral density."

"There are several known risk factors for low bone mineral density, such as advance age, gender (women are at greater risk than men), familial predisposition, low levels of sex hormones, inadequate calcium intake and vitamin D deficiency," Williams said.

"It is possible that poor mental health could be another one of these risk factors."

Recently, the possible association between psychiatric illness - particularly depression - and osteoporosis has been the subject of a growing body of research.IANS

You are not soaking up enough sun




You'd think the sunlight you get is enough to prevent a Vitamin D deficiency. But experts say that it's not 

Living in the sunny city isn't enough for your daily quota of Vitamin D, a vitamin most easily attained by the body through the absorption of sunlight. Dr Shonali Sabherwal, a certified macrobiotic food consultant explains why a large number of people are now Vitamin D deficient. It's not just about the sun.

Adequate fill 
Normally speaking, Vitamin D aids a large number of critical functions in the body without which systems begin to fail. It helps absorb calcium in the body and maintains phosphorus levels which are critical for bone development. It also helps with weight loss and reduces muscle fatigue and skin disorders. It improves your immunity and is also known to reduce the incidence of cancer and heart diseases. According to studies, adequate quantities of the vitamin also help combat depression and type II diabetes. In spite of your sun tan, you might still be deficient for the vitamin owing to the following reasons: 



Junk yard woes 
The kidneys play an essential role in converting Vitamin D into a usable substance for the body. Most people in cities suffer from what might be known as 'adrenal fatigue'. Lifestyle ills such as drinking excessive tea/coffee, not sleeping enough, consuming processed foods and too much salt end up having a snowball effect on your system. The adrenal glands located above the kidney regulates your stress response and immunity, which are affected adversely by these excesses. Better immunity, in turn, ensures better absorption of Vitamin D. Help your adrenals by resting adequately, cutting back on sugar and processed foods and eating more vegetables, grains legumes, etc.

Gut instinct 
In order to adequately absorb Vitamin D, the body needs to break down fat which doesn't happen if the digestive system is ailing. When someone suffers from diarrhea or colitis, there is no absorption of the vitamin as the food consumed passes through and is digested in the intestines instead of the stomach. In such cases, liver pumps in reserve Vitamin D that it stores in its system and if the liver is weak as well, the body is denied these stores. People advised to consume oil-based laxatives also suffer from low Vitamin D absorption.

Magnesium connect 
We need Vitamin D for efficient calcium utilization. Magnesium plays a huge role in the effective utilization of calcium and Vitamin D. It is responsible for stimulation of 'calcitonin' a hormone which increases calcium in our bones. Good sources of magnesium are soybeans, mung, black beans (kaala rajma), whole grains particularly buckwheat (kuttu), all millets (ragi, jovar, nachni, bajra), nuts and seeds especially sesame seeds etc and all green and leafy vegetales.

Most chocoholics have a magnesium deficient diet and crave magnesium and, therefore, crave chocolate. Chocolates also contain theobromine, a caffeine-like substance high on oxalic acid (chemical substance that leads to kidney stones and binds with calcium, preventing absorption). If used habitually, it inhibits overall mineralization in the body. If you must have chocolate, look for a good dark variety.

Grainy business 
Phytic acid, found in grains and legumes, binds with calcium and Vitamin D making it unusable. Soaking them in water for a while before cooking will neutralize the phytic acid content. 

Home remedies for diabetes


There is an alarming rise in the prevalence of diabetes in India. Thanks to our eating habits and sedentary lifestyle, even gestational diabetes is not uncommon. 

The sad fact is that it could affect the baby too. According to recent statistics, India has more people with Type 2 diabetes than any other nation. Who likes to take medicines everyday? Insulin and dialysis is even worse experience. And mind you, as opposed to the misconception, eating sweets is not the only cause for this disease. Stress and genes too play a major role in this. Although one cannot do much about it if it's genetic, it definitely doesn't harm to prevent it.

No, you don't have to pop pills everyday. Just a few changes in your foot habits and you can cut the risks to a great extent. Here are some things that you can do at home to prevent diabetes or reduce it if you already are affected by it.

Nobody likes bitter things. But isn't it better to take a fruit or a vegetable instead of medicines? Having bitter gourd juice on an empty stomach has proved to prevent diabetes. If you are too stubborn or enjoy eating bitter gourd, then you could make stuffed karela (bitter bourd) or fry them like chips and have them as a snack. This will not just bring a change in your menu and give a respite to your taste buds, but also be beneficial to your health. 


Soak a few seeds (1/4 tsps) of methi in water overnight. First thing after you brush your teeth in the morning, gulp down the methi along with the water.

Jambul fruit is considered as an effective medicine for diabetes considering its effect on pancreas. The seeds too can be dried, powdered and had with water twice a day.

The guava is among those fruits that are available in most times of the year. With its vitamin C property and high fibre content, this is perhaps one fruit that diabetics can fearlessly have. However, a recent study has shown that having guava with its skin can heighten the blood sugar levels, so make sure you peel off the skin before consumption.

Gooseberry/amla juice too cuts the blood sugar levels.

If you can't do without sugar in your coffee or tea, try and substitute honey.

Studies have shown that black coffee without sugar cuts the risk of Type 2 diabetes

Among other benefits, green tea is also helpful in reducing the blood sugar and insulin levels in the body

Talk to the eldest member in your family and am sure they will come up with a number of home remedies to prevent diabetes. Besides, make regular walk and exercise part of your routine. Reshmi AR

Olive can do wonders to your diet!


Whether you prefer them green or black, olives are a healthy fruit to add to your meals. For the Greeks, they represent nobility and peace but more than that they know the wonders it does for your health. 

Olive oil helps keep cholesterol levels in check and controls the blood sugar. It is one of the easiest to digest as it is monounsaturated. Drizzle some on top of a vegetable salad or dip a slice of whole-grain bread in some and eat as a snack.

Olive oil can also be added to spicy dishes and acidic food items. Try adding them when making sauces and dressings. Make a mix of olive oil with onions, herbs (oregano, thyme etc) and garlic for pasta sauces. Use olive oil to marinate your meat dishes as this allows better penetration ofthe flavour into the food.
For sauteing or frying, it's best to use a combination of extra virgin and regular olive oil. Add flavour to olive oil by infusing the oil with sprigs of dried herbs. It's best stored in a dark cool spot and in a tightly covered container. Keeping olive oil in the refrigerator, can make it turn thick.

Table olives can eaten in the pickled form or stuffed with pimentos or even just plain. While they can be used in anything from baked dishes to martinis, they also make a healthy snack eaten on their own.

Exercises to treat lower back ache

We give you simple exercises to treat lower back ache 

Almost everyone suffers from lower back pain at some point or the other. It could be for a variety of reasons and is especially common among adults. It is often caused by overuse and muscle strain or injury.

Here are some simple tips that will help you overcome it better...

- Avoid positions or activities that increase or cause back pain, use an ice pack when needed and take a painkiller only if you really require it. Most lower back pain gets better when you remain active.

- When your pain is getting relatively lesser, you can opt for simple strengthening exercises for your stomach, back, and legs along with some stretching exercises. Exercise not only helps you recover quicker, it also prevents re-injury to your back. 


- Remember that you should get active gradually once you're recovering from pain and slowly increase your activity level. Very little activity will lead to loss of flexibility, strength, endurance levels and eventually pain again.

- Avoid sleeping on your stomach because when your stomach sags downward, it arches your back, increases the lumbar curve and gives you pain. Sleeping on your back will be as uncomfortable. Experts, therefore, suggest sleeping on the side with your legs bent at the knees. This minimises spinal stress by straightening the lumber curve. Try and place a pillow under your knee - this pulls your hips upwards, flattening the lumbar curve and reducing the tension in the area.

- Pay attention to how you sit and stand - bad posture is often the main culprit. Don't slouch when you sit and don't hunch when you stand. TNN

Teen girls prone to binge drinking


A new study, which examined gender-specific influences of binge drinking on spatial working memory (SWM), has found that female teens may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of the habit. 

Binge or "heavy episodic" drinking is prevalent during adolescence, raising concerns about alcohol's effects on crucial neuromaturational processes during this developmental period. Heavy alcohol use has been associated with decrements in cognitive functioning in both adult and adolescent populations, particularly on tasks of SWM.

"Even though adolescents might physically appear grown up, their brains are continuing to significantly develop and mature, particularly in frontal brain regions that are associated with higher-level thoughts, like planning and organization," said Susan F. Tapert, acting chief of psychology at the VA San Diego Healthcare System as well as professor of psychiatry at theUniversity of California, San Diego.


"Heavy alcohol use could interrupt normal brain cell growth during adolescence, particularly in these frontal brain regions, which could interfere with teens'' ability to perform in school and sports, and could have long-lasting effects, even months after the teen uses," added Tapert.

Tapert and her colleagues recruited 95 participants from San Diego-area public schools as part of ongoing longitudinal studies.

"Our study found that female teenage heavy drinkers had less brain activation in several brain regions than female non-drinking teens when doing the same spatial task," said Tapert.

"These differences in brain activity were linked to worse performance on other measures of attention and working memory ability. Male binge drinkers showed some but less abnormality as compared to male non-drinkers. This suggests that female teens may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of heavy alcohol use," added Tapert.

The study will be detailed in the October 2011 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

Sleep deprivation leads to weight gain


Scientists have indicated that just one night of sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. 

It slows down the body's metabolism the next morning - meaning less energy, in the form of calories, is burnt off.

Previous studies have linked sleep deprivation with an increase in hunger-related hormones during waking hours.

"Our findings show that one night of sleep deprivation acutely reduces energy expenditure in healthy men, which suggests sleep contributes to the acute regulation of daytime energy expenditure in humans," the Daily Mail quoted Christian Benedict, who led the research at Uppsala University in Sweden, as saying. 



He and his colleagues put 14 male students through a series of sleep 'conditions' - curtailed sleep, no sleep, and normal sleep - over several days, then measured changes in how much they ate, their blood sugar, hormone levels and metabolic rate.

Even a single night of missed sleep slowed metabolism the next morning, reducing energy expenditure for tasks such as breathing and digestion by between 5 and 20 per cent.

Sanford Auerbach, head of the Sleep Disorders Center at Boston Medical Centre, pointed out that sleep deprivation is a complex issue, with medication and other issues influencing sleep as well, and urged that the new findings be kept in context.

"They showed that we adapt to sleep deprivation and that some of these adaptations could theoretically contribute to obesity," he added, adding that it's not clear how chronic sleep loss influences hormone levels.ANI

Breakfast key to good health

Good breakfast is the key to a healthy lifestyle determining the quality of your whole day's nutrition, according to research. 

And the best way to start the morning is with a simple bowl of a healthy cereal, as it makes people less likely to turn to fatty, sugary food through the rest of the day, reports express .

The study, by nutritionist Sigrid Gibson revealed the healthiest breakfast choice is cereal with milk because it is a good source of calcium and numerous other key nutrients, such as fibre, protein and carbohydrate.

The research team analysed 12,068 food records from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which interviewed Britons aged from 19 to 64. 



The results showed that one in five adults ate no solid food for breakfast, one third chose cereal and 45 per cent enjoyed a non-cereal breakfast. The most popular item was tea or coffee, taken on 84 per cent of breakfast occasions.

Milk was consumed with 82 per cent of breakfasts, followed by cereal (39 per cent), bread (33 per cent) and fruit (14 per cent).

The healthiest breakfast choice is cereal with milk.

Women were less likely than men to choose bread, sausage, bacon or eggs and more likely to have fruit instead.

The study found that eating breakfast was associated with a lower fat and higher carbohydrate intake over 24 hours compared with skipping breakfast.

But this was mainly attributable to cereal-based breakfasts as non-cereal meals were associated with a higher intake of saturated fatty acid and lower protein intakes. IANS

Why you should do breathing exercises


Breathing exercises are among the most popular stress relievers. Not only do they work swiftly, they require very little practise and you can do them anywhere. 

Here's why you should opt for them...

- Stress is known to wreak havoc on you both physically and mentally. Breathing exercises are a great way to relieve stress as well as give you relief from hyperventillation, bad headaches, burnout, fatigue, help you sleep better, reduce anxiety and depression.

- You can go in for breathing exercises when you're overcome by stress and want to feel better, when you feel overwhelmed in a situation and don't know what to do, you want to clear your thoughts, your body wants a release, you feel irritated when things don't go your way or when you're in the middle of an argument and want to calm down.

- When practiced regularly, you will notice that you're able to handle stressful situations way better than what you used to.

Having bacon and sausages daily dramatically ups type 2 diabetes risk


Eating red meat, particularly processed meat such as hot dogs, sausages or bacon significantly increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new research has found.
The study also shows that replacing red meat with healthier proteins, such as low-fat dairy, nuts, or whole grains, can significantly lower the risk.
Study leader An Pan, research fellow in the HSPH Department of Nutrition, senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH, and colleagues analysed questionnaire responses from 37,083 men followed for 20 years in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study; 79,570 women followed for 28 years in the Nurses' Health Study I; and 87,504 women followed for 14 years in the Nurses' Health Study II.
They also conducted an updated meta-analysis, combining data from their new study with data from existing studies that included a total of 442,101 participants, 28,228 of whom developed type 2 diabetes during the study.

After adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, the researchers found that a daily 100-gram serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 19 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
They also found that one daily serving of half that quantity of processed meat-50 grams (for example, one hot dog or sausage or two slices of bacon)-was associated with a 51 percent increased risk.
"Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide," said Hu.
The study will be published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (ANI)

Top 10 Myths Related to Heart Problems





Let's deflate some heart-related myths right now:


Myth No. 1: Heart-Attack cannot get you if you're Physically Fit



Being fit may lessen the risk factors but it doesn't guarantee a life exempted from diseases. People often live under the impression that heart diseases mostly affect those who are obese. Even thin orweight conscious people can suffer from clogged arteries resulting from cholesterol deposits or damaged arteries. Factors like diabetes, smoking, tobacco abuse, genetic predisposition, genetics, high cholesterol or hypertension expose you to risk irrespective of your fitness levels.


Myth No. 2: It's Easy to Recognize the Symptoms of a Heart Attack



Forget ordinary people, a heart attack can even play hide-and-seek with cardiologists. Its symptoms can be varying and may not always be severe. Do not take the following symptoms lightly: Chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, weakness, unusual fatigue, heaviness, weakness, or pain in one or both arms, back pain, indigestion, racing or fluttering heart. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these.




Busted: Top 10 Myths Related to Heart Problems









Myth No. 3: No Chest Pain Means No Heart Attack



A heart attack can have unusual indicators. Infact at times diabetics may not experience any pain. And it's not necessary that a person only experiences pain in the chest area. Chest pain or discomfort can be anywhere, starting from jaw to the umbilicus (navel aka belly button). The pain is not clearly localised. In fact, it's not even well-defined. It might be some sort of “heaviness” or “tightness” or a feeling of pressure. The chest pain associated with heart attacks is not usually sharp but more often described as dull. It can be lasting or intermittent. Squeezing or unusual discomfort at the back doesn't always mean an attack but the possibility cannot be fully ruled out until the tests are done.


Also, if you feel that you are experiencing an irregular heartbeat or hyperventilating, then don't overlook it as stress related disorder.


Myth No. 4: Wait and Watch the Chest Pain to Subside



The ancient “wait and watch” approach can prove to be lethal in the cases of heart and brain. Immediate medical attention should be sought after if you experience unrecognized, inexplicable chest pain. Every second counts and may cause irreparable damage to the heart. Dismissing chest pain for indigestion or gas is not a wise idea.




Busted: Top 10 Myths Related to Heart Problems




A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, causing catastrophic thrombus formation, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream.


Myth No. 5: Heart Problems do not Affect Young People



This may have been true in ancient times but doesn't really hold any weight in the present times. Cases of people aged between 20 and 40 years getting hit by a heart attack have been widely reported. And the main reason for this? The kind of lifestyle we have developed in the recent years.Junk food, smoking, less exercise, increased intake of alcohol and high levels of stress has become daily lifestyles of most of the urban working population. Add to this, the factors like diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.




Busted: Top 10 Myths Related to Heart Problems




Myth No. 6: Taking an Aspirin in a Day Helps to Subside Heart Attacks



While taking of aspirin tablets is recommended during an active heart attack when someone is having chest pain, it is not recommended for everyday use to prevent heart disease unless specified by your doctor. Aspirin can have some seriously harsh side-effects. Everyday use of aspirin should not be done unless approved by a doctor.


Myth No. 7: After a Heart Attack Life Comes to a Halt



Life can be back on track if a person gets conscious about his lifestyle. Don't take an attack as the end of good life. If you become aware of your eating habits, exercise regime, banish smoke and alcohol from you territory and most importantly adopt a positive attitude towards your work then you can be as healthy as you were. Of course, you have to remain under strict medical supervision and follow all the advice dispensed by the doctor.




Busted: Top 10 Myths Related to Heart Problems




Myth No. 8: Heart Diseases Affect Men and Women in the Same Way



Men and women, both, suffer from heart disease but men have a higher risk of getting a fatal heart disease than women who are still getting their menstrual period. The conception that women do not suffer from heart attacks in erroneous. It's just that they are less prone to the disease than men and that too in their reproductive age group. By the age of 60-65, a woman is under the same degree of risk as a man. Women also lose much of their protection if they smoke, take oral contraception, are diabetic or hypertensive. While heart attack-related symptoms are almost same in both the sexes, women may also experience vomiting, breathlessness, nausea additionally.


Myth No. 9: Diabetes is Not a Threat as Long as the Blood Sugar Level is under Control



Diabetes itself causes inflammation that can damage blood vessels, raising the risk of heart disease and other health problems. One also needs to take into account his weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels apart from the blood sugar level.


Myth 10: I've Already Had an Angioplasty (heart surgery) and so I can put all Heart-related worries to Rest



This is definitely untrue. If you go back to same old lifestyle ripe with carelessness that originally allowed you to develop a heart problem then you are quite likely to damage your heart again.


We must understand that heart is a complex organ and needs our attention accordingly. With diet, exercise and greater awareness of risks, most heart diseases are preventable. But sadly enough, people treat their cars better than their bodies. (MensXP.com)


Depression ups risk of stroke in women




A new study has linked depression with increased risk of stroke in women.
In six years of follow-up of women in the Nurses' Health Study, researchers found that a history of depression was associated with a 29 percent increased risk of total stroke - even after considering other stroke risk factors.
Women who used anti-depressant medication - particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors- had a 39 percent increased risk of stroke.
Anti-depressant medication use may be an indicator of depression severity, said Kathryn Rexrode, M.D., the study's senior author and Associate Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass.
"I don't think the medications themselves are the primary cause of the risk. This study does not suggest that people should stop their medications to reduce the risk of stroke," she stated.
Compared to women without a history of depression, depressed women were more likely to be single, smokers and less physically active.
They were also slightly younger, had a higher body mass index and more coexisting conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
"Depression can prevent individuals from controlling other medical problems such as diabetes and hypertension, from taking medications regularly or pursuing other healthy lifestyle measures such as exercise," said Rexrode, who is also Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
"All these factors could contribute to increased risk," she added.
The finding was reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. (ANI)

Low vitamin D linked to early menstruation, health problems later in life




Low vitamin D in young girls may lead to early menstruation, which is a risk factor for a host of health issues for teen girls as well as ladies later in life, according to a brand new study.

Researchers from the University of Illinois School of Public Health measured the blood vitamin D levels in 242 girls ages 5-12 from Bogota, Colombia, and followed them for 30 months.

Girls low on vitamin D were two times as likely to start menstruation in the work of the study than those with sufficient vitamin D, said epidemiologist Eduardo Villamor, associate professor in the U-M SPH.

Early menstruation is a risk factor for behavioural and psychosocial issues in teenagers.

Also, girls who have an earlier menarche appear to have increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases and cancer-particularly breast cancer, as adults.

In the research by Villamor and colleagues, 57 percent of the girls in the vitamin D-deficient group reached menarche in the work of the study, compared to 23 percent in the vitamin D-sufficient group.

In terms of age, girls who were low in vitamin D were about 11.8 years elderly when they started menstruating, compared to the other group at about age 12.6 years elderly.

This 10-month difference is substantial, Villamor said, because although ten months may not appear like a long time, at that age a lot is happening quickly to a young girl's body.


Want to reduce your belly fat? Eat apples, green peas and beans




Are you tired of having belly fat? Now, eat two small apples, one cup of green peas and one-half cup of pinto beans and exercise vigorously for 30 minutes, two to four times a week.
cording to the researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, vegetables, fruit and beans contain more soluble fiber and will help reduce visceral fat, or belly fat, around the midsection.
They found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fiber eaten per day, visceral fat was reduced by 3.7 percent over five years. In addition, increased moderate activity resulted in a 7.4 percent decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation over the same time period.
"We know that a higher rate of visceral fat is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver disease," said Kristen Hairston, assistant professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest Baptist and lead researcher on the study.

"Our study found that making a few simple changes can have a big health impact," he added.
The researchers examined whether lifestyle factors, such as diet and frequency of exercise, were associated with a five-year change in abdominal fat of African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
At the beginning of the study, which involved 1,114 people, the participants were given a physical exam, an extensive questionnaire on lifestyle issues, and a CT scan. Five years later, the exact same process was repeated.
The researchers found that increased soluble fiber intake was associated with a decreased rate of accumulated visceral fat, but not subcutaneous fat.
"There is mounting evidence that eating more soluble fiber and increasing exercise reduces visceral or belly fat, although we still don't know how it works," said Hairston.
The results are published in the June 16 online issue of the journal Obesity. (ANI)

How I beat anxiety



Macrobiotic food consultant Shonali Sabherwal turned inward to get over her panic attacks .
In January this year, something started happening, which I had never experienced before - every time I flipped sides in my sleep my heart rate increased rapidly, and it felt like I had come off a treadmill after a run. It was accompanied with breathlessness and panic. My doctor said it was 'atrial fibrillation' or an abnormal heart rhythm. This continued till March and I did nothing to address it. Each time it happened, I would sit up and take a few deep breaths, smell eucalyptus oil and go back to bed.

When I started analysing what was happening, I realised I was going through stress on account of my business and a recent relationship. It was a classic case of anxiety - worry, nervousness, fear, apprehension, concern or restlessness.

Normal feelings of anxiety often serve as an alarm system, alerting you to danger. But too much anxiety can be debilitating and interferes with your daily routine. However, trying to force anxiety out of your life is like trying to force an idea out of your mind by hitting your head against the wall. It doesn't work. 



Since I am a macrobiotic counsellor, I used my knowledge on myself. Traditional Chinese medicine says your heart, 'the emperor', governs your mind (Shen). This means the state of the heart will affect your mental activities as well as your emotional state. Your heart resides in 'joy'. During a panic attack, 'fear' counteracts 'joy'.

In my case, because my food habits were good, my triggers were emotional. Once I established this, here is what I did:

Emotional baggage 
I addressed my emotional triggers with a psychologist. On the work front, I set such high standards for myself, I often get disappointed and fail to notice my accomplishments. I can be a harsh critic of myself. I started focussing on my accomplishments and let go of self-criticism.

On the personal front, I always pictured myself as loving, compassionate and a super woman. But I am only human and have other aspects of which I am nonaccepting. I could get too trusting and co-dependent, and because I left myself emotionally vulnerable, I kept beating myself about it. This is something that surfaced perhaps for the first time in my life. I had to learn to accept all of myself - the good, bad, and ugly. Taking a spiritual view helped me do this.

Happy activities 
I enjoy writing and so I wrote a lot during this time. I cultivated humour, which I lack otherwise, with funny pieces. Writing is known to release 'serotonin' (a neurotransmitter that promotes confidence and security).

Change in routine 
I work long hours. I break my day with a swim, yoga or exercise. This helps me re-charge for the next half of the day. I don't have to tell you about the endorphins released while exercising.

Meditation 
I increased my meditation (Vipassana) time to two hours a day instead of the one hour I was doing. I suggest whatever helps - kriyas, pranayam, breathing exercises, laughter clubs, knitting, chanting. Please use anything that keeps your heart in a state of 'joy'. In this hectic life, we lose touch with the simple tools that help us function in tandem with the rhythm of the universe.

Food 
I focussed on simpler meals of whole grain, beans, vegetables, quality fermented foods, soups. I don't drink tea, coffee, stimulants, or eat sugar, or chocolates, which people with anxiety issues must stop. I also incorporated bitter foods into my daily diet, which I also advocate - mustard greens, amaranth (whole grain), asparagus, aruhgula leaves, fenugreek (methi), celery, dark chocolate, gourd, dandelion (baunphal), papaya, karela, curry leaves, liquorice root (mulathi), and leafy greens. Add, corn, quinoa, red pumpkin (bhopla), kidney beans, melons and berries to your daily diet. However, the most important thing was realising that no one is perfect and are all fallible. With the simplicity of what I incorporated into my life, I bounced back to normal.Mumbai mirror.

Cod liver oil


Cod liver oil is a nutritional supplement derived from liver of cod fish. It has high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, and very high levels of vitamin A and vitamin D. It is widely taken to ease the symptoms of arthritis and for other health benefits. It was once commonly given to children, because the high levels of vitamin D in cod liver oil have been shown to prevent rickets and other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.


What are the Benefits of Cod Liver Oil?

Cod liver oil is a wonderful nutritional supplement which provides multiple health benefits. It is rich in nutrients such as:

Vitamin A: helps to maintain a healthy immune method, helps resist bacterial ; viral infections,and beneficial for eyesight and healthy skin.
Vitamin D: helps maintain strong  healthy bones.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: have anti-inflammatory properties which help relieve the signs of arthritis, improve brain function, reduce stress, prevent allergies, relieve asthma,  help with learning , behavioral disorders including bipolar syndrome.
EicosaPentaenoic Acid (EPA): is great for the cardiovascular method , helps reduce inflammation throughout the body. Also works as a natural anti-depressant.
Consuming 1-2 teaspoons of cod liver oil every day can help to prevent serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, kidney issues,  high cholesterol.DocosaHexaenoic Acid (DHA): is  a fatty acid which is vital for lovely eyesight,   healthy skin.

Fatty comfort foods cheer you up


Ever thought why we reach for ice cream, pizza and other fatty foods when we're feeling down? There may be a scientific reason.
A new research has suggested that fatty foods literally serve as 'comfort' foods and help lift our mood.
The findings could explain why so many people become obese when facing stressful situations.
Dr Lukas Van Oudenhove from the University of Leuven, in Belgium, and his colleagues used MRI scans to assess the emotional impact of fat when injected into the stomach.

They recruited 12 healthy-weight volunteers and scanned their brainwaves as they were shown a series of sad and neutral images as well as exposing them to sad and neutral music.
They then inserted either fatty acids or saline into their stomachs but didn't tell the volunteers which was which.
This meant they could bypass the effects of sensory stimulation as well as any associations to childhood foods.
The scientists found the music and expressions caused people's moods to fall across the board.
However, the levels of sadness among those who consumed fatty acids were around 50 per cent lower compared to those who received saline.
"Eating fat seems to make us less vulnerable to sad emotions, even if we don't know we're eating fat," the Daily Mail quoted Oudenhove as telling HealthDay.
The researchers said their findings could have important implications for people with obesity, eating disorders and depression.
The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Soak up the sun for Vitamin D



It's free and easily available in India. But lack of it can lead to many health problems. Yes, we are talking about Vitamin D. 

Vitamin D sufficiency, along with diet and exercise, has emerged as one of the most important preventive factors in human health. Many studies now link vitamin D deficiency with significantly higher rates of many forms of cancer , as well as heart disease , osteoporosis , multiple sclerosis and many other conditions and diseases.

So, it's time to soak up the sun. Spending long hours in air-conditioned rooms have become the norm of urban lifestyle. Human beings spend less time in the sun today than at any point in human history - which is why more than one billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient. Hence, it's very essential to look at life through rays of sunshine.
Get is easily: 
We can get 90 per cent of our vitamin D naturally from sunlight exposure to our skin - specifically, from ultraviolet B exposure to the skin, which naturally initiates the conversion of cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D3. Few food items like salmon, egg, tuna, fortified milk can also give you your share of vitamin D. But nothing matches sunshine which is so easily available.

Sunlight is the best and only natural source of vitamin D. The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. Vitamin D is called the 'sunshine vitamin' because it is formed in the skin through exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. It is estimated that throughout the seasons, around 15 minutes exposure to the sun a few days a week is enough to provide the required amount of vitamin D.

So what should you do? 
Experts say there's no need to lose sleep over it. Fair-skinned people only need around 15 minutes of direct sunlight to produce enough vitamin D to last for several days (although people with darker skin may need more exposure). And it's not suggested that this exposure to the sun has to be every day; instead, a few short exposures a week is considered to be plenty. These exposures could be fitted into your day-to-day activities. Go for walks, bicycle rides or even driving with windows rolled down when the sun is shining. No need to go for all these activities in the night if you want your quota of Vitamin D.

Eating walnuts best bet for a healthy heart


A new study has suggested that walnuts have a combination of more healthful antioxidants and higher quality antioxidants than any other nut. 

It positioned walnuts in the No. 1 slot among a family of foods that lay claim to being among Mother Nature's most nearly perfect packaged foods: Tree and ground nuts.

"Walnuts rank above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts," said Joe Vinson, who did the analysis.

"A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. But unfortunately, people don't eat a lot of them. This study suggests that consumers should eat more walnuts as part of a healthy diet," he added. 


Vinson found that the quality, or potency, of antioxidants present in walnuts was highest among the nuts.

Antioxidants in walnuts were 2-15 times as potent as vitamin E, renowned for its powerful antioxidant effects that protect the body against damaging natural chemicals involved in causing disease.

"There's another advantage in choosing walnuts as a source of antioxidants," said Vinson, who is with the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

"The heat from roasting nuts generally reduces the quality of the antioxidants. People usually eat walnuts raw or unroasted, and get the full effectiveness of those antioxidants," he added.

The report was presented at the 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

Olive oil for manageable hair


There is no end to the goodness of olive oil. 

Every beauty and health expert worth their salt will advise you to use olive oil for cooking as well as for beautifying oneself. Olive oil has been hailed as the ultimate when it comes to health. It is as beneficial and effective as a beauty aid as it is when consumed.

Here's how you can use olive oil to get silky shiny hair.

- Pour around half a cup of olive oil into a vessel and heat it. The oil shouldn't be too hot or you will end up with burnt fingers. Warm the oil only so much that you can comfortably touch the oil.

- Cover your shoulders with a towel to avoid staining your clothes. 



- Take a little oil in your palms and massage it into your hair. Concentrate on massaging the scalp if you have a dry, itchy scalp. However, if you have an oily scalp then avoid applying oil your scalp. Oil only your hair and leave an inch and a half from the roots unoiled. Massage with your fingertips and not your nails. You might end up with a bruised scalp. Massaging with the fingertips also stimulates the hair follicles. This also propagates hair growth. Which is why you must massage your hair at least once a week.

- Pile your hair on the top and cover it completely with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Covering hair helps the oil to penetrate deeply. You can also wrap your hair with a warm towel.

- Keep the oil on your hair for at least half an hour and not more than one hour. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo. 

10 Tips to get your man wild in bed


Men rarely divulge their secret desires to thewomen in their lives and though everyone has different needs and desires there are some moves and attitudes that most men want. Read on to find out what they are and then give him the time of his life! 

Give some subtle suggestions 
For men (even though he's known you for a while now) a woman's libidinous longings are not always easy to decipher. If you drop some hints about what all you want and guide him along, he will love you for it.

Trust us, the man who really loves you would love to please you in every way possible. So, talk to him and tell him if he's doing just what you wanted or if you want him to continue with something a little longer.

Bowl him over with a wild move 
Do something unexpected and wild when you both are at it. Something erotic that he will not be able to forget soon. Make your session stand out by coming up with signature moves. Work on pleasuring him in different ways. 



Offer the spice of variety 
Change in speed, positions and pressure can really make the entire experience very different. Whether it is the foreplay or the actual act, if there is variety he will never really know what to expect and therefore it will help a great deal in revving up his senses.

Turn it on yourself 
Since women take time to get turned on, men love women who can take that responsibility off them so that he can actually get to work. Though your man may love to do all that he needs to in order to get you aroused but he would definitely like it if you were already half-way there. Somehow the fact that you are already in an aroused state is a huge thing for him.

Spring a surprise 
For men it is a massive ego boost to know that you want him too. Surprising him with a spontaneous seduction act can really win him. He will not be likely to forget it in a hurry.

Don't be scared to be naughty 
Don't hold back when you are with your guy. Yes, we know that you have this 'good-girl' image that you hold sacred. Men like to see this other side of you when you are not scared to break his 'good-girl' image of you. They will never cause offense by actually asking you to do it. Just show him that you are really into him and want him as much as he wants you.

Give him an eyeful 
Leaving something on your body, for him to remove can be very arousing. When you are at it just make sure you are near a mirror so that you can see yourselves in action. It can be hot.

Get rough 
Yes, he wants it rough at times and he would love it if you let him know that you want it too. Bring out the beast in him and tell him you are having the time of your life.

Take over 
Sometimes men just want you to take over while he just lies down and enjoys. It is an ultimate fantasy for them.

Wear his fav lingerie 
Show him that you care by wearing his favourite lingerie. Compiled by Debarati S Sen 

Spices are good for you!


Here are the benefits of some popular spices.... 

Indians are known to like their food hot and spicy. So to imagine your food without spices is rather unimaginable, isn't it?! They say wherever you find an Indian, chances are you will find a range of aromatic spices. But along with the taste that spices and herbs provide, they also have several medicinal benefits as well. Spices have been used for centuries for their medicinal qualities and researchers continue to study their healing properties. Here are some of their benefits:

Chili powder: It relieves painful joints. Research shows that capsaicin, found in chili peppers, has an anti-inflammatory effect, which may help ease arthritic swelling and pain.

Cinnamon: Protects against type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A study has discovered that about half a teaspoon lowered blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. 



Garlic: Improves your heart's health. Garlic consumption can lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels by an average of 10 per cent.

Cloves: Clove oil is a well known treatment for toothache, and its antiseptic properties make it an excellent mouthwash. The main ingredient in the oil is eugenol, which is anti-inflammatory and can help ease the stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. It is a warming spice, which can help reduce congestion and stimulate digestion.

Ginger: Ginger contains antioxidants and can help protect against diseases. It calms down spasms and reduces flatulence in the digestive system. It is also an excellent treatment for nausea associated with travel sickness, pregnancy and hangovers. 

Ideal diet before and after workout


What you eat before and after a workout is as important as the regimen itself... 

An effective workout depends on many factors - the most important one being your diet. What you eat before a workout prepares your body for the stress and the meal after that is responsible for muscle building and body repair. Here's what you must keep in mind so as to tailor your meals and maximise your workout.

PRE WORKOUT: 

Get the carbs 
Give your body a dose of carbohydrates one hour before you hit the gym. Eat a fruit (apple would be ideal). You may also have toast, cornflakes or idlis. You could also just eat a banana for the complex carbohydrates it provides. These foods need comparatively little time to digest, are easy on the body and provide you with maximum energy during the workout. Also, ensure that you drink a glass of water before the workout, so that your body is well hydrated.

Never go hungry 
Do not hit the gym on an empty stomach. The stress that exercise has on the body, combined with the lack of sugar (energy) will lead to hypoglycemia, a condition that will make you prone to fatigue. 



After a heavy meal 
For a diabetic, it is very important to workout soon after a heavy meal. However, normal individuals must maintain a gap of two to three hours between a heavy meal and the workout. The logic is to allow the sugar level in the body to reach an optimum level.


POST WORKOUT: 

Use the window 
During a workout, the level of cortisol (also known as the destructive hormone) in the body increases, thereby making it prone to infections. That's precisely why the hour just after a workout is known as the 'window period', as it allows for infections to enter the body. Use this opportunity and eat as soon as possible.

Get a drink 
The body loses salt due to sweating. That is why it's very important to compensate via a rich source of electrolyte such as ORT.

Have proteins, but... 
Do not rely completely on proteins for your supply of energy, as they are far more difficult to digest and take a toll on your kidneys. To aid digestion, make sure you include lots of greens in your meal, as they are rich in fibre.

Create supplements 
The body needs a high-protein diet for muscle building. However, relying on supplements is not the answer. The best option for a post workout DIY supplement is to take the watery part of curd (that is very rich in proteins), chop a banana and apple into it and put it in the blender. It's a perfect combination of proteins and carbohydrates. Not to forget, the apple is rich in fibre. TNN